Hi everyone,
I am starting this thread to post some information I have in my files that may be helpful to you.
Feel free to add to it!

You can use this checklist to bring to your doctor to help aid in getting a proper diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or as background information in your discussions regarding finetuning your dosage so you are at the optimal TSH level for your own level of wellness.
My risk factors for hypothyroidism include:

[ ] I have a family history of thyroid disease
[ ] I have had my thyroid "monitored" in the past to watch for changes
[ ] I had a previous diagnosis of goiters/nodules
[ ] I currently have a goiter
[ ] I was treated for hypothyroidism in the past
[ ] I had post-partum thyroiditis in the past
[ ] I had a temporary thyroiditis in the past
[ ] I have another autoimmune disease
[ ] I have had a baby in the past nine months
[ ] I have a history of miscarriage
[ ] I have had part/all of my thyroid removed due to cancer
[ ] I have had part/all of my thyroid removed due to nodules
[ ] I have had part/all of my thyroid removed due to Graves' Disease/hyperthyroidism
[ ] I have had radioactive iodine due to Graves' Disease/hyperthyroidism
[ ] I have had anti-thyroid drugs due to Graves' Disease/hyperthyroidism

I have the following symptoms of hypothyroidism, as detailed by the Merck Manual, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and the Thyroid Foundation of America

[ ] I am gaining weight inappropriately
[ ] I'm unable to lose weight with diet/exercise
[ ] I am constipated, sometimes severely
[ ] I have hypothermia/low body temperature (I feel cold when others feel hot, I need extra sweaters, etc.)
[ ] I feel fatigued, exhausted
[ ] Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic
[ ] My hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, falling out
[ ] My skin is coarse, dry, scaly, and thick
[ ] I have a hoarse or gravely voice
[ ] I have puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face
[ ] I have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet
[ ] I have developed carpal-tunnel syndrome, or it's getting worse
[ ] I am having irregular menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent)
[ ] I am having trouble conceiving a baby
[ ] I feel depressed
[ ] I feel restless
[ ] My moods change easily
[ ] I have feelings of worthlessness
[ ] I have difficulty concentrating
[ ] I have more feelings of sadness
[ ] I seem to be losing interest in normal daily activities
[ ] I'm more forgetful lately

I also have the following additional symptoms, which have been reported more frequently in people with hypothyroidism:

[ ] My hair is falling out
[ ] I can't seem to remember things
[ ] I have no sex drive
[ ] I am getting more frequent infections, that last longer
[ ] I'm snoring more lately
[ ] I have/may have sleep apnea
[ ] I feel shortness of breath and tightness in the chest
[ ] I feel the need to yawn to get oxygen
[ ] My eyes feel gritty and dry
[ ] My eyes feel sensitive to light
[ ] My eyes get jumpy/tics in eyes, which makes me dizzy/vertigo and have headaches
[ ] I have strange feelings in neck or throat
[ ] I have tinnitus (ringing in ears)
[ ] I get recurrent sinus infections
[ ] I have vertigo
[ ] I feel some lightheadedness
[ ] I have severe menstrual cramps

Common symptoms and signs of hyperthyroidism:
Palpitations
Heat intolerance
Nervousness
Insomnia
Breathlessness
Increased bowel movements
Light or absent menstrual periods
Fatigue
Fast heart rate
Trembling hands
Weight loss
Muscle weakness
Warm moist skin
Hair loss
Staring gaze


Here is the information I have on Thryoiditis. I hope it helps
Thyroiditis
Thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland, produces transient hyperthyroidism often followed by transient hypothyroidism or no change in thyroid function at all.

The three types of thyroiditis are Hashimoto's thyroiditis, subacute granulomatous thyroiditis, and silent lymphocytic thyroiditis.

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Hashimoto's thyroiditis (autoimmune thyroiditis) is the most common type of thyroiditis and the most common cause of hypothyroidism. For unknown reasons, the body turns against itself in an autoimmune reaction, creating antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. (see page 816 in Chapter 168, Immunodeficiency Disorders) This type of thyroiditis is most common in elderly women and tends to run in families. The condition occurs eight times more often in women than in men and may occur in people with certain chromosomal abnormalities, including Turner's, Down, and Klinefelter's syndromes.

