From the article: Thyroid Testing and Diagnosis
It may have been a useful tip from a hairdresser or dentist, or some mysterious symptoms, a book you read, information you saw on the Internet, the curiosity of a smart general practitioner, or a workup at the endocrinologist, but each thyroid patients comes to their diagnosis in a unique way. What were the triggers and situations that resulted in you getting diagnosed? What impediments did you face in getting diagnosed? Did you get the runaround from doctors, HMOs or insurance companies? Did you have to see multiple doctors? What type of doctor eventually helped you get diagnosed? Share your diagnosis saga now. Share Your Story
Diagnosis Story
- I have been taking my medications for about 13 years now. Before I took it I was dry, constipated, depressed, achy all over and was tired all the time but could not sleep. I can't figure out why you would want to stop taking your medications. It's not expensive and it makes you feel better. If you were only two when you started taking it you probably don't remember feeling depressed. I take the lowest dose - 50 mcg. If you have been taking any more than that you most definately will notice a change. It might take a few weeks though. Also, you could have serious medical problems if you don't take it. Don't stop it would be very foolish.
- —Guest IksGuvGuzdNH
Weight Gain Post HCG
- Your weight comes back in stage 4 of HCG? Just thinking maybe there is a Candida yeast issue. Get yourself a reputable naturopath to clear that, or to identify what might be behind that. Just a thought!
- —BepaV
Hypothryroid/Lithium
- I recently found out that I had hypothyroidism through a blood test. My last test in June of 2011 was normal. There is a well known link between Lithium and hypothyroidism. My doctor had me cut down on the Lithium and then added Levothyroxine to battle the problem from both ends. So, if you are taking Lithium, make sure you are getting your thyroid tested as determined by your doctor.
- —Doug1a
Surprise!
- I had been on 3 different types of pain medications for chronic pain: Neurontin, Amytriptylene and finally Cymbalta. I had sleep disturbance, weight gain, dry skin, aches and pains. All I attributed to the aging process (I'm 61). I think the fatigue bothered me more than anything because I have always been a very active person. I finally took myself off all the medications (which weren't effective anyway and found a new doctor. I told him I was really concerned because I had no energy and no matter what I tried, I couldn't lose about 15 pounds that I had gained. He immediately ran my TSH and that is how I discovered I had hypothyroidism. I just started taking a low dose thyroid pill so I don't know what will happen, but at least I have a name to my symptoms and it is not chronic pain!
- —Guest judy
Unexpected/Conflicted Diagnosis
- TSH was monitored and it remained low after increasing Levothyroxin and later stopping the medication. I was re-tested 3 months later and it was still low. After more extensive blood tests were erratic and conflicting I had CT Scan that showed non-absorbtion of iodine. A sonogram revealed cold nodules. A needle aspiration was negative. A thyroidectomy was performed and no cancer was found. I have had no prior severe symptoms and had a normal TSH reading one week prior to surgery. So far, my blood pressure and heart rate have dropped to normal. My cholesterol has not yet been retested, but was high prior to surgery. My body temperature control has resumed to normality, but my voice is gone from normal to bass. Is expected to improve! I have gained 3 pounds in one week and my incision feels crawly and itchy.
- —Guest Carol Henderson
Self Diagnosed and Pushed For Tests
- With the US allegedly having the "best" healthcare system, this is shameful what some of us have been through. I had ALL of the symptoms: constipated, thin eyebrows, pudgy, feel like there's a lump in my throat all the time. I would fall asleep anytime and anywhere and was always teased as "the party pooper." My TSH, for several years, was "normal" at 2.50. To doctors I was just "depressed" or "overwieght" or "lazy." I finally insisted on more tests and came back very low FREE T3 and T4 - aha! Vindicated! Taking NaturThroid and feel so much better, but an ultrasound has shown some nodules too small to biopsy and I am scared about that. I feel like I know what is going to happen next, but staying positive.
- —Guest Annie95747
My Doctor Made a Mistake!
- Knowing of my family history of hypothyroidism, I had my doctor send me for blood work every couple of years. This past May, I got some more done and since I didn't receive a phone call, I figured everything was fine. That was until 7 months later, when I went to my doctor to get a birth control refill and he tells me my blood work from May - specifically my thyroid - is out of whack. It's unfortunate that I've been tired, cold and having extremely dry skin so much in these past months when I could have been on medication to help fix the issue.
- —Guest Caroline
20 year journey
- At 18, I was having dizziness, ear pain and ear fullness\popping. I was diagnosed as dysfunctional Eustachian tubes. Since it happened so infrequently I didn't bother with treatment. At the age of 26 I had my son. I couldn't get over my fatigue and hair loss. I had headaches this whole time, but didn't connect it all. Finally, I was diagnosed low thyroid and started on Synthroid. I have felt better, but not 100% so I quit taking it and I began taking herbs. I felt great for a couple of years. At age 36, the dizziness had gotten worse and I thought my headaches were due to chiropractic issues/TMJ/ears. I went to an ENT who said nothing was wrong with my ears. So, I decided to get blood work done "just to check" my thyroid since I still had low thyroid symptoms. My test results came back overactive. I told them I had not taken medications in years so they did an ultrasound. I came to find out at 37 that I had Hashimoto's this whole time, hot nodules and a goiter had started to develop that shut down my left thyroid. Had a total thyroidectomy and I feel great!
- —Guest Melissa C.
