Has anyone here had problems with low thyroid levels and if so how was it treated and how long did it take for your energy levels to return to normal?

Has anyone here had problems with low thyroid levels and if so how was it treated and how long did it take for your energy levels to return to normal?

I know two people who had true thyroid problems. Both had their thyroids irradiated and are on medication to control their metabolism. Im sure they are the extreme. Im also sure that lots of people like to use their thyroid as an excuse.

I know two people who had true thyroid problems. Both had their thyroids irradiated and are on medication to control their metabolism. Im sure they are the extreme. Im also sure that lots of people like to use their thyroid as an excuse.

No, if you've got a thyroid disorder, it isn't just some lame excuse. I had mantained a pretty consistent weight for most of my adult life, but suddenly, with no change in diet, I gained around 40 pounds in less than a year. I was also dead tired, had no energy and generally felt terrible. I went to the doctor to see what the deal was, and it turned out that my thyroid had basically shut down. My TSH was about 10 times higher than the upper limit of the normal range.

To answer the poster's question though, hypothyroidism is usually treated with replacement hormone ... usually synthroid or levothroid. The length of time it takes to recover really depends on how bad off your thyroid is, and how aggressive the doctor is with medication. Alot of doctors tend to bump up the medication very slowly, which means it will take a long time (6 months or longer) before you start feeling normal again if you have very low thyroid output to begin with. My doctor was doing this, but then circumstance caused me to switch doctors....and my new doctor switched me to a much higher dose. So, I started feeling better relatively quickly after that.

No, if you've got a thyroid disorder, it isn't just some lame excuse.

I never said that and I did answer the part of the question that I could.

I never said that and I did answer the part of the question that I could.

I wasn't trying to call you out or anything -- Sorry if it seemed that way. I was just trying to convey that hypothyroidism does cause serious problems with weight, metabolism and energy. I do agree though, that once the problem is identified, that there is no reason one cannot get their metabolism and weight back under control. All it takes is getting the proper dosage of medication and you should be back in business. It might take a little while (getting the dosage right initially is kind of a tedious process), but once the problem is under control, there is no reason one cannot trim the fat and hit the gym.

After I had my thyroid removed due to cancer... My Specialist Doc wanted to start me off on .075 synthroid after surgery :eek: ..lucky for me my wife works for the first Doc who found the lump and I was able to self medicate..:) I started myself at .150 end up being I need closer to .250-300 depending on time of year and if I'm working out..

Half life of T4 is like a 1/2-week So what this means.. and from experience.. if you started on meds today.. and depending how hypo you are...It's going to take a week or two to start feeling better..but 100% could take a month.. the Doc's ususally will test you every 6-8 weeks..to make sure you have stablized..

It's not the end of the world :) but alot of people that have thyroid problems.. are insulin resistance/carb senitive.. so keep an eye on that..
A place with alot of info.. is about.com do a search for thyroid and read :)

I lost my thyroid to cancer in third grade, and puberty was HELL because of it. I either had a skeletal frame and buggy eyes or was severely overweight while my doctors frantically tried to get my syntrhoid dosage to keep up with my ever-changing hormones.

I'm on a good dosage now, but it means that I have to work like a maniac to change my weight in any real way, especially if I want it to last. Diet is a real issue for me...I can see a couple pound fluctuation if I stray from my diet for more than a day or two.

It's not the end of the world if you have thyroid problems, but it does require medical professionals to monitor your levels. That's a simple blood test and meeting with nutritionists to formulate a plan to keep everything under control. Ask what the warning signs are that your medication (if you're put on it) isn't working correctly, and you'll be fine. Good luck!:gl:

My doctor put me on synthroid about a year ago. One thing is that the instructions are to not eat for 1 hour after or two to three hours before. I don't follow them. I eat about an hour before. That said, I haven't notice any reaction one way or another. The doc says the thyroid readings are normal now. That's just me. Your experiences may differ.

As a "home' remedy, you might want to boost your kelp intake.

kelp contains iodine and the thyroid harbors nearly all the iodine in your body. iodine is necessary for proper thyroid function. The thyroid controls metabolic rate and can act to stabilize energy levels and weight gain and loss.

Low levels of iodine will affect the thyroids function.

It would be extremely hard to "O.D." on iodine.

There is another product on the market called SEA VEGG that contains kelp and several other seaweeds. But it is pricey.

Regular kelp tabs are affordable.