Managing Hypothyroidism

Frances, it takes six to eight weeks (more for some of us) for the medication dosage to stabilize after a dose change. It can be pretty frustrating, and it actually took about two years to get me stabilized on the right dose. My doctor was checking quarterly at first, then every six months. Now, after 15 years, I get it checked annually unless I have a problem.

Topical benedryl or steroid creams can help with the itching. When I was hyper, I chomped on ice like a fool; I later figured out I did that to help keep my core temperature down. It's probably much wiser to keep ice-cold drinks by your side and sip them regularly. Be sure to dress lightly if you're feeling warm, and cotton clothing lets your perspiration evaporate and cool you.

I always had more trouble with the hypo times also. I did find that it helped to limit my salt intake. Drinking hot beverages helped when I was freezing, and I kept a heavy afghan with me all the time. I word socks to bed because my feet were icicles. But there's only so much you can do about the tiredness. I used to fall asleep in my chair at about 8:00. Try to sleep when you need to.

I agree with your doctor that some gentle stretching and cardio may help. I have lots of joint and muscle issues, so I go to a hospital wellness center. They have equipment that lets me do my cardio non-weight bearing, and my trainer started me with very gentle moves and little to no weights. If that is still too much, water therapy works for almost anyone because of the buoyancy your body has in the pool.

I hope you get stabilized and feeling better soon.

Thanks, Joy & Judy. Hopefully I'll get even more ideas, but I really appreciate what you've shared with me.

Joy, I see an internist who is extremely knowledgeable about thyroid disorders. She's actually better than some of the endo's I've talked to. There are some that are better -- but their waiting list is 6+ months long. It may come to that point, though. I've never heard about this brittle problem. I'll have to look into that.

Judy, I actually found out that the systemic fungal infection has returned -- ugghh. Apparently it is related to hypothyroidism. I don't understand how. My PCP gave me something to read about it back in June -- I'm sure it's around here somewhere. ;) So I'm trying not to be scratching so much. I got a special soap & a topical cream that is supposed to help. I've used them in the past, but it's harder when it's on your hands. I need to clean my workspace, keyboard, desk, all that stuff with Lysol this week. I'm also waiting to get my anti-fungal shampoo delivered from the mail-order pharmacy -- probably that's where it came from -- again.

This is all so frustrating. Unlike textbook hypo, I am really fighting hard to keep (and ideally put) weight on. I just feel so sick. I'm waking up in the middle of the night burning up, but the rest of the time I'm freezing cold. I set my thermostat nice & chilly and I just put on a short lightweight nightgown -- so I don't understand how I'm overheating. Maybe the thyroid medication is wearing off my then? I don't know. I just need to figure out how to make it until those 2 years go by.

I just feel like I'm crazy -- first I'm hot, then I'm cold; first I don't want to eat a thing, then I'm ravenously hungry; first I'm ready to dissolve into tears, then I have so much energy I overdo with my activity level and throw my back out. I feel like my body is having a tug-of-war with itself!

thanks again for your support,
frances

Joy,
I don't usually take any comfort in knowing that other people have similar probs as me. But I am so glad that you shared your story. I have been feeling totally out of control. It is so horrible. When I first started having problems a few years ago, I had a thyroid test run & it came back 28, but the doc said that I could only be treated if my TSH was 30 or higher. So I was given anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic meds (maybe a few others, I don't really remember much of anything about that time). It made me 1000x worse. I got Serotonin Syndrome since I was being treated for extraordinarily severe, treatment resistant depression, even though I actually was hypo, anemic, pernicious anemic & my estrogen was through the roof. Once I got on the Synthroid, B12, iron & BCP, I started feeling better & was hopeful that things would finally be stable for me. But now that seems not to be the case some of the time. Sometimes it works wonders & I feel so very much better, but other times I just feel out of control. I try to think my way out of it, but that really hasn't been working.

I'm going to keep trying to figure out how to better manage all these feelings so they don't go spilling out into my world, but at least I feel like there is someone else in the world who knows exactly what it feels like to be torn in 2 different directions from moment to moment. I have been tracking the list of symptoms & am trying to figure out if there are any "warning signals" -- like how I used to get an aura before I would get a migraine. Maybe there will be something I can do if I can figure that out b/c really I'm like you & don't realize that I've swung the other direction until I find myself being short or upset or whatever with other people or activities.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with me. :)

frances