Newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism, know nothing about it, is there anything i can do to minimise the times when i feel really bad?

[Melissa76]

Is there certain things i should avoid eating that trigger it? I dont even know what its called, any kind of advice would be most appreciated, thanks very much x

[nostoneunturned]

Melissa, so sorry you feel bad, at least you have got a diagnosis, please go to the main site:

thyroiduk.org

and start learning, masses of info there.

Dr Toft's book "Understanding Thyroid Disorders" is a good concise introduction to the basics with good advice on TSH and FT4 levels. £5 or so from Amazon

Presumably you have been started on 50mcg levo, with blood test again in 3-4 weeks. Until you reach optimal dosing with TSH down about 1 or less, then there will be times when you do feel bad, but you have given the absolute minimum of info in your post, really does not help us to help you.

Please tell us when you were diagnosed, how much levo you have been prescribed and vitally what are the blood test results, including all important ranges as labs ranges differ. You have a right to be given copy of any blood test once GP has seen it so just ask.

Yes, there are foods, chemicals, hormone treatments that inhibit maximum use by body of thyroid hormone. link above has info. Start right away avoiding fluoride toothpaste, fluoride treatments, non-stick cooking ware, cooking in microwave - not source of fluoride but destroys vital enzymes and vitamins you need.

Take the levo with glass of water either in morning an hour before you eat or drink anything or last thing plus water at night on empty stomach.

[greygoose]

Above all, avoid soya!

Hugs, Grey

[Hidden]

Yes - finding out as much as possible helps. I started to record my symptoms and checked how I was making progress. It has also been useful for noticing when my TSH went high again.

When I'm into recovery I do a variety of things which help me;

I take afternoon naps when I get an energy dip or if I get really cold.

I eat little and often, and eat food with high nutritional value (fruit, veg, wholefoods, protein). To re-gain muscle strength I started to use an elliptical trainer and did only 1 minute on day 1 and gradually built up to 20 mins.

I started a new project to help me lift my spirits - I created a small garden - but only doing a tiny bit each day (a few minutes at first, up to an hour later). Reaping the rewards this year!

I tried to remain positive.

I sometimes need remind myself that many people find treatment is successful and this site is here for advice if you need support.

Recovery can take some time - for me there were many stages, each an improvement on the last - yesterday I had a lovely walk in the countryside for a few hours, pub lunch, afternoon nap then two hours dancing for a hen party in the evening... 18 months ago I could barely walk. There is hope!

Good luck and welcome!

[Moggy1]

Hi Melissa76

I can't offer much advice as I was only diagnosed myself in February this year, but this forum is an absolute mine of information and support so do pop in regularly. The Thyroid UK website also has masses of helpful info so you can arm yourself ready for your GP visits Don't be afraid to write things down and present your GP with a list of symptoms. It's sometimes hard to remember everything when you get into the surgery. You might want to ask your GP for a copy of your blood test results so you can monitor your condition closely yourself and see how well (or not) your medication is working.

Not sure how long you've had symptoms for, or what they are, but you need to be prepared for it to take quite some time to feel "normal" again - unless you're one of the really lucky ones who feels great after a few doses of medication. You will have days when you feel almost human again and days when you won't want to get out of bed. Unfortunately it's impossible to predict from one day to the next how you're going to feel. Be kind to yourself and rest as much as you can. And don't try to be Wonder Woman on the days you feel better!

Someone on here (can't remember who) gave a fantastic definition of what it's like to have thyroid trouble - it's like trying to run your car without petrol or oil, then once the car breaks down filling it up and expecting it to run normally again. It won't - it'll need major repairs. Once your thyroid has gone pear shaped, so to speak, it'll need lots of TLC and time to get better. It's very difficult to explain to people who haven't got thyroid issues just how poorly you feel as it's often impossible to pinpoint exactly which bit of you feels so unwell - it's everything all rolled into one! And if you look relatively well on the outside, it's hard to believe you can feel like death warmed up on the inside.

Hope you start to feel better soon!