I thought I'd have a fight on my hands since I mentioned it to him last time and he kinda discounted my concerns. Today I went armed with a list of my current symptoms and ask to be switched to Armour! He agreed but was skeptical, ask me where I learned about natural thyroid? He's a D.O. My tsh was 2.4 this time, but I'd like to get down between 1-2. Oh please pray for me that this makes me feel better, my weight is really horrible! I'm going to really start working on that also, but I seem to have absolutely no will power and awful cravings at times. I have been walking 3-4 x's a week and will now walk everyday! Any more suggestions would be appreciated.

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), October 31, 2001

Answers

I could understand more if I knew what a tsh or a D.O. were.....

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 31, 2001.

Hello Carol, I understand what you're going through. I went through the same thing with insulin resistance. Thyroid problems are everywhere in my family, so I have that checked yearly also. So far, so good. Something I came across might help your cravings. I've found the ayurvedic medical approach to nutrition very successful for me. It is an ancient east Indian approach to medicine that is holistic in nature. A good book that will help you learn the basics of ayurvedic nutrition is "Perfect Health: The Complete Mind Body Guide" by Dr. Deepok Chopra. I've learned that my body makeup leans one way and if I don't get/do those particular things, then I either get sick or I have awful cravings. It's really unbelievable how fast a feeling of control and satisfaction came over me when I started following this diet. It also helped my psyche to know that I wasn't a "bad" person for feeling the way I did about certain things. I showed all the things to my husband and he laughed and said "I thought that was just PMS." lol Men seem to say that a lot. Anyway, I walk too. Sometimes more regularly than others. I also take lots of vitatmins. But, I feel better than I've ever felt in my life and my blood sugar stays under control WITH NO MEDS. You might give it a try. But, perhaps check with your doctor. Oh, I use Osteopathic Physicians too. They seem more apt to go with a natural method for optimal health. Hope this has helped and know that you are already successful. You've decided to become active in your own health. Iris

-- Iris (Sar_India@msn.com), October 31, 2001.

Carol, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, that your new medication helps your health. It is no fun to not feel good. God Bless! Melissa

-- Melissa (me@home.net), October 31, 2001.

Carol - add me to your list if you form a club. My TSH was over 4 a few weeks ago. Upped the dosage of Synthroid but now am being tested for PCOD, Cushings, anemia and diabetes since the Synthroid has not helped any of the symptoms. I can really relate to how you are feeling, esp the weight! You've already made a great decision with the walking....keep it up!

-- Lisa in WI (lehman16NOSPAM@vbe.com), October 31, 2001.

I finally went to the Doctor a few months ago. I have always known I was Hypoglosemic but think I have a thyroid problem. I am the only adult women on either side of the family that is not on medication! He told me that I was on the end of high normal.My mother is high normal also her doctor has her on synthroid and it has really helped. My doctor won't start me on any thing and in the last 1 1/2 years I have gained almost 100 pounds. I feel horrible and have no energy. My suger I maintain with diet and I eat normal, healthy foods and excercise. It cost me 400.00 and I have no insurance. I asked another doctor and I have to take all the test again. I can't afford it and am at loss of what to do.Do you guys do anything differently or is it all medication?Sorry not to answer your question, just adding to it!- God Bless

-- Micheale from SE Kansas (mbfrye@totelcsi.net), October 31, 2001.

Carol, you seem to have your numbers backwards here. TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) means the level of hormone available to boost a person's thyroid gland in order to have it function properly. If a person's TSH were below 2.5, then they are not getting sufficient quantities of TSH in their bloodstream and therefore would need MORE thyroid supplement. The ideal TSH level is between 2.5 and 3.5. For those of you who want to increase you rthyroid hormone in order to make it easier to lose weight, please be aware that an overactive thyroid gland produced by an excess of TSH can contribute to heart disease among other things. The goal should be "euthroid" which is the state of having enough TSH but not too much. Folks who are overweight and want to reduce, need to eat less and exercise more. Thyroid hormone increases alone will not produce a permanent weight loss...extra TSH will increase your cardiac output, stress your heart, and make you nervous as a cat at a dog show. That is why folks who are hyperthyroid are so incredibly miserable. Too much TSH gives you a racing heartrate, diarrhea, tremendous weight loss, insomnia, extreme intolerance of heat and cold, bulging eyeballs and in some cases, out and out psychosis (which goes away after the thyroid is treated). Point is, please do not look to thyroid replacement as an aid to losing weight. You cannot lose weight without having a "normal" ampount of TSH in your body. Once it is at normal levels, a person still has to diet and exercise. Be careful..these meds are not harmless things.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), October 31, 2001.

