Hey Robert, that is pretty high. You know a lot of us are an medication for hypothyroid, it is no big deal. I take about 90mg of synthroid each morning, not a big deal. My doc who specializes in athletes says to try and get it around 2 or so. And since you are having symptoms, probably a good idea to get it sorted out. Usually the will start you out with a very small dose, like 50 or so, then test after you have been on it for a couple months or so. If the number is good, then you just retest once in awhile, or if you start feeling bad again, and adjust as needed.

Just one of those things that can go wrong with age, this is usually a minor thing as compared to what bad things that could pop up as we get older..

That's an interesting idea, but any time I have a health problem that might be serious, I like to see a specialist. That approach has been particularly helpful in dealing with my anemia. My hematologist has done a superb job keeping my serum ferritin up even though I have been trying to maintain a decent training regimen. Furthermore, the specialist will probably double check the test result, i.e. re-test. Listening to these comments here, I'm now suspecting the test result may be a bit high, or at least I'm hoping so. FWIW, my brother, who is on Synthroid(??) told me the same thing.

-Robert

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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

Everything goes wrong with age. ;) Every day I have greater respect for guys like Bob Scott, Madonna Buder, etc. for carrying on even though they are probably dealing with missing cylinders and a world of hurt.

But, I'm determined to race as long as I can race. I have two Half IMs scheduled this summer and will do my best.

-Robert

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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

I wonder if you could nswer a couple of questions for me?
I have the symptoms of thyroid, my tsh has gradually been increasing. Probably around 4 now.
I did try something called thyroxine last year -but itvdid not seem to help and made me feel very thirsty.
Does synthroid have any noticable side effects?

Does synthroid have any noticable side effects? //

The only side effect i can feel is that i feel better. Im sure there are a host of negative ones on the label, but of course those are all the one in a 1000 symptoms. I was just a hair over 4 when i began my treatments, and now have it right about 2 or so. Some folks go lower, but I'm of the mind that i want whatever production i do have left, to keep going as well and long as it can. If you take too much, then your own production will drop more quickly i have been told, and it makes sense.


Like when folks take T, if you take too much, then over time your own bodies production will shut down, and you will be left supplementing forever. Im going to grow old gracefully, but embracing modern medicine as it makes sense to include.

Ok thanks. How long did you taake it before you noticed any physical improvements?

Usually takes a few weeks to feel it, and i think they like a couple months on a dosage before testing for changes.

Would 4 weeks have been long enough, do you know?

Listen, Im not a doctor. Im just giving you my experience and some of others i know. I you have been on a dosage for a month and feel nothing( which means still feeling bad) I would hang in there a bit longer and get the blood test. That will tell you if you are going the right direction, or are there and something else is off. I have felt run down and tired a lot in my career, and a lot of times it had nothing to do with thyroid. I have had chronic fatigue viruses, I have been overtrained, and sometimes you are just sick and don't know it. Most the time it is a virus, and it is months of doing nothing to fight out of it.

But do the easy things first, then if nothing, move onto the other usual suspects..I was impatient like you are now, but i learned the hard way to take my time and just chill. Not sure that is something one can impart to another however, but at least you heard it. More than i got in my times of tiredness and depression..

Oh no, l am not wondering about thyroid simply based on fatigue. I have awful problems trying to get warm - especially at bedtime It is verging on ridiculous and l know that although I have always been on the cold side -as peope go - it was never this bad.
I think I may have found a doctor who may help with this. So it may be worth trying again just wondering about other peoples experience, especially given that I am Canadian and it is not easy to find a doctor who does not go by the old rule.
Thanks for your input.

I had a girlfriend once that had this affliction: http://www.mayoclinic.org/...ymptoms/con-20022916

Since i knew her i have heard of many others with it. Check it out and see if anything sounds familiar..

No - I definately don't have that - l know people with that - in fact my hands get pretty warm during exercise - warmer than mostnpeoples.

I don't feel good until under 1.

Just like diets, this number is going to have a wide range for a lot of different folks. I didn't feel bad at all in the high 3's, not until i got into the mid 4's. And coincidently, i think the actual ranges you get on your blood test are between . something and 4. So yes, it is kind of a long experiment to see where you are going to fall in-between those numbers. Glad you found yours.

I think the minimum to be taking thyroid meds is 6 weeks to see how your doing on it. My doc won't test for at least 6 (she sometimes likes to push it to 8) weeks after a dose change.

I've been on Levoxyl for almost 9 years now, various dosages and have found (and finally found a doctor that would listen) that I am feeling my best between 1 and 1.5. Anything over 2 and I know it and we test and adjust.

Good luck with finding your sweet spot folks!

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Harry: "I expected the Rocky Mountains to be a little rockier than this."
Loyd: "I was thinking the same thing. That John Denver's full of shit, man."

being the impatient type and taking the half-life of the meds, one can calc/est what increased dosage one can take over a shorter range to get blood values of T4 where the normal 6 weeks would take. ie in about 4-5 days, without overshooting. I do this. either going up or down in meds. not waiting for 6 weeks

5? I just found out I am 14.8! Tried lexo...whatever and had all kinds of issues. My doc wouldn't try another type of med so I just stopped taking it for now and am trying to find a new doc. Whats weird is I don't really have too many of the typical hypo thyroid issues. Just can't lose weight to save my life. At this point I am better off with no meds, but I want to get this figured out. I also couldn't a referral to an endo, which I think I need.

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Brian

Same. Was just tested at 14.8 and have been on thyroxine for 2 weeks. Can't say it's going better ... on par with how terribly shitty I've been feeling for 2 years. Blood test in 4 weeks.

Can't say it does wonders for training ... fatigue is the way it manifests itself for me (not cold like others have mentioned). It's a never-ending fight to get out of bed and on the bike/pool/weights/track ...