Help, I'm Hypothyroid and I Still Don't Feel Well

For a complete look at thyroid hormone replacement drugs, see the Thyroid Drugs Database.

For more understanding of TSH values, and various thyroid drugs, and dealing with your doctors regarding these issues, there are several other articles here at the that can help you determine your next steps toward wellness.

• Six Questions You Ought to Ask Your Doctor...And How to Interpret the Answers -- This article presents the six critical questions you need to ask your doctor when you are hypothyroid - whether from RAI, surgery, or autoimmune thyroid disease.
  
  
• Diagnosis: Hypothyroidism -- Answers to Some Common Questions -- This article answers key questions a newly diagnosed person with hypothyroidism typically asks, along with answers, including information on how long it takes to feel better after starting treatment, long-term health risks, whether or not you'll get a goiter, fatigue and weight gain and how to combat them, and more.
  
  
• Hypothyroidism Symptoms Checklist -- You can take this checklist of risk factors and symptoms to your doctor to help get a diagnosis, or make the argument that your hypothyroid symptoms are not resolved by your current treatment.

Many undertreated people suffer from tingling extremities, muscle pains and joint aches and swelling with their thyroid problem -- sometimes even getting the "diagnosis" of fibromyalgia or arthritis. A number of innovative doctors and practitioners believe that fibromyalgia is not a condition unto itself, but just a constallation of symptoms that reflect untreated or undertreated hypothyroidism and thyroid hormone conversion and usage problems. I'd suggest that you read: Fibromyalgia Aches and Pains as a "Symptom" of Hypothyroidism: A Look at the Theories of Dr. John Lowe. This looks at the issue of muscle and joint aches and pains that accompany hypothyroidism, and whether they are a separate problem -- fibromyalgia -- or if fibromyalgia is a symptom of the thyroid problem itself.

Hair loss or dry, coarse hair is also a common problem. This is a particularly frustrating problem, one I've suffered with myself (I have long hair) so I can always sympathize! I have an article on . The article talks about tips and things you can do to determine if your hair loss is due to undertreatment. Plus, there are some supplements and treatments that are helping people, myself included!

If you want to find the doctor to help you get to the bottom of your diagnosis, you can search for a good doctor recommended by our fellow thyroid patients at my Thyroid Top Doc Directory. The Directory features US and international doctors by state or country. If we don't have a doctor for your area, you can enter your request there as well. You can also request and suggest great thyroid doctors around the world at my Thyroid Top Doc Forum.

Mary Shomon, About.com's Thyroid Guide since 1997, is a nationally-known patient advocate and best-selling author of 10 books on health, including "The Thyroid Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss," "Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You...That You Need to Know," "Living Well With Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism," "Living Well With Autoimmune Disease," "Living Well With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia," and the "Thyroid Guide to Fertility, Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Success." Click here for more information on Mary Shomon.