I hear you and sympathize. I have thyroid problems but not Hashimoto's. Mine is just not functioning adequately. The doctor hasn't given me a name for the problem. I take Levoxyl (plus Cytomel). I'm much older than you, 58. Want to warn you that you are right to be concerned now because it will get a whole lot harder when you reach menopause. Sorry to be negative but I'm hoping to help others keep from being in denial about their weight. I buried my head in the sand and allowed myself to get to 250 lbs! I'm can assure you that the quality of life at 250 is rather poor. Also, if you are married, your poor quality of life affects your partner as well. Not good. So, I don't have a solution but want to encourage you to exercise and move. Find something that is fun that doesn't seem like too much work. If you are single, perhaps a bicyle club would be good. I have recently joined a gym and enjoy swimming 20 laps per day. Hope to move to more activity when I lose more. You might consider a gym. I'm sure you've heard of these suggestions. I'm sure you have heard others say that "you ought to be glad, things could be worse". I'm afraid I'm going to be one of those. I have a lovely friend who is quite attractive, very petite and has always been trim. I've watched her eat and she doesn't watch her food intake that much. She doesn't even like to exercise so she doesn't. But... she gets migraine headaches that cause her to become totally unable to work/play/eat for days. Lots of pain. I must say if I had to trade problems with her, I wouldn't. For some reason, recently, even with my thyroid problems, my appetite is under control and I've been able to lose weight (30 pounds lost since Januaary 04). There are lots of possible reasons. I'm trying many things. Too many to include here but want to encourage you to keep trying. One thing that seems to really help is that I eat nuts at the end of a meal to keep me from eating too much. It seems to shut down my hypothalmus gland. Overeating, quantity has been my problem. Didn't really sound like that is your problem but in case it is and you find yourself eating when you shouldn't try a small handful of nuts. I know they are relatively high in calories but on those day I eat the most nuts, I lose weight. Go figure! I don't eat salted or roasted nuts, no peanuts, but try a variety (all raw) including walnuts, macadamia, brazil, pecans and almonds. I get them at the health food store. I also am one of those weirdos who drinks 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of honey in a glass of water with my breakfast and also before I go to bed. I think this may help my systemic yeast problems more than weight loss but since I'm not sure why I am able to lose now and didn't use to, I thought I would include it. (you can read about this on the web. A guy named Bragg first suggested it.) You have the internet. I'm sure you have researched. Hopefully, you can find some "tricks" of your own to help you with your thyroid problems. My main advice is to not give up! Good luck. --Alice

Earthclinic.com is a great site. That's where I get the info. to treat my own eczema when doctor's prescribed medications failed. Here's some excerpts on treating one's hypothyroid: http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html Posted by Mari (California) on 04/23/2014 "I've had an goiter for several years, but lab tests were always within normal. The right side of my thyroid is definitely larger than the left. Finally, one doctor did an antibody test and determined I have a diagnoses of Thyroiditis. I was always able to manage without meds, but a few months ago I started having trouble breathing at night and a couple of times had laryngospasms that were pretty frightening. I was pretty desperate to find something that would help with my symptoms and read quite a bit about Lugol's solution. I sent away for a bottle and began adding 1-2 drops to water once a day. I have been taking it for several weeks now and have noticed my goiter is shrinking and getting softer. I also have no more trouble breathing at night or laryngospasms. Lately, I've increased to 3 drops/day without difficulty. I've also noticed my skin problems have cleared up and I attribute that to the Lugol's too." Mari (California) From StrawChicago: Doctors often resort to surgical removal of thyroid, without consideration for long-term effects. After my niece got 1/2 of her thyroid removed, she became severely depressed and has to be on medications for the rest of her life. Here's more excerpts from earthclinic.com: Posted by Harley_girl_1000 (Mt. Dora, Fl) on 09/19/2010 [NAY] 10 years ago I developed goiter on both sides of the thyroid. Each side was as large as a golf ball and multi-nodular. The doctors said that my thyroid blood work was normal. One side spontaneously shrunk and the other continued to grow. I opted for surgical removal of the