Hi everyone!

It's been so quiet...is everyone just lurking and waiting for someone else to respond?

Things are going well for me. I have another checkup with my doctor coming up (well, as soon as I get the money together, I'll make the appointment).

I went on a shopping spree at Walmart and bought clothing that fits me and looks nice on me. I have this horrible martyr mentality when it comes to clothing...I have to have a good deal, or get it used at a thrift store of some sort. Well, I finally got fed up and bought a bunch of nice pants and some cute shirts that make me look feminine and pretty. Plus I found a really nice flowered dress that has gathering around the bust and some buttons for accents.

I also got 2 patterns so I can sew my own sheath dress and jacket. I found several attractive ones at Ross, but they never fit. If they fit my hips, the bust gapes, and if the bust fits, the hips are straining.

So what is everyone else doing to prepare for spring? How's life going overall? Is anyone here doing the Self Challenge?

Well Trixie, a shopping spree sounds rather nice. And you're taking up sewing too? I used to make alot of my clothes, just didn't have the time anymore. But if regular store clothes are hard to fit right, you can't beat sewing.

I have a question... I switched in December from Synthroid to Armour. After a 6 week check up, doc said blood tests showed dosage (75 milligrams) was too low. Bumped me up to 90. I felt good at 75 so was surprised at the up. I've been on the new meds for 3 1/2 weeks. Seems since then I am tired, my whole body aches, itchy dry skin - basically the way I felt on the Synthroid. At first I was thinking it's just that worn out feeling of isn't winter over YET!!!! But now I'm thinking it's the meds. Too soon for my follow up blood tests. I thought a boost up in meds would perhaps make me jittery if it was too much, but not feeling this badly. Any ideas?

As for spring plans Trixie, I want to clean out the basement of all the junk down there including lots of clothes I won't probably wear again. I also have a new project coming up at work and I'll have to learn alot of new software. Am trying to spend some time each night studying, especially since I skipped this semester. My third goal is putting a little oomph in the exercise. We're going to the Grand Canyon among other places in June. I'd like to be more fit to do a little hiking.

Hmm. Those are odd side effects. I haven't experienced anything like that. Did they just start happening when the medication was bumped up? Or have you been feeling like that before?

Also, I don't recall (and I'm too lazy to look back at old threads) if you exercise or are dieting? Sometimes if you don't get enough calories or fat, your skin can dry out a bit, and you can feel really sluggish. I was feeling sluggish for a while, but after getting my butt to the gym a few times, I feel a whole lot better with more energy.

If you are in a winter-winter area (as opposed to a California winter), maybe try using a humidifier in the house? All the heating we do when it's cold can really dry out skin.

I think what you are experiencing is probably not from the Armour thyroid, especially if you had the same problem on Synthyroid. Definitely mention it to your doctor. Maybe they can do some other tests and check for hormone levels and whatever else.

I've done a bit of sewing. Nothing too major. A clown costume has been my crowning achievement. However, I've been reading about how to modify patterns to fit your body, and I'm really intrigued. I talked to my mom this morning, and she has offered to be a guinea pig for a shirt I want to try. It's a New Look pattern, and should be relatively easy *knocking on wood*. I'm also looking into buying a serger sewing machine. I found someone who might be parting with theirs, which would be awesome. But if not, I'll just save up for it and buy a new one later in the year. I wish schools still offered sewing/tailoring classes.

Let me know how things go for you.

Well I'm thinking my problems were more end of winter blahs. The weather is starting to break a bit and we're getting teasers of spring coming. Am not doing cartwheels yet but I do notice a tiny difference. I think I'll wait the 2 weeks for my next blood work up. I'm also going to complain to the office, they never sent my last test results. I know they'll just blame it on the lab but I'd like to see them for myself.

That's great Trixie if you can get into tailoring. I never took it quite that far. Especially if off the rack clothes don't quite fit at they should. What a difference it makes in the look when things are fitted. Have a great time. I always found it to be such a creative outlet. Sometimes they have adult education classes that teach sewing. There's a sewing machine store just down the road from me, I've notice they have signs for sewing classes too. Maybe if you hunt around, you can find something that will work for you. Otherwise you'll have to sneak back into high school and crash a home economics class - do they still teach that in school now?

I made plans to clean out the basement this weekend and give some of my clothes to charity. They are scheduled for a pickup on Monday. Wouldn't you know it? They are talking about near 60 degrees (heaven ) for this weekend. Who wants to be stuck in the basement cleaning and waste that weather? But boy, if I knew that was all it took, make plans to hide and things will get nice...

I'd love to do a tailoring class, but with the budget deficit in California, the state will be lucky to keep the schools open. Most public schools no longer offer art, music, or pe classes. It's a shame.

I think I've lost about 4lbs so far. :-D I'm gonna go for a bike ride tonight to make up for all the frosting I ate yesterday. A coworker had a birthday, and I made this 3d panda bear cake. Very cute, but over did it on frosting.

