I'm new to this site, but I was reading your posts on synthroid not being the only pill u need. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. I am on 25mcg of Synthroid but I have seen no changes and sctually my goiter has really been bothering me lately. Should I ask my doc for T3??
Thanks in advance
StacyShay

Hi Stacy. Hashi's is the most common type of Hypothyroidism, there are quite a few of us here - you're in good company

Your dose of synthroid is VERY low - it's the lowest dose you can get a script for actually. How long have you been on it? When were your last labs run? Have any of your symptoms improved?

It might be best if you started a new thread with your information so it doesn't get lost in here. Just go to the main page http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?f=76 and hit the button at the top left of all the other posts.

I would think that if you've been on that dose of synthroid for longer than 6 weeks it's time for an increase. And yes, definitely I would chat with my Dr about the meds I was on - it sounds like he's been neglecting you (unless you only just started taking them)

Nat

Hey everyone, I am a new member. I will turn 20 this December and found out right out of my senior year in June of 2003 that I suffered from throid problems. Well my family and me just thought that everything would be ok after the surgery (which I had in August of 2003), little did we know that we were wrong. During the surgery my throid glands were wrapped around my vocal cords so much that they end up taking all of my calcium glands out but one along with my throid glands. There for awhile I just prayed to die, because if I even atempted to take a bath and not a shower my mom or dad would have to come lift me out because my muscle cramps were so intense. I went for around two months without even being able to walk, due to the intense pain I had in my legs. Not to mention weight gain, I was a size 7 when I had the surgery and by December I was a size 14/16. I was able to go on Atkins for a while, but my doctor told me I had to stop because I wasn't taking in the amounts of calcium my body needed. At the current moment I am taking 250mg of synthroid, 500mg of magonate (2 a day), 0.25mg of rocaltrol (2 a day), oscal supplements (12 a day sometimes more), and about 10 calcium chews a day. I am hoping that one day this will all get back to normal and I will be back at my original weight, because it really brings a persons feelings down when you try and try to explain your weight problem and the whole time someone thinks your just over eating. Because mostly all I ever eat is salads and oranges for calcium. If anyone has any advice for me on how I could go about dropping this weight but doing it without losing my calcium in take , please let me know.
Charlie B.

Charlie are you taking all those calcium supplements at least 4 hour after or before you take your synthroid? If not then part of your low cal levels might be explained by the synthroid bonding to the calcium and preventing both the meds and the supplement from being absorbed - a bad scenario all around, you don't get the calcium you need and you're not really getting 250mg synthroid.

When was the last time you had your labs done? Do you know your levels? Have you had your FT3 and FT4 tested? It's possible that just synthroid alone is not the medication for you; you might need something else entirely, or you might need some T3 added to the mix.

Nat

Thanks Nat for your reply,
I've been on this dose for 6 months, and I've seen no changes. Actually the reason I went on the Atkins diet is becasue I've had a major increase in weight. I do have an appointment friday, and I want to ask him about T3 and upping my synthroid. Thanks so much.
StacyShay

Stacy, I replied in your other thread, but I just wanted to add here that an increase in weight after going on synthroid is a sure sign you're undermedicated. Being undermedicated can lead to problems down the line; like osteoporosis.

I would definitely ask for new labs to be run and I would insist they include your FT3 and FT4 - most docs will only do a TSH and this tells you NOTHING about your thyroid function once you've been on the meds.

The issue of whether you can get him/her to give you any T3, aside, you need more synthroid, period.

