Ok I found out my thyroid was off after a friend told me to go to the dr. My TSH was 203!! Dr said no biggy take thyroxian it will take a while but once we find the right dose all will be good. That was 10 YEARS AGO. I started on 1 then 150 then 2 at that point I was low... so back down to 150. I moved here on 150 with at TSH that was back up to 27!! My new Dr said no problem this other brand has 175 so I was on that then 2 then back down to 175 my blood numbers were stable but my brain was somewere other than with me. I still wasn't functioning well. GP even had me on anti depression stuff for a while there but that made me feel worst so I stopped those. Oh and I gained weight lots of weight.

Any way last year I was in here and saw some one post about different brands making you feel better but blood numbers were the same on all. So I though What the heck I really need to talk him into this it's worth a try!!
My internal med guy goes for it and I get back on the first brand (there are only 2 in Canada) at 150. Start feeling better loosing weight all is good. My GP starts saying that I'm over medicated. Three months ago my TSH was 1 but my free t4's were normal my internal med guys says all is good my GP says your over medicated. I though w/e I'm sticking with him. So I then go in for my physical and she runs a ton of blood work. My GP was right all along and my TSH in now less than .05

Has any one else had this much problem getting stable blood numbers?? Everyone I have talked to around here say that it wasn't like that for them!! is it me or menopause or both.... I have to admit my family will not let me touch the thermistat any longer.

I feel like I'm going insain!! with all this up and down. This was supose to be easy!! The only good thing about this last switch is I have lost all the weight I gained when I got here!! but I guess that wasn't me but the thyroxian so.

I know I'm babbling but I need to know if anyone else has had so much problems getting everything stable. I have an appointment with my GP monday I figure she is going to yell. My next internal med appointment isn't till may!! I'm not switching brands and she can't make me, but really I don't know what to do.

So Ideas Comments and Sujestions are needed!!!

Thanks

Well, I have thryroid problems and I'm now up to 300 mcg Synthroid daily. It doesn't always stabalize. I could go for a year, then need a change, maybe 3 months another change. Do you exercise? What do you eat - avoid white flour and white sugar. Eat more protein. If you are taking too much, you can damage your heart.

Thanks QuilterInVA I have been excercising more though it's not at a gym program. I've been moving better now that I have lost some weight. I'm volunteering now at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, they sure keep you moving!!
I do try to get protein and healthy choices. Sugar and junk food make me feel ill of late. Not a bad thing but I'm sure that is tied in with my low TSH. I'm just really really tired of my body being on a roller coaster. At least now my brain is clear enough for me to deal with this. She can't make me switch brands. Here's hoping she doesn't want me on 125 mcg. Levo does not have that just 100 and 150. Maybe she will let me alternate.
Thanks for responding. It sounds like you have a handle on stablizing your numbers. How often do you do your blood work? Did you ever have problems with fuzzy brain??

My doctor had me taking a 100 and a 25 when I needed 125. So they can adjust the dosage. I get blood work done every 6 months. If I have a change in medication, then I have it checked every 6 weeks until the dosage is correct. I do have the fuzzy brain problem. It's usually a sign I need my dosage upped. I also get very cold very easily. Your exercise doesn't have to be at a gym. You're doing fine - keep moving. You might ask for a glucose tolerance test if you keep feeling ill. Insulin resistance happens to a lot of people with thyroid problems.

Quilter-What is the avoidance of white sugar/flour for? I have never heard about that and I have thyroid issues also, is there something I should know????
Thanks!

You can go to ww.thyroid.about.com for all kinds of info. My doctor had me go there so it's pretty reliable.

Housewife, I have taken thyroxin for 20 years (started at 38 years) when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune disease that causes your thyroid to destroy itself. At any rate, I went up pretty steadily, taking Synthroid, for about 15 years from 100 mcg to 300 mcg until I was about 53 years old. In the last five years, my GP has lessoned my dose a little at a time (because of blood pressure problems), and I am now taking a dose of 150 mcg. I also now take Levothyroxine (generic thyroxin), which seems to be okay (I cannot take the generic of some of my meds, that's a whole other story!!).

I have my bloodwork done every six months or so, and l seem to be within the normal range. I do believe I exercise more than I ever did when I was younger, and I feel that has helped my numbers -- not sure how menopause has affected my numbers, but I do have to still be on an antidepressant (I have taken for 15 years, and supposedly cannot ever stop) -- my GP says depression goes hand and hand with low thyroid.

