Sypmtoms for years only just diagnosed last year.

Hi I read your post with much interest. Tomorrow I'm seeing my GP as four years on after being diagnosed I still feel rotten and the worst of the symptoms have returned - extreme tiredness, very emotional and yes now depressed, feel as if I'm carrying lead around my body.........just horrible. I was undiagnosed for about a year - my GP insisted I was suffering from depression as my dad had died. I knew I wasn't depressed just very sad at losing my dad but thyroid as I've learnt saps all your strength and as it was undiagnosed and getting worse every day I hadn't the strength or the knowledge to try and convince her otherwise. Actually as I'd never been ill before I found visiting the doctor quite intimidating if I'm honest. I was 38 at the time had an exciting job travelling, was very sporty and life should have been perfect. Now I don't recognise the person I used to be. It's all very confusing but most of all I think I feel very angry at how ignorant the medical profession seems to be. When I go for my blood checks the nurse even asks Why is it necessary. Sorry to sound so negative but I hope your doc is a lot more on the ball than mine is.

My doc ignored my symptoms despite test showing levels of up to 9 when private health check recommended treatement 3 years previous when levels were 5.5. He thought I was depressed, I have great temper so told him rot. Now on 100 micrograms and feeling fantastic. Had awful symptoms before inc. permanent cough and loss of voice put on steroids & antibiotics for 2 years for this. Have been to Weightwatchers & lost all but 5 lbs of excess weight put on about 2 stone & went from size 10/12 to 16, this makes you depressed!! Now I am my old self boundless energy but I need to eat proper food 3 times a day and snack. My sister with same condition treated with antidepressants for 5 years and mother diagnosed with Alzeimers - her thyroid ceased to function, again we went private for diagnosis - it runs in our family aunt has same. YOU WOULD THINK THAT DOCTORS SHOULD BE CLUED UP ABOUT THIS AND TEST FIRST BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. You need to accept you need to eat and drink sensibly and rest when you need to, just listen to your body and you will feel like you old self soon.

Hi

I've been through the same as the replies above. All the Doctors talk about is anti depressants. I'm sick of hearing about that medication. They put me on anti depressants before testing for thyroid and I got so messed up.

I've been settled on 75mcg Levothyroxine ( I was diagnosed last July). The increase caused my abdomen to swell and I've recently gone down to 50mcg and the swelling has remarkably gone down!!! I'm so upset with the medical profession, they can't answer my simple questions. When I told the GP about the swelling I was told to do breathing exercises!!! I don't know what I'm doing by coming down to 50mcg but there is something going on inside that they can't explain. With so many thyroid sufferers you'd think they'd take us all seriously but NO we are shoved onto cheap generic thyroxine replacement. I've always been a slim size 10, and although the thyroxine helped my energy levels I can't seem to understand why I've gained weight since started the medication. I don't take my thyroxine with anything except water and leave at least an hour or so before breakfast.

Anyway, enough of me moaning, all of you take care.

H there all

My doctor thought I was depressed, I went above his head and made an appointment with the practice nurse to get a blood test, I explained to her the symptoms and explained I had tried to loose weight etc and when my results came back the doctor was shocked :roll: I was diagnosed 8 years ago!!!!

I still am over weight after giving up smoking two and half years ago, along with having a 18month old son and having back pain,so my overall energy is lower than it can be!! My doctor isn't helpful all he says to me \"you need to loose weight!!! anyway folks all I can say is I have just excepted things the way the are, my husband supports me and as long as you have support from your friends and family well I would say you are half way there!!!! take care all and keep smiling :lol:

I was diagnosed 1 week ago. After the birth of my beautiful daughter, blood tests indicated concern over my thyriod level. 4 months on I had another blood test and again thyriod level was a concern. I didn't know much about thryiod; infact was clueless until now.

I just kept thinking the tiredness was a result of sleepless nights and the strain of caring for a baby. With continuous back pain and the feeling of having run a marathon day in day out was frustrating. Doctors, Health visitors even my family put it down to being a new mum! Yeah right!!!

I am now taking 50mg of Levothyroxine and am not felling any different. keep feeling anger and stress with family especially my partner. When is the treatment going to take effect? 'Cause I really can't go on living like this. HELP!!!

Hi there M.B

When I was first diagnosed 8 years ago, I was overweight and dieting,

many people with an underactive thyroid gain a lot of weight before a diagnosis is made or if the condition is poorly controlled. But if you are being prescribed the correct dose of thyroxine, there’s no reason why you can’t lose weight through sensible eating and taking more exercise.

However, you should bear in mind that treatment with thyroxine doesn’t result in an immediate recovery – it can take up to nine months for the symptoms to improve and even longer for you to feel better.

As you have a new baby you wont think about as such what you are eating, so if you can, take the time to keep a food diary for a week, making sure you record every single item you eat. If, at the end of the week, you discover you really are sticking to your calorie allowance, you might want to see your GP to check whether you are having the correct dose of thyroxine.

You’ll find more information about hypothyroidism on the British Thyroid Foundation website, www.btf-thyroid.org

I hope this helps you

take care

SES