Nat

HI. I 've recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (sp?) and i've been put on levoxyl 75 mg daily. I'm just curious, how long does it take levoxyl to take effect? I right away (2 days) noticed that I 'm not that cold anymore and have more energy, but sometime I feel like something is still lacking, because i still get irritated really easily and sometimes i don't. I will go in for my next apptmt on 27 Dec (approx 2 months after diagnosed). Are they supposed to check my levels changes everytime I go in or do I have to ask my endocrinologist for those? Also, sometimes it seems that I crave more foods now, but since i'm also a bit of a post ed case, I feel like I shouldn't be eating this much and feel like i'm to gain 10lbs in no time. My tsh was 15 and my t4 was something like 0-1, can't remember. I also have a very active lifestyle starting this past July, I've gradually increased myself to 50-60 mpw of running and I normally would eat 800-1100 while I was trying to lose some weight (30lbs) (nowdays 1500-2000) so now i'm under 120 somewhere and i think it's fluctuating constantly.

I've also noticed that many say soy milk consumption slows down the effect of the medicine quite noticably and that carbs are very bad for hypos, but not sure why??? I try not to get any dairy in me because it gives me too many gases which is especially uncomfortable during my runs(ruins the whole experience for me really), so you understand the dilemma, can't drink regular milk, can't drink soy. I suppose I could try to go without either one, but I'm curious if soy really acts so much as a stopper for levoxyl even though i always wait couple hrs after taking it to eat anything (i'm taking it in mornings right before my workouts). Thanks for any input

I'm so glad I found this thread...I just went to the doctor yesterday for a complete physical....We were discussing my thyroid med's - I take Synthroid 100mcg (one a day) and cytomel (25 mcg - 1/2 tblt a day)...And this doctor informed me that new research is proving to find that cytomel should actually be thrown out - that it's ineffective....

Anyone got any information on this?

Thanks,

Jacque

Jacque, there are studies that prove it's more effective than just T4 alone and there are studies that prove it isn't. It depends on each individual case. I'd balk at the notion that it's 'ineffective', however. Much of the issue with the effectivness of thyroid meds relates directly to the patient receiving the right amount - so many of us are undermedicated because doctors use TSH to determine dose (TSH becomes meaningless when you start meds).

The questions should be: How do you feel on this dose? What do your latest labs look like (FT4 and FT3)?

Nat

Your poll doesn't take into account those of us that take 2 different kinds of thyroid replacements.

It wasn't until we added Cytomel to my T4 meds that I was able to start losing weight. For me it has made all the difference in the world!

From all I've read it is my understanding that consumption of soy, as well as estrogen replacements, cause a bump in how T4 replacements are used in the body. Since I partake of little soy and no estrogen replacements I have failed to remember that exact particulars. But I do remember they cause problems in titration via the estrogen in the bloodstream.

Sorry I can't tell you more about it, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find more info on the 'Net.

Other foods that can reek havoc with your meds are broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables of the same family.

And tea. If you are hypoT, and having problems, tea of any type is a no-no. Apparently, you get a double whammy of chlorine/fluoride from the water you make it with, plus the leaves themselves contain high levels of those two substances.

I am so bummed about this one, btw.

What I've read is that if you're well medicated, doing great, feeling great, a cup or two a week is ok. If you are unmedicated, still not feeling 100%, etc, it's best to avoid.

Even organic teas may still be suspect. If they're grown with treated water, they're still a problem.

Cheers,

Friday

I've eliminated black/white and green types so far, so now i'm completely herb, but where have you heard that herb is bad as well? is there any tea that doesn't have flouride/chlorine; I'm so confused now, I wish there'd be a simple way of finding out which teas have it and which don't because to live without tea is out of question,- for me at least. (so any type of water that I heat up would have flouride in it? and if it does would it be enough to be considered pretty bad for me to drink?)



Btw:


ROFL

Do they really make those?

Podengo, it's in all teas, even the herbals. Decaf is even worse, btw. Air and soil pollution puts the fluoride in the leaves, which is then passed on to us when the teas are made. Many teas actually advertise their high fluoride content, saying it's good for your oral hygiene.

Most municipal water is also fluorodated, drinking your 2 litres a day from this source would also not be a good idea with respect to thyroid function. Levels of fluoride in water were set many years ago when it was assumed daily consumption would be less than 4 glasses a day.