Hi, that's great that you have received treatment. Perhaps you will feel better soon. You are lucky to receive treatment. My endo is waiting till my thyroid truly malfunctions before I can take synthroid. Best wishes.

Do you have Hashimoto's or something? I've been seeing & reading a lot about hashimotos lately..(I even bought 2 ebooks).

Honestly, I suspect I might have Hashimoto's as well.. My moods and symptoms tend to "swing" up and down too much to feel strictly hypothyroid...

Worst thing about thyroid, is the patience required to see results. Just like my mom, patience is NOT my forte,

My endo thinks I may have Hashimoto, but I have not received treatment until my thyroid totally malfunctions. I have many symptoms of hypothyroid, and they are definitely intolerable at most times. I am waiting patiently for treatment. The longer the treatment is deferred, I am hoping that my thyroid will recover by itself without treatment.

May I ask what supplements you take that help your symptoms? I take a B-complex, N acetyl-cysteine, Zinc/copper, and Deplin (for genetic folate mutation I got from my dad).

Does anything else (like acupuncture) help your symptoms at all?

I can't imagine the agony and frustration you must feel.

P.S.---I'm considering adding Iodine (Iodoral brand) to help "boost" the Synthroid because I read in a book that most hypo patients can't effectively convert synthroid to a usable form.

Do u think Iodine is dangerous?

I'm just a very impatient, nervous wreck........F*KING THYROID!!!!!

If you have Hashimoto, then it is not a metabolic deficiency e.g iodine deficiency that causes hypothyroidism, but that your immune system (autoimmune activation) creates antibodies that damage your thyroid gland. Therefore, if you have Hashimoto (or hypothyroidism), then your doctor has to measure your thyroid antibodies and T3/T4 + TSH levels to see if your thyroid function is normal so to see whether you need synthetic thyroxine. It is OK to take B complex, and that you need your folate supplement for your hereditary folate deficiency.

But for N acetylcysteine, it is a chelating agent so it will bind to heavy metals and transition metal ions such as copper. Adding NAC to the body will deplete these heavy metals or transition metals in the body..

I also recall that radioactive iodine used as a contrast in various scans, are bound to acetylcysteine in order to retain the contrast iodine in the body. That is, NAC binds to the iodine in the body so that it may reduce the free iodine content of the body. Perhaps you could ask your doctor whether you need NAC before taking it.

I would not take any more supplements without consulting the doctors. You may incur injuries if you take supplement without your doctor's approval. . I've read that taking too much iodine can lead to toxicity, so perhaps let the doctor to check your iodine first to see if you are deficient in I2.

I feel like I need 5 cans on red bull to get myself out of bed, because of my severe fatigue. Otherwise, I simply cannot awake to be even remotely functional.. I'm even afraid to drive a car because waking up withOUT coffee/red bull feels like I drank 1/2 a bottle of everclear in the mornings.

I don't know how people can survive with such a brutalizing disease like Hypothyroid. Sometimes I feel like it takes away my belief in a higher force of good (God).

For more than a year before this month's diagnosis, I've been accused of being lazy, fat, "having poor food choices", etc..

Has anyone ever scapegoated you like that?

Sorry for my rants...but I just gotta ask:

Have you ever been the target of an abusive doctor who randomly took away your pain medicine for something as stupid as "missing a random piss test"?

I have.

The fatigue comes often but mine is compounded from other conditions as well as from hypothyroidism. The fatigue is debilitating, but I wake up early regardless because physical activities keep me awake and reduce the joint/muscle pain. Tea keeps my brain alert but I don't drink tea often as it makes me more tired when the caffeine wears off. I have insomnia from other medical conditions, so I feel very tired at most time from lack of sleep. I do too much things in a day to rest or sleep so that causes fatigue as well.

I don't eat much but I've gained weight. My doctor attributes this weight gain to the hypothyroidism. I don't eat junk food. My family and doctors know that I am sick with hypothyroidism and other issues, but strangers/work colleagues assume that I eat junk food and don't exercise.

