Hypothyrodism

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Hypothyrodism
6
Sun, 10-03-2004 - 7:48pm
Hi there!

I have recently been diagnosed with mild hypothyrodism. I am still very confused. The story started with irregular periods (every two weeks) in the middle of August. So I went to my gynecologist. She ordered a blood test but tested only my TSH level, no T3 or T4. My TSH level in the first blood test was 6.874. I was told to take 100mcg of Levothyroxine to get it back to normal. The test shows normal levels are from 0.35 to 5.5. A friend of mine suggested to repeat the blood test because testing only the TSH level can't be the basis of a correct diagnosis. So I went to my reg. doctor. I couldn't get an appointment with an endocrinologist until the end of Novemeber. This doctor tested the TSH level and the T3 uptake, again not the T4. This time the TSH level was 6.2 and the T3 was normal. Again I was told to take thyroid medication at 50mcg of Levothyroxine. So I finally decided to start taking it. So far I haven't noticed a difference because I have been taking it only for 4 days.

I am very surprised it came to that diagnosis at all. It is true that I have been feeling cold all the time. It has been all my life like that. 7 years ago I started losing a lot of weight all of a sudden and lost also lots of hair that hasn't grown back. In the past months I have also felt very tired but I thought it is due to stress at work.

Can anyone tell me if the tests taken by my 2 doctors were sufficient to diagnose hypothyroidism? Can I do anything else besides taking medication?

Thanks!

Avatar for cl_calley7
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Sun, 10-03-2004 - 10:11pm

Hi Peppione2004,


Welcome to our board.

 

Calley7

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 8:04pm
Thank you very much, Calley7! This was very helpful.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Tue, 10-05-2004 - 10:32pm
Hi and welcome - In addition to all the great info that Calley gave you, I just wanted to add that the best thing you can do is to take your medication consistently, first every morning, on an empty stomach. Don't take any other medications or supplements with it; wait at least one hour. For caclium and iron supplements, wait 4 hours. You can eat breakfast after an hour of taking the meds.

Another thing you can do is to get plenty of rest, eat a healthy well balanced diet and get some exercise everyday. Those things sound very basic because .... they are!! They really form the basis for good health and it's no exception when you have a thyroid condition. It's actually even more critical!

There's no reason for you to doubt the results of the TSH test. The only reason why it's best to have other tests, too, is to get a more complete picture of what's happening. Those other tests answer whether or not you have an autoimmune condition, whether or not you're making enough thyroid hormone or is the problem in converting the hormone. But at this point, the results you have are good enough to go on. If you take your medication consistently, youl will probably notice a difference in how you feel anywhere from 2 weeks and up to 3 months for some of the mroe serious stuff. And that is if you are taking the right dose. Which one are you taking, the 50 mcg or the 100 mcg? Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 10-06-2004 - 9:54am
>I just wanted to add that the best thing you can do is to take your medication consistently, first every morning, on an empty stomach.<

On this note...I do take my medication (Synthroid) every morning, on am empty stomach. However the time does vary, because I take it whenever I wake up to go to the bathroom, get a drink of water, etc. Which is sometimes at 3am, sometimes at 6am, sometimes at 7am. (Always at least 3 hours before eating anything.)

Is this OK?

~Karen

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2003
Wed, 10-06-2004 - 5:27pm
I'm interested in the answer to that question too because I take my med. between 6:30 and 8am 95% of the time the other 5% are those days when I am so wiped out I don't get up till 9-9:30am But is that hour and a half time span close enough to "the same time each day" or do I need to be setting an alarm clock?

Michelle
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Thu, 10-07-2004 - 10:40pm
Hi guys - I've wondered the same thing myself but I don't think it matters if it's a few hours off. What's important is that you're taking it first thing on an empty stomach. Whether that's at 7:00 one day and 9:00 the next shouldn't really matter. Cathy :)