pain in my feet since before my son was born. It was like walking on broken glass shards, esp in the morning when I first got up.

30 yrs ago I did not think it was a thyroid issue..or even PN. I thought it was from standing on my feet all day for 13 hr shifts, etc.

After my son was born, my goiter grew. But my blood work was fairly normal.
Then I had an episode, resembling a heart attack, which was not the heart at all. But during all those tests, my doctor recommended an Endo. He was rude and said it was all in my head...but relented to a technicium scan because he felt the swelling. The rest is history... after being raised to 75mcg Synthroid, I stablized there. My feet went back to normal after about a year. In the beginning there was a lot of tingling--which was them waking up.
My carpal tunnel improved also.
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/symptoms...s/a/carpal.htm
http://www.tsh.org/askthedoctor/carpaltunnel.html

The way it works is that hypothyroid people produce a tissue substance that clogs the tarsal and carpal ligaments. This creates the PN symptoms.

Even today if I have alot of edema, from overusing salt etc, I get some symptoms back. So I use a diuretic about twice a week to control that.

My last TSH was 1.24, down from 2.0 from a year previously. As long as it is below 2, I don't push for increase. I know the connection between over use of thyroid and osteoporosis.

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART,YOU JUST DON'T KNOW
HOW HELPFUL YOU HAVE JUST BEEN TO ME. bLESS YOU ALL. sUE

I also thank you for the links. I have never had carpal tunnel and before I retired was a word processing specialist for over 30 years. I guess what I am saying is being diagnosed with low thyroid in early 30's and just being diagnosed with PN 7 years ago could this be related somehow? I guess I'll never know.

I never had the numbness/shooting pains in my feet when I was younger although in thinking back I always felt I had "weak" legs. So maybe there is a correlation - but 25+ years later??

Are any of you here on thyroid replacement and losing a LOT of hair? I see that this can be a side effect of Synthroid, although don't understand why. I thought that happened w/hypothyroidism...

Has everyone had their complete thyroid removed?

I don't know if the replacement hormone has anything to do with the pain level or not, I don't think I have been on it long enough to tell. I am only on Synthroid. I don't know anything about the other drug.


Cathie

No, not losing any hair other than the normal. I keep it short and it is thinner than when I was young. I remember having to have my hair thinned out! Wish I had some of that back.

I was under the impression that losing hair and thinning eyebrows was something that happens with hypothyroid before treatment, not after. Could it be your medication is not at the proper level yet? Believe me, I don't know, just asking. I do know of a wonderful forum, it's www.realthyroidhelp.com and I have read some excellent info there.

I have been trying to find a knowledgable doctor here who can look beyond the "normal range" and see the person. I truly believe I have adrenal/thyroid problems. I do believe I am hypothyroid along with adrenal problems and just can't get a doctor to listen to me. I always had thick eyebrows, now they have greatly thinned, especially the outside halves. My metabolism is shot, I gained over 25# while eating a 900-1200 a day calorie diet. I have celiac disease and so many intolerances now. The only bad thing I eat is ice cream and not much of that, no sugar, no breads, no grains, no red meats, no nightshades. One doctor wanted to jump start my metabolism by having me eat 100 calories every 2 hours, that was tough and didn't work. I walk 20 mins nearly everyday, at a good pace, to music (I take my headset and walk with Gary Allan, Josh Turner, Delbert McClinton, Keith Urban). I have not lost 1#. I go to bed exhausted, well, I fall asleep on the couch shortly after my walk, I wake up exhausted in the morning. I have a low body temp, average around 97.4. When I come back from walking, my body temp drops. I force myself to eat, I have no appetite, of course, I do take Topamax for my headaches, but I had no appetite before Topamax either. Even the Topamax has not caused me to lose weight!

Just recently, I have been diagnosed with borderline asthma, which I just read yesterday is another symptom of adrenal fatigue. My PCP sent me to a endocrinologist because of elevated antibodies and he told me I am high risk, but within the normal range and to come back in one year. That was last spring. Antiboldies attack your thyroid and kill it eventually. Now I carry an inhaler with me, but I am consider a healthy person. I have neuropathy, but I am a healthy person. Why don't I feel healthy like they keep saying I am?

