After 2 weeks of resisting and continuing to feel like exhausted crap, I decided to take the levothyroxine the doctor prescribed. Day one I felt nothing. Day two I felt nothing. Same for days three through seven. I thought the doctor said this was supposed to take a week? I began to suspect he was a lying troll.
Levothyroxine is a man-made version of T4, a thyroid hormone. He started me on 25 mcgs. After a week of no improvement, I moved to 50 mcgs. After a month of 50, I still felt like crap. Worse crap, actually. My heart fluttering had increased significantly and I started breaking out in hives. That’s when I demanded to be moved to the big brand name stuff—Synthroid. Apparently not all levothyroxines are created equal. Different companies have slightly different amounts in each pill, so if you’re on a generic there’s a chance you’re messing with your dose every time you fill your prescription. With a brand name drug you know you’re getting the same amount every time. Plus, “Synthroid” is a lot easier to say than “levothyroxine.” A month on Synthroid and I still felt like crap. People told me to have patience. I told them to fuck off.
It was about this time I decided to have a party. A pity party. I sent myself an invitation:
My Pathetic Pity Party
You are cordially invited to My Pathetic Pity Party
Location: My Bathroom Floor
Dress: Sweat Pants and a Dirty T-Shirt
Activities: Sobbing uncontrollably and asking, “Why?” to no one in particular.
Sound fun? Come!!
Hey! Just found your blog thanks to your YouTube video. (Love it!) Found these posts about Hashimoto’s. I have Hashimoto’s, too. Hope you’re feeling better by now. It can take a while to find the right dose, so stick with it. Have your doctor screen for other autoimmune disorders, too, if he/she hasn’t already.
Thank you, Brian! Thanks for the encouragement. I am starting to feel better. It’s a frustrating process but I feel hopeful now. Stay tuned for “Phase 4: Acceptance” 🙂
This is true…my endocrinologist says “they travel in packs” so once you are diagnosed with one Ai-D you may find 2 or 3 more…lucky us! 😛
They run in families, too, so have your kids screened regularly.
I have every single symptom that you have mentioned. I’m a single, recently unemployed mom to three and have shrugged off all of my symptoms because I’ve been stressed. My son has hypothyroidism. I don’t know why I never considered it for myself. Thank you for your post. I’ll be putting a call in to the dr tomorrow.
Melissa- Good luck! Let me know what the doctor says. I have tons of tips having been dealing with this for a year now. I am writing a post about all the stuff I am doing to manage things. Good luck!!!!
I will definitely let you know. I’ve had my thyroid checked in the past, but I’m pretty sure it was just the TSH. I had no clue my thyroid could cause my arm numbness, tingling, fast heart rate, hair falling out. I am really glad you posted those things. Thank you again!
Hi Melissa!
Make sure they test you for the two antibodies:
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOAb)
Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb)
Good luck! While I hated finding out I had this chronic disease, the positive side is I could do something to finally feel better.
Stumbled upon your blog because of your hilarious video. Great work!
There is a natural way to treat your thyroid. Maybe you found it by now but is you haven’t it’s called Armour.
This site is so amazing and has been a great support for my mom who has thyroid problems.
Good luck!
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com
Hi Jordan! Yes, I’ve heard of that website and Armour. I love natural options!!
I agree with Jordan. Please try the Armour thyroid medication. I have had a thyroid problem since I was 16. I am now 29 and FINALLY feel ‘normal’! It took one great Internal doctor to recommended Armour. Out of 5 different endocrinologist, two trips to the ‘famous’ UTMB, for an Internal medicine doctor to tell me I’m not crazy and there is actually something wrong with me.
Good luck with everything and I hope you feel better!!
I stumbled upon this after viewing the “What my Kid say?” video (HILARIOUS by the way!!) and I cannot say how good it is to see a woman close in age with the same hellish symptoms/disease. Diagnosed with Hypothryoidism at 17, I was even told fertility could be an issue down the road. Well…they were 100% wrong thankfully and we were blessed with 2 boys and 2 girls (11, 9, 5 & 2) but I started feeling lousy after our second and after testing found Hashimoto’s…long story short, at the moment I’m undergoing stress/echo tests for heart valve issues (which can be in part due to thyroid issues-good info to know), but it’s comforting to read this blog and not feel alone. And I agree COMPLETELY on the difference between generic and brand, been there done that! Thank you for being so real and honest! 🙂
Hi Christina- First of all I am SO HAPPY you had your life suckers despite the medical establishment’s prediction! I started feeling off after my second was born too. Parenting with Hashimoto’s can be hard, can’t it? Good luck with all the heart valve stuff. Sending you lots of good vibes! *Hug*
Welcome to the club! After being diagnosed with Hoshimotos, a doctor send me for an ultrasound and surprise, surprise I have three rumors on my thyroid. Multiple biopsies later, the fine docs still do not know if they are benign or malignant. C’est la vie!
