thyroid problems

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid in sept 2008,i first went into hyper then went into hypo and still get symptoms of both hyper and hypo! ugh! so I feel like my doctor isnt thinking outside the box because i feel HORRIBLE after 4 months about on thyroid medication which is 25mcgs at the moment. She is kind of insisting i need antidepresants to get rid of my aches,the fact im not sleeping and getting heart palpitations and many other symptoms.I'm so stressed over this between work and feeling horrible, because im messing things up at work. I also dont have energy to clean my house ugh!I need advice and i basically need hope that even though i feel horrible now that this can change as long as i find a right doctor to keep my levels in my range and not in  what they say is in range because everyone is different!

you're on a barely-nothing dose.  Is this your GP?

See a real endocrinologist.

Unfortunately, what you are experiencing is not too uncommon although I am fully aware how frantically frustrating it can be.  I have been on hypothyroid medication for about 9 years now.

Before you try the anti-depressants, ask your doctor about a thyroid support supplement.  It sounds like your thyroid medication has gotten your blood work into the "acceptable" range but you are still feeling a lot of the thyroid symptoms.  A good supplement will work together with your thyroid medication and, depending on what supplement you choose, some can improved conversion of T4 to T3, improve your energy, improve your fatique and mental performance among other things.  Which supplement you ultimately choose should be confirmed by your medical doctor in all cases.  Your best supplement is specific to your symptoms and only your doctor can help you make the best choice.

Good Luck.

ALL of your symptoms are EXACTLY the same as I had for a very long time.  I absolutely promise you that you can have symptoms that on the surface seem like hyperthyroid symptoms, but they are in fact symptoms of hypothyroidism.

I had tested hypothyroid for a couple of years, TSH hovering around 6 to 8 or so for quite a while.  I resisted being put on medication because to me my symptoms seemed to be more akin to hyperthyroid symptoms rather than hypo.  I had the heart palpitations, racing thoughts, nervousness, inability to sleep, etc. that they always say are symptoms of hyperthyroidism.  Sure I was exhausted all the time, but I believed that was because I wasn't sleeping.  By my logic, I was terrified that all of these things would get worse if I went on meds for hypothyroidism.  When my TSH approached 10, my doc wouldn't take no for an answer, she insisted that I go on Synthroid.  And because I was feeling worse and worse and worse, I finally gave in, thank G*d.

Dosing Synthroid can be very tricky.  I happened to be VERY fortunate that the standard introductory dose of 50 mcgs did the trick for me.  I felt 100% better, immediately. 

Honestly, either get your doc to keep tweaking your dose until they get it right, or find another doc.  You're clearly on the wrong dosage, and my guess would be that you need a higher dose because as the other poster mentioned, 25 is really low.  You will know when they get it right.  For the first time literally in years I felt GOOD.  I felt so good and happy it was like I could conquer the world.  (I still do!)

FWIW, my doc explained it to me this way.  Yes, my thyroid was low, but the reason I felt like I was going a million miles an hour all the time was because the rest of my body was going crazy trying to make up for the hypothyroidism, which made me FEEL more like I was hyperthyroid even though I wasn't.

What are your numbers- thats a 'silly' dose imo- hardly worth taking?? It indicates your levels are a little high but pretty 'normal'?

Thank you everyone for your replies and support! i went to the docs today to get my blood resluts my numbers are... tsh 3.71 and free t4 is 1.14. I requested the doc call me in the name brand synthroid to try instead of the generic due to i read about the fillers can make a difference.I also did something i know I shouldnt due which was add to my normal dose,but i felt so horrible that if I dont get anything done soon i might go into a horrible depression from it and lose my job.I'm only 22  it is very hard for me to deal with the symptoms and a full time job.I also added to my dose because my doctor wont! i am in the process of going to a specialist hopefully the first one I go to isnt another dr.seuss.I do however feel so much better taking extra my symptoms are pretty much gone! and i hope I can focus better on work then stressing about how crappy  feel! I truly cannot believe how crappy medical attention can be. I went to the ER when i was hyperthyoid really bad where i had symptoms of diabetes and my vision was not good at all and i asked them to please check my blood sugar and my thyroid and the first thing they said was i can clearly look at you and say you do not have anything wrong with your thyroid and tried to give me antidepressants. i didnt know what to do but I walked right out,i felt like an idiot even going there. but again thank you any other advise is very  much appreciated!