Hashimoto's thyroiditis often begins with a painless enlargement of the thyroid gland or a feeling of fullness in the neck. When doctors feel the gland, they usually find it enlarged, with a rubbery texture, but not tender; sometimes it feels lumpy. The thyroid gland is underactive in about 20 percent of the people when Hashimoto's thyroiditis is discovered; the rest have normal thyroid function. Many people with Hashimoto's thyroiditis have other endocrine disorders such as diabetes, an underactive adrenal gland, or underactive parathyroid glands, and other autoimmune diseases such as pernicious anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, or systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus).

Doctors perform thyroid function tests on blood samples to determine whether the gland is functioning normally, but they base the diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis on the symptoms, a physical examination, and whether the person has antibodies that attack the gland (antithyroid antibodies), which can easily be measured in a blood test.

No specific treatment is available for Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Most people eventually develop hypothyroidism and must take thyroid hormone replacement therapy for the rest of their lives. Thyroid hormone may also be useful in decreasing the enlarged thyroid gland.

Subacute Granulomatous Thyroiditis
Subacute granulomatous (giant cell) thyroiditis, which is probably caused by a virus, begins much more suddenly than Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis often follows a viral illness and begins with what many people call a sore throat but actually proves to be neck pain localized to the thyroid. The thyroid gland becomes increasingly tender, and the person usually develops a low-grade fever (99° F. to 101° F.). The pain may shift from one side of the neck to the other, spread to the jaw and ears, and hurt more when the head is turned or when the person swallows. Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis is often mistaken at first for a dental problem or a throat or ear infection.

Inflammation usually causes the thyroid gland to release excessive thyroid hormones, resulting in hyperthyroidism, almost always followed by transient hypothyroidism. Many people with subacute granulomatous thyroiditis feel extremely tired.

Most people recover completely from this type of thyroiditis. Generally the condition goes away by itself within a few months, but sometimes it comes back or, more rarely, damages enough of the thyroid gland to cause permanent hypothyroidism.

Aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) can relieve the pain and inflammation. In very severe cases, doctors may recommend corticosteroids such as prednisone, which should be tapered off over 6 to 8 weeks. When corticosteroids are stopped abruptly, symptoms often return in full force.

Silent Lymphocytic Thyroiditis
Silent lymphocytic thyroiditis occurs most often in women, typically just after childbirth, and causes the thyroid to become enlarged without becoming tender. For several weeks to several months, a person with silent lymphocytic thyroiditis has hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism before eventually recovering normal thyroid function. This condition requires no specific treatment, although the hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism may require treatment for a few weeks. Often, a beta-blocker such as propranolol is the only drug needed to control the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. During the period of hypothyroidism, a person may need to take thyroid hormone, usually for no more than a few months. Hypothyroidism becomes permanent in about 10 percent of the people with silent lymphocytic thyroiditis.

Ten Things your Doctor Won't Tell You about Thyroid Disease
including:
http://www.thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa082801a.htm

How to get Blood Tests without a Prescription
http://www.thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa062101a.htm

Foods that can can affect your thyroid negatively:
I put together a fairly complete list of goitrogens some time ago. Here's what I came up with, but I am sure tyhere are othere things that can and will be added over time.

Avoid unless cooked thouroughly:

* African cassava
* Asparagus
* babassu (a palm-tree coconut fruit popular in Brazil and Africa)
* Broccoli
* brussels sprouts
* Cabbage
* Cauliflower
* horseradish
* kale
* kohlrabi
* leafy green vegetables (turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens)
* Legumes (beans and peas)
* peanuts
* pine nuts
* Processed meats
* radishes
* rutabaga
* Spinach
* turnips
* Watercress

Avoid entirely:

* Soy in any form that isn't fermented
* millet (actually WORSE when cooked)
* Rapeseed, canola, flax, soybean, safflower, corn and other polyunsaturated fats/oils
*Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil

Also, the following describes tests you may encounter during your return to health:

Thyroxine (T4): This shows the total amount of the T4. High levels may be due to hyperthyroidism, however technical artifact occurs when estrogen levels are higher from pregnancy, birth control pills or estrogen replacement therapy. A Free T4 (see below) can avoid this interference.

