Losing my mind, what can I do?

Thanks, I will definitely try exercise. I’m having a bit of a challenge even with tasks like going up and down the stairs of my apartment or lifting heavy boxes seems likes I’m out of breath all the time. I’ll definitely start with walks and increase. Thank you 

Hey, thanks for your thoughtful response. Besides the amino supplements are there others you recommend? Specific brand? I’d definitely like to try something in addition to changing my diet. Thanks

Hi Cathy, everything is such a blur, I knew I was forgetting a lot of stuff ore levo. Seems like it’s worsened.  Everything goes though my medical provider- Kaiser Permanente. So not sure if the lab inside is an independent contractor. I do know I’m on generic.  Do you know if going brand helps? Thanks 

I tried several different brands of Levo. Some were “less worse” than others. The biggest problem was that I was so wonky while taking the Levo,  that by the end, I couldn’t tell what was what any more. 

The longer I  was off I think it, the more my health improved.

I think Cathy’s  point about third world manufacturing is very valid.  I was also treated for three different types off parasites not found in developed countries. If yuread the many posts on side effects of levothyroxin, you’ll see that many people report flue like  symptoms, which could be due to parasitic infections.

There is a product called ThyroGold. It is non prescription, so you have have to pay for  it yourself. It is organic, produced in New Zealand.  Made from bovine, so the ratios if T4/T3 are closer to humans. IT WORKS BERY well, but you need to know how to dose it yourself.

Listen to Mt View Catherine she has technical knowledge that I don't. My history was I was normal and healthy until I got stung by a Quest Lab result, that now I am questioning. I had problems from my first Levothyroxine Rx. It felt like what people describe who have taken "Speed". I was like a racehorse on the inside and physically was loosing strength, but my doctor denied my complaints. I trusted him and now 3 3/4 years later I have had a multitude of  life crippling sx , plus low grade high blood pressure I can't seem to reverse even now that I am off Levothyroxine for 3 months. I know some people swear by Levothyroxine and "say " they are doing well and God love them, but my experience was that I have been left with the feeling that I have been poisoned and it would seem as though I have a lot of company on sites like this one and class action sites ( where you go to get the truth about any medication). I don't understand why so many people are so sick if these drugs are so darned good, but what I do know nearly all our medications are made some where other than the USA in the case of thyroid replacements there are a load of companies in Mainland China who supply to companies in the USA who "distribute " thyroid replacement. I too have a "healthcare group much like Kaiser, who controls all aspects of the care you receive. The lab my insurance group uses is Quest which is a provider from sea to shining sea and I have come to believe they are just plain corrupt and I don't trust their numbers at all. Add to all that it is legal medications can a potency variance which means not all your scripts are necessarily the same exact strength and in the case of any hormone it doesn't take much to send you over the edge sort to speak and couple that with you many not always be getting the same generic brand all the time. That information came out of information from the suit against Mylan who distributes most of the Levothyroxine. If you can step back and just think about it apart from your own situation it is literally a nightmare waiting to happen. Now my situation I believe is different than many cases I don't believe I ever needed the drug, but what I am dealing with is long term affects of that drug and the BP drugs I was put on because of the effects of levothyroxine which is documented on a premier cardiac site. Personally I don't trust the lab values, but that is me. Sounds like you had some issues prior to be put on Levothyroxine that need sorting out and correct diagnosis. I can't afford it, but would recommend an intergrated practitioner some one who is actually equipped to dx. Sound like you are on the West Coast of the USA, but I would check out Beverly Wedda who is in the Newton/Needham area of MA on -line and ask her for a referral she is a really descent and trust worthy physician who has been trying to improve healthcare. She helped my mom in the last year of her life after many decades of what I would call poor quality healthcare, but listen to Catherine she understands the nuts and bolt of thyroid and can explain the chemical end. I have been praying for you. I had made a decision not to post for a while while I journey through what I hope will be my recovery, but then I read your post and it touched me greatly. I don't have much to offer, but I know what life line Catherine and others have been for me.

Thank you for taking the time to respond.  It’s tough to trust providers and pharmaceutical companies sometimes. It seems like levothyroxine seems to be the only answer. I’ve questioned the need to use that med but I’m met with reasons not question: 1) give it time 2) the dose may be to low. It’s not a matter of whether this med is the right one for me. Surely there must be other options. 

That pretty much says it... It’s a HOT MESS , is an understatement. 

A simple logging and tracking of symptoms with and without meds is an easy way to debunk the system. Unfortunately, most people don’t have even the most basic of scientific training, and so they make “science” their religion, following blindly. 

Nobody wants to come to the realization that a medication doesn’t work. Afterall, we (believe) we have no other options. We are a seller’s dream of a captive purchasing audience. We are desperate and uniformed. This adds up to giant $$$$ got a business. But we do have a choice, we do have options.

Thyroid disease is epidemic where I was living and virtually every woman I knew was on it had taken thyroid medication. They all came to the conclusion that the synthetic thyroxins don’t work to alleviate the symptoms. Many developed fibromialgya while taking the synthetic thyroxin. The ONLY women I know who are still on the Levo were diagnosed solely on TSH, are on the lowest dose, had no hypo thyroid symptoms, and are in superb health.   I watched friends and family go through short term protocols for thyroid treatment with Levo- they wind up a worse mess even with short term use. I’ve also seen friends and family on NDT. Sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t- there are many factors and many manufacturers, so many variables, it’s impossible to narrow things down to absolutes. What I suspect is that there is widespread filling of the NDTs with synthetic thyroxins, as there is no way to monitor this. And after years of shortages of NDTs, there was magically no shortage around 2013. Prior to that the NDTs were working for me. Coinciding with the onset of mass supply of NDTs, they stopped working properly for me and the dosing was insanely wonky. Hence my desperation in trying the Levo. 

In the mean time I’ve dealt with virtually every geriatric disease possible in caring for my mother. I though thyroid disease and treatment were the exception. They are not. The treatment of every other disease is just as dysfunctional, though diagnosis is more established.

The lab results from blood work are interestingly similar across demographics. I find most often blood sugar, cholesterol and thyroid levels show results as borderline. Like really, everyone I know has an a1c of 5.9, when they go their annual physical, really? Once in a while, there is some variation on labs, that actually reflects what’s happening with symptoms, but mostly they don’t. Like someone just made up a bunch of numbers that are borderline.  Then we are diagnosed and treated based on these numbers. 

The practice in the US is to have an overseeing person who has gone through proper education, training and state testing to receive a certification. However, it is the practice to allow those holding the certification to “oversee” lower level trainees in actual practice of lab work, physical therapy, all home therapy, nursing, etc. so those people doing the bulk of the work are not fully trained. It’s impossible for the certified person to properly oversee treatment, testing, etc when they’ve never seen the patients, the actual testing, etc. we’re basically relying on data collected and submitted by lower level trainees as reliable. These trainees are learning, they don’t have the educational foundation to work independently if properly administer tests. You generally are not told when you are being evaluated by a nonprofessional. I’ve been through all this with home care with my mother. I’ve watched, seen how tests are done and recognize when they’re administered incorrectly. These trainees are so incompetent, with minimal training. I’m talking a half hour orientation in some cases.  I’ve been dealing with it for two years in all with my mother- hone care, rehab, hospitals, icu, emergency, you name it. It’s easy to recognize trained and competent people, once you’ve been through it for a while.  Sadly, they are rare. Most often protocol overrides common sense, liability overrides patient safety- how crazy is that?