thyroidstory.mivox.com was started as a simple blog dealing with my new diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Topics include medical information about hypothyroidism, information about hypothyroid medications like levothyroxine (Synthroid) and Armour Thyroid, as well as natural supplements like Thyromine, vincopectine and various vitamins and minerals. The site has now expanded to include discussion forums where other hypothyroid patients can discuss their experiences with hypothyroidism, and share tips for what medications, supplements and weight loss strategies have worked best for them.
PLS SKIP TO THE LAST LINE FOR MY QUESTION, ALL THE WRITE UP IS JUST BACKGOUND INFO.
So, after my total thyroidectomy, which was 3 yrs ago, I stayed on 250mcg of synthroid for about a year and was supposed to revisit my doc for a follow up. I Never did. He was in TX and I was in AL. 6 mths after the expected follow up, he cuts me off my medication. Long story short, from mid 2004 till now I have not been prescribed anything close to my proper dosage due to constant relocation without my medical records, I have learnt my lesson though. Anyways, as a college student now in the process of getting my master's degree, the brunt of years without proper medication, has started to take its toll, my last blood test came up with a TSH of 30.0, the doc said I am supposed to be below 0.5. He was surprised I never spoke of severe symptoms, but I think I was so used to living like a zombie that I thought it was normal.
For example, infrequently I have short spouts of memory loss, whereby I am having a conversation and I forget the topic or what I was talking about, loosing my train of thought. My short term memory sucks, so i have to record every class I go to, and relive every lecture about three times a week. I concentration level is like a five year old's, little things like a squeak of a table leg, can throw me off. I am an insomniac, to where my day time sleep is better than my night time. I cannot keep a steady schedule because I don't know when my slow mood will kick in, hence debilitating me for the rest of the day. Cannot get out of bed immediately after waking up due to stiff joints and muscle ache. I tend to thirst easy and crave for anything in the ice box, I watch my eating religiously, doesn't mean I always suceed. I have good hair in my family, but I feel my genes loosing the fight as time goes by, don't get me wrong I still have a full head of hair, this was another thing that baffled the docs. Last but not least, I have lived with constipation for a good portion of my life and just resently found out that I am odd in that, I like a diarheatic stool, well I moslty pass a comfortable stool with the assistance of enemas or laxatives, I try not to generate a dependency to these products because I have read some terrible stories online. There are little symptoms that appear from time to time, like migraines, chest pain, partially numb hands, finger tips, or lower leg. As bad as these may sound I did not let them surface during my synthroid dry spells, I was an avid gym goer(couldn't think of a better word), and I stayed pretty active with sports, swimming, b-ball, and cycling.
Now I don't have the time for an all rounded lifestyle,so every single one of the symptoms came back like a storm. I am in the dosage adjustment phase and the dose is up to 175mcg, just started that today, will see how that goes, it way better that the 75mcg that i have been on for a while now. I am also in the process of becoming part-time student due to my inability to cope with the course work. I want to focus more on my health until I my system has stabilized. NOW TO THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.
Since I have not dealt with an endocrinologist since my surgery, I have not been able to get a definite answer from these general and nurses practitioners that keep treating me. Before the question here is a slight background, I had precancerous hypothyroidism, whereby cancerous nodules started to appear on my half-a-baseball swollen thyroid. That was why it was removed, now the question is: DOES ANY BODY KNOW OF THE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS OF BEING WITHOUT THYROID HORMONE SUPPLEMENTS FOR A LENGTHY AMOUNT OF TIME, HMM.. LETS SAY 2 TO 3 YRS? I am starting to worry about my future, thats all. Thank for your patience.
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