Housewife, glad that your thyroid problem is under control -- it's a tricky thing, but can be stabilized, with time.

I used to drink and eat alot of soy, and I recently read that it affects your thyroid -- so I have stopped so much soy -- has anyone else heard of this?

Michele

Hi! I'm hypothyroid as well, likely beginning stages of hoshomoto's - my mom and aunt both have it.

I'm only at 75 mcg, just up from 50. I started at 50, went up to 75, and then back down to 50 - like you, b/c of bloodwork. It is true that there are a lot of things that can impact how well your body absorbs/uses the medication. My doc was very specific:

"take first thing in the morning, 1/2 hour before ANYTHING else, with water only."

I already knew to avoid grapfruit and licorice (what about the flour/sugar thing??)

I was doing ok at first when they reduced my dose again, but then I started getting very fatigued and unmotivated again (and gaining weight). I talked to my pysch (yes, depression, anxiety, and OCD too) and he said that because I am on neurontin for my fibromyalgia, the T3 or 4s (can't remember) are being pushed out into my blood instead of binding to receptors (he's a biochemist)... which is WHY it looks like you don't need as much on blood tests BUT the body is saying something else.

Now, i am no doctor, but he wanted to treat me, not my blood work, and put it pack up to 75mcg. I'm already starting to feel better.

So, maybe you are on other medications that are affecting the uptake??

Hi Enigma, I just read your post. Why not grapefruit and licorice?? I have never heard that. You learn something new every day!

Wow I'm so glad I found this place!! Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one and it is really hard to explain this to others. Knowing that your all out there dealing with similar problems and I can ask questions is a big help.

Enigma77 my internal med guy treats me. My GP treats my blood work. Surprisingly my appointment went well. She was over booked and behind schedule, not usual for her, so ran in looked at my blood work. Told me that my numbers aren't good and to skip 2 pills a week and left. Oh and I have 6 months to improve my cholesterol numbers or she will put me on something!

QuilterInVA Thanks for the info about Insulin resistance I forgot about that one. though the idea of an other glucose tolerance test makes me shutter. Had one when I was pregnant... over 14 years later and I still turn green at the thought of orange crush with 15 times too much sugar!

Michele237 you mentioned menopause... did you have hot flashes?? I'm having them every so often and they are horrible!! My internal med guy says 3 to 5 years and it all be over. I sure hope so cause the first time I my timing started to go all I could think was "I'm way too old to do that again!!". My baby is 14!!

Monet Thanks way too meany for get range when they say normal. It really isn't suprising now that I can think. My body has always reacted weird to drugs. But as you say I'm sticking with my internal med guy as he listens to me and how I feel. My GP doesn't. Hopefully they have better things to do at dinner than talk about me... I'm sure they do they both have busy offices and at least 2 of their 3 kids are getting md's.
Thanks again for the encouragement.

Housewife, I haven't had my period for 11 years - I am 58 and my period stopped when I was 47. I really have not been bothered by hot flashes, or any other symtoms other than if I drink alcohol, or have something hot to drink, I might get hot, but I don't really get a hot flash like my older sisters used to have (where your face turn real red). I do sweat during the night sometimes though. Overall, I think I have been pretty lucky - although I still feel I am in menopause, cause I still have those minor symtoms -- it's been a long time!!

Originally, I heard it from my mom - that it either affects absorption of the medication or lowers the thyroid function (my mom used to be addicted to black licorice)... After you asked, I googled it and it doesn't seem (from clinical studies) that the grapefruit juice bothers it significantly, but I didn't find much on the black licorice thing except that "it can lower thyroid function". Oh, and apparently licorice root is used to flavor tobacco... I found an interesting site that agreed with the "no soy" attitude and continued on with limit unsaturated fats and oils, as well as a list of other things. I try to stick to the medical websites with good reputations and reading medical journals.

Although, they say for those with fibromyalgia to avoid aspartame and caffeine, but I'll have an awfully hard time giving up Diet Dr. Pepper. lol

Thanks, Enigma77, for the info. Although I haven't had licorace in years, I do eat grapefruit or have the juice occasionally, so I guess I am okay. Michele