<p>Missy, your doc should be checking T3 and T4. I’m on a very high dose of Synthroid but my body still converts enough T3 that I don’t need to add Cytomel. If your doc isn’t checking both…ask. </p>
<p>My doc suggested taking my Thyroid before I sent to bed so that it wouldn’t interfere with food or any other meds (unless you take meds before you go to bed, then pick another time) but the taking Synthroid alone is pretty common advice and generally the first thing they ask before a dose adjustment.</p>
<p>Zooser my father is (long time) hypothyroid and suffers from chronic anemia I have Hashi’s and suffer from chronic anemia Both my dad’s physician and mine say that the anemia is not related to the thyroid. Interesting that you are also reporting anemia.</p>
<p>Interesting to read that oral contraceptives can interfere with absorption. I probably look so ancient to my doctor that she thinks I couldn’t possibly still be taking them.</p>
<p>This is an interesting discussion. I was diagnosed with Hashi’s 35 years ago, and I have taken Synthroid ever since. I went to an endocrinologist for the first 10 years, then I just let my internist take care of things. Now that I am several years into menopause & frankly feel stressed out, fat, and tired … I am wondering if maybe finding a good family doctor who can coordinate my care & recommend a good endocrinologist (the last one I saw, chief of the hospital endocrinology dept, had the bedside manner of a doorknob). Maybe it’s not me, but my thyroid!</p>
<p>H. goes every six months. Test results can vary due to time of day, season, food consumed, stress, who knows what.</p>
<p>For the record, when my mom-in-law got Hashi’s (yes, DH’s mom had it, too) she was so b*<strong><em>y that she almost alienated her family. She was nuts. Seriously, we probably would have considered her abusive/manic/mentally unstable if she didn’t get her med’s under control. It was severe; she was rational but very very very mean tongued. Her nasty comments came straight out of fear/anxiety which was skyrocketing. She changed completely (back to normal modestly b</em></strong>**y, lol) when properly medicated.</p>
<p>Also, DH’s uncle (MIL’s brother) had alopecia (no hair on body), an apple shape and a fatal heart attack in his 50’s. Never got diagnosed. After MIL figured out she had hypo, her B’s daughters (her nieces, one of whom had alopecia) got diagnosed hypo. The state of understanding of the disorder is new and changing.</p>
<p>I go every 6 months, every 3 with a dose change. Kelsmom, I was stable for decades and all of a sudden this year (and I’m finally in mid-fifties menopausal) I’m all over the place, too high, then too low and jittery, then too high. I have bottles of Synthroid at 125, 150, and 175 and can’t quite get the right amount anymore. Both the doc and I were under the impression that my thyroid had given up the ghost a decade ago. Good luck to you, it is a roller coaster ride. I’ve gained 7 pounds this year for no reason, I’m shedding hair and cranky as all get out and falling asleep by 9:30 every night. I’m due back in shortly he can generally just look at me and tell how I’m feeling.</p>
<p>I am finding this interesting . . . a niece was diagnosed with anemia (she is a distance runner) and Hashimoto’s disease at the same time, and was also told the two conditions are unrelated. And isn’t an iron supplement one of the things that interacts with thyroxin? I will be bring this thread to her attention.</p>
<p>I see an endocrinologist every 6 months for my Hashimotos (diagnosed at age 10). I just had to have my dosage adjusted a little downward due to some weight loss (that was needed, just hope that doesn’t put the pounds back on!). I have warned everyone in family and work that I get NASTY for a couple of weeks during a dosage change, in either direction. Just in time for the holidays, oh boy!!!</p>
<p>I had anemia problems as well before I finally had an endometrial ablation, my endo along with my gynecologist recommended ferrous gluconate instead of ferrous sulfate for the anemia - check the labels, a good brand of ferrous gluconate is Fergon</p>
<p>I read somewhere that soy interferes with the absorbtion of synthroid. I switched to almond milk for that reason.</p>