T3 Resin Uptake or Thyroid Uptake: This is a test that confuses doctors, nurses, and patients. First, this is not a thyroid test, but a test on the proteins that carry thyroid around in your blood stream. Not only that, a high test number may indicate a low level of the protein! The method of reporting varies from lab to lab. The proper use of the test is to compute the free thyroxine index.

Free Thyroxine Index (FTI or T7): A mathematical computation allows the lab to estimate the free thyroxine index from the T4 and T3 Uptake tests. The results tell us how much thyroid hormone is free in the blood stream to work on the body. Unlike the T4 alone, it is not affected by estrogen levels.

Free T4: This test directly measures the free T4 in the blood rather than estimating it like the FTI. It is a more reliable , but a little more expensive test. Some labs now do the Free T4 routinely rather than the Total T4.

Total T3: This is usually not ordered as a screening test, but rather when thyroid disease is being evaluated. T3 is the more potent and shorter lived version of thyroid hormone. Some people with high thyroid levels secrete more T3 than T4. In these (overactive) hyperthyroid cases the T4 can be normal, the T3 high, and the TSH low. The Total T3 reports the total amount of T3 in the bloodstream, including T3 bound to carrier proteins plus freely circulating T3.

Free T3: This test measures only the portion of thyroid hormone T3 that is "free", that is, not bound to carrier proteins.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): This protein hormone is secreted by the pituitary gland and regulates the thyroid gland. A high level suggests your thyroid is underactive, and a low level suggests your thyroid is overactive.

Maca - from a commercial website

Treasure from the Andes Maca, (Lepidium Peruvianum Chacon) is a root vegetable, or tuber from a mat-like perennial that grows in the harshest, most difficult farmlands in the world. Native Peruvians have used Maca as a food and as a medicine since before the Incas. This sturdy relative of the potato and Mexican yam is cultivated high in the mountains of Peru in an environment of amazingly intense sunlight and fierce winds. It grows at elevations higher than any other crop in the world and it manages this existence in regions that are little more than barren rock with sub-freezing temperatures each night.

Perhaps the challenging native environment where it is grown gives Maca its strength. Maca has been an important crop to the Andean Indians. Today, in spite of the labor intensive methods used to grow it, Maca is still a valuable commodity. The tenacity of this incredible plant makes agriculture possible in a region that otherwise would be relegated to grazing sheep and llamas

Enhances Fertility - One of the chief attributes of Maca, according to the Peruvian Indians who grow it, is its reported ability to enhance fertility. When the Spanish conquistadors first began to raise sheep in the higher regions the sheep were reproducing poorly. The Indians suggested Maca. The results were so amazing that the Spaniards noted them in colonial records. The records show that the Spanish began to demand Maca as payment from the colonies.

The reputed fertility enhancement of Maca may be due to its high content of iodine and zinc, amino acids and vitamin C. Although the fertility enhancement of Maca has not been substantiated scientifically it seems a reasonable choice for those wishing to conceive.

Superfood of the Incas - In the difficult regions where it is cultivated, Maca has the highest nutritional values of any food crop grown there. Ironically, nourishing Maca today is often traded for less nutritious foods like rice, noodles, and sugar. Maca is a delicacy, with a sweet and spicy flavor and a butterscotch-like aroma. Its potato like tubers can be dried and stored for years with no appreciable loss of nutritional value. The roots are usually yellow or purple, or yellow with purple bands and resemble its relative the radish. The fresh roots are baked or roasted in ashes. The dried roots are usually boiled in milk or water to create a savory porridge. Maca boiled in water tastes sweeter than cocoa.

Maca is a nutritional powerhouse especially rich in iodine. It is a reliable protein source containing significant amounts of amino acids. The protein and calories in Maca are stable even after years of storage. It is also rich in complex carbohydrates and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. It contains vitamins B-1, B-2, B12, C and E and is a source of glycoside steroids. Weight lifters and body builders are turning to Maca as a natural and safe alternative to anabolic steroids. The rich and diverse nutrient content of Maca explains its many traditional uses and why it is sought after today.

Balance and Energy - Maca is an "adaptogen" meaning it helps to restore balance or homeostasis to the body. Rather than addressing a specific symptom, adaptogens are used to improve the overall adaptability of the whole system. Other adaptogen herbs are ginseng and astragalus. Maca has been used traditionally to increase energy and to promote improvement in both stamina and endurance in athletes. Unlike caffeine, Maca is a healthy choice for increasing energy because it is not a stimulant. The steady enhancement of both physical and mental energy makes Maca an ideal supplement for students, professionals, writers, athletes and anyone who needs a lift. The fact that Maca contains no stimulants but obtains its benefit from vitamins and minerals makes it especially beneficial for individuals who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome. Many people who use Maca also report increased mental clarity.

