Long story short (if I ever can,ha!ha!)I was DXed with nodules,while being DXed with hypothryroidism several yrs before that.
It didn't take a rocket scientist to know I was hypothyroid for many years,docs only relied on blood work sooooooo I never got the right treatment,just was told my symptoms were probably due to depression.
Years of struggles,etc. proved I was right they were wrong,wasted my time and mind with mis DX and wrong meds. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
I'm sure many people have the same story or similar.
It's a common disease,treatable and yet millions are left to suffer,everyday becomes a struggle,no energy,just feeling physically miserable,no wonder depression occurs, duh?
I am bitter right now towards my former and present doc(s) and waiting for followup bloodwork,dose of Synthroid was increased to 50mcgs from 25mcg,with hope the nodules may shrink (after my next ultrasound results will show) so far it's been since August, I feel more tired and constant feeling of PMS,even increased facial skin oiliness like during PMS. I am so sluggish,worse than before.
Has anyone had this happen? Is the other alternative,Armour thyroid med. more efficient.?
I will be calling endicrinologist's office to see what the tests showed.
I had left a message about the med and the ongoing fatigue and no changes in other physical issues, the new doc (I wanted the one referred to in Aug bu she was booked,she has a good long reputation)left me a message saying if tests show "normal", to then take my health problems up with my GP, Grrrrrrrr!
The GP is the one that sent me for the ultrasound,they sent me to the endocrinologist,she further DXes me with Hashimoto's disease,etc. and now she seems she will be blowing me off?
What the heck,she hasn't tried other thyroid meds,didn't do further test, though she said she would do an aspiration of nodules,that the radio dye test isn't as good.
Sorry, this turned out to be too long, but if anyone has had this happen, did your docs try new meds? Did they help?
Thanks in advance,
DE

HI, Darkeyes! Sorry you've had so much grief from the doctors. We cope with enough from our various ailments, we don't need anything added from the people who are supposed to be helping us.
I'm hypothyroidic, take 137 mcg.'s of Synthroid. I had Graves' Disease as a child, was finally diagnosed at age 21 and had a partial thyroidectomy and a goiter removed. I can remember how totally miserable I was for years until the doctors finally (!!!) figured it out. Fortunately my surgeon was an outstanding expert in the field, and managed to gauge pretty well how much thyroid to leave me. It has only been in the last 10 years I've needed meds. (I'm almost 60.) But I've been on the same dosage for about the last 2 years, and apparently it's the right dosage for me. Yearly bloodwork has come back OK for the last couple of years.
So while I don't have any advice for you, I can totally sympathise with what you are going through. I've also got MG, which causes extreme fatigue. Just take it one day at a time, and try to stay positive.
I've only ever taken the Synthroid, and before that Levothroid. I'm not familiar with Armour thyroid med. I forget why we switched to the Synthroid. I think it may have had something to do with the dosage I needed not being available in the Levothroid. I take the name brand rather than a generic.
Hugs,

Lois,
Thanks so much for your reply. My docs said that Synthroid is better than the the generic,generics can vary brand to brand,Synthroid keeps their dosages of standard increments, like 25mcg will always be that amount,and so on.
I hope I'll get back to myself again,I don't even remember what that feels like.
This endocrinologist will be the last I see here in our medical center,if I do not get treated as needed, and/or blown off, I've had it.
I have seen on one of those "top doc" sites, and endocrinologist that serves Philly and NJ areas,affiliated with hospitals in Philly.
His patients rate him as top doc,after their bad experiences similar to mine.
Joint pain is returning in hands and arms,hair still thinning and this is the 6th year of no sex drive,I feel neuter. I'm going on 50 in Jan 2007 so I'm sure that isn't helping,you know the low hormones flat lining.
Thanks for listening to me, I just feel so down,and runned down,I'm having a hard time seeing any light at the end of the tunnel with this thyroid crap.
All the women in mom's family have thyroid problems,one cousin had thyroid cancer,but is fine now. I remember my dad had told me his mom had goiter,so I mean it's obvious the chances of thyroid problems for me inheriting them is pretty good.
Okay I whined enough,but just wish docs would "listen" to their patients and not blow them off as depressed,neurotic, and hypochondriacs.
I appreciate and thank you for listening to me.
Take care,
DE

Don't talk to me about thinning hair!!! I started with thin hair, and then you add the thyroid problems on top of that, plus my age, and YIKES!!!!
I knew there was a problem with the generic thyroid meds. I've always asked my doctor to insist on the name brand, and fortunately my insurance has never made a stink about it.
Come and whine any time you want, always glad to listen!!
Hugs,

Darkeyes, in reading back over your post, one thing jumped out at me. You mentioned "Joint pain is returning in hands and arms" Is your joint pain from the underactive thyroid? I've got quite a bit of joint pain, which I put down to carpal tunnel (wrists and hands), and arthritis (elbows and shoulders).
Should I actually be blaming the joint pain on my thyroid?
Hugs,

