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Thyroid (Expert Forum)
Alternatives to synthroid
Answered by
Mark Lupo, M.D. - Thyroid Nodules, Thyroid Cancer, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Thyroid Ultrasound
Thyroid & Endocrine Center of Florida
Sarasota - FL
Questions in the Thyroid forum are answered by Dr. Mark Lupo. Topics covered include goiter, graves disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, thyroid cancers, thyroiditis, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
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Alternatives to synthroid
by cmk217, Sep 22, 2006 12:00AM
26 yo female.Grandma & dad are hypo.Sis is hyper.Dad has type2 diabetes.
I have always been very thin, had allergies, sinus problems, migraines, & sensitive to cold temps-swelling, redness, itching.Other than that,ok.Most of these problems lessened when I began seeing a chiropractor & stopped zyrtec.
I have had a stressful year.5 weddings, stress at work, my grandpa & 3friends passed away.I have been stressed, tired, forgetful, & feel warmer.
Late April, I started feeling nausea everyday, but my family had the flu.
After a few wks, I made appts with the obgyn (everything ok) & dr.Dr had me get some bloodwork & put me on prevacid assuming there was a tear in my stomach lining from stress.
Results:Glucose, Serum 100, HDL Cholesterol 70, & TSH 8.550.
The omperazole helped a little, but 8-10 wks later, I still feel nausea, reflux, & stomach pain.
Last wk Dr said that the TSH level was higher.Try levothyroxin to see if that helps the stomach, continue omperazole, & schedule scope if no improvement.
I have been feeling depressed, but I got laid off last week, which means no insurance.I notice tingling in my feet when I 1st get up.I gained 2lbs, but was away for 3 weeks-still 5'4" 111lbs?Why didn't dr do any other tests since my symptoms are hypo & hyper?Dr said to TRY levo.I found out that if I start taking levo, I will have to take it for the rest of my life, I'm 26 yo!If I begin taking levo, my thyroid will stop working and eventually be unable to function at all.Neither the dr nor the Rx papers mention this!Any advice or insight would be GREATLY appreciated.
I have always been very thin, had allergies, sinus problems, migraines, & sensitive to cold temps-swelling, redness, itching.Other than that,ok.Most of these problems lessened when I began seeing a chiropractor & stopped zyrtec.
I have had a stressful year.5 weddings, stress at work, my grandpa & 3friends passed away.I have been stressed, tired, forgetful, & feel warmer.
Late April, I started feeling nausea everyday, but my family had the flu.
After a few wks, I made appts with the obgyn (everything ok) & dr.Dr had me get some bloodwork & put me on prevacid assuming there was a tear in my stomach lining from stress.
Results:Glucose, Serum 100, HDL Cholesterol 70, & TSH 8.550.
The omperazole helped a little, but 8-10 wks later, I still feel nausea, reflux, & stomach pain.
Last wk Dr said that the TSH level was higher.Try levothyroxin to see if that helps the stomach, continue omperazole, & schedule scope if no improvement.
I have been feeling depressed, but I got laid off last week, which means no insurance.I notice tingling in my feet when I 1st get up.I gained 2lbs, but was away for 3 weeks-still 5'4" 111lbs?Why didn't dr do any other tests since my symptoms are hypo & hyper?Dr said to TRY levo.I found out that if I start taking levo, I will have to take it for the rest of my life, I'm 26 yo!If I begin taking levo, my thyroid will stop working and eventually be unable to function at all.Neither the dr nor the Rx papers mention this!Any advice or insight would be GREATLY appreciated.
Doctor's Answer
by Mark Lupo, M.D., Sep 24, 2006 12:00AM
, Sep 24, 2006 12:00AM
Taking levothyroxine does not commit you to lifelong treatment and does not cause the thyroid to stop working -- these are MYTHS. Many patients have thyroid conditions that do require life-long treatment with levothyroxine. You had one slightly high TSH -- would repeat the test 4-6 weeks after the first test, obtain thyroid antibodies, then decide the thyroid status and figure out if treatment is indicated. I start with levo alone and in some cases consider adding cytomel in the future.
If you have given the Levo time and and it's not bringing your numbers down low enough that you are feeling much better, you might ask your Dr. to change to Armour and try that.
I've taken it 30+ years and tried synthetics and they did not work for me.
Good luck. Being hypothyroid with no treatment is one of the worst feelings in the world, very hard to function in a day to day life.
Is it possible to boost my thyroid with supplements? Or that I'm lacking certain vitamins or minerals and if they are added, my thyroid will function at a better level?
Just to confirm, if my thyroid is not working properly b/c I am lacking some vitamin or mineral, will it begin working while on the levo and show up in the bloodwork or will it be suppressed b/c the levo is already providing T4? Will levo eventually suppress my thyroid (like when body builders take steroids and their bodies are eventually unable to produce testosterone)? Basically, I'm willing to try a natural method 1st, but in order for the natural method to work would I need to stop the levo to experience these results(I understand you can't tell me to stop the levo)? And, if I don't need the levo, is taking it going to create a need?
I'm willing to try natural, but I am not opposed to Rx (just cautious of the overwhelming tendency of our medical system to just prescribe ANOTHER pill that's not actually fixing the problem or that I may not even need). is there a dangerous level, symptom, or sign to watch out for if I'm using natural that should trigger me to say - ok it's time for Rx; it is necessary?
I'm just afraid that we're going to see something on the news a year from now that levo may cause... It's not like it hasn't happened with other common drugs. I always wonder how they miss dangerous side affects and why they don't test for things in advance.
I read online that bromine could intefere with iodine in the thyroid potentially causing hypo. The bottled water I have been using for the past 2 years was recently recalled. "Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is voluntarily recalling all sizes of this product. Recent tests showed the bromate level exceeded allowable limits. There are no imminent health risks." Is this something to be concerned about?
Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You… that You Need to Know
by Mary J. Shoman
It covers all the bases; Quote:
This is an extensively researched guide to this complex condition. The book covers conventional, alternative, and late-breaking approaches to treatment–such as challenging the gold standard of Synthroid as the thyroid replacement therapy of choice and new research on adding T3 to treatment.) Shoman explains everything from how to choose a thyroid specialist to how calcium, antidepressants, and a high-fiber diet affect thyroid hormone absorption. The book discusses depression, which is a typical misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism and covers infertity, as well as thyroid cancer, one of the less common causes of hypothyroidism.
Mary J. Shoman is a nationally known thyroid patient advocate, health writer and thyroid patient herself. She also manages a thyroid Web site and writes a newsletter on hypothyroidism.
That's just ONE of many books out there. Just do a Google search, I guarantee, you will turn up many more. Read as many as you can, educate yourself, and go from there. At least you will know what questions to ask your Dr.
There are also a couple of forums I visit, where they use both kinds of meds, with valuable information. If you want the links, I can provide them.
Nutrition is one good way to keep your thyroid functioning as best it can yes, but it will not cure you, no, unfortunately.
As far as the water you've been drinking I don't know, but I really do belive that a lot of things we are exposed to cause, and affect a lot of our bodies' systems. Some we can overcome, some we always can't. We just have to do the best we can do.
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