larger side and kept half of the thyroid. Although I am on natural dessicated thyroid, my life has never been the same. The day after surgery I felt strangely different. A month later I was impotent. My energy levels have never been what they were. It has affected my whole life and I've had to give up many dreams. Despite a careful diet and exercise, nothing was as good as my old thyroid. Not one of 4 endocrinologists mentioned iodine to me. Now I take several drops of Lugol's a week. I have heard that painting the goiter with iodine can help. China is injecting young brides with iodine to prevent cretinism. I know it is possible to shrink a goiter since the half that I kept was at one time larger than the half that was removed. This post is to emphasize NAY to surgical removal of the goiter." http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/goiter.html Replied by Lisa Rabat, Morocco 02/06/2012 Are you also taking Vitamin C, magnesium, selenium and unrefined sea salt? These are recommended to take with iodine. I also was diagnosed with a goiter (by ultrasound) and after being on iodine for several months I no longer have one. You need very large doses of iodine if you have breast cancer, somewhere in the range of 50-300 mg/day. In any case, DON'T let them remove your thyroid. You will be on meds for life." Tchamers (North Carolina) on 10/22/2013 [YEA] I had hypothyroid issues and started eating 3 Brazil nuts a day that have high selenium in them and my thyroid is normal. Selenium regulates the endocrine system. Replied by Mama To Many Tennessee, Usa 12/02/2013 Glad to hear that the ACV (apple cider vinegar) and coconut oil are helping. I find them helpful, too. Regarding kelp versus potassium iodide....well, I have tried both in my family. The thing is that if you are truly deficient in iodine, which so many of us are, you would need a lot of kelp to get the amount needed. I don't personally notice much difference when I take kelp. But some do. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago. I took a very small dose of levothyroxine and it made me feel much worse. Well, I ended up going off the medication and trying natural stuff. It took some time but I did find things that helped me. ACV and coconut oil being some of them. But potassium iodide made the biggest difference for me. I take Iodoral (the pill form of Lugol's.) I take 1 12.5 mg tablet a day (12.5 iodine/potassium iodide.) Iodine supplements should be taken with Selenium and B-complex. Some also include vitamin C. You may find that you need less of your thyroid medicine if you supplement with iodine. It might be helpful to try Lugol's iodine (the liquid form) as it is easier to take less and build up to more.) Replied by Bill San Fernando, Philippines 12/03/2013 Hi Dee...If you have a hypothyroid condition, then this is a condition that occurs when you have low iodine levels in the body and perhaps a lack of certain critical minerals in your body as well. Most people are low thyroid these days but if you lack certain mineral anti-oxidants in your body -- like magnesium, zinc or glutathione peroxidase -- this can even cause or aggravate hypothyroid and thyroiditis problems. The protocol that you should be using is the full Lugol's Iodine Protocol with Companion Nutrients. Never take Lugol's Iodine just on it's own for reasons that are all explained here in this link. http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html

Hi Allison: Please keep us posted on Monday .. thanks for the info. of requested tests on Stop the Thyroid Madness site. In the old days, doctors went overboard in unnecessary tests & surgeries, but nowadays insurance put a restriction on that. Over a decade ago my sister wore her hair in an "onion" bun (capped with a metallic hair fastener), they took X-ray and the doc. thought it was a HUGE GOITER, or HUGE THROAT CANCER. They did CT scan & MRI & unnecessary tests just to find out that it's a bundle of hair & metallic cap. I wrote to my insurance asking for further thyroid antibody-test & neck-checking for my 12-year old daughter, and my insurance wrote back " You can submit a pre-authorization request for review. This normally includes a letter of medical necessity with medical records to substantiate the service. This review generally takes 15-20 business days and all responses are made in writing. " From StrawChicago: I will wait for the kelp snack to boost her metabolism, and if she becomes depressed again during the summer, then I will take her for further thyroid-test. When I read through the Earthclinic.com/People's pharmacy website, one person reported solving her hypothyroid just by consuming a few Brazil nuts a day (high in selenium, necessary for normal thyroid function). Another person solved her hypothyroid with Stress-Tabs (Vit. C 120 mg, Thiamin 10mg, Riboflavin 10mg, Niacin 50 mg, Vit. B6 5 mg, Folate 400 mcg, Vit. B12 