I do. I had Graves 20 yrs ago, we treated with PTU instead of more aggressively with radiation therapy or surgery. My doctor told me within about 10 years of being hyperactive it would swing full circle to Hashimoto's - just about no function at all. It did.

Since I was having regular blood tests all that time, my endo caught it before I really had apparent symptoms. I take .88 levothyroxine, feel fine, my weight stays stable, gaining has never been an issue for me.

Good luck at the doctor, I hope you find an easy solution and feel better soon. I prefer an endocrinologist to general practice for thyroid myself....if your doctor isn't well versed in thyroid, you might consider that.

we have 2 cases right now..'dh and dd1....not quite sure about one of her dd's...dd1 had not only her dad but maternal gma...if caught early on very treatable...pop a pill and on your way.... almost....dh doc has him in 2x a year for fasting (option now) bloodwork. we also did a bit of research and now avoid the cabbage family..it can interact and lessen the drug...

marz, we have continued with gp, only because he's been so diligent and follows thru with changes in script, as needed...

the one problem is weight gain...he was doing quite well until he retired and has taken a job out of our home, and has gained...he does treadmill but used to do that and walked every lunch with others from the office...bless my half sister she'd take an extra tab if she wanted to lose some weight..NOT a good thing...

jas..be sure to let us know...and thanks for sharing...

Have taken Synthroid 75 mcg (Levothyroxine sodium) once a day for about 17 years. Under family physician care, and it's been very tightly controlled. No side effects.

Synthroid user here too -- generic doesn't work for me. Easy pill to take because it's small and sweet. It should be taken on an empty stomach which works fine for me because I don't eat breakfast.

Me too. Levothyroxine first thing in the morning. Best to not eat or drink anything other than water for an hour after you take it. Like others I can tell when I need an adjustment. For me it's my skin. I am susceptible to eczema and other itchy skin conditions (dry patchy areas etc.) when my thyroid gets too low. Mine was caught while having blood panels done for something else.

Been on thyroid medication since I was 30. It's common for women to get hypo-thyroid when going through menopause. It's a very simple blood test.

Sjerin, you mentioned avoiding the cabbage family.........wow that's our favourite vegetable! Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and brussels sprouts!! Must they be avoided?

I'm looking for a used elliptical, that should take up slightly less room than a treadmill and quieter.

I don't see Sjerin's post, but my understanding is that some (not all) people react to the cabbage family. I'm one of them. If I overdo it with cabbage salad I take a kelp tablet, and that takes care of it for me. But everyone's different.

My husband had most of his thyroid removed in his twenties, and took Armour desiccated thyroid for the rest of his life. He adamantly refused Synthroid.

Jasdip, make sure your doctor orders the complete thyroid panel of blood tests. All too often, only one part of it is ordered.

Whoops, it was Susanjf who mentioned the gassy veggies. It wasn't sjerin. Sorry, Susan.

My bad . . . I should have read the whole thread. :-)

no problem, lol...yes, I found out after we got a computer....you know how much stuff you looked when they first came out...and it's not a common conversation with any of the drs, my mother went to, and she was on it at least 50 years...back in the day when it was produced from animals???

I was on Armour true thyroid for years and it works so much better for me but it's gotten impossible to get the doctors to prescribe it instead of the synthroid/levothyroxine. I would definitely prefer being on the Armour. I too take mine first thing in the morning and don't have anything for a while, then I will have my Frappuccino.

About the cabbage family, cooking kills the problem of goitrogens

"Goitrogens

Fortunately, the goitrogenic compounds in cruciferous vegetables are destroyed by heat. Cooking these vegetables will ensure that they will not affect your thyroid. There are different types of goitrogens; the ones in raw cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables are isothiocyanates, which block the enzyme that allows your thyroid to use iodine. Other foods that contain goitrogens are soy, spinach, strawberries, peaches and peanuts. Fermenting soy disables the goitrogenic isoflavones found in soy foods. Also, you can limit your consumption of certain foods to avoid the goitrogenic effect."

Easy mistake, Jas, as we both have an uncommon "j" in our names. :)

Does anyone know why the armour is so difficult to get these days?

I've had low thyroid since I was in my 30s, and took a pill for it. A couple of years ago, after a blood test, my GP insisted that I go to a specialist. Turned out that my thyroid was shrunken and dried up. It took about a year to get the new dosage right. It's all fine now.

Sjerin.. I'm not sure it is Armour that is difficult to get.. it is finding a doctor that will prescribe it. The formula has changed and a lot of people are no longer happy with it. I've tried it 3 times.. it's not for me at all. I am currently on T3 (Cytomel) only (very difficult to find a doctor who will give you this).. but it works the best for me than any of the others. I've been on Synthroid and hated it, just doesn't work for me.. actually makes me feel worse. Levoxyl worked better but there was a problem getting it a couple years ago. I have Hashimotos, which is the auto-immune version of Hypothyroidism and also the most common type of Hypothryoidism.

Ask your doctor to test your antibodies (most doctors don't think it is necessary).. mine were off the charts. TPO was over 2200. My TSH was always normal. I had symptoms (weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, edema) for over 10 years before finding a doctor who checked my antibodies and began treatment.

I don't think these medications help with weight loss if someone is taking them just for that purpose. Certainly dangerous if someone tried. I've been on very high doses of most all of them and none helped me lose weight. I was increasing the doses to alleviate hypo symptoms. Higher doses of Armour gave me panic attacks. I have recently lost a lot of weight, but it had nothing to do with my thyroid meds.

Good luck!

I have been on a low dose of Levothyroxin , 25 mcg, for some years. The dose has never changed and I am checked once a year.

Sue

I compiled all the info. on hypothyroidism in the below link:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4387687/worthy-roses-that-give-useful-products-and-recipes-for-health-and-sleep?n=12

I've wondered what happened to Lydia--she used to be a regular poster.

Lydia's fine--a new grandmother! I see her on Facebook.