http://www.endocrineweb.com/hypo1.html
Please seek advice of your physician.Do not attempt to self treat this disease.Read above.Left untreated, rarely, but CAN be life threatening.

But what about your hormone levels? Have they been rechecked? Are you Euthyroid?

Again... I'm wondering if that is treating symptoms or the underlying problem.

Just a point regarding the cost of medication. The generic for Synthroid which is Levothyroxin, can be purchased at many pharmacies for only $4 a month. If you already have had the blood testing done, that is the expensive portion. I understand that you have other objections to the medication route, but don't let finances be part of the problem.

I want to add a warning about untreated hypothyroid, it can turn to cancer. I had undaignosed hashimotos for years acording to my surgeon and in around 20% of all cases it will turn to thyroid cancer. I had my thyroid removed in October of 2005 because of cancer. I have to take medication everyday to survive, I have a big scar on my neck, and I am at a higher risk of getting a secondary cancer so I have to be extra vigilant about every aspect of my health. All that because I was not diagnosed and wasn't put on the medication that could have controled this before it turned to cancer.

Thyroid problems are not something to ignore and hope they go away, thyroid cancer is the only cancer that is increasing in the US today.

Are you on synthroid?

Thanks for sharing your story, Bette. Hashimoto's Thyroiditis can be tricky because it can cause bursts of hyperthyroidism during the inflammation before it burns out into hypothyroidism. And when we throw in the different types of thyroid cancers... it's a whole new level.

So, I throw my voice in with all the others. This is not a simple problem. You need to see your doctor regularly and they need to be following your levels.

My prayers and thoughts go out to you, Bette.

Thank you for your support.
For me thyroid cancer was a bit of a blessing. I feel so much better without my thyroid than I did with it. It gave me a chance to re-evaluate things in my life and I am happy with hwere I am right now in my life.

My thyroid seems to be functioning fine

Glad to hear your tests came back normal. One less thing to worry about.

It has been interesting reading this thread. I had Grave's disease when I was 18, and nearly total thyroidectomy when I was 19. I believe that my other hormones were keeping me euthyroid for a long time, but it finally petered-out when I got pregnant with my 2nd child 10 years later. I have been on Synthroid for 22 years now. Unfortunately, it has been the source of my weight battle, and thyroid meds have never helped me lose weight. It is also part of the reason I could never get pregnant again, and after 10 years of trying, we adopted our daughter. I can always tell when my thyroid is in need of attention, and have had interesting causes over the years. Once it was because of pharmacy error, once it was heat stroke, and once it was iron toxicity from my vitamins. You have to read to see what kinds of things might interact with the thyroid med, and vitamins are a biggie unless you spread them out correctly. I have always taken synthroid at night so it doesn't upset my stomach--that might have been because of the baby at the time I started but have done it ever since. It never bothered me so much as the last couple of years with going through menopause. The best thing I have used for the splitting nails and hair loss was a suggestion from a dermatologist I was seeing for another reason--1000mg Biotin. Takes a little while, and a little trial & error, but I was pleasantly surprised -in about 4 weeks my hair was back to normal, took about 10 weeks to see improvement in my nails. I had not heard about the coconut oil, but since I grew up with the oils being in and out of fashion, it makes sense, although olive oil has always been the "go to" oil for most people I know. Just one thing, that crazy woman on the Web is not worth listening to in my opinion. I have read more poor and wrong advice from her than anything I have researched. So always be careful, and research well!

please please please do not ignore a thyroid problem.

Mine started when I had a hyperactive thyroid. I lost a butt load of weight and was the smallest i ever was as an adult, but very very sick. so much so that i needed two doses of radioactive iodine to treat my contition and developed graves disease which I needed a major surgery to fix.

I was on synthroid for 3 years then i changed doctors because i moved and my new doctor took me off my pills saying i didn't need them, and i trusted her cause she was a doctor. with this my weight spiraled out of control.

when i moved again a few months ago and again got a new doctor and he was appaled that i wasn't on any form of medication, so we've just recently started me back on the synthroid and i'm hoping it will help with my weightloss.

hi everybody, my name is haley my doc started me on generic synthroid about a month ago and now i feel even more tired than i was before which makes doing exercise more difficult and when it's so hot out and my 5 yr old daughter wants my attn i just give up and don't do it. i'm supposed to get my blood rechecked first week of september, so if my energy hasn't improved i hope that will show cause i won't be seeing my doctor that day.....

congrats on everyone making progress!

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism 11 years ago a year after the birth of my third child. I continued to gain weight until I finally plateaued at 250lbs. I am on the highest dose of Synthroid 300 mcg and still can not lose the weight. Worked out for 3-4 days a week at a gym doing cardio and weight training for a year while watching my intake. I think I lost 10 lbs. So I got fed up and quit. It is quite depressing but I have not found anything to work. I know I have to work out/exercise because my blood pressure is up. I am very discouraged and depressed which of course could mean I am not getting enough synthroid. But geeze can not afford to buy second pill. I will say to those who are taking levothyroxine be careful. I took it for a year and my endo said to quit because It is not enough. Since it is generic it doesn't meet the same regulations that the name brand has to meet and may not have enough of the hormone as it says it does.

I see this all the time and it never ceases to amaze me. Doctors check thyroid levels on people on the medicine and when they come back normal, they incorrectly stop the medicine. The levels are normal BECAUSE of the medicine. It is like stopping blood pressure medicine because it is working and the blood pressure is normal. I'm sorry that happened to you, newfette.

And Wren... you are right. Generic forms of thyroid are not as consistent in dosage. Lots of doctors won't use them. Even the name brands may vary, but are more consitant. So any change in brands should be followed by a recheck in the levels.

Following your levels of TSH and Free T4 are the key. No need to guess or wonder in this game.

hey gang

just want to mention if anyone here is having trouble finding your natural thyroid med, like Armour Thyroid, Naturethroid or Westhroid, please check out the info at www.savenaturalthyroid.com

or also all the good discussion at the facebook page by the same name. or holler at me.

hugs,
Cathy