The Indians who first used Maca believed it to be a significant fertility aid for both animals and humans. This explains why Maca is often described as an aphrodisiac. Aphrodisiac or not, it may be used to address hormonal imbalances in women. Maca offers a natural solution to symptoms of both PMS and menopause. Calcium and magnesium are well known for their beneficial efforts on the female endocrine system. Maca is a good source of both of these important minerals and is a very rich source of iodine which is also important for the endocrine system primarily due to its effect on the thyroid. Further reports indicate that Maca may improve male impotence.

Maca is naturally a great source of iodine - One thing that is noteworthy is its rich iodine content. This suggests that Maca would be a good herbal therapy for those who have thyroid insufficiency. It has been suggested that some that suffer from symptoms such as dry skin, deep fatigue, insomnia, memory loss, or depression are actually suffering form hypothyroidism and that they improve when given either thyroid hormone alone, or a program that combines thyroid hormone with nutritional support. Along with selenium, magnesium, tyrosine, herbs like Maca that are rich in iodine are sometimes able to restore normal thyroid function. The connection of thyroid insufficiencies to female reproductive issues can not be overlooked. Early medical textbooks and journal articles mention the effectiveness in thyroid supplementation in relieving gynecological disturbances. Normal thyroid function promotes conception, corrects disorders of menstrual flow and assists the body in producing better levels of follicle stimulating hormone. The thyroid supporting capacity of Maca probably explains its ability to enhance fertility and bring relief to women who suffer with symptoms of menopause.

Maca has no harmful stimulant activity such as that from caffeine or ephedra. Ideal for marathoners, martial arts enthusiasts, weary travelers, and those who maintain intense work schedules.

TRH (Thyroid Releasing Hormone) Test for Secondary Hypothyroidism

A TRH test may be indicated if secondary hypothyroidism is suspected. Some patients may have low levels of circulating thyroid hormones and secondary hypothyroidism as a result of damage to the hypothalamic or pituitary control mechanisms that regulate thyroid function. The hypothalamus makes a small hormone called TRH that directs the synthesis and secretion of TSH from the pituitary gland. If these normal regulatory mechanisms are interrupted, the pituitary may not be able to produce appropriate levels of TSH and levels of thyroid hormones may decline, although the TSH remains appropriately normal.

The TRH test involves administration of a small amount of TRH intravenously, following which levels of TSH will be measured at several subsequent time points using samples of blood taken from a peripheral vein. Patients with normal function of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) respond by increasing the levels of TSH following TRH injection. Patients with compromised HPA function may exhibit a delayed, blunted, or absent response to TRH administration.

TRH may cause nausea, vomiting and some patients experience an urge to urinate. Rarely, TRH may cause blood vessel constriction leading to hemorrhage in patients with pre-existing pituitary tumors. Accordingly, patients should be advised about the risks, albeit rare, of TRH testing.

Preparation for a New Doctor / Endocronologist Visit
Symptoms of thyroid disease are subtle (particularly when looked at individually instead of as a group). To make things worse, modern culture has taught us to view many of these symptoms as "unimportant" and, worse, psychosomatic. Because of this, it is easiest to receive good medical treatment by preparing for that doctor's visit.
Before your doctor's appointment, compile as much information as you can. At a minimum, this should include:

1) A list of your symptoms and how they've changed over time

2) The medications and any supplements or herbs you are taking (and when you started taking them)

3) How your body reacts to various medicines, supplements, foods, etc.

4) Copies of any blood or other tests you have had completed

You may want to compile this information in a notebook and keep it current for future visits. It will give you something to refer to -- if you have a recurrence of symptoms, you will be able to look back to what your blood levels were at the time, or even read notes to yourself about how you resolved the problem the last time it occurred.


Write out a list of questions for your doctor. At a minimum, ask the following:

1) The proposed approach to treating you

2) What you should expect

3) When you should see some results

4) What course of treatment may be suggested if the initial efforts don't work (combining T4 and T3 meds, switching you to a different type of medicine such as Armour or Naturethroid, etc.).