My TSH levels are usually around 3.15-3.50 and my T4 levels are always around 19, and I'm on a 75mcg dose! 'Normal' TSH levels here are between 0.3-4.5 and the T4 levels are between 10.6-22.7, so I'm at the top end of the scale. I think it's too low a dose as my dietician would prefer my TSH level  to be between 1-2? I'd definately get a 2nd opinion!

so now i think i am having additional problems due to my hair is thinninf out on only one side of my head as well as my eyebrow on the same side...im having other symptoms so ill know soon if its pcos or diabetes.. if anyone has experience with hypothyroid as well as pcos or diabetes let me know

I've been border line of both hyper and hypo and actually just had blood drawn Friday to see if things are with in normal range.

Though I don't have any advice, I can say I commend you for getting up everyday and conquering work and dealing with health issues.  I know how hard it can be and it is amazing how co-workers (and your boss) can inadvertently make you feel more stress. 

You will get this figured out...

Hang in there...you are a tough cookie :)

"blood resluts my numbers are... tsh 3.71 and free t4 is 1.14"

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According to the Davis's Comprehensive Handbook of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests with Nursing Implications, a normal TSH for adults is 0.4-4.2.  Normal Free T4 for adults is 0.8-1.5.  You are within normal range on both.

The most current guidelines for TSH are 0.3 to 3. 

Original Post by lunger0514:

The most current guidelines for TSH are 0.3 to 3. 

 It varies- my lab/health authority's levels are 0.3-4.5.

I would definitely get a second opinion.  My original doctor blew me off because my levels were within the normal range.  After I ended up in the ER because I was having problem breathing, I switched doctors and the first thing he did was send me to a specialist.  The specialist took one look at me and scheduled me for surgery.  I had my thyroid removed which was so big the specialist wanted to know why it was taken care of earlier.  If it had been taken out earlier, a couple of other surgeries I had would not have had to happen.  I am a firm believer now of second opinions!

I dn't have any advice really.  I've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism too and i'm on 25mcgs.  In january my levels were 14!  They retested me and my levels were 4.   I might have always been like this and just not been tested or it couldve brought on by me giving birth.
So anywho...I don't have advice but I know how you feel...

This post scares me because I'm getting tests Wednesday for this very thing, among others

i have read that its very  common for women to get thyroiditis after giving birth.the hormones are so out of whack

good luck with that it hasnt been a fun ride for me being i was misdiagnosed for so many years

I've read that too but I've never given birth.

Original Post by moodyjulz:

i have read that its very  common for women to get thyroiditis after giving birth.the hormones are so out of whack

 Thats what happened me. After my first baby my levels went sky-high but returned to normal without meds. After my second they again went sky-high, but stayed there until I was put on meds.

I was diagnosed Jan 07 haven't consistently visited my doctor.  I'm taking 75mcg and I'm feeling like i did right before my diagnosis.  Fatigued, foogy.  I've gained and lost the same 1 pound for Feb and March.  I've also noticed that I barely have a left eyebrow

this past week I had walking pneumonia with no appetiite but i gained .8lbs!

I've schedule an appointment with my endocrinologist

good luck with that its not easy... but it is good to keep up on doc appts and keeping healthy! in the mean time what i have been using for mypartially missing right eyebrow is using anastasia eye bro stencils and the brow powder works great and the stencils help color them in to a perfect shape and almost natural!GOODLUCK!