I have problems with writing (spelling & grammar) that my doctors have attributed to hypothyroidism and other medical conditions. Do you have this problem too? This is the biggest symptom that I have difficulties with, and it slows down my work and forces me to rest in order to overcome the mental fatigue.

My work is repetitive and monotonous, and I am on my feet at most times and don't take breaks, so my colleagues often accuse me of being a workaholic.

I am certain I have been scapegoated by strangers and acquaintances but I usually don't take notice. If you know your capabilities and your defects, and you are willing to work around your limitations to improve and maximise your productivity, who cares about idle gossips and unconstructive criticisms. Life is unfair and people say nasty things, but words don't really hurt. If a dog barks at you in the street, will you bark or bite back?

I am not certain why you need to take a urine test. Are you taking any form of narcotics that you need to take a urine test to detect? With the pain level caused by hypothyroidism, analgesics and anti-inflammatories are sufficient for me without the need of taking an opioid.

You sound like a very strong resilient person.

I'm ashamed to admit that I cannot compare.

I think the severity of the criticisms directed towards persons with disabilities are often more derogatory than the general population, and is gender oriented. Criticisms directed towards women with disabilities are generally intended to denigrate and humiliate. Criticisms directed towards men with disabilities are inflammatory and intended to provoke an aggressive response. Perhaps whoever that scapegoated you intends to provoke you to react aggressively for their own benefits. If this occurs in the workplace, perhaps if you feign ignorance, the criticisms would go away because the aggressive response may put you in a disadvantage career-wise, or may cost you your job.

I hear you.

(Just a thought): I think u should seek a second opinion. It bothers me that you're being forced to endure the agony of hypo/hashi's until it just becomes deadly severe. Your doctor sounds very irresponsible, and that by itself sounds like it is really ruining your quality of life.

I've read a few books on thyroid issues, and I can conclude that in USA, its harder to treat than CANCER. Personally, I am naturally a very impatient person.. I *HATE* 'waiting things out'.

By the way, I totally forgot to ask: Have you ever been repeatedly "fat shamed" by your OWN DOCTOR?

Because I have. This has always angered me so bad that I actually felt my blood pressure increase, thumping in my head, like I was about to have a stroke! But *especially* now, when I have a REAL diagnosis that PROVES why I cannot just lose extra weight like many others.

In a big way, though, I find it relieving that I finally know that I am not just "fat and lazy". I have a legitimate, objective reason.

I just read about many sad stories of people diagnosed with thyroid illnesses, taking the meds, but they can never truly stabilize.. I actually knew a PERSONAL aquintance with a bad case of hypo. She was a "neuro-feedback" therapist for me like more than 10 years ago. She's smart, has a master degree, but, she still cannot lose the weight she wants despite the full knowledge of thyroid illness. Her name is Helena, and it's frequently scary to think about her struggles, and I keep "catastrophizing" that I will end up like her. I guess its because I remember how slender I used to be...and I just started packing on pounds when I began a drug called Lexapro because I was having emotional issues.

Sorry for the long rant, I know your life is no picnic either. I guess it just feels kinda good NOT to be alone in this..

God Bless You.

Drozer, my thyroid function is still within range, so the doctors are holding off treatment.

If you have gained weight, then eat less, exercise more and the weight will fall off. If the doctor calls you fat, tell the doctor you will thump him. You will lose weight when you have taken adequate amount of thyroxine.

If my doctors call me fat, I will sit on them. My doctors are too tactical to call names, they will "advise" me to exercise more and eat less.

Once you take thyroxine, you will need to be monitored for the rest of your life for fluctuation in TSH, T3/T4 levels. Taking synthetic thyroxine is an attempt to stabilise your thyroid function in place of your defunct thyroid.

Lexapro causes weight gain, perhaps you can ask your doctor to put you on an alternative drug.

I think that you are being obsessed with the issue of hypothyroidism. The more you read about medical issues online, the more you will be misled to be thinking that you have contracted a terminal illness, which is not true because hypothyroidism is a treatable disease, and it is the least problematic of most medical conditions.