5) Supplements you should consider taking (Vitamin B-complex, Selenium, Calcium/Magnesium/Vitamin D, Antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E, etc.)

Stay persistent. Ask for copies of all test results to keep in your notebook. You will get better by becoming your own advocate.

We all know that cigarette smoking is bad for us, but did you know that there are significant connections between smoking and the development or worsening of various thyroid conditions, including hypothyroidism, Graves' disease, and thyroid eye disease?

Go here to read this article in full:

http://thyroid.about.com/library/we...ing+and+thyroid

Food, drug and supplement interactions with thyroid :

http://thyroid.about.com/health/thy...32400a.htm?rnk=

Thyroid Basics:

http://thyroid.about.com/health/thyroid/library/weekly/aa042100a.htm

How To Know If Your Thyroid Is Working Properly With Blood Tests.
http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis.htm

Soy suppreses the thyroid, because it has so much estrogen in it:

http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa083099.htm
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/soysdownsides/index.htm

Ten things you can do to stop hairloss with Thryoid Disease :

http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa101600a.htm

Ten die-hard thyroid myths:

http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa080100a.htm

Site about the basics of Nodules and Goiters:

http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa051500a.htm

Questions to ask a potential doctor:

Here's the list:

a. What is your approach to treating hypo?

Desired answer: treatment is based on a combination of symptoms and lab tests. (What lab tests? TSH, antibodies (once is usually enough), free or total T3 and free T4 are good places to start).

b. What medications do you use in treatment of hypo?

Desired answer: whatever if takes. Some of those available are Synthroid, Thyrolar, Cytomel and natural meds like Armour.

Wrong answer: Synthroid only.

c. If I don't feel well when my labs are within the normal ranges, what do you do?

Desired answers: the normal ranges are just guidance, and there is often lots of room to play within the normal ranges. If that doesn't work, we have to consider things in addition to the thyroid for contributing to symptoms.

Wrong answer: If normal ranges don't make you feel well, it is all in your head.

d. What is your response to me asking about different approaches that I've read about on the internet or in books?

Desired answer: There is a lot of great info on the internet and books and some lousy info so one has to be selective. Don't hesitate to share the things you've learned about and we can discuss them in context to your treatment. I always enjoy getting new articles from professional publications about evolving methods.

Wrong answer: stay away from the internet, there is only rubbish out there.

e. How long does it take for me to get well, or at least see some improvement?

Desired answer: It is a slow process because your body has a lot of healing to do plus it takes a well to optimize your meds for your body. However, you should have made a lot of improvement in four to six months.

Wrong answer: 2 weeks or "never".

f. How often to you do tests and see me while we are in the optimization process? (Right answer is about every six weeks to 2 months).

Wrong answer: once a year.

g. Once I'm stable, how often do you monitor.

Good answer: every 4 to six months for a couple of years. If you are absolutely stable then once a year should be enough unless you are starting to show symptoms again, then you should call me.

Wrong answer: once a year no matter what.

Here is a link to a site that makes a pretty convincing argument that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are just more symptoms of hypometabolism (hypothyroidism or under treated hypothyroidism or thyroid hormone resistance). Here is the link to Dr. Lowes site http://www.drlowe.com There is a wealth of information at this site regarding thyroid hormone issues.

Taken from the weightloss board:
Regarding Soy
If you have thyroid imbalance or are female you may want to use whey protein rather than soy.
quote from:

Researchers have identified that the isoflavones act as potent anti-thyroid agents, and are capable of suppressing thyroid function, and causing or worsening hypothyroidism. Soy is a phytoestrogen, and therefore acts in the body much like a hormone, so it's no surprise that it interacts with the delicate balance of the thyroid's hormonal systems. High consumption of soy products are also proven to cause goiter, (Anti-thyroid isoflavones from soybean: isolation, characterization, and mechanisms of action, Divi RL; Chang HC; Doerge DR, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA, Biochem Pharmacol, 1997 Nov, 54:10, 1087-96)

Note: The best source of information on soy and its negative impact on health can be found at the Soy Online Service, and in particular, its page on phytoestrogenic effects of soy, and impact on the thyroid.

