So many thanks for an excellent site, that continues to be such a great resource.

I'm 28 and was diagnosed about two years ago with hypothyroidism. When I read up on it I realized I had probably had it for at least 10 years before it really took a dive and my TSH finally went up out of lab range (barely). At that point I was on Zoloft for depression, could barely concentrate, fell asleep constantly, had put on extra weight, my very curly hair was growing out almost straight, my skin was yellowish, my cholesterol 275 (after 229 earlier that ear), and when I tried to do the treadmill at the gym I would have to go home and lay down (I think it was that lack of oxygen to the muscles thing, and it's what convinced my doctor to test my TSH again).

On 50 micrograms of Synthroid a day, I have lost some weight but not all, I feel amazingly well, my skin and hair are better than ever, and best of all I completed the Seattle Danskin Women's Triathlon in August 1999 (I've never been athletic, but I'm a TRI-athlete now). I did it! The whole thing! And it left me with a love of running that I had never discovered before...I'd never run more than a mile before, and the second mile is so much better.

Now I'm living and traveling in Europe for two years for work, and my habits of running and eating defensively are really holding me in good stead. I feel like I'm conquering the world!

Here are three tips from me:

• Think positively. Don't say, "Today I won't have any chocolate." Instead, say "Today I will eat lots of veggies and fruits, and I'll even take a walk. Rah for me!" What you will do is so much better to focus on than what you shouldn't do, don't want to do, won't let yourself do, etc.
• Taking up a real endeavor, such as a race, is fantastic - even for me, a large, hypothyroid asthmatic. There is a huge difference between 'exercising' and 'training.' It changed my whole point of view.
• Keep on until you feel well. When I was on the road to recovery, one doctor told me that I shouldn't expect to feel well, since I'm a thyroid patient. Boy, was SHE fired.