In my last blogs, I told you about how I was misdiagnosed with a hypothyroidism and how as a result, I’ll probably have to stay on thyroid medications for the rest of my life.
I take 2 medicines every day—Armour Thyroid and Levoxyl. They are pretty common thyroid drugs, and they work for me. But as I’ve found out through talking with other people, when it comes to treating the thyroid, one size does not fit all.
For example, I have a dear friend with a thyroid condition (a real one, not a misdiagnosed one like I had), and what I take doesn’t have the same effect on her. She has to take something else, and take it differently than I do.
And in the beginning, when I was first misdiagnosed, my physician put me on Synthroid, but it caused my energy level to completely tank, and later on I read that it can actually cause pituitary tumors. Needless to say, I was pretty happy to stop taking it. The Levoxyl works well, but the Synthroid did not. These medications are not a “one size fits all” by any stretch of the imagination.
Another thing to keep in mind if you have been diagnosed with a thyroid condition is that the drugs you take don’t start working overnight. It’s not like when you have a sinus infection and your doctor gives you a Z-pack and by the next morning life is rosy again. It’s not a “take a pill and you’ll be fine in the morning” situation—not so much! It can involve a lot of trial and error. It takes time, patience, and sometimes a change or two of dosages and/or drugs to get your thyroid levels back in balance. It’s important to go back to your doctor after about six weeks and have other blood tests drawn, and make sure your levels are evening out.
I’d also like to offer a few tips for dealing with thyroid medication. With our busy lives, it can be hard to remember to take medicines on time, but with thyroid medication, you absolutely have to take it regularly and under certain conditions. For example, you have to take it on an empty stomach, about an hour before you eat or drink anything.
What has worked for me is to keep my medicine in a container near my bedside, so I take it before I get out of bed in the morning. I keep a bottle of water on my nightstand too so I can just wake up, take the medication, and wash it down. Of course, if you have little ones at home you’ll want to keep your medicines out of their reach, but you can still work it into your morning routine by keeping the bottle in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom where you first go after waking up.
Then for my mid-afternoon dose, I have the alarm on my cell phone set for 3 p.m., and again, I keep a pill box with me. Again, I always keep a bottle of water with me so it’s easy to take the medication.
If for some reason, you miss a dose, please don’t take it later on, and please don’t ever double up a dose. Just wait until your next dose is due and take it at the scheduled time.
So to recap, if you are dealing with a thyroid condition, chart your symptoms, and chart your progress. Work with your physician to get things ship-shape and for you to start feeling better. And please don’t be shy about asking for help and additional checkups and tests. You deserve to feel well!
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Hello Anonymous!
Thank you so much for visiting the website and for posting your reply to my thyroid story. It sounds like what happened to you is exactly what happened to me. I was misdiagnosed with a thyroid condition, put on medications, and my thyroid has shrunk in size to the point where my doctor can no longer feel it. Your legs being swollen concerns me though--when did this start happening? I've read articles that say this symptom can be connected to your thyroid but it could be from other issues as well. Has it been going on as long as you've been on your thyroid medications?
A good endocrinologist is a great place to start in terms of your thyroid. Where do you live? We could help you try to find a great endo in your area if you'd like--we could ask the visitors to the board to post who they like in your part of the country. Please post again and let us know, and also how else we can try to help you. Best in health to you, Michelle
May 30, 2009 - 9:55pmThis Comment
I am on thyroid medications for a very long period of time. Recently I did ultrasound of my thyroid and they found it got smaller in size in comparison to 2003. My legs are swollen as well as area around the neck.
May 29, 2009 - 2:42amWhat do I do? Any good endocrinologist around who can help?
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