Isoflavones belong to the flavonoid or bioflavonoid family of chemicals, and are considered endocrine disruptors -- plants or other products that act as hormones, disrupting the endocrine system, and in some cases, this disruption involves acting as an anti-thyroid agent. (The grain millet, for example, contains high levels of flavonoids, and is commonly known as problematic for thyroid function). Flavonoids inhibit thyroid peroxidase (TPO), which disturbs proper thyroid function.

The March 1999 issue of Natural Health magazine has a feature on soy that quotes Daniel R. Doerge, Ph.D., a researcher at the Food and Drug Aministration's National Center for Toxicological Research. Dr. Doerge has researched soy's anti-thyroid properties, and has said "...I see substantial risks from taking soy supplements or eating huge amounts of soyfoods for their putative disease preventive value. There is definitely potential for interaction with the thyroid."

One UK study of premenopausal women gave 60 grams of soy protein per day for one month. This was found to disrupt the menstrual cycle, with the effects of the isoflavones continuing for a full three months after stopping the soy in the diet. Isoflavones are also known to modify fertility and change sex hormone status. Isoflavones have been shown to have serious health effects -- including infertility, thyroid disease or liver disease -- on a number of mammals.

Dr. Fitzpatrick believes that people with hypothyroidism should avoid soy products, because, "any inhibition of TPO will clearly work against anyone trying to correct an hypothyroid state." In addition, he believes that the current promotion of soy as a health food will result in an increase in thyroid disorders.

Damn dosen't my doctor suck?

Great post by the way.

Today seems to be the day for me to post on a lot of threads . . . I asked my doctor about Synthroid (which I take now) and Armour (which I think I want to switch to.) I'm moderately insulin resistant so from what I've read, Synthoid is not the way to go if you're trying to diet. She said she will research it and get back to me. Now, if I can get rid of the Synthroid, what do I do about my HRT? She recently switched me from Prempro to Estrace and Provera. Will those make it a little easier to lose weight? I tried the soy and black cohosh and etc. but the hot flashes didn't go away until she put me on progestin. I'm tempted to go off HRT altogether but I'm not sure I should. Any suggestions?

Do Soy Foods Negatively Affect Your Thyroid?
A Look at the Downsides of Soy

by Mary Shomon

http://thyroid.about.com/gi/dynamic.../soydangers.htm

http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aa090897.htm

hugs Martha

P.S.

I am now on armour and feel I have my life back. My blood work was normal. My dr. was willing to help me, and prescribed Armour., I am following Dr Lowes metabolic rehab which consists of T3/T4, supplements, exercsie to tolerance( I was becoming a recluse and am now able to walk without holding on, and walk frequently for exercise.) and nutrition. I am attending OA, and gave up flour and much sugar. Three meals a day, and I feel so much better.

Much can be found at :

http://thyroid.about.com/gi/dynamic...Fwww.drlowe.com

Hello! Today I learned that I have a low thyriod. My doctor has put me on a med called Armour Thyroid at 30mcg. Currently I weigh 240 lbs, and I can not believe that I am at this weight. I am always tired, both hands go numb, my hair has thinned, my skin is dry, I forget everything, my face and around my eyes are puffy, and my voice has deepen. I am a mess and I am only 34! Now that my doctor has put me on this med, what can I expect from it? Will I lose some weight? Feel a boost of energy? Have better skin? Improve in my memory? How do I boost the weight loss? So many questions, and not enough room to list all of them. I would like to hear from anyone who has similiar problems or anyone who cares to offer some support. Looking forward in hearing from ya all. Thanks!

Hi Raindew,

Do not expect a miracle. You appear to be seriously hypothyroid and it may take a few months before you feel the full affects of the replcement hormones. However, in a few weeks you may atart to feel slightly better or notice some improvements. Just remember to have patience.

Your doctor has started you out on a mediocre dose. In 6 weeks he should check to see how your doing to determine if you need and increase. Weightloss will come a lillte easier once your thyroid is corrected.

I would read as much as you possibly can through this thread as it has alot of helpful information.

Good Luck!

Jeanne

Jeanner,

Thank you for the reply. I need all the support I can get and reading through the threads, I foud some interesting things. Now I need to know what the first step to start a carbo diet. Do you know if I can order some of the pruducts from this site if you do not have a credit card? Let me know and keep in touch!