Radiation/Synthroid, hypo help please!!
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hello, question for everybody please?
February 1st, I did radiation.
I'm finally hypo as of now, yesterday I started on 50mg Synthroid to go up to approx 170mg as per my endocrinologist.
Right now I’m having all these weird things happen like:
-temple pain and swelling
-temple/jaw fatigue while eating
-serious muscle fatigue while doing basically anything
-serious hand/face/eye/body swelling
-fluid retention
Is there anything anyone can recommend please? I know diet is probably a huge factor right, so I’m cutting out inflammatory foods right NOW such as breads, sugars, processed foods. What about spicy foods? Soy/tofu? I've eaten it my whole life as a vegetarian without any reaction. (Please don't tell me about the wheat gut diet, I've already looked it up, thank you).
How long does this stage last? I can't wait to feel normal again.
Did any treatments (acutely) help you besides ibuprofen and diuretics?
Where there any side effects to Synthroid that I should be aware of? The list the company gives is huge but I want to know what has affected you.
Thank you 
0 likes, 18 replies
lia32714 camdenlilly
Posted
I was diagnosed hypo a year ago and am on 100mcg a day.
I am still not back to normal. My weight has increased by 3 stone in a year.
Last week my legs swelled hugely so I went to gp who prescribed medication to reduce fluid retention. I lost 5lbs within days.
That said the fatigue is constant and I have not regained any of my previous energy and strength.
Sorry I can't give you better news, hopefully someone can.
camdenlilly lia32714
Posted
Sorry to hear that, it's so frustrating! Were you able to lose any of the weight? I'm so worried about that too as I'm already at least 20kg overweight.
lia32714 camdenlilly
Posted
Not an ounce yet apart from those few pounds of extra fluids.
Very frustrating as I have always been slim and fit. Sorry I don't have more positive news. I have been told by lots of doctors and my endocrinologist that the weight will come off when the dose is right. The problem is the dose appears to be correct as any change either sends my levels soaring or plummeting.
camdenlilly lia32714
Posted
Ok, I understand. My goodness, this thyroid stuff is such a mess
It's so frustrating because most of the symptoms seem subjective and I feel like everyone thinks we are crazy/making things up.
MtViewCatherine camdenlilly
Posted
Oh yes. That's normal to feel crazy. Truth is that the symptoms you feel can be documented and evaluated. This is very important data. You are the holder of this data. Use it to track your progress. It's better than any jab test.
From a scientific perspective, thus data is every bit as valid, possibly more so than any lab work, because you know the nuances and baseline of your body.
This is important. Some people even keep a diary. I found there were certain very specific indicators to help me gauge my condition. For example, a really obvious one was the level of clutter,accumulation in my home. When I'm sick, the clutter factor is through the roof, understandably. However, when I'm well, the clutter factor is extremely minimal. Find the indicators that are easiest for you to guage and monitor.
camdenlilly MtViewCatherine
Posted
Thank you SO much! This is very useful and I'll keep a log to show my doctor.
PRthyroid camdenlilly
Posted
It coud just be the side effects of the Sythroid. I've never been on Sythyroid, but the moment I started levothyroxine, I started to get crazy chest pains. Along with that, also felt like my brain wasn't getting oxygen.Turns out my body didn't do to well on levothyroxine.
I'm like you, I also had Radioactive iodine done. What I found work for me is geting on WP thyroid. This is a natrual desiccated thyrioid mediction. So if you don' t feel better over time n Synthyroid, I would sugget giving natural desiccated thyroid meds a try.
That paired with diet, has helped me feel a whole lot better. No bread, no milk,no soy, no sugar etc.You're on the right path diet wise.
PRthyroid
Posted
Also don't forget to keep your vitamins and minerals up. Hypo folks tend to be slow low on vitamins like, vitamin D, iron, magnesium, etc. So make sure to have your doctor keep up with that stuff. My doctors didn't and now my teeth have pay paid for it, sadly.
camdenlilly PRthyroid
Posted
Thanks so much. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Thyroid issues are such a mess
MtViewCatherine PRthyroid
Posted
PRthyroid is right on. I have severe thyroid disease and got more relief from the right supplements than anything else.
My mother is elderly and does not have a thyroid, and does not eat meat of any sort. She uses ThyroGold, and amino acid supplements.
The side effects of the levo nearly killed me. They can take out your immune system and cause a bunch if autoimmune diseases and cancers. Really horrible. I've seen a few posts here from people who were able to work with the levothyroxin, but most people find NDTs to be more effective.
camdenlilly MtViewCatherine
Posted
Thank you so much, that is really helpful advice. I'll look up ThyroGold and the aminos right now!
MtViewCatherine camdenlilly
Posted
Hello CLilly,
Well, of course you feel like crap, this isn't surprising, as your body's been through a horrible ordeal. So sorry.
