What does it take to feel better?

[Selene]

Hi...I'm new to this board, and am truly happy to have found this place. Just knowing I'm not alone is a comfort. Maybe someone can help me?

I used to have what was considered a high metabolism, weight gain was never an issue, had lots of energy.

About ten years ago that all began to seriously change. I had no energy, started seriously gaining weight (about 50lbs to this day) and felt generally lousy. My hair started to seriously thin, every time I showered I encountered handfulls. My skin got dryer and dryer. Five years ago I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's, and began taking levothyroxine (now up to 100mcg daily).

My doctor says my thyroid tests are now normal, but he never told me what normal is. I surely don't *feel* normal.

I was told I would feel better, lose some weight and the hair loss would stop. None of that has happened. In fact, I gained even more weight when put on Atenolol for high blood pressure (which although it runs in my family I attribute primarily to the weight gain). The Atenolol successfully got the BP back to normal.

Dieting never used to be a problem. Even when this started, I was able to lose *some* of the weight, though never coming close to the 135lbs I weighed before this all began. Now dieting involves straight out starvation....under 1000 calories a day for a week results in a 1lb loss. Needless to say, any loss comes right back when eating somewhat more normally.

I'd love to get back to exercising, but simply don't have the drive......the energy to get up and go that I used to. It's a job to get myself through the day to day stuff I gotta do.

I don't have a job, I'm lucky in that my husband is making enough for us to survive, but extra money would make life easier, allow for savings and maybe a luxury like a vacation every year. I worry that I wouldn't have the energy to survive in the workplace.

Now they tell me my cholesterol level is over 300 and he wants me to take Lipitor. That stuff scares me to death, especially after hearing it causes muscle damage which can remain undetectable. As it is, the hormone loss due to Hashi's causes muscle weakness and that's something the treatment I've getting hasn't resolved to begin with. Then there's all the other side effects like memory loss, propensity to depression and more. I don't think this will help me feel better, and probably will do more damage long term.

I think I'm not getting enough from the hormone replacement. The high cholesterol seems to support that idea (my pre-Hashi's level was 152, 90 of which was HDL....I'm a wine drinker). Taking statins, to my mind, only masks the real problem.

How do I get past the "tests" and get treatment that will do some good? I'm not opposed to getting another doctor, if things work out.

[bella77]

Hi I am new to this board also I am here to give support as well as recieve support, I too was always stick thin used to have lots of energy,I could eat anything & not gain any weight:) but it all started 2 change, I packed on weight for no reason mostly in my stomach area, I started 2 feel out of it also I understand the hair issue, I have long hair and when I too take a shower long strands just fall out, I've gotten 2 the point where I hate washing my hair that way I don't actually have 2 really see just how much hair I am losing and be constantly reminded of what I am going through which starts 2 depress me, this disease has affected me physically, financially and most of all emotionally, I can speak for many who r going through this, but there is hope :) u have 2 keep looking 4 the answer 4 the reason don't stop, I myself had 2 go to 40+ doctors 2 get mine even the mayo clinic in minnesota which also were wrong, and even though my numbers were in range I knew I was'nt,:( I too had a high chlolesterol level I could not believe my muscles had gotten at one point so bad that when doing something so simple as sitting on a floor and then trying 2 get up from that position I would have 2 drag my leg and position it back under my body I was not strong enough 2 lift my own leg and I used 2 work out all the time, my upper leg muscles had gotten 2 the point that they were pretty much useless, my problem was even though my numbers were in range my thyroid had become TOXIC, even a slightly enlarged thyroid can become TOXIC, what works 4 some does'nt always work 4 others, so your best bet right now is 2 get a ultra-sound 2 find out the size & if u have 2 get 2,3,or 4 I have had 8 in 2 years at different locations and I have heard everything from it is in the range of normal upper limits to anywhere to 1-6 nodules to there is nothing wrong you tested fine, but you yourself live in your body and you know better than anyone that there is something not right, I have had my thyroid removed last month finally after all my struggles and I am doing much better:o but not quite where I want 2 b, so now I have to un-do all the damange but body has gone through these past few years I'm slowly climbing the hill to get to the top but the point is at least now I have that chance to climb it, I don't keep getting knocked down, I look at it as a beginning not an ending, I lost my sister to a thyrotoxic storm that was recently discovered, but that is another story I can't talk about at this moment it makes me angry just how much these drs take our situations so lax they do a couple of simple blood tests & send us on our way and tell us were fine, if u don't feel fine don't stop at one Dr go to as many as it takes until someone gets it right, I wish you all the best and keep us posted on your progress. bella77