12.14.2011

Synthroid, Cycle Update (and Pics at the end)

Calling all Dr. Hilger's peeps.  Tell me what you know about Synthroid. :)

I tried to start taking my T3 awhile back and I was terrible about it still.  I was totally forgetful and never had a full stomach.  So I took a break, and when my painful mouth full of canker sores returned for the second time, I decided I was all in.  Dr. Hilger's filled the script, but wanted to update my blood draw.  So back to the lab I went, giving lots of love to my lab ladies (the lab manager is 39 and has PCOS, never been pregnant).  I was caught off guard because this was one that won't ship room temp, but lovely lab ladies came the rescue happily shipping it for me on ice.  So grateful!  I guess they started doing the shipping when they got so many requests.  I know there are lots of Dr. Hilgers fans in the area thanks to our Napro docs.

Anyway, Dr. H's office is playing phone tag with me, but the gist is Dr. H wants me to start synthroid.  Not sure he has all the facts though, so looking forward to talking to the nurses.  I thought I would get the scoop on it from you all so I would be prepared with any additional questions.  The reason I say they don't have all the facts is they told me to do it at a certain point in my cycle.  I wasn't cycling, so I am pretty sure what they told me to do was take it anytime.  However, I don't know if they gave me any other instructions.  I mean, pretty sure I took T3 the day I did the draw etc, normal like any other day.  But that doesn't make sense if they are drawing for hype and hypo etc (they did a few thyroid tests).  I may have goofed it up.  I looked up symptoms and I used to get cold easily and I do have dry skin, but my temps are better on T3 and the dry skin, well I definitely need to drink more water.  No hair loss.  And no weight to lose which seems to be a biggie.  I don't know.  I would love to hear your thoughts.  Is Synthroid basically the new T3 that Dr Hilgers is using or is it just for hypo?  How much is it a month?  Do you get it from Kubats or locally?  Does it help with Sx?  What Sx do you experience?  Any side effects? 

By the way, wasn't cycling that I knew of, but probably was about two weeks prior to cycling so I should have just been paying more attn.  After 12 months of mostly dry days, you get a little lazy with NFP.  But back it came, like clockwork, when AJ was a few days shy of 13 months, just like with Charlie.  We quit nursing at a year (little bugger was teething on me for at least a month prior and starting to do some serious damage!) I am on CD 4 now (and this is so weird, but it isn't crazy heavy like I expected) so I am looking forward to discussing the plan with Dr. H's nurse re: ttc.  Last time it was standard to do blood work on cycle 2, medicate and bloodwork cycle 3, and then ttc on cycle 4.  Anyone know if this has changed?

Okay, gotta give you pics now since I totally missed blogging that they turned 3 (Oct. 8th) and 1 (Nov. 11).  AJ has taken up to 9 steps but isn't full on walking by any stretch.  He'd rather walk on his knees, silly boy! He keeps us smiling by folding his hands at mealtime, the occasional spontaneous words ("gentle", "chug chug chug choo choo" and barking at the dog). He will seriously rock out to any time of tune.  He is still our bruiser, very physical boy, and also very tall.  I still can't believe he has 8 teeth when Charlie had 2 at this age.  Charlie is still the preformer, always talking ninety miles a minute, has a huge imagination, and a million facial expressions that he has perfected (I catch him trying to se himself in the mirror if he is crying).  He kept it real with Santa, talking about how dad was caulking the tub all day, that he gets treats for pooping at school, and carried on a lengthy conversation about the tractor tipping scene from the movie Cars.  Always on my toes with these two, who love each other as much as we love them, which is so fun to see!

Keeping you all in thoughts and prayers and wishing you a very merry Christmas!







AJ never looks this petrified.  He was not a fan at first and burst into uncertain tears, but they didn't last long.  He got distracted by the beard, he even managed to get a good yank on the beard in, I wish they would have caught that on film! 

Pretty sure I have never seen Charlie with his hand in his pocket.  How funny!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

12 comments:

Brenda said...

Oh I love the pics! You have such pretty boys! Don't let your hubs read that:) I have no experience with the syntrhoid but I hope you find the answers. We are still nursing a lot at almost a year and Nelson has been pretty good about not biting me. We'll see if it lasts! Merry Christmas to you all!

Sew said...

You want my honest opinion.

Synthroid does absolutely nothing for patients that have thyroid problems. It gives you pretty bloodwork.