Thyroid Story
- I had an amazing pregnancy, but I went from 135 lbs to 216 lbs doing everything right. I ate healthy, exercised, but something just was not right. After I gave birth, I went for a physical with the following symptoms: hair loss, bleeding gums, depression, weak nails, feeling absolutely exhausted. When I had my daughter, I had only lost 15 lbs! My doctor thought it could be my thyroid. When I received my labs my levels were 28. Ten long years later, I am taking 200 mics a day and a T3. Ironic as it was, my sister was told by her dentist the same week that since I was diagnosed that she should have her's tested as well. Since then she has had her thyroid removed due to cancer.
- —Guest Shawn
Severely hypothyroid - Hashimoto's
- I had turned 50 and was feeling extremely tired, rundown and burnt out. In addition, I was gaining weight - up to 15 extra pounds and had swelling in my extremities. I went to see my gynecologist this year and complained of fatigue. She immediately suggested a blood test for the thyroid. It came back at over 150 TSH (off the chart). When it was retested, it came back with the same results. She immediately referred me to an endocrinologist, who scheduled me to come in right away. She gave me two 50 mcg Synthroids (in her office) and put me on 50's. She also took me off work for 7 days. I am now on 75's and will be going to 100's at the beginning of November. (My antibodies came back at 149, instead of under 35!) I'm still not feeling 100% - having good days and bad days. My biggest problem is trying to figure out what is safe for me to eat, since I'm a vegetarian. I know I should avoid soy and make sure to cook the goitrogens: broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
- —timewarpnut
How My Graves' was Diagnosed
- I have been overweight since puberty and that was over 30 years ago. I suffered 3 miscarriages and was able to carry only 1 child to term. After my son was born I totally lost my sex drive. Then when my son was 6 years old, my weight mysteriously started melting off. Over the next 12 months I lost a total of 70 pounds and started looking very gaunt in my face. I didn't realize I was losing muscle mass. Everyone was concerned about me, but I still felt fine. Then in January 2010, my legs swelled up and my heart starting beating fast. After a few days I went to the doctor's office. He did some test and became very concerned. He told me to go straight to the ER, which I did. I spent the next 6 days in hospital while I was diagnosed with Graves' disease. I have been taking Methimazole ever since.
- —Guest Francesca Thomas
How I Finally Got Treated
- I'm now a senior. When I was young I tried to get myself tested for low thyroid. I was given the basal metabolism test. The doctor giving it didn't really know what he was doing so I wasn't treated. When I was in my 40's, I developed urticaria, or red large bumps that itched. The doctors wanted to give me medication to treat an allergy. Ultimately, I had an arthritis attack. Of course, the doctors wanted to treat that with NSAIDs. I refused the allergy medications and the NSAIDs, after going along at first and getting sick from the medications. Fortunately, I read Broda Barnes' book in the book store and pushed the rheumatologist to have my thyroid tested. He sent me to the endocrinologist who found that I had a goiter. He tested and found Hashimoto's. I was put on Synthroid. I have since found that I am allergic to it and that I don't convert T3 from T4 very well. I'm now on thyroid medicine, which is natural and has both. I had an ectopic or tubal pregnancy and wondered if thyroid was at fault.
- —AndreaLGross
My Sister Pointed Out My Left Wide-Eye
- In 2009, my sister noticed my left eye was larger than my right eye. It was around Thanksgiving when she came home from school. So, I went to see an eye doctor and after several blood tests, I was diagnosed with Graves' Eye Disease and hyperthyrodism (Jan. 2010). My endocrinologist put me on the anti-thyroid medication and I am still on the medication. My dosage has decreased and I hope to eventually get off the medication. My prayers are that my thyroids will naturally resume normal activities and I won't have to get surgery to remove it. I've heard stories of depression, weight gain and hair loss once you are hypothyroidism for life. My left eye is still larger than my right eye, but I think I have seen some improvement. It is not as wide-eyed as it used to be in 2009.
- —Guest blushbeam
Diagnosed Hypothyroid
- I had been having a lot of joint and muscle pain and assumed I must be getting arthritis. When I would get out of bed each morning my feet would hurt so bad it would take a bit of careful walking around before the foot pain would ease. At the time, I was seeing an internal medicine doctor who said my cholesterol levesl had increased and she ordered a thyroid test. It came back with an elevated TSH of 10! The doctor prescribed Levoxyl and over the next month I noticed that all my joint and muscle pains were dissolving. After 8 weeks, my doctor ordered follow-up labs, which showed normalizing TSH and cholesterol levels. However, several months later I started feeling sick. With any exertion, I felt like my heart was skipping beats and I experienced extreme shortness of breath. I could hardly walk without nearly collapsing. I asked the pharmacist about my Levoxyl and he said it had been changed to a generic two months earlier!
- —Guest Susan
My Husband Insisted Something Was Wrong
- When my son was about 9 months old, I went to the doctor for my annual exam. My husband had for many months insisted that there was something not right with me. I was only 20 and frankly, I thought he was being paranoid. I slept whenever I had a moment and really, that's all I did. I had gained a really unhealthy amount of weight during pregnancy, which makes me wonder if I was developing hypothyroidism during that time. I was just consistently exhausted, but I just waking up during the night with my son was taking its toll. During my physical, my doctor asked the closing "is there anything else you wanted to discuss?" question. I told her about my exhaustion and she said that even though it was probably just fatigue but, she'd run a thyroid test. The nurse called me back a few days later and said, "Honey, your thyroid is all out of whack!" I've been on Synthroid ever since (almost 10 years now).
- —Guest Rachel
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