<p>I take synthroid first thing in the morning and wait an hour before having anything, even coffee. Have read so many good things about dissecated thyroid brands, but the endos I’ve seen are totally into synthroid and are more ‘numbers’ oriented than they should be. Got up to 100 mg, but they’re afraid to go any higher. Frustrating. But the B50 vitamins from Costco (1000% variety) has helped some with the energy issue, and just picked up a bottle of B100, which has even more B.</p>
<p>Wow, this is a helpful thread. My H and I are both hypothyroid. He has dry itchy skin, and we both have dry eyes. I am cold a lot of the time. I thought those were just getting-older symptoms.</p>
<p>I did see an endocrinologist for my care since I was diagnosed about four years ago, but I am DONE with him. He is an arrogant jerk and tried to coerce me into statins, despite the fact that I had liver enzyme issues previously. Another dr. of mine told me that is absolutely contraindicated.</p>
<p>But here is the great endo story: I hadn’t had a blood test in a year, went to the lab to get it, and the dr. didn’t order my thyroid checked, just my cholesterol levels! I am never going back to him, and I was furious. The receptionist said he must have forgotten. I have switched to the nurse practitioner who does our primary care.</p>
<p>The book describes the physical symptoms of alocoholism as half of the eyebrows missing, no hair on the underarms, blundering/shuffling around the house sluggishly and depression. This sounded to me like undiagnosed hypothyroid disease. Sure, when you’re depressed and your mind is fuggy and your fingers don’t feel and you itch all over you might self medicate with alcohol. Which came first, the hypo or the alcohol? I think it is interesting that even a currently practicing physician author wrote that alcohol lead to hairlessness. Blanchard’s book on thyroid (referenced above earlier in this thread) lists short eyebrows (missing outer eyebrows) as one of his clearest signs of hypo when a patient walks in his door.</p>
<p>I have my thyroid levels checked every 3 months - but that’s only because I’m at the endo every three months anyway for my diabetes! Before I was diagnosed with the latter, my thyroid was tested annually, unless I felt funny and asked to have it checked.</p>
<p>And I have flu shots every year (PLUS a pneaumonia shot this year AND a tetanus booster!)</p>
<p>The opthamologist told me to take fish oil for my dry eyes, which I can’t tolerate. Someone on this board recommended Barlean’s flax seed oil. I take 3 of those capsules daily for Omega 3, 6 and 9. It hasn’t helped my dry eyes in the least BUT it does wonders for my hair and skin.</p>
<p>Strange- Had dinner last night with a friend I had not seen in several months. The last time I saw her she was not doing well. She went to the psychiatrist since she was so depressed. He worked with her but suggested that her thyroid and hormones might be an issue. He referred her to a nurse practiceioner(who has her own practice but used to be with an OB/GYN) who specializes in women and hormones. She is doing much better. She said she is seeing her fairly frequently right now but will eventually get down to every 3 months. She also has my friend working on her diet and seeing a nutritionist.
My sister has Hashimoto’s but I don’t know what type of Dr she uses.</p>
<p>I imagine that is difficult for physicians is to differentiate what symptoms are related to the thyroid and what symptoms are simply related to age and lifestyle. Below is a list of “symptoms” of aging in women. Almost all are the same symptoms of thyroid disfunction. </p>
<p>I have some emphathy for my doctor when I come in and say I’m tired, my hair is falling out, I’m depressed, I’m gaining weight, yada, yada, yada and there is no evidence in the blood work to support anything other than the fact that I need to eat better, get more exercise, take my vitamins ad get to bed at a reasonable hour. Until I can walk in and tell him that I am doing all those things and I’m still tired, loosing hair, gaining weight etc. what is he supposed to do? I hate it but it is what it is.</p>
<p>Aging symptoms in Women
An overall decrease in energy and vigor
The tendency to become easily tired
Changes in sleeping patterns
Decreased memory
Behavioural changes
Skin and hair changes such as wrinkles, brown spots on the skin, loss of skin elasticity, and hair loss affecting the limbs
Changes in hair colour
A loss or decrease in vision and hearing
Changes in bowel function
Decrease in libido
Sexual dysfunction
Urinary problems such as incontinence, dribbling, and changes in frequency of urination
Changes in menstrual cycle
Abdominal obesity and inability to lose weight</p>