My other opinion: Do not see Dr. Hilgers for thyroid issues. He himself told me (through his nurse) he is not an endocrinologist (I definitely do not recommend you see one of those either) and that he can not help with thyroid. But yet, he prescribes and treat thyroid.

I think he is a brilliant man, but in the thyroid department I think he has a lot of work to do. :)

So here is the thing. Synthroid is T4 only. Most hypo patients can not convert the T4 into T3 thats what got you in this problem to being with.

So if you want pretty bloodwork, by all means get on synthroid. If you want real thyroid help, seek out another doctor. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

:) JMHO!!! :)

Sew said...

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

P.S. Love the pics :)

Sew said...

Read the T4 ONLY tab....

JellyBelly said...

I'm in the process of taking my pulses and temperatures to see what my dose of T3 is going to be so I'm curious to see what happens with you and Dr H! Keep us posted!

Second Chances said...

Hilgers never prescribed synthroid to me, but my OB put me on it when I got pregnant with Dominic. When I consulted Hilgers about taking it, he said it wasn't necessary but that I could take it anyway if my OB wanted me to. So I'm not sure about how he's prescribing it these days.

Karen said...

I'm going to agree with Sew. I love Dr. H! He certainly is brilliant and I credit his miraculous work to why I've got two beautiful babies. However, thyroid is not his area of expertise. And Sew is also right that endocrinologists aren't much better unless you get lucky.

Hebrews 11:1 said...

Cute pics!!! They are growing fast.

Leslie said...

Synthroid is a synthetic version. it's what all the conventional doctors use. It's like their bandaid approach to any thyroid problems - they call get synthroid. it doesn't help T3 deficiencies at all. i believe it's T4, not T3. T4 is thyroxin. You've probably heard of it. I would rec making yourself go back to the T3.

I have 2 napro boys as well. Ages 3 and 1.

Merry Christmas!

Jasmine said...

Kids are darling!!

I agree with Sew and the others, somewhat. I am a big proponent of T3 and it has been life changing. But I too went to a specialist besides Dr. H when my thyroid work with him wasn't cutting it. He told me himself this summer at the AAFCP conference that he hasn't got it all sorted, but he always is working on his ideas and is a genius AND a humble guy. Anyway, I got a tip to call my LOCAL compounding pharmacy to find out which doctors prescribe T3. So I made an appt with one of those doctors. T3 helped a lot, but I was still kind of cold, a little slow/fuzzy in the head, and PMSing for sure (I can't get HCG, my labs haven't "qualified" for a while). Anyway being on T3 after a while really suppresses your TSH and ultimately your T4, and adding a bit of T4 after a while can help. I hit a sweet spot with my T3 for only about 2 months, and then needed to adjust again with some T4. See the book "What your doctor May not tell you about Hypothyroidism." Though I don't believe his physiological dosing fits everyone. Anyway, so while Sew and the others are right in that T3 is the active hormone, T4 sometimes needs to be added. The T3 dosage is supplementary to what the body makes, so whatever T4 we are making is also being broken down into T3, ideally. My addition of T4 (in the form of Armour, which has a bit of T1, T2, T3, and T4) seems to be the right track for me. I think a mix of dosing off symptoms and labs is working for me. I would give Dr. H's treatment a try, and if not improving find some other help. Oh yeah, and thyroid treatment often times need adrenal support, though I am NOT suggesting hydrocortisone. Lifestyle and vitamins can support that too. An interesting book on those hormones was brought up at the conference as well:
The Schwarzbein Principle. Ignore the aging stuff, it's really about hormones.

Dolly Jackson said...

After I started taking Visit W3Schools , my thyroid levels are back to normal. I use to suffer from several of the symptoms of hypothyroidism but now a hardly feel any symptoms anymore.

All in His Perfect Timing said...

I'm a patIent of PPVI and Dr. Keefe. I had my left thyroid removed 11 mos ago and wasn't taking meds until recently for thyroid. I'm on T3 and on Levothyroxine (generic Synthroid?) FYI, I haven't felt super different taking any of the meds. I didn't realize that there was any reason to doubt the treatment they were prescribing for me, but I'm not pregnant yet, so I may look into Sews recommendation. I've seen an endocrinologist, but he's no help at all and indrive 1.5 hours for a short 15 min conference. Ugh!
Love your pics! Your boys are so cute!!!