(This is cross-posted at BlogHer.)
I don’t like to take pills if I don’t have to. Normally this aversion is fine; I haven’t had any ailments or deficiencies in quite some time that have required me to take any pills on a daily basis. I do take a daily multivitamin and other vitamin supplements (if I remember), and I’m on birth control, but that’s generally about it. That’s why, when I went to the doctor this past May and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I decided I’d try the natural approach first — it was an attempt to fix my thyroid level myself before I filled the prescription for synthetic hormones.
I did some research online. My doctor wanted me to come back for another blood test in six weeks; I identified some changes I could make and decided that if these methods didn’t work, I’d take the pills. Here are some of the thyroid-control recommendations that I found and attempted to implement:
Eat three meals a day instead of mini-meals: This one was different for me because I’ve been a mini-meal eater (usually eating at least 6 times a day) for quite a few years. I’ve made an effort for the past few months to eat more food at one time instead of spreading it out. This doesn’t always mean that I eat only three times a day, but I’m making a good effort.
Limit carbs at dinner: I was good about sticking to this for a few weeks, but I’m not a huge fan of preparing food if I’m not doing it with someone else. This means, on the nights I don’t eat at a restaurant, I usually have a bowl of cereal for dinner. (Not by itself! Cereal and something else.) In my defense, I eat organic bran cereal that has a very high fiber content.
Don’t eat anything three hours before bed: I generally try not to do this anyway, and I’m pretty good at sticking to it. I brush my teeth after dinner when I’m at home, and if I’m really hungry a few hours later I’ll eat something that won’t stick to my teeth, like applesauce or yogurt. This means I can rinse with mouthwash instead of brushing and flossing all over again.
Limit artificial sweeteners: I don’t eat a lot of processed food or use sweetener in my coffee. Most of the fake sugar I consume is through diet soda (but I usually only drink soda when I’m having alcohol with it).
Reduce soy intake: This was a change for me. I’ve been drinking soy milk almost exclusively for about seven years (it originally started as an attempt to consume less dairy, but it resulted in me preferring the taste). I’ve since switched back to regular organic milk and I’m also limiting consumption of other soy products like tofu, edamame, and faux meat products.
Iodine drops: Some people say that having low thyroid can be caused by an iodine deficiency. This recommendation is controversial, which I didn’t discover until after I’d ordered the drops online. I took them for a few weeks before I read another article that completely debunked the original article I’d read. I have no idea which theory is correct, but since the danger of having too much iodine is supposedly worse than not having enough of it, I stopped taking it.
Natural thyroid supplement: This was something I decided to add. My mom recommended a natural-products website that she goes to all the time, and I found something there called Thyroid Helper. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try, so I ordered it and have been taking it regularly since May.
So I did those things, and I went back six weeks later (per my doctor’s instructions) to have my blood drawn again. Instead of improving — or even staying the same — my thyroid levels were even higher. I wasn’t all that surprised, though…the symptoms I’d been experiencing hadn’t gotten any better, either. My doc wrote me a prescription for Synthroid and I started taking it yesterday.
I’m not overjoyed about taking it. I’ve been reading about a natural thyroid medication called Armour Thyroid, but it sounds like it can be hard to find doctors (except natural physicians) who will prescribe it. More research is needed on my part, but in the meantime I didn’t want to put off taking something any longer. I’m tired of feeling lethargic. I want to get better.
Do you have hypothyroidism? What’s your treatment method?
Related Reading:
Call Me Mama is very happy with the natural doctor she sees about her thyroid issues, saying she was looking for someone “that would treat my symptoms, not just my lab results.”
Merry from Cranky Fitness talks about the importance of having certain things checked (including thyroid function) when you’re eating right and working out, but not losing weight.
Brittany Walker has a tumor on her left thyroid lobe and has to have a thyroid lobectomy.
17 Comments
I wouldn’t recommend the Synthroid either – but you can call pharmacies in your area and ask them which doctors call in prescriptions to Armour thyroid.
Also, birth control adds excess estrogen to the body, causing Estrogen Dominance and usually resulting in progesterone deficiency, which apparently can cause the thyroid to not function up to par, and cause some of the same symptoms of hypothyroid.
Adding a natural progesterone cream might be helpful (you can get those levels checked with a saliva test).
Hope you feel better soon!
Good Luck with your thyroid situation. I ignored my symptoms, (including a goiter) for years. It’s good that you are being so proactive. When I went on Synthroid I became less fuzzy-headed and slightly less depressed. My hair suddenly started growing thicker again. A couple of months after I started taking it my hairdresser told me I had inch-long hairs sprouting in all over my head – weird!
After my thyroidectomy several years later, my depression went away completely.
Synthroid seems to be helpful to most people, but is a nightmare, from what I’ve read, for others. I hated the idea of it, being a total non-pill taker, but it’s helped me and since I don’t have a thyroid anymore I’m stuck taking it. It might take up to six weeks to build up in your system to the point where you’ll start noticing anything.
The thing that helps me the most, in addition to the synthroid, is working out. I know that from having stopped and started a few times. It makes a HUGE difference in how I feel, especially now that I have zero metabolism. The hardest part for me now is making time for it. Again, good luck!
I am on synthroid – it has done wonders for me! I also see an endocrynolist – which I highly recommend to monitor your thyroid issues versus a internist or general doctor. I have an excellent one in Fairfax that I see. I love her.
