Do you have autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's)? If so you may swing from hypo to hyper and back again several times as the thyroid is destroyed.

If you have Graves disease or regular hyperthyroidism the doctor will want to use Radioiodine therapy, meds or do surgery. All of those will probably make you hypothyroid once again.

Thyroid issues aren't any fun... how I wish mine was normal or even well controlled. Good luck Gramsbear.

Mine wasn't too difficult to deal with, but it's the other way around from yours. I started with Graves about 1992, treated it with meds so conservatively, no radiation, no surgery - and it stabilized with treatment then evolved to Hashimoto's over the years. So now I take a supplement, learning to think of my thyroid as too slow took some getting used to but my doctor tells me its typical of Graves patients, that if slowed and stabilized with meds (actually called remission) eventually it will come around to not making enough hormone.

I think the trick is treat with an endocrinologist - not a general practice doctor who may not be fully educated in thyroid and everything that goes along with it. Potentially: estrogen imbalances, loss of bone density, irregular heart rate....please leave it to the pros, the endos! A good one will lead you through the treatment with very little disruption to your life.

don't forget food interaction, too...dh has to restrict cabbage family, and bran...

Susan, the only dietary restrictions I had were multi vitamin supplements with additional iodine (very hard to find one without) and loading up on shellfish. And look where I live (or can you, on the forums not gardening related - WA coast), my feet are in salt water 15 minutes from home, crab, clams had not been unusual dinner a few nights in a row till my thyroid started zipping along :)

Morz8 is right -- see a good endocrinologist. I was hyperthyroid for several years and tried meds. That worked until about 3 1/2 years ago. But after losing 20 pounds that I didn't need to lose and a couple of scary episodes, I saw an endocrinologist. I did have the hormone imbalances (thought it was menopause), loss of bone density, and irregular heartbeat. Levels were very high and the endo ordered a scan that confirmed Graves. Because it is much easier to treat hypothyroidism than hyperthyroidism, I elected radioactive iodine to kill my thyroid. It took a few months to find the right dosage of synthetic thyroid hormone, but once the right dosage was determined, management has been very easy. One little pill a day and levels are great. I just have to have my levels checked once a year, the irregular heartbeat resolved, bone density improved ( with meds) and hormones, well, after a couple of years back to normal, menopause caught up with me.

Just want to thank everyone for all the info.I am seeing the specialist on the 28th.Now that I understand it better,it helps alot....

Here's the best site for information. I learned so much about it for myself.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mary Shoman guide