Hi, ger715:

Quote: "You have a lot on your plate."

You are right. I cannot take it anymore; my patience has reached its limits.

Like you, I was also unaware of my thyroid problem. I just knew I have these symptoms (listed in a message posted on October 27, 2011, in this thread), but I did not imagine an instant that my thyroid is responsible for all these symptoms. I do not remember what later brought me to suspect my thyroid. I had thyroid blood tests done twice. Some of these tests could only be done in France. The blood tests show I have thyroiditis (also called Hashimoto's hypothyroidism).

What is strange is that I have all your symptoms, but I have hypothyroidism while you have hyperthyroidism. My only guess is that these two syndromes share some common symptoms. If someone thinks I am wrong, feel free to correct me.

I went to see an endocrinologist, but my experience with him was a real nightmare, which I posted in the Auto Immune Diseases thread.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread159141.html

I cannot find another endocrinologist who will take me. Good specialists are not easy to find in the small island in which I live.

Quote: "Unfortunately, the doctor does not know what dosage will work for you until you have taken the meds for a few months; then get another blood test to show your TSH, etc. He then will adjust the meds accordigly."

You are saying my doctor does not know what dosage will work for me until I have taken the meds (Synthroid is the only thyroid medication I take) for a few months. If I tell my doctor I still feel horribly, horribly bad on the 25 mcg dosage (one tablet daily), does it not make sense for my doctor to understand this dosage does not work for me? Does it not make sense my doctor should increase my dosage? If the 25 mcg dosage was the right dosage for me, I would feel better, which is not the case.

If I have to take this ridiculously low amount of Synthroid for several months before the doctor knows if it will help me or not (I know I do not feel better on this ridiculously low dosage of Synthroid), can he not give me something, anything, to stand these unbearable symptoms while waiting for the Synthroid to take effect, if it will take effect?

My blood test results are weird. Some of them go from being abnormal to being normal while others go from being normal to being abnormal. So hos is my doctor supposed to make a decision and how long am I supposed to wait and suffer because of these weird results?

Quote: "I am on the same dose you are on at present."

How are you feeling on that dosage? Are you feeling better than before you started taking it? If so, you are lucky!

I am usually against generics. For example, I always refuse generics of fentanyl patches because, to me, they are less effective than brand name fentanyl patches.

Quote: "After your next blood work for the thyroid, the doctor may give you a prescription that could be a maintenance."

I more than sincerely hope it will not be the same dosage or a lower dosage because, otherwise, I will tell him something like: "Stop prescribing this 25 mcg dosage of Synthroid for me. If you will not give me a higher dosage of Synthroid, I prefer not to take anything. What is the use of taking 25 mcg Synthroid daily when it does not make me feel better at all? I might as well take nothing; what would be the difference?!"

Quote: "The doctor does have to wait to retest in 3 months; otherwise he cannot know how the current prescription is working."

I feel the current prescription is not working at all. I do not feel better at all since I started taking it. Does that not count for my doctor? Like I said in a previous message in this thread, doctors rely too much on blood tests while they discount their patients' symptoms, which should be considered more important.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/wom...e-always-tired

Quote: "I understand your frustration; but it is necessary to stay on the dose you are taking for at least 3 months before he can have a better idea how much to prescribe."

I am not against doing this; I just want something to be able to stand the unbearable, horrible symptoms I feel while waiting during these three months. The pharmacist I saw on Saturday, October 29, 2011, told me there ARE such medications to be able to stand these unbearable, horrible symptoms. So what is the doctor waiting to prescribe them for me, knowing I feel so, so bad?

The ambulance came several times at my workplace because I could not stand these unbearable, horrible symptoms. I do not know what they gave me, but it helped me feel somewhat better.

Quote: "In fact, after taking the dose you are currently using for a month or more; you might find you are already feeling better."

I started taking Synthroid on October 11, so I have been taking it for 21 days. If it has not started helping me in 9 days, the next box of 25 mcg dosage is going straight in the trash can.

Do you know what I am doing as I am typing this message? My computer keyboard is all wet, wet with all my tears, tears of suffer, tears of not being helped...

Quote: "I understand the waiting must be unbearable; but if the dose you are on starts to kick in, you could start feeling better very soon. Sending positive thoughts your way."

Thanks for your information and for being such an understanding, kind, and non-judgmental person. I cannot thank you enough for that. Maybe, in 9 days, I will write a message saying I feel better. I sincerely hope I will.