Anybody with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?

[margo]

Hi,

I've recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and I am compeletely petrified! I gave birth to our second child last November, a couple of months later I experienced so much depression and extreme fatigue which I blamed on post-partum weight. After consulting the GP I was misdiagnosed with depression and I took antidepressants which helped with sleeping but I still had everything else. When I went for a bloodtest, I tested positive with extreme levels from 4.04 of 2 years ago to 60! It has been a week since I started taking the pills for hormone replacement but wondering how long it will take for them to take effect and I want to know if there's anybody out there who has had it and recovered? How long does it take to have any improvement and will I be cured completely? If you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis I'd like to hear from you please. Thank you!

Sincerely,
Margo.

[sober185016]

Hi Margo,
Have you checked out the site called womenshealth.gov? It explains everything about your condition. I think that if the medication doesn't work then they may have to do a complete thyroidectomy and then you'll have to be on thyroid hormones for the rest of your life. Hope you feel better soon sweetie. I was just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and man I really never feel good anymore. I know exactly how you feel. I went untreated for about 2 years and now it's like I've lost complete control of my body. Good luck and God bless.
Sincerely,
Tammy

[ebl9]

I have been recently diagnosed and have been on low dose treatment for six weeks, because of my age (76). My biggest worry is hair loss which I put down to getting older, and this might still be the case. I should like to know if anybody who has experienced some recovery from this symptom.

[kykaco]

I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism and frankly, I feel like ****. I have been taking Synthroid for 4 weeks now and not only do I not feel better...I feel 10 times worse then before taking Synthroid. I am so scared that I will never feel the way i used to. By the way, how do you know if you have Hashimoto thyroiditis, compared to non???? Good luck to everyone.

[malou]

Margo,
The same happened to me after giving birth to my third child. Actually it took years to get a diagnosis and to function better (not 3-4 weeks as the doctor told me). Life would have been so much better if realistic information had been given. It felt like 'not beeing able to get on the train' even if I ran as fast as I could. Even worse. Don't run, give yourself all the time you need, try to get hold of relevant information when you get some of your energy back, ask questions. Till you get back to normal.

[swb]

I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. It took an entire year and several doctors to determine this. I have been on the internet and doing endless research on my situation. I have looked into homeopathic alternatives as well as prescription medicines. It has been difficult to decided what is best. I have read and heard opinions and suggestions from everyone under the sun.
My test ( thyroid peroxidase) showed that I possesed antibodies which work against my thyroid, 1000 plus. Since taking Synthroid, ovber the past year this number has reduced to approx 400. I feel better overall. I still have moments in which I experience some of the symptoms I had prior to treatmment. I have had to adjust my dosages occassionally as well. My hair ( long strands) falls out, probably more due to the medication, but it's not as brittle and dry as it used to be. I was told that my TSH was in the normal range. After more in depth test were done, my third endocrinologist confirmed. I am not sure if this medication wasthe best option, I do know that after about 2 months I began to feel better. My suggestion to anyone is to see several doctors, do your own research, and use your best judgement to do something about your situation. Ultimately, No one knows it better than you.

[Unregistered]

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 5 years ago. I have been on medication ever since. Recently, I started feeling strange again. I went to a well known endocrinologist and it turns out I had been incorrectly diagnosed. I actually had Postpartum thryoiditis. Which isn't very common, but it happend 1-6 months post pregnancy. At first you experience hyperthyroid symptoms for 2-4 months followed by hypothyroid symptoms from 4-18 months. I have read on the American Thyroid website it is impossible to tell the difference between hashimotos and postpartum thyroiditis. The test with the antibodies isn't fool-proof. What probably hasn't been told to you, is that you can have the anti bodies and not have hashimoto's. It may predetermine a problem later in life but it does not mean you have the disease. I suppose doctors are not always up on rare thyroid conditions, but the more research I do the more often I find women are being diagnosed commonly after child birth. I just find it interesting. Also, I read the 80% of women have a normal functioning thyroid 12-18 months after postpartum thyroiditis. I could not sympathize with you all more. It is a very difficult disease to find a "feel good' level. I wish you all well..

[Unregistered]

Hello all I just wanted to comment on a few of your posts regarding hashis.
I have been through so much in 2 years I wont get into it but basically my thyroid went wacky HYPO 6 months after birth of my son........I was seriously ill. Anyway I DID test POSITIVE for antibodies so they say I have hashimotos. Suprisingly I became pregnant again and it was a hard pregnancy but my TSH seemed to stay under control. After the birth of my daughter (5 months ago) my TSH is going nutts It is so hypo and I have been up and down on meds it is enough to drive me insane. I cry every day because of this and sometimes I am so weak I think I am going to die but other days I am fine. I am worn out from all of this and my doc doesnt know what is going on but I also read the last post that sometimes it is not always Hashis and could be from child birth (post pardum) I am wondering if that is what it is? Although I do have antibodies but maybe having this second child has totally threw my body off again. I am just scared and confused. I am not a registered user on here but I think I may just become one

[Unregistered]

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto a little over two years ago. I was not able to move because my body was in so much pain, my hair started to come out in handfulls, the exhaustion can't be described. the doc thought I had Lupus so he did a complete ANA test with the works only to find it was my thyroid.I could tell many a story of all the testing and drugs that followed, it took at least 6 months for the body to respond to the right levels , so we thought because I seemed to be better and then I hit another rock bottom, last summer again I could't move and was in bed most of the summer because of intense pain only to find out I was not taking to the drug very well. the doctor decided to quit the drug I was on and the levels just skyrocketed. today I was back at the doctor and heard a terrible news I didn't want to hear. my blood tests came back and my thyroid is being destroyed as we type.the T4 levels indicate its only a matter of a little time nad the thyroid will be totally dead, that is what the specialist predicted would happen for me in about three to five years from when I was first diagnosed. the autoimmune disease is taking over my body.I go for a blood test tommorrow for the pancreas to see if its in there as well which He claims may happen.The news isn't surprising because my family history is repeating itself.There are three siblings with the problem and my Dad has it too and also Diabetes.This all isn't encourging but it was nice to get on a page like thisand know others have this thing as well.

[Unregistered]

Visit www.stopthethyroidmadness.com site for more info. I have Hashi's and have been taking Armour for one year. I know that I wanted to die just before I was diagnosed/started taking the Armour. Everything hurt but my hands and feet, etc. Fine now. Try that site. It will help you. There is also a forum so you can post your test results and get feedback from people who've dealt w/this for years.