I only ask because it is often associated with diabetes. I had Graves Disease as a teenager and had my thyroid removed with radiation. I was on synthroid for years and I am now on levothyroxine. The weird thing is, when I was diagnosed I had the opposite symptoms of a "normal (:" person with hyperthyroid/ Graves Disease. My thyroid was enlarged, I had increased hunger and often felt hot (all normal symptoms of hyperthyroid) but instead of losing weight, I gained a lot and was tired and sluggish. I bring this up because I wonder if other people have had differing symptoms than the non-diabetic population with this. I got my blood tested a couple weeks ago and I was a little hypo (lowish TSH levels) and I have been very cold and have been getting chills at night. However, this will alternate with getting too warm and I have been really really hungry (symptoms of hyperthyroid) I guess I'll have to see what my doctor says I should do. It's always something. Once my blood sugars are good, I have to deal with this!
I'm on a really small dose of Levothyroxine, too. I didn't have any symptoms before; they noticed my TSH were a little off when I came in for routine blood work. Idon't have any symptoms (that I'm aware of) when I sometimes forget to take the med. Hopefully you feel better!
Also, I was wondering...did your doctor ever advise you to not eat for an hour after taking the pill? Or to wait until your stomach was empty? My sister told me that I should do this but it doesn't say anywhere on my bottle...I've been waiting an hour but that's really annoying when I'm hungry for breakfast in the morning!
I take both Levothyroxine and Cytomel. I'm not sure how long before I was finally diagnosed that my thryoid was underactive, but there was definitely a huge difference. Before taking thyroid medication, I had become very depressed, couldn't ever sleep enough (I would sleep 12 - 14 hours, and it still didn't feel like enough), and had very little energy. My hair also thinned some. Most of this was reversed after several months on the 'xine... I added Cytomel a few years after that and noticed some energy return to me.
I was also told that synthroid/levothyroxine is best on an empty stomach. I take it first thing when I get up, and eat my breakfast after I've gotten ready for the day - so it's about 30 - 45 minutes between, for me.
Even though i am only twelve, according to the tests, when i get older, i will need to get my thyroid removed.
I have been on levothyroxine for 3 years. Hypothyroidism runs on my mom's side of the family. My grandma, 3 out of her 4 children have it, me, and my first cousins with a family of 6 kids, 3 out of the 6 have it. I know I had a goiter in my neck for years before being diagnosed and after taking the pills, I don't feel a lump anymore. Otherwise, I never felt tired or would notice a difference without the medicine.
No actually my doctor never told me to take it on an empty stomach. I have a good endo now but she probably already assumed I knew this. Well, NOW I do!
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about a year after I found out I was a diabetic. The doctors at Children's Hospital where I went for the diabetes clinic told us that it usually went hand in hand. Keep in mind that was 20 years ago. It runs in my family so I might have gotten it regardless whether I became diabetic or not. I take a high dose of synthroid right now, recently it has gotten worse.
[quote user="Mollyanne"]
No actually my doctor never told me to take it on an empty stomach. I have a good endo now but she probably already assumed I knew this. Well, NOW I do!
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My doctor never told me either but I noticed on my bottle of synthroid that it says to take on an empty stomach or two hours after a meal. So I take it first thing when I get up. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about a year before I was diagnosed with T1. I guess they do go hand in hand!
Molly,
I had Graves as well, Went through the same exact things you stated except for an enlarged thyroid. I have gained so much weight since I have had to start taking Levo. I keep getting my thyroid checked but it comes back that I am not hypothyroid but, I continue to gain weight. I really don't know what the problem is but, I am sick of them telling me everything in my blood test is fine when I know there has to be something off. I haven't changed my eating habits in about 10 yrs. I eat practically the same thing every day and exercise too. How can I be gaining and not losing 1 pound in over 5 yrs...
Levo = weight gain. I absolutely believe that. It's immensely frustrating.
I was just recently diagnosed with a thyroid condition! I am now taking 50 units of synthrode! Some times i get soo mad with it but i am soo thankful that i have medication thoughhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's ridiculous! Do you think Synthryoid is better?
I started out on Synthroid, and now I can't remember why we switched me. I did notice weight gain moreso with the levo than when I was on the 'throid, now that I'm thinking more about it. I never really put the two together before now, actually. I didn't realize a generic form of a drug could be so different than the "original" version.... I'm going to have to ask my P.A. next month when I see her!
I started on Synthroid too I'm too poor so I have to take generic! I take 200mcg daily. I only tend to gain or lose weight if my levels are off, which they are now. And I am SOO hungry! But the weight is totally random. Fun stuff!
I hope I'm allowed to comment here. I haven't read any stories from men yet.
I was dx'd with Graves in '05. I have been using Levothyroxine, 125mg, since having my thyroid "nuked." I had a blood test during a health insurance fair at my wife's school. Before the dx, I was not sleeping very well. I would wake up at 1, 2, etc, and be wide awake, not able to go back to sleep. Now my TSH levels are fine but I occasionally will wake up and not be able to go back to sleep.
I guess I "prefer" this additional autoimmune disease. My youngest sister, also T1, has Rheumatoid Arthritis.
I was diagnosed with auto immune thyroid disease a few years after my Type 1 diagnosis at the age of 36. It is common in diabetics. I also have vitiligo, an autoimmune skin disease that results in a loss of melanocytes so I have some blotches that are white and never tan. All part of the same genetic malfunction. I take my thyroid med 1st thing in the morning. I go ahead and have my coffee with a little milk. Breakfast is about 30 minutes later. My levels have been stable for years on 125 mcg levothyroxine. I think the main thing is to be consistent. Also, if you take calcium, you need to wait at least 2 hours after your thyroxine because calcium binds the thyroid medication and you won't absorb it.
I was dx with hypothyroidism about 2 years after the D dx, my endo had been keeping an eye on the TSH, just waiting for it to show up I guess. .I've just had the Synthroid upped due to rising TSH levels again. But the more I take the more insulin I have to take as well, which is not good. I get so afraid of having to take even more & more insulin, not to mention the more & more Synthroid. It seems like a never ending downward cycle. And the weight isn't coming off either.
I sometimes have that same sleep issue, too. It's all so annoying how much levels can vary and still be considered "normal". I hope sometime doctors will be able to have a better idea of what TSH levels are best for us.
I don't remember excatly when I was told that I have hypothyroidism I'm pretty sure that it was around the same time that I was dx'd with T1 and for yrs I was on the same meds for my hypo but then when I turned 25 or 26 my med's started to go up everyother visit to the endo. And last yr I was told after a growth was found in my throat that I have thyroid cancer and I had the left side of my thryoid removed and now I'm under "supervision" to watch the growth in the right side. But I will beat it and will stay strong.
"If it's true that we are what we eat, then I am fast, easy and cheap" -- Barbara Johnson
That's a lot to deal with CJ. You'll get through it and remember to keep us all updated on all this crap you are dealing with!