I have been suspecting I've got a thyroid problem for the past few years. I got checked for it a few years ago and the test was negative. I'm now seeing a different doctor who's much more understanding and seems like she's truly interested in her patients. I can't get an appointment until October 19th. Are there any over-the-counter supplements I could take or do you need a prescription for everything? On Netrition, there's a product by Biotest called "T2" a thyroid hormone. Should I try this for the time being?
I have over half of the symptoms of hypothyroid including an average waking temperature of 96.6 degrees and it runs in my family. Also, I've been gaining weight steadily for over a year. I started Atkins back in April and despite the fact that I'm working out regularily, I've gained 10 pounds. It's not muscle, I'm gaining inches too.

How bad are your symptoms? "Over half of the symptoms" sounds bad enough where it should not take you another 5 or 6 weeks before you can get into the doctor. I would call back and exaggerate the symptoms if I had too. If you were really sick and throwing up, would they tell you to come in a month later? lol Doubt it. Should call and say you're really dizzy, freezing all the time, really fatigued..ect. hypo symptoms like that. It's not so much what you say that would determine the meds they put you on anyways, they'd have to figure out what to put you on by the lab results.

As for supplement? They have thyroid boosting supplements at GNC. You could take them since your not on any meds now..I don't know how good they work or anything though..

Heres one link if you want to check it out..(you can buy them at the store though, and they have other products as well)link
You can go to the search box and type in different keywords and some other products should come up too.

I have hypo-thyroid and I can tell you that it went unoticedfor a year I was just tired all the time.I had ganed weight but I figured it was from being lazy & tired.I didnt get cold like others do just the oposite Always had to have the fan on(even in winter).My GYNO drew some blood on a regular check up and found my problem(Thank God).Ive been on Synthroid for 12 years now and still have symptoms,but they will not raise my dose because my blood work always says its the right dose Im on.See a thyroiid doctor if you are worried as this is a hormone problem that will only get worse.Best of luck and until then try to keep moving

Wow yours too?
I actually tried raising my dose for a few weeks on my own. Took 1 1/2 pill a day, and then 2 pills a day. Didn't make too much of a difference though. I swear its just the synthroid.

And on that note; Misty, if you do end up on thyroid meds and they mention Synthroid.. Ask for something else! lol It's the most common thyroid drug and most complained about. This board is proof of that. =/

I spent most of yesterday reading through every post under thyroid on this forum. I understand Armour Thyroid is the medication I should ask for, if I'm diagnosed. Is that correct?
The two symptoms that seems to be getting progressively worse are weight gain and my hair falling out. This morning when I took a shower it was almost as if I was wearing a glove of hair.
It seems I'm either hot or cold, never just right. As for energy, I am either dead tired or feel like I've got a ton of caffeine in my system (I don't use caffeine at all). My waking temperature this morning was 96.1.
I'm going to call back today and see if I can get in earlier. Perhaps you're right, I didn't exaggerate my symptoms.

Not necessarily. Armour just seems to be the one more people seem to be satisfied with. You hear more good things about it than synthroid. Not too many doctors prescribe it though =/



How bad is your weight gain? Like are you gaining 10lbs or something every week? I'm just wondering because I read your profile and noticed you've been on Atkins since April? How many calories and fat are you eating? Even though you're *supposed to* eat a lot of fat on Atkins, you could try a lower fat version. I did Atkins totally by the book for 3 weeks and gained 8lbs. ( I thought it was my period at first, but that came, went, and left the lbs =/ ) But I stopped gaining when I made it a lower fat version and I think a few others have said that too on here. Maybe someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think if your thyroids off, your body dosen't metabolize the fat like it should..

As for your hair, it deffinetly sounds thyroid related. Mine was doing that before they adjusted the synthroid. You don't go bald or anything, but it will keep thinning untill you get it fixed. Mine grew back in and is fine now. And also, the time of the year it is could be making it worse.

As far as my diet, I lost 70 pounds about 3 years ago on Atkins. Then I went low-fat for a year and naturally gained back about 35 pounds. Since going back to Atkins in April, I've gained another 20 pounds in the last 5 months. I've tried calories everywhere from 1200 to 2500 a day and either maintain or gain. I've tried upping my carbs then protein then fat and it doesn't make a difference as far as weightloss. I am currently doing higher fat because it is how I "feel" the best. Too much protein left me extremely constipated and too many carbs left me very tired. I quit birth control pills 1 week after starting Atkins thinking that was causing my problems.
I was tested for thyroid problems 2 years ago because it runs in my family. Then my only symptom was I was always shivering cold.
Well, I called the clinic again today and they rescheduled my appointment for September 19th. So that's a month sooner at least.

I highly recommend checking the thryoid forum on about.com There are several very knowledgable ladies over there who could help. One thing for sure...you could be "normal" and feel like garbage.

As far as medication goes? Everyone is different. You'll read people who swear by synthroid as the ONLY thing that works and for every synthroid-fanatic there are just as many devoted to Armour. The problem? Armour is difficult to get whereas synthroid seems to grow on trees!!

My own experiences are this....when I was undiagnosed and unmedicated I gain ON AVERAGE one pound a week for about 45 weeks. After I was diagnosed and started on Synthroid, the weight gain stopped but things still went to the crapper as the doctors were overmedicating me. At one point my hair was falling out, I constantly had headaches (some migraines), and scaly skin. I was exhausted 24/7 too despite being hyper with a TSH of .006!! I found a new endo and she said that in her experience, her patients seem to do better on Levoxyl as Synthroid doesn't absorb well for some people. But she will prescribe what works for the patient and doesn't cater to the drug companies. Case in point? I went from 100 mcgs Synthroid to 25 mcgs Levoxyl and instantly felt better.

Long story short? Find a doctor who will 1) work with you to find a thyroid level that works FOR YOU (that means adjusting meds even if you're "normal") 2) and one willing to switch between meds if you feel like one isn't working well for you. One thing for sure....it's all individual.

dear misty, just doing some studying and educating myself when i came across your post. I was wondering how you are doing now and what med they finally put you on. I would be interested to find out this info for my daughter has had some of the same problems and we had to search thru many docs to find one to put her on med with normal results. We did find one though and he put her on armour.
pat