new- need help and wisdom

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2003
new- need help and wisdom
3
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 4:55pm
I apologize in advance for a long post. I am 26 years old and just had a baby 5 mos. ago.

About a month ago I went to my GP because of an earache. This was my only symptom. While I was there she noticed my thyroid was enlarged and ordered an U/S and blood. My TSH came back as 87! (No, I did not forget the decimel, eighty-seven,) and my T4 was .03. I was told to IMMEADIATELY see an Endo. So I did. He told me my thyroid has "gone to sleep and will not wake up" and put me on 1. mcg of synth. and ordered new blood tests in 4 weeks.

I have been dutifully taking this stuff for about a week and a half now. I wondered at first how I would feel on the pills, seeing as I had no symptoms going into this (By the way I've read a lot of posts where it seems drs. don't believe some of you when you say you have symptoms, well if its any consolation they don't believe you when you say you don't either!) Any way I feel like I'm losing my mind now. Every inch of me aches, my head won't stop pounding, and I have a VERY short fuse- which is very bad when you have an infant and a 3 and 1/2 year old. I'm not tired, that's for sure, as a matter of fact I barely sleep at all now. Its also very hard to accept that I have a chronic illness when I didn't even feel sick, and now that I'm on the pills to treat my illness, I feel like crap.

Please, anyone who has gone through something similar or has any advice I would truly appreciate it. Thank You.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2004
Thu, 08-26-2004 - 1:07pm
I hesitate to say it but -- ME TOO!!

I was just diagnosed last week. I had no symptoms that I realized. I had a baby in January and I noticed that more hair in my brush than usual, and my menses were irregular and I had spotting (this was _highly_ unusual). I went for a yearly checkup and told my CNM about the menses thing. She thought it was just post-pregnancy weirdness, but decided to give me a blood test. I was 28.9. She called me and said she was going to give me something that would make me feel alot better. I hesitated to say, "I didn't know I was feeling bad."

Since going on the HRT (I take .5) I have been hot, cranky, and emotional. I feel so hyped up. I'm not used to my skin being warm all the time. And I hate my temper being so short. I'm hoping that things will even out. They are getting better - the third day on Synthyroid I thought I was going insane.

So anyway, this isn't exactly help or wisdom, but at least you know you're not in the boat alone!

Amanda

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-21-2004
Thu, 08-26-2004 - 7:27pm
Hi!

I believe you! I don't believe everything is always cut and dry...but I have a thought- perhaps the reason you feel bad is because of timing. Thyroid medications takes a few weeks to notice (you said you had been taking it a week and a half) and maybe your symptoms (hypothyroidism) happened to hit at the same time you started taking your medication? Just a thought- since thyroid medications have such a long life-span! (except for T3) My mom had an enlarged thyroid and things happened quickly with her- (meaning her thyroid grew, died and she went on replacement horomone rather fast)

Give it a few weeks- They say 6 weeks, but for me I thought 8 weeks! I'm a slow learner, LOL....

Good luck- and keep us posted!

Sherry

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Fri, 08-27-2004 - 10:30pm
Hi and welcome - I think Sherry hit the nail on the head and your symptoms just happened to coincide with your taking the medication. And it can take up to 3 months to feel the full effects of the medication. It has to build in your blood stream and that doesn't happen overnight. Plus, you have the hormonal stress of just having had a baby and the physical stress of having a new baby to take care of!! So it's not any surprise that you're not feeling great yet. It will take a while and it will be hard for you to have patience but try to give yourself some time. Try to get extra rest if you can and pamper yourself when you can! Take care of yourself. It's hard for a new mom to do but it will be better for your baby and for you!!

I can't imagine what your doctor means by saying your thyroid went to sleep and will not wake up!! But .... the synthroid will supply your body with what it needs and is not getting from your thyroid so eventually, it will even out. You will feel fine as your body adjusts to the medication. In case your doctor hasn't told you, be sure to take your medication first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. And don't have anything to eat for an hour afterward. Try to wait 4 hours for calcium and iron supplements if you take them. If you drink tea, you may want to consider stopping because it naturally contains floride which blocks the absorption of iodine by thyroid - which it needs to function. So you don't want to slow your thyroid anymore than it is already bu drinking tea throughout the day. I'm trying to think of the things that will help you get as much hormone into your system as quickly as possible. Another thing to avoid is unprocessed soy like soy milk, soy products, tofu etc, if you eat them. They contain an anti-thyroid ingredient that blocks the absorption of thyroid hormone.

I hope this helps a bit. Please feel free to come back as often as you need to!! We're a very supportive group! Cathy :)