Months ago I told a doctor my usual quip, “Why does everyone say exercise gives you energy? It just makes me tired.” He sent me for bloodwork and determined my thyroid levels were low. I started on a thyroid regimen and felt better but not energetic. So he added a second medication.
And I felt really good.
Not manic good. I wasn’t bouncing off walls or awake twenty hours a day. But I was no longer falling asleep in the afternoons, dozing on the couch while the kids watched TV (waking me up every so often to put on a new show). I could take them out for the afternoon: the park, the fountain, somewhere.
In addition, I lost 30 pounds. Not bad, eh? I once told Tamar that I just didn’t believe that exercise + eating less would lead to weight loss, because it never seemed to work that way for me. But once I started taking the thyroid combination, BOOM! I started losing weight slowly and steadily. I went through my saved jeans at a fairly regular pace and was ecstatic the day I hadn’t done laundry and found that the size 8 jeans hanging in the closet fit me just fine. Not quite at the point where I could put on my Calvin Klein skirt. But I was definitely heading there.
I thought, This is how most people live their lives. They don’t feel run down all the time.
The effect seems to be wearing off, though. Just today I went for a run with Rob and Nina in the morning, then ran around getting the kids to their various activities. I came home and went upstairs to shower. But before I got in the shower I lay down on the bed “just for a moment.” You know how this story ends, right? I haven’t done that for, well, months. I had to force myself to get out of bed when I woke up at two hours, but even now I could go right back.
I don’t think I’m taking the kids to the park this afternoon. Maybe they’d be up for the backyard while I doze on the couch.
Of course, on top of everything else, I’m deeply worried about regaining the weight. Especially since I gave away all my bigger clothes.
I guess I need my blood levels looked at again. This tiredness is so discouraging sometimes.
Hey Diane, I’m hypothyroid and gave been since my early 20s. What else did your doctor give you? I’ve asked mine over and over again for suggestions after being on a certain dosage of synthroid for years and not losing a pound and still feeling mildly to moderately fatigued, but she’s never had anything else to say other than “Well we could increase your dosage, but I don’t think your numbers warrant it.”
It’s very frustrating.
Oh also, just wanted to mention that my meds had to be adjusted 3 times in 2 years before my levels stabilized at felt much as you describe: I’d feel better, be sleeping less, be less depressed and then start sleeping too much again. So the doc (different state, different doctor) would tweak the dosage in small increments, we’d wait a month or two and if there was no improvement, tweak again.
I’m on one Levoxyl and two Cytomel per day. The doc’s told me I can take a third Cytomel per day as circumstances warrant, but I haven’t found that taking a third (around lunch time) makes that much of a difference.
Diane,
My wife struggled for years with undiagnosed thyroid problems. Doctors just did not want to do the right follow up tests because it was not called for in their “normal” protocal. She was eating only 900 calories and day and still gaining weight…very discouraging. Finally got her levels of T3 and T4 balanced and feels much better now.
Have you explored the work of Dr. E. Denis Wilson? He was somewhat ostricized for a while by the medical community for his non-traditional approach, which has helped many people. It is now gaining acceptance and there are MDs using his approach and products with good success. There are a couple of doctors or practitioners in your area who have become certified in the Wilson Syndrome treatment.
See his websites at:
http://www.wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/
http://www.wilsonstemperaturesyndrome.com/FixingTheProblems.htm
http://www.wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/eBook/
http://www.wilsonstemperaturesyndrome.com/PositionStatement.htm
He also has an on-line newsletter that is helpful:
http://www.wilsonsthyroidsyndrome.com/NewsLetter/
Best of luck in finding the right solutio/treatment for your problem and personal symptoms.
I have never heard of Denis Wilson, but I will check him out: I’m at the point where I will try just about anything. Thanks for the tip.
Diane — are you going to an endocrinologist? My sister’s Internist was treating hers and it was semi-successful, an improvement over what she’d been before. But when she was at the endocrinologist with her husband (who is diabetic) and they started talking about her situation, the endocrinologist stepped in, did more tests, and is the one who got her situation straightened out.