Diet to support nutrition and decrease inflammation:
paleo glutenfree diet. No wheat, rye or barley (absolutely no cheating on these), no soy, no processed sugars, no processed foods whatsoever. Minimal dairy, you may be able to handle hard cheeses and yogurts. Spicy foods are great, if they work for you. So you basically get meat and vegetables with fruits and nuts. I know you said you're a long time vegetarian. I don't have any way to work with thyroid disease without meat other than to do whey protein smoothies, and essential amino acids supplements. I only found one really good vendor for the aminos, and the label doesn't list the source.
For your thyroid to function, your body attaches an iodine molecule to tyrosine. Your body makes tyrosine from phenylalanine, or from the protein you eat. You could call it quits with the protein there, except, you can't, because various amino acids are involved in the entire thyroid feedback loop that converts various molecules and controls levels. You need these even when on meds, because the assumption with the meds is that your thyroid feedback loop us still working, and you can use the meds to create the other molecules your body needs. But you still need protein for this.
Supplements for inflammation and toxicity: liquid chlorophyll (source, elderberry leaves), turmeric, activated charcoal. You could also try turmeric with bromelin.
Supplements for bloating and kidneys: parsley, relora, magnolia root, Butcher's broom, Rosemary.
With the supplements, do some reading to see which ones resonate with you. The turmeric and chlorophyll give immediate relief without any sort of side effects that I experienced (other than green poo from the chlorophyll).
Hope that gives you a start to feeling better.
camdenlilly MtViewCatherine
Posted
Thank you so much, this is also incredibly helpful. It's funny, someone mentioned tumeric the other day so I just got some in the mail today. I'll go ahead and find the other ones you mentioned.
Green poo, lol. If only that was all we had to deal with!
Did you feel like crazy slow/fatigued/stoned when you were on Synthroid? I feel like I'm losing my mind and it scares the crap out of me. I'm desparate here!
MtViewCatherine camdenlilly
Posted
I'm glad to help. Hope some of this helps you recover your sanity.
Yes, I felt horrible on the meds. Then the doctors just acted like I was crazy or something and refused to even talk to me. They just telling the phone receptionist, whatever to give it time. Well, no amount of time made this medication effective.
And yes, I was so panicked I couldn't function. But that was after the migraines. I'm pretty sure it isn't you and me and all the other thyroid patients who are crazy. It's the system and the people who insist these drugs work when they don't. THAT's crazy!
Crazy_spouse camdenlilly
Posted
Hi everyone. I have a bit of a different issue with Synthroid and wanted to see if anyone else has any experience with this. My spouse is on it and, in my opinion, he is taking too much. The doctors say he is in an acceptable range but he is not normal. He seems almost manic. He is doing 100 things at once, super hyper, judgement seems a bit off and he is losing weight. I'm not sure those ranges they use are accurate for everyone. Any similar experiences out there or advice for someone that is really missing her husband and wants him back?
MtViewCatherine Crazy_spouse
Posted
I just wrote a whole explanation of why levothyroxin couldn't possibly cause the sporadic mood swings you speak of, but this site crashed and I don't have time at the moment to retype.
My my experience with the levothyroxin was that it only increased energy levels mildly, at best. When I quit the stuff, I actually felt better. It really does not offer much improvement for energy and does not break down fast enough to cause crashes. Also, to get any effectiveness at all, my ranges had to be at the high end or even above the "normal ranges". So I saw an endocrinologist because a GP typically won't let the levels go very high and often keep them in the midrange, which, again, for me, was pretty useless. The meds did cause me to be tired, which I didn't realize until I went off. Moody? I'd say, more like unable to cope with anything, like my nerves had been shredded, but that can also be typical of thyroid disease.
Having lived with a fiancé who was involved in substance abuse, I suggest you look elsewhere for the culprit of the mood swings, and first rule out any possibility of illicit recreational drug use, as these can result in the extreme mood swings you refer to.
I suggest this because for anyone who's never had experience with illegal drug use, you have no way to recognize the signs. Start by doing an online search for drug a diction behavior signs. Often former addicts will post the typical behavior patterns and ways addicts hide their habits. You can also check out a local Alanon group and attend a meeting, ask the folks there is the behavior could be drug related.
Probably not what you want to hear, but I wish someone had enlightened me as to what my fiancé was into. Once you've ruled out drug use, you can start troubleshooting the domino effects of thyroid disease, and medications, which can cause a ton of health problems.
Lastly, you might want to research the connection between bipolar disorder and thyroid disease. It could be that the medication is not treating the thyroid disease, or is making it worse, possibly resulting in mental illness. I dealt with mental illness with my mother, who has had a history of untreated thyroid disease. Once I got her on a natural medication, her mental illness symptoms no longer seem to exist. Of course, I also have on an all organic glutenfree diet, as well as wholistic treatments. So it may not be just the thyroid meds. By the right thyroid meds make a big difference. The Synthroid didn't work properly for her either, and I found an OTC that worked better for her.
Crazy_spouse MtViewCatherine
Posted
MtViewCatherine Crazy_spouse
Posted
Yeah, it's unfortunate that most people don't know the signs until after it happens.