I am so sick of feeling so horrible. Do you have to be on your deathbed to not be in the "normal range"? I'm not sure where to turn anymore. I am not a hypocondriac, yet I know this body. I spent over 20 yrs trying to figure out why I was so sick because of celiac disease and no doctor ever figured that out, we did and I don't want to wait another 20 yrs to figure this mystery out. Too much of my life has been wasted not feeling good already.

Sorry, rant over for now!

There are two aspects to thyroid treatment.

1) T4
2) T3

Taking Synthroid alone is T4. This version of the hormone is dependent on conversion in tissues to the active T3. Zinc and selenium (especially selenium) are cofactors for this
and if missing in the diet (or taking other drugs that deplete it), the conversion is less than optimal.

Small amounts of T3 are secreted from a normal thyroid, to help with immediate stress issues (trauma, cold temps). So some doctors now supplement with it as well. It has to be carefully done, because this is ACTIVE and will tear down bone and also speed up the heart if too high.

http://www.cenegenicsfoundation.org/...ects_Low_T.pdf

Do not take high doses of selenium daily however, keep it moderate if you do so. Some new studies show high selenium intake correlates with diabetes II.
So 100mcg daily is a good level to strive for. (or 200mcg every other day).
Most good multivits have at least 50mcg of selenium in them.

'thyroid experiences' I would say you've gotten a lot of good advice. I have been on 'synthroid' for well over 15 years, since getting to perimenopause and then beyond. I have had probably almost all of the synthroid dose variations there are, exceptfor the very lowest and highest.
I recommend in addition to the sites suggested that you go to the following:
http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum....oid&redirCnt=1
This is one very active group, and there are a lot of good people there that help. In my case, I've referred you to the Hashimotos' or severely HYPOthyroid group. There is also a section for those with HYPER-thyroid issues [Grave's Disease]. There are lots of references to papers, articles and some good research sites that can put all of it into perspective.
Know that, finding the right thyroid meds, and doses is really a SKILL! When first having the hypo-thyroid issues, it took over 4-5 years to 'get it right'. There are also lots of advocates for the Armour and other 'natural'' replacement therapies...there are lots of pro's and con's to that and to the synthetic treatments. The need for therapy help isn't an issue tho. the hardest part is 'living' thru all the 'tweaking' of the dosages, at least in my opinion.
Another good site to try and take in is: http://www.endocrineweb.com/
I have found it both fascinating and scary that those little glands do so much work for us, and if any of them go klaphooey, well, we become a mess! More I learn, more I realize I have to learn MORE than I ever wanted to, but must.
Just remember, it may or may not all be connected. But what started the 'ball' rolling is hindsight. Most docs just treat the 'what there is now'. So we all have to go in informed and ask just the rite questions. Good luck! - j

Dana do I remember those thinners,now short hair and getting thinner.
This is interesting,because son with Thyroid Cancer is here...He said
until they ajusted the meds. He was tired all the time, going to school
was hard..He was 12 now 30,he still has to have it ajusted...

When something changes i always seem to go to whats the newest
med they put me on..Once again thanks to all,got some reading and
more learning to do...Bob doing much better...Sue

UNDERDRIVE, my hair fell out, and every thyroid symptom to boot! At the time I was attributing it to my CIDP, which also assaults some of the same systems. DUH? No one tested per se for the 'anti-body' aspects and my thyroid dose was simply 'upped'. That the two-plus-two equals IMMUNE SYSTEM ALERT! never ever occurred to anyone - at the time. Hindsight is a luxury, really but it does help to put puzzle pieces together ... sort of. When you have one 'immune assult' on your body, expect a lot of well 'immune insults'!
It only took 3-1/2 years for my body to SHOUT out that 'there's a problem HERE!' I am grateful it did, I'd sorta suspected it, just couldn't put my finger on it.
I had specifically some auto-immune thyroid tests for T-3 and T-4 they were very specific tests, If you want I can look up what they were, But the Immune numbers were 'startling' to say the least. After reading on other boards I found my #'s were rather high, but not as HIGH as that of other folks. Some small comfort in that, I suppose. SOOO DON"T PANIC! Yet. Keep your cool and find [I truly hope and all] a good doc to deal with it. 's - j