I’m sorry, Tasha. Sending good vibes! Good luck!
I came across your video through a FB post and wanted to chime in about thyroid disease. I have graves, was diagnosed in 2005, had RAI to shut it down but since then it’s caused havoc in my body. I was recently tested for celiac and was negative but am lactose intolerant. I am eating Paleo and feel so much better. I agree about staying away from generic meds and only taking name brands, over the years the generic have altered my levels. Hope you continue to feel better and keep posting your videos/ blogs.
Thanks for sharing your journey, Jamie! Glad you’re feeling better and thanks for the support 🙂
I found your site, like many others, through your hilarious video! Great work. I noticed the tab on “Hashimoto’s”. Unfortunately, I’m a long time member of that club too. I’m sure you’ve checked out other options, but I’ll add what’s worked for me: Paleo Diet (AI is bit too strict for anyone), and finally taking charge of my labs/symptoms by tracking them…and finding the right balance for ME. There’s no “one size fits all program” I’m afraid. I, too, was told that I’d feel just wonderful (Judy Garland skipping down the Yellow Brick Road Wonderful) after a week on Synthroid. Five years later…I still felt like crap on a stick! If you track your symptoms in a journal (yeah, like we all got extra time for that, right?) and keep copies of your Free T3 and Free T4 tests (and completely ignore the stupid TSH test) then you can find the right balance for you. MOST people feel well when they’re Free T4 level is above 75% of range (upper 1/4), and when they’re Free T3 level is above 50% of the range (upper 1/2). The rest is fine tuning the levels to suit you using Free T3 and Free T4 meds (Armour or Cytomel/Synthroid combination). Hope you find wellness soon!
Thank you for the advice, Dianna! I hope you start feeling well too!
You tell it like we all think it! Good luck with the Hashi’s. I have it too. No sugar, gluten and minimal dairy help tremendously. And water, water, water. Thanks for making me laugh today! I needed it!
Hi Deva.
I’m so glad I found your site. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s last October by accident during a routine annual physical. I decided to cut out wheat starting January 1st this year and already see differences in the way I feel. A rash that has been around for about 20 years has almost completely gone away, the daily gas and bloat has almost completely gone away and I feel less foggy and tired as well. I didn’t know that it would have any effect on the Hashimoto’s, so I guess that is a bonus for me.
I currently don’t have to take medication for the Hashimoto’s as my hormone levels are currently fine. I have a “large”, benign nodule on my thyroid that has to be checked every 6 months, along with my bloodwork. I am told that I will probably end up with more nodules and that I will probably end up needing medication at some point. Hopefully taking the wheat out will help stave that off as well.
Thanks for sharing your story. I will definitely be checking back for your posts.
Hi there! I love your blog!
I have an appt at my dr to check my thyroid levels. I suspect Hashimoto’s. 🙁
Anyhow, some of the synthetic thyroid meds have gluten in them…maybe that could be affecting you? I think Armour has it too.
I’ve read that a t4 med Tirosent is gluten free and that a natural dessicated thyroid med (has t3 and t4) Naturethroid is gluten free.
Also check out hypothyroidmom.com. It’s a super helpful site. Best of luck to you!
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Hi. After more than a year of dealing with tingling, fogginess, sporadic paralysis and many of the other symptoms you described I am no longer closer to a diagnosis by a doctor than I was when I first went to see my doctor due to fatigue. I have had numerous tests, MRIs, etc. and have seen 17 different doctors and specialists. I will not stop and would love to get a referral from you for your doctor. I am in the LA area but will travel to the best doctors I can find. Thank you for sharing your story and perhaps shedding light and knowledge to what is going on with my body. I swear I am the healthiest sick person around.
Wow, reading your experience finding out you have hashimotos is hitting close to home with me. I was diagnosed a few years ago with hypothyroid and have been taking Synthroid for it but it doesn’t seem to do anything for me. And they won’t up my prescrip as my levels are “normal.” Then, this past winter I went numb in my legs, then my arms, and face. My friend who was just diagnosed with MS told me to get checked immediately as it reminded her of what was happening to her. So, I went to the doctor and he said, “everyone gets numbness” and that was that. Reading your posts I am thinking I really need to get this checked out!
Damn that’s funny! i mean the pity party…i have had so many of those, it really made me laugh. Thank you!