I've read so much stuff and on one of those info sheets in the doc's office,joint pain was mentioned,even my GP's PA noticed that I had been tested for Lymes (a million times/overkill on doc's part) cause I get an occasional low grade fever,but no Lymes.
I've told them do not even bother with anymore Lymes disease tests,I do not see any ticks on me,nor am I out much anymore.
I have a cyber friend with arthritis and Hashimotos disease,we read in several books,that RA is an autoimmune disease,like Hashimotos,diabetes,lupus, and some others. Some docs believe culprit behind or connected to RA and fibromyalgia can be hypothyroidism.
At this point I know it's not carpal tunnel syndrome,my husband has that,he's a computer guy and none of the symptoms seem to fit with mine.
I hate to say this but I feel it may be RA onset?
I don't know anymore,but I'm really feeling down and so fatigued, it's horrible.
If I do not get help from this endocrinologist I am going to see one I keep reading about on thyroid website,the site shows patient reviews.
The one I see now was on the top doc list but was removed,plus she isn't the one, I got her new partner,very young and abrupt. I wanted to see the one who is the head one of the 2 but she was heavily booked at the time I need to be seen with my ultrasound results (nodules) so I may have missed out on a good one there too, maybe before driving 2 hrs. for a new one, I'll ask to see her and not the other again. ? Would I rude to?
When I get a moment, I'll post/reply 2 good books I've read on thyroid disorders, oh there is a huge connection of hypothyroidism causing depression and how sadly GP's give us AD's when really we need thyroid medications. My pdoc noticed how more upbeat I was after starting thyroid meds.,that sadly I needed probably 10 yrs before getting it.
Sorry,this is so long again.
Thanks again,
DE

Thanks in advance for the posting of the 2 books on hypothyroidism. Mine is supposedly under good control, but I'm interested in learning everything I can about it since I've had so much trouble with my thyroid.
Hugs,

Here's the 2 books I was talking about,I've had them for about 5 years,but the info is still interesting and helpful.


The Thyroid Solution by Ridha Arem, M.D.

Thyroid Disease The Facts 3rd edition, by R.I.S. Bayliss,KVCO,MD,FRCP
and W.M.G. Tunbridge,MD,FRCP
Oxford University Press


I'm glad to hear you say you feel you have it under control now.
I wish you continued success. I hope before this year is over,I'll get to see and feel progress within myself,but feeling pessimistic it'sw going to take getting a endocrinologist that will treat the disease according to my symptoms and not the damn numbers on blood test results.
I'm seriously thinking of booking an appt. with this one I saw on the web,who had loads of great reviews and was on US top doc list.
But until I get an appt. I will finish up with the doc I have right now.
Take care now,
DE

Lois-
It was carpal tunnel/tendonitis that finally led me to get my subclinical hypothyroidism diagnosed. I read somewhere that about 20% of people with carpal tunnel and tendonitis (RSIs) have underactive thyroid function. After 4 weeks on a very low dose of Synthroid, no more tendonitis.

All-
I am a 35 year old woman who is apparently at a turning point with my thyroid issues and the pivot point has something to do with a wheat allergy. The quick synopsis is here, longer version below. I was dx'ed with subclinical hypothyroidism 4 years ago and have been on Synthroid ever since. 5 weeks ago, I stopped eating wheat and all of my thyroid-esque symptoms improved...immediately and unequivocally. I lost the 5-8 lbs I have been carrying around ever since my thyroid pooped out, my digestion and elimination are great for the first time in my life (no constipation, etc.), my energy level and brain fx are fantastic, and I'm building muscle easily. The shift was so fast that I had to completely stop my Synthroid within the course of 5 weeks b/c I was becoming rapidly hyperthyroid. I am very hyperthyroid at the moment and realize it may take another 4 weeks for the Synthroid to get out of my system. I did some research on thyroid and celiacs/wheat and found that autoimmune hypothyroidism is linked to wheat issues, but I have never had the antibodies to indicate Hashimotos's disease. Has anyone ever heard of non-Hashimoto's hypothyroidism being linked to wheat? Anyone have any experience with this? Do you know of any resources? Once you cut out wheat, is hyperthyroidism the new issue or is this a transitional experience? All I can say is that as unfun as hypothyroidism was, the current state of hyperthyroidism is no cake walk either and it was actually easier to handle the hypothyroidism because I could prop it up with Synthroid...

I was dx'd with Hashimoto's in about 1994. My symptoms were falling asleep in the middle of the day; I'd just feel overwhelmingly tired.

My family doc sent me to an excellent endocrinologist and he did a scan of the thyroid (forget the name, but they inject radioactive iodine) and that showed the problem.

I was started out on .75mcg of Synthroid. Then up to .88mcg (several years later) and now I'm on 100 mcg.

It's quite a balancing act.

I've moved twice since seeing my endocrinologist and I am not too happy with the doctor who watches over me now. It's my GP. He solely relies on bloodwork. I asked him about an endocrinologist and he said I don't need one....

hmmmm.

If you have Hashimotos then you have a goiter; is that right in your case?

The synthroid should diminish it.

As to the Armour...my doctors all think that is not a good idea. That has been the consensus of opinion from all docs I've gone to.

Good Luck; it is a constant battle (our health) thats for sure.

Tootsie