Zan, I have been taking Levoxyl (one of the brand names for this medication) for over 4 years now, since my thyroid slowed down after my brain tumor was removed. It is hard for me to compare before an after since before the surgery everything worked well and after not only the thyroid but the pituitary gland actually went on strike, so I don’t have a before and after comparison. However, I think ti works fairly well.
Yes, you need to be controlled by an endocrinologist, I don’t know who you see, but my doctor is one of the best in the area and he is very related to athletes, so let me know if you’d like his contact info. Hugs… great to see you Friday!
I’m interested in more updates on this – I go in for lab work next week for fatigue and dramatic spikes and lows in my blood sugar despite eating the same and I can’t figure out what’s going on… Looks like the thyroid issue is more common than I would have guessed! Take care (and see you at BlogHer!!!)
I hope everything gets in check for you
Sounds like they are going through all sorts of options with you. Have you ever done almond instead of soy milk? I’m a huge fan!
yay hypothyroidism! I have it too, and I actually just started going on the meds right away. I can’t tell you waht I take, it’s some generic form, and it’s on my bedstand and I just don’t remember what it is. My biggest problem was actually cutting soy out of my diet. soy is in EVERYTHING. i still eat it, because it’s all over the place, but i’ve cut it out a lot. The only thing that really bugs me is the blood tests every six months. Those are kinda a pain, and I do not like them.
I had a problem with hypothyroidism due to overtraining about a year ago and if there is one thing that I’ve learned it’s that thyroid stuff is CONFUSING. All the research, all the medicine, all the supplements – I swear nobody knows what they are doing. I couldn’t even get a straight answer about what my test results meant. Anyhow, I’m so glad that you are taking the synthroid – it sounds like it was the right choice for you & I hoipe you are feeling better soon!
Thanks for writing this post, I think i tweeted you that I’m curious about my thyroid too and when I get back from holiday I’m going to try to go to a natural doctor I think and figure it out further. Apparently you can actually see that the thyroid is enlarged but the blood tests came back normal (around 2 I think), but I hear there are different tests and different approaches.
I agree totally with Charlotte’s comment about that it’s very confusing! I’d be pleased to keep hearing your findings.
Oh and you are really lucky in the US, the Coconut milk there is very good. Soy luckily isn’t in everything here yet, but as I’m really lactose intolerant soy does make my life a lot easier so I’m trying to cut back (buying rice milk instead sometimes) but not totally.
I was also just diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 2 weeks ago. I am an otherwise healthy 32 year old female. I ignored my vague symptoms for quite some time. By the time I was diagnosed, I felt so awful, that I am now more than happy to take the pills if they will help.
Unfortunately, I have only been on the synthroid for 1 week. So far, not much is different. However, my TSH was very high at 122 and my dosage is only 50mcg. I know it takes time to kick in, and I also suspect I will need a higher dosage. I, like you, wish there was another remedy for this. I hate the idea of putting synthetic hormones into my body for the rest of my life. I am curious to see your responses. I just blogged about this too, looking for advice. My blog link is here:
http://3underthree.blogspot.com/2009/07/coming-clean.html
Hope you feel better soon,
Heather
I am amazed how common the disease is, I have never heard of it!
I hope you recover nice & quick so you can enjoy all your favorite foods again (and when you’d like to have them)
That is funny that you mention this as I’ve been wondering lately if I have the same issue. I’ve been extremely tired all the time lately, and exhaustion isn’t something I’ve ever had to deal with. I know fatigue can mean so many things, but I have wanted to get checked out by my doctor. I hate my insurance, though, so I’ve been putting it off.
It sounds like you’re on the right track and I commend you for trying the natural route first; so many people don’t even try natural remedies and jump right to pills for solutions. But in the end, if meds help you feel better, it’s definitely worth it in the long run!
LOVED MEETING YOU IN PERSON.
loved.
and you are exactly as you are here—which is no surprise
do you mind if I post a pic of you tomorrow?
EMAIL ME IF YOU WANT ME NOT TO!
Carla
Sometimes you have to succumb to the powers of modern medicine.
Hi there Zandria!
I am so thrilled to have come upon this post. I also have a slow thyroid… I have the autoimmune form of hypothyroidism called Hashimoto’s. I was diagnosed two years ago and since that time, have researched and read up on so many natural health solutions. I’m interested to see if anything has worked since you posted this. I actually write a thyroid-specific nutrition column for the site http://www.dearthyroid.com, called “How To Kick Your Thyroid’s Ass”. I’d love for you to read and tell me your thoughts! Also, we have a great community of people who understand what you’re going through. It’s great to feel you’re not alone in disease. I know I feel that way.
Thanks so much for this post and for speaking openly about your health and thyroid! It’s SOOO important!!
Liz
Man i hope this respomse works through my ps3.It is limited.
I am a 37 year old guy that was given a hep C treatment called PEGASYS pegulated interferion, They told me they blew my thyroid out and prescribed my synthroid. EVIL synthetic synthroid.Only good for the doctors that prescribe it because its easier to regulate. I wanted armour thyroid but here in Canada it didnt exist. The only other desicated thyroid i could find was called ERFA. I still feel like crap usually but the 2 drugs are night and day.Synthroid i felt i was gonna have a heart attack on them! bad chest pains. Glad i switched. I hope evryone finds this out themselves as well.SYNTHROID SUX!! If this post works i will make new post again soon.