Leslie, I know someone who has "too much" and you described her exactly, WOW. I never realized it was such a precise mediacal condition. On the losing weight part, it is so hard! and sometimes just cutting calories doesn't work... your body seems to go into a surviavl mode and hangs onto every ounce. I think losing weight has to be a SLOW process with lots of activity and exercise. Of course that is hard to do if you are so tired you can barely put one foot in front of the other. I wish there wer some magic solution, but alas I'm afraid there isn't...

-- Melissa (me@home.net), November 01, 2001.

Lesley, maybe our labs are different? Have you ever looked at Mary Shomon's website at About.com? I am in no way taking thyroid meds to be able to lose weight. I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid in April, and lost weight at 1st but now have gained it back and more, this happens to a lot of people. I also realize it takes a healthy diet and excercise program. I also know people with hypo have a more difficult time loseing weight than others. I am not as educated as I'd like to be on this subject but am reading all I can to educate myself, to take charge of my health. The nurse told me the #'s get confusing sometimes because high means low and vice versa. Mitch a D.O. is a Doctor of Osteopath.

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), November 01, 2001.

Carol,

You're not alone.... I was told I was hypo for many many years and of course has gone untreated. I am on Armour now to correct the problem. My TSH was 4.3, number wise, not too bad, but I have had symptoms far too long and weight gain, indeed. My doctor told me that when the thyroid is underactive, your entire system can slow down to the point that it crawls.... thermo action almost haults. So, Ihave began the medication and continue to eat sensibly and exercise. No results just yet...only been on the medication for a week.

-- Jeanette in TX (jbuerst@bcm.tmc.edu), February 07, 2002.

my wife has hashimoto's disease. that is where ur immune system attacks ur thyroid. i learned so much on about.com. then i made her doctor switch her to amour. then we switched doctors. the new doctor said she should not have been suffering and she should have been switched to amour long ago. her liver has been affected also. i read for weeks. a LOT of people need their tsh level to be below the "norm". it's just a average number and everyone is different. sorry, you hit a nerve!

-- steve (stevetamara@mindspring.com), February 07, 2002.

Actually Carol, I think you were right on your numbers. TSH is a hormone produced by the putuitary gland that tells the thyroid to produce more thyroid hormone (T4 and some T3). Depending on the lab used, normal levels can fall anywhere between .5 and 5.0. The HIGHER the tsh level, the more the puituitary is franticly telling the thyroid gland to produce hormone because THERE IS NOT ENOUGH HORMONE CIRCULATING IN THE BLOODSTEAM. When levels of thyroid in the bloodsteam are HIGH the puituitary produces less TSH because the thyroid does not need to produce as much hormone. So, your TSH levels would then be lower. When my TSH is at about 2.2 I am at optimum wellness and weight. That indicates that at about that level my thyroid(or medication) is keeping enough hormone in my blood stream and my puituitary is HAPPY! At a TSH or 3 or higher my body gains weight and I am not well! But other peoples bodies are different just as some people have higher "normal" tempuratures then others. M.A.

-- M.A. (QueenMA1214@cs.com), August 05, 2002.

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone out there has the situation where bloodtests show a low-functioning thyroid but there are no obvious symptoms? In March, I had a TSH of 6.55 and in July it was 6.68. My doctor is recommending Armour, but I can't imagine taking a pill, even a natural remedy, when I feel OK. And I should emphasize, I only feel OK -- I do lack energy, but I have always thought that was because I'm a working mom who makes sure to exercise four times a week. I eat well and so far haven't experienced a weight gain, but also I'm only 32, so I'm sorta dreading a decline in my health.. Any suggestions? Tara

-- tara king (dhking29@hotmail.com), August 24, 2002.

With my suggestion my Dr changed me from Synthroid to Armour. I had read a lot and want to see if I feel better on Armour vs. Synthroid. So far in three days I don't think I see any difference. As far as TSH goes ... I had a test last September and my TSH was 9.7. After a month of Synthroid (low dose) itwas even higher 20.2 ....then a big increase in dose got me down to 2.1 or so. Once I was stable I felt so much better....I think I can feel even better on Armour. Two issues contributed to my thyroid problem. When I was a teen I had Hashimoto's and then in 2000 I took chemotherapy for 6 months. My Oncologist told me my TSH would be out of wack and he was right. Anyway now that I feel better I want to feel better and better. Thanks for listening.

-- Jamie Fitz (jamie.fitzpatrick@marriott.com), September 09, 2002.

I went to a specialist. He said everything was fine with my blood results I brought to him. But I asked why to I feel so tired een after sleeping all evening on the couch and going to bed early and getting us still feeling tired. I am also very depressed and am on Paxil. I have gained 60 pounds over the last l0 years and feel absolutely miserable. He gave me (reluctantly) Armour. I hope I have good results. I know I have to exercise more. I did have the radio- active idoine to destroy my thyroid and I am so sorry I did it. Has anyone else had the same thing happen to them and what were your results?

-- Barbara Boyle (boylebabs@yahoo.com), October 16, 2002.