Well, I don't know if I have answers yet, or simply new questions. I'm happy either way.

Next week I start thyroid medications as soon as we get my thyroid levels back so we know what sort of dose to put me on. I didn't see my regular doc, since she wasn't in the office, but the new one didn't even bat an eye.

Even if my thyroid levels come back at the high end of normal, he's still going to put me on the meds. He said he didn't mind putting me into a state of hyperthyoidism for a short period, as long as it wasn't years long.

Wow!

So, if I don't start dropping weight while taking the thyroid meds, they are going to try other things, like cortisol stuff. (I haven't researched this yet)

So, my question to my fellow Turtles is this: have you had your thyroid levels checked, or have you tried something besides diet and excersize? (Diet meaning food intake in general, not a specific diet mentality) I know that Kathy has resorted to the occasional diet pill, but what are some other stratagies Turtles are trying?

I know that I was making myself insane trying to figure out why I wasn't having success with cutting my calories and bumping up the activities. I just want to see if we can come up with a plan for Turtles.

I've been taking Synthroid for years and never felt that it did any good so I decided to take myself off of them w/o dr. permission.....about 2 months after not taking them I completely lost my voice for about 6 weeks. When I finally went to the dr. I thought he was going to kill me. You may not think that thyroid meds are a magic pill (I don't) but not taking them put me at extreme risk and caused all kinds of side effects that I never knew about. Make sure that your dr. is giving you the full thyroid test. There are two level and some docs don't routinely do the more comprehensive test.

All they did was a blood test. normal level is 0.350 ---5.500 in April mine was 2.889 Yesterday mine is 11.366 if this helps anyone out.

Vines,

Hi I have been on Synthroid for almost my whole life, not that I am an expert but an MD who soes a two week rotation in endocrinology isnt either. Thyroid levels are very sutle and can mean very different things to different people. My rambling point - a specialist can and will take the time over time to regulate you properly for you. The generic for Synthroid is not a true generic formulation. People and MD's stay brand loyal to Synthroid for some reason.

I have hachimoto's disease (hypothyroidism). I definitely spelled that one wrong.

God luck to you with this - hopefully our thyroid holds to golden key to your wl journey.

Hugs, Debby

Hey Vines! :Bunny

I have HYPO thryroidism, I started synthroid on 4/28/2005 Within 2 months i was totally back to normal (thyroid levels) However this pass test (dec 10th) it came back HIGH again:confused: ..So now they have increased my medicine, I was loosing Slowly BUT i was loosing..Last month (Nov i only lost 2 lbs) They sd its because my thyroid was out of control again..Now hopefully i will loose more.. I am down a total of 55lbs..some months i loose 5-10 others and some i don't. I am hoping once they get me regular again i will loose steadly again..

Kristen

I'm marginally happier but I can still eat and eat and eat if I don't watch myself. Time for another fill!

Well, tomorrow I go to the docs and get either some more answers or more questions.

The results of the blood work should be back.

I feel weirdly at peace.

You're a bloody marvel Vines, to still be hanging in there after all this time. I really really hope you get your answers.

Can't wait for the update Vines. I have been anxious for you for weeks now...waiting patiently!!!

Hell with being patient!! I hate being patient.

Vines better get her little butt back on this board the very minute she comes home from the doctor and let us know what's going on!!

:-)

We're with you Vines - all the way!

Okay, I've been home for just a few, my DH is out geting my prescritpion filled.

SIGH my test results came back spot on normal. My thyroid is smack dab in the middle of normal range. My other test results came back as well.

The doctor has no clue why i'm not losing weight. He's baffled. I'm baffled. The next step is to get a referal to see an endocrenologist.

I got an unfill last week, so Im back to about 1000 to 1200 calories aday. He really hopes that I don't gain weight on that amount of calories.

I really thought I would get some answers, but I didn't. I don't even know if I have a different set of quesstions.

But the best news is that I've stopped obsessing about food. Whats' the point anyway?

Did your doc do just the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) or the T3 and T4 (deeper level testing)? My aunt is a nurse practitioner and said that the THS can be within normal range but when you get the more definitive tests they can show abnormalities. I'm glad you're going to an endocrinologist...they're the specialists that deal with this all the time. Maybe ask him about the more definitive tests??

I think about you often and every time hope that you can get some answers and start losing again.

Emily

I thought this article was very interesting. Perhaps the synthroid isn't working properly because your T3 levels aren't being addressed?

http://www.worldwidehealthcenter.net/articles-159.html

I took my temp this morning before getting out of bed as instructed, and it was 97.6. He says a good indicator of low thyroid is that first morning temp, and if it's below 97.8 it's likely your thyroid is low...

Per the article, some of the most common symptoms caused by hypothyroidism include poor concentration, mental confusion, memory disturbances, cold hands and feet, overweight, difficult weight loss, menstrual problems, dry skin, thin hair, and low energy levels. Other symptoms include migraine headaches, hypertension, depression, hypoglycemia, atherosclerosis, diabetes, infertility, and even acne. In his book, Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness, Dr. Barnes described over 47 symptoms that may be related to poor thyroid function.

I have a lot of the symptoms mentioned above, like dry/rough skin, fatigue, poor concentration, mental confusion, memory disturbances, overweight, difficult weight loss, thin hair, low energy levels, depression, hypoglycemia...

I think I'm going to try some thyroid med myself. My blood tests have always come out "normal" - I have no idea if that was low normal, and I'm sure they didn't do any of the more extensive testing.

They did the full battery of thyroid tests, and they all came back spot-on. But because I have most of the symptoms of low thyroid, he put me on the meds.

He was just a baffled as I am. So, I'll call and make an appointment with the endocrinologist. I just need to check my clinic to see if they have a specific one they want me to see. Apperently most Endos only deal with diabetics, and my sugar levels were just fine.

Vines, check out this other very interesting site:

http://www.wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/

Hi -

There is a major controversy going on about "normal" TSH levels. Read about it here -http://thyroid.about.com/od/gettestedanddiagnosed/a/tshtestwars.htm

I have Hashimoto's and both took the article about the reference range to my PCP and went to an endocrinologist.

Meanwhile, I think Mary is right, don't take "high" or "low" for an answer - get the results. You paid for them, it is your right to have them.

Who is to say what is normal for VQ is normal for me??? I hate when they tell me I'm in the "normal" range, and just who is that normal person? Is it someone who weighs in at 105 or 255? I'm a firm believer, what's normal for you, or you, or you, may not be and is probably not normal for me.

Did that make sense?