Dealing with Hypothyroidism
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| Thu, 11-04-2004 - 5:59pm |
I have been dealing with this chronic condition for 10 years now..I have had more downs then ups with it..I have had 5 different doctor's in the last 10 years..I have been unable to be regulated with in those 10 years.. any little cold or infection threw me and my levels off..I would go to the Dr's with my symptom's and tell him I would need an adjustment with my meds and he told me I was depressed and put me off work for 3 weeks and gave me a perscription for prozac ..I went home and refused to take it and he sent me for blood work and when the results were in he sent me a note stating "As you already know your thyroid is not working sufficiently and you need an increase..." I went to 4 other Drs after him and 1 was amazed that I wasn't in a coma my levels were so off.I was forcing myself to move and get out of bed...
I then was told I had a nodule forming on my right lobe.. Not 1 Dr.. would send me for any more testing...Thyroid conditions run heavily in my family...my Grandmother on fathers sidde had her's removed due to Thyroid Cancer and grandmother on mother's side was hospitalized with Thyroid storm, she has lost all her hair.... and 4 aunts also with the condition...So I suffered for 4 years.. Being depressed tired and feeling horrible until one day I watched our local news and saw a new endo being interviewed.....needless to say I called.. She was not taking new patients... but she reviewed my charts and history and made an immediate opening for me.. Thank God.. I have a severe case of Hypothyroidism She did all the needed blood work and I am now on the way to a healthier happier me...my last Dr had put me on Levoxyl .175 mg and it made me deathly ill, severe stomach aches , headaches ,shortness of breath , angina, hair loss,, I am now back on Synthroid .175 mg and feel 100% better I went from weighing 125 pounds to 318 pounds.. barely eating anything..Now I am losing weight and feel so good about myself cant wait to get up in the morning and exercise...
I would love to hear from anyone on this topic so please drop me a line...I hope to hear from you soon...

That's my first impression of your post and your story.
I was diagnosed almost a year ago...my TSH level was over 100 and I didn't have a clue anything was wrong (I went to the doctor for carpal tunnel syndrome). I have since learned a lot about this condition...and I credit this board and the people on it for everything I have learned!
If you've read any of the other posts you may have noticed that many people's doctors do not listen to them. I'm concerned by that because now (after being on various levels of Synthroid since being diagnosed) I have started to really feel all the symptoms and then some. I'm scared my doctor won't listen to me about the "new" levels of "normal" or won't treat the condition just the symptoms.
I can't imagine a doctor telling me to take 3 weeks of work! I know in some ways I would enjoy it (I could sleep all day!), but I also know what a strain it would put on me in so many ways.
I'm very glad to hear you are feeling so wonderful and that you have found a doctor who listens to you and knows what she is doing!
It's very refreshing to hear a "success" story like yours! Thank you very much for sharing it!
Oh, and welcome to the board! :)
dazed
Dazed
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Missy--
I too say, WOW! And HOW!
I have tears in my eyes reading your post because I am still so frustrated and even outraged by how people with absolutely no understanding of thyroid function can be out there diagnosing and treating people! (Mis-treating people, that is). I have yet to break out of the seemingly endless circle of people who brush off my symptoms and work only with the "labs," ---and by that I mean TSH test because NO one will measure T-3 or T-4...
I am so happy and inspired to hear your story of finding a specialist who made time for you and found you the answers.
Congrats, and THANK YOU for sharing your story!
Dee.