100mcg, Panthothenic Acid 40 mg, Proprietary Amino Acid Blend 100 mg (Arginine, Glutamine, Taurine), Sensoril extract.). The NON-MEDICATED approach is more effective & less side-effects because it comprises of a vast array of nutrients to boost thyroid health. Plus one can adjust the dose by oneself (less Brazil nut, or less seaweed snack) ... without going through the doctor. There are side effects for Levothyroxine: Insomnia, flushing, muscle pain, fatique, mood swings. There's a long list of side-effects of Synthroid, see the link below: https://synthroidhaters.wordpress.com/synthroid-side-effects/ When I googled, "The problem with Synthroid", there are tons of info. of horrible effects either through buying less-effective generic drugs, or it doesn't work, or the dose is too high, etc. Here's one example: " Saw dr after labs and ultrasound dx cysts on thryoid and hypo put me on generic synthroid.25. On meds for approx 6 weeks became very hoarse to the point of not being able to speak, not sleeping for more than 3 hrs, terrible bloating and gas, increased racing heart and "shaking like tremors". ... Subsequently I felt so bad I stopped the med without her knowlege. Hoarseness, sleeping, hand symptoms and chest fulness, bloating have improved to what they were before starting meds." http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Thyroid-Disorders/problem-with-synthroid/show/1587399 From Stop the thyroid madness site: "Did you know that a healthy thyroid makes five hormones?? They are T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin. T4, also called thyroxine, is simply a storage hormone meant to convert to T3, the active hormone. But a healthy thyroid doesn’t make you totally depend on conversion alone, and also gives you “direct” T3 plus the other hormones above ... Being on a T4-only med means you are missing out on four other hormones directly, and thus, you are being forced to live for conversion alone!" Many people complained that Armour Thyroid (dried pig thyroids) are no longer available, and the chemical Synthroid has tons of side-effects, which they can't handle. See an excerpt from below link: "I had been on Armour thyroid for several years and it worked really well. Unfortunately, my last prescription was put on hold by the manufacturer and I have not been able to get it filled. That was in July 2009. My dr. had to put me on Synthroid instead and I feel terrible now. I have insomnia and anxiety yet my blood tests look fine. I'm not sure what to do now. I've called the pharmacy several times in the last 4 months and Armour is still not available to the public. " http://www.endocrineweb.com/community/hypothyroidism/1288-armour-thyroid-vs-Synthroid "About a year ago I was prescribed Synthroid and almost immediately had a pretty severe reaction to it. Throat swelled, ankles and hands swelled, heart raced ... felt like crap. My doctor switched me to an all natural herbal product called "Innate Thyroid Response." It worked pretty well until just recently. So I'm going back for a tune-up. :o) Doctors and pharmacists are provided ve-e-ery generous "perks" by pharmaceutical reps for pushing what my doctor calls, "designer drugs." The more expensive the drug, the "more effective" it is often touted to be, when often that could not be further from the truth. I would question the motives of a doctor who "insists" that one drug is preferable to another ... especially a tried and true oldie like Armour." Tinyhandz said... 2 years 52 weeks ago "I was on Synthroid for a while and I really did not like the way it made me feel. I was shaky, nervous, couldnt sleep, and I became very anxious over the months that I was taking it." http://www.endocrineweb.com/community/hypothyroidism/1288-armour-thyroid-vs-synthroid

The problem about actually going myself is coverage. I am an attending in a teaching clinic and with no doctor on the premises 14 people cannot see patients. I can get coverage if I can get another Dr. to cover for me, which means I need to know in advance. I technically have compensated sick or personal days but I can't use them because I am there or I have to have someone covering for me. I can take off from private practice, but then I have no income, and since patients are scheduled months in advance, they need to be rescheduled. Patients reschedule and cancel regularly but when the doctor does it to them, some people get furious. One of my practices is 25 miles from where I live so its a matter of taking 4 hours off for a single appointment in that practice. In the practice I am in in the city, I could take off but my physician is not in the practice that day. I know those are excuses but its not like working in corporate and calling out or taking personal time. It really throws a lot of things out of balance. The First Phone call I made when my mother died was to try and get coverage for my next clinic.