Maybe you can still play this weekend, even with the basement chores. I found that I get a lot more drudgery work done if I set a timer and worked against the clock. i'd work much faster because I had a finite ending point.

I hope you get a chance to enjoy the weather. We are scheduled to have rain for the next few days...but we'll see.

Hi Trixiebelle,
Nice to be back have been sp very poorly all winter and have not been near the puter missed everyone. Will really have to strart gettin g myself fit again. Am drinking plenty of fruit juices and eating plenty of veggies so hope to feel better soon.
Viv
Tizme2000

Hello everyone, I am new to this board. Was dx with hypo. Was told at my last check up that all of my levels were fine except my T3. They are low. I am on 150mcg of synthroid. I asked for to have T3 added the dr. said it was not necessary. Will the T4 convert? I have been on synthroid for over a month and levels are still low. SHould I be taking a T3? Still having symptons. Thanks for your imput.

Hi and welcome girlsx2.

My endo told me that for most people, getting the T4 should boost the blood to make it's own T3. But for some people - a small percentage (like me) it doesn't. He switched me from Synthroid to Armour which has both and I felt alot better.

However, 5 weeks ago I had bloodwork done and he up'd my Armour dosage. Would have thought it would make me feel better but I actually feel just like I did when I was on the Synthroid (as in something's not working here anymore). I wasn't sure if I felt bad due to the weather or the meds. Figured I'd wait it out, will go for another blood test next week and see what the numbers look like. If he says they have improved, then I will ask him why old symptoms have returned. Would think a higher dosage would make me feel better, not worse.

If you read through some of the past threads here, you'll see that some of us have had to change doctors in order to find someone we felt listened to us. My regular doc was prescribing the Synthroid and said I was fine even tho I didn't feel like I was. After reading some of the posts here, I decided to switch to an endocrinologist last year to see if that made a difference. I am very happy with this new doctor. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.

Good luck to you.

Trixie, how's the sewing coming along?

girlsx2 - a month is not enough time to get the meds adjusted properly and start feeling better. It took me nearly 2 years. Everybody is different, of course. The dosage can't be increased to drastically so it has to be eased up. Too much can give you heart problems.

The sewing is going nowhere. Well, that's not true. I did cut out the pattern, and it's sitting happily on my table, waiting to be formed into a pretty piece of clothing.

I did manage to crochet some baby booties. Very cute. I used white thread, so they look sorta lacey. I'm gonna make some basketball sneaker booties next (don't know if the baby is a girl or a boy).

It's so much fun to spoil babies and children.

Healthwise, I'm doing well. I need to go in for another blood test, but that should be okay. I'm still doing the Self Challenge. I've slacked a bit on writing down my calories (evil thin mint cookie ice cream), but I am making progress.

I was just bumped up to .50 mg of Snythroid after being dx last summer after a routine blood test when I had fatigue and unexplained swelling of the ankles.

Today, it got up to 74 degrees; I scrubbed my walk outside, worked in my flower garden, and got my walk in (1 mile). It is supposed to be colder this weekend, so most likely I will be spring cleaning the house, and going to bingo Sunday after the NASCAR race.

Aloha from Hawaii:

I am brand new to this forum, actually this is the first time I have ever joined any kind of forum, so please excuse me if this is the incorrect way of asking a question...

...I have hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's Disease) and I have gone through four specialists who cannot get my thyroid levels to normalize...I am up to 325 mcg of Synthroid and the docs say my body is not absorbing it...

...have any of you ever heard of that or experienced it...I would appreciate any info, suggestions, or ideas that you may have on nonabsorbtion of oral thyroid medications.

Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much),

karyninhawaii

Kary, I answered your question with my personal opinions on the other thread!

Girlsx2: If your T3 is low, and your TSH and T4 levels are good, you may have a conversion problem. I have a serious one. All the T4 in the world will not help me feel better, because for some reason, I can't convert it to T3! If you don't feel better on the Synthroid, then ask the doctor to change you to Armour. I take Unithroid and a special formulation of T3 I have to get at the Apothecary here. I am finally beginning to feel better. Read up on the research at about.com on T3, and next time you go to your doctor, go armed with information. Most doctors know very little about thyroid, and I have heard all kinds of horror stories from friends about how their doctors are. I thank God for mine everyday. He at least knows about thyroids. I got him Mary Shomon's book on Hypothyroidism, and he read it! You might want to try that with yours! Good luck!

QUILT: Hmm, according to all I have read, and my doctor, the length of time that you take a higher dose while trying to get adjusted is not going to cause heart problems. Do you have some place I can read research that shows that raising thyroid hormones more quickly can cause heart problems? I would be very interested to read about it. I had a doctor that did that, but my present doctor took one look at my labs, and meds, and doubled mine. I had no ill effects, just blessed relief.