underactive thyroid sufferers

ratface
ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Got a letter in the mail today from ONCOMAN. It states my last blood test shows my thyroid is uderactive and it's really bumming me out. He sent along a prescription for Synthroid. He also stated in the letter I'll probably be on it for life. Some general questions to anyone on thyroid medication which by the way is a common side effect of radiation to the head and neck. Thats what they mean about the gift that keeps on giving. The condition can cause a host of problems including depression, weight gain, heart and brain function problems and the most common one is the "I'm always cold complaint" I'm currently not having any issues although the constant cold thing used to bother me but now the temps are warmer. I'm ten months post radiation.

So how many of you are on thyroid medication. How long after treatment did it get diagnosed and is it an expensive prescription?

Comments

  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #2
    Touch healing
    Hi Ratface,

    Sorry to hear of the drama you are experiencing. For what it's worth, I was suffering the extreme cold thing for a good few months. For it's worth, I did a Reiki session and the guy told me my energy was way out of whack and all the energy was trapped up in my head and neck. He did his magic thing on me. No noticeable change. I then went home at Christmas and have a Natural Healer I know there. She just runs her hands over you body and somehow rebalances you. Funny she said exactly the same as the Reiki guy. I had 3 sessions with her and have not felt the cold since. I don't really notice the heat now but not feeling so cold all the time is great.

    I can't explain how it all works Ratface, apart from she says she channels energy, but I have had some very bizarre treatments over the years and they have worked. Sceptics may hoot but I did experience this and gained the benefits. I don't need to question anymore, i just know it worked. You may try to find someone who does this in your area. Search for Touch Healing, touch for health, natural healing and some Kinesiologists either do this or know people who do. Certainly worth a look.

    Scam
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #3
    Hypothyroidism
    It took probably 5 or 6 months after I was done to realize that my thyroid was under active. It started with being very tired later in the day. Once diagnosed just a few months of regulating the proper dosage of the Synthroid but once it was figured out has been very easy to deal with.

    If you doctor thinks the generic of Synthroid will work for you, Wal-Mart and Target have it for $ 10.00 for a 3 month supply so it is actually cheaper than the generic done through my insurance company.

    I think I'm going on 9 years on it and I really haven't noticed any side effects that are causing me any additional issues.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Ratface

    I take Levothroxine 0.112mg my thyroid stopped working about 4 years ago, the only real problem I notice is with the blood pressure. Other then that doing very well.

    Take care brother its just another fence to cross in the path of life.
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #5
    SASH said:

    Hypothyroidism
    It took probably 5 or 6 months after I was done to realize that my thyroid was under active. It started with being very tired later in the day. Once diagnosed just a few months of regulating the proper dosage of the Synthroid but once it was figured out has been very easy to deal with.

    If you doctor thinks the generic of Synthroid will work for you, Wal-Mart and Target have it for $ 10.00 for a 3 month supply so it is actually cheaper than the generic done through my insurance company.

    I think I'm going on 9 years on it and I really haven't noticed any side effects that are causing me any additional issues.

    Thanks guys
    Heu sash how did your doctors know to up or cut your dosage, or how did you know it wasn't right. I do get pretty exhausted toward the end of the day. I do appeciate the solid information as it came on an already bad day and really got to me. I see it as a step backward taking another medication and then taking it for the rest of my life. You put it in perspective again.
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #6
    ratface said:

    Thanks guys
    Heu sash how did your doctors know to up or cut your dosage, or how did you know it wasn't right. I do get pretty exhausted toward the end of the day. I do appeciate the solid information as it came on an already bad day and really got to me. I see it as a step backward taking another medication and then taking it for the rest of my life. You put it in perspective again.

    Dosages
    I think it is based upon weight and they do a blood test called a TSH test that gives them an idea of how well your thyroid is working. I'm sure in one of their medical school classes they learn how to figure out how much of drugs to give.
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #7
    ratface said:

    Thanks guys
    Heu sash how did your doctors know to up or cut your dosage, or how did you know it wasn't right. I do get pretty exhausted toward the end of the day. I do appeciate the solid information as it came on an already bad day and really got to me. I see it as a step backward taking another medication and then taking it for the rest of my life. You put it in perspective again.

    Dosages
    I think it is based upon weight and they do a blood test called a TSH test that gives them an idea of how well your thyroid is working. I'm sure in one of their medical school classes they learn how to figure out how much of drugs to give.
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #8
    SASH said:

    Dosages
    I think it is based upon weight and they do a blood test called a TSH test that gives them an idea of how well your thyroid is working. I'm sure in one of their medical school classes they learn how to figure out how much of drugs to give.

    Thyroid
    Funny you should mention "weight gain." I gained all the weight back, and then some. The cold feeling was why my Rad ordered a blood test, which came back as my not needing any med for. Still, it didn't seem like I was eating so much that I'd gain what I did. Now, however, some 13+-months after the last rad, I'm losing weight- and eating the same I have all along. Lost 8lbs in the last 1 1/2-months. Think my thyroid's gotten itself back to the way it used to be, or...?

    Thanks Ratface. You, or anybody, hear from Fire34 of recent?

    kcass
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #9
    Kent Cass said:

    Thyroid
    Funny you should mention "weight gain." I gained all the weight back, and then some. The cold feeling was why my Rad ordered a blood test, which came back as my not needing any med for. Still, it didn't seem like I was eating so much that I'd gain what I did. Now, however, some 13+-months after the last rad, I'm losing weight- and eating the same I have all along. Lost 8lbs in the last 1 1/2-months. Think my thyroid's gotten itself back to the way it used to be, or...?

    Thanks Ratface. You, or anybody, hear from Fire34 of recent?

    kcass

    They work one day and not the next
    Kent, apparently they just go bad one day as prior to this blood test I had it tested at my GP appx. 1 month earlier and it came back normal.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #10
    TSH Numbers
    How do you tell from the numbers if your thyroid is under or over?

    They just had me draw blood yesterday as it hadn't been tested since November. I finished all treatments last June. Sometime shortly after maybe the reading was around 1.9, in November it was 3.1, if I remember correctly....

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