Dr. said NO NO NO to Phen!! hypothyroidism Help

[radioheadqueen]

hi guys! I've been visiting the forums and reading everyone's post for a while and i finally decided to register. I have a bit of a problem!

First off, I'm 21 years old and 5'3" and at the highest weight I have ever been. (199 lbs) I used to weigh 135 before I was put on antidepressants in high school (Lexapro) which made me gain a good 25 pounds. I also had graves disease (hyperthyroidism) up until my endocrinologist treated that 2 summers ago, I had the radioactive iodine treatment done which wiped out my thyroid (and my metabolism pretty much died too) he then put me on synthroid, and then took me off shortly after. I've been gaining weight like crazy! I believe I am now hypothyroid thanks to my lovely doctor but yet he still says I don't need any meds and that the only thing i need is a "lifestyle change". So i went to my regular Doctor, and he said he won't do it either but he referred me to a nutritionalist, which didn't help me at all because she either couldn't or just didnt want to prescribe meds. I'M SO FRUSTRATED! And everyday, it just seems like I've been getting more and more depressed because I just feel so ugly! So I've been exercising whenever I can and watching what I eat for the past 6 months, and I have lost a few pounds (only 5), but I need to lose a LOT more than just that, I heard a co worker talking about the drug Meridia, She told me she ordered it without a prescription from an online site and she lost a good 40 pounds from it. I wanted to give it a try, so I went online and found the cheapest 30 day supply I could find (the prices are ridiculous!) and it did absolutely nothing for me. somehow I doubt that the pills I got in the mail were even Meridia because they weren't marked or anything, so how would i know what it is I'm really taking?

Anyways, I need help! My doctors won't take me seriously about weight lost meds, and since he is the only endocrinologist my insurance will cover in this area, I have to do this on my own. I found a few sites that had 90 day supply of Phen for about $118 which sounds affordable to me. but I don't want the same thing to happen where the drugs could be fake. I was wondering, where does everyone who doesn't have a prescription get there Phen from? Is there a certain reliable, yet not so expensive site out there?
also, is there anyone else here who has a hypothyroid problem who is taking Phen and has had success with just taking Phen alone?

Thanks so much in advance!

[hoppity]

My DH orders from this site, and his phen is just like my phen that I get from the local pharmacy (my doctor prescribed it for me). Hope that helps.

[buttercupsbabie2]

ok wait~ just alittle confused.

I had the radioactive iodine treatment done which wiped out my thyroid (and my metabolism pretty much died too) he then put me on synthroid, and then took me off shortly

i sthis where they shoot that stuff in your body and then you go under a machine to see if there is anythign worng with you? why would they do that for you?

reason asking is that my daughter had that done and they never said anything to me about it ruining anything(thyroid) in your body!

[BackFatBeGone]

If I was you I would go get another opinion about your thyroid condition. My best friend had the same procedure (radioactive treatment) for her graves. Her thyroid was also completely wiped out. She has been on medication since to "act as" her thyroid. It is absolutely bizarre to me that they would allow your body to function with an inactive thyroid. Obviously, I am not a doctor but it seems to me that you NEED thyroid function. How a lifestyle change is going to help makes no sense to me.
I would make a few phone calls about that before you consider starting a weight loss med. Your problem could be solved by going on synthroid again.

[blushn]

Call me crazy but I have hypothryroidism. I dont' have graves' disease and never had any treatments like that. But once Hypothyroid aren't you always hypothyroid?

I will be on synthroid for the rest of my natural born life. That isn't something that can be fixed. You should probably get a second opinion.

[nynavae]

I have to 2nd what everyone here has said so far...

Once your thyroid stops functioning and shuts down, it doesn't usually start back up. I am hypothyroid and will be on synthroid or some other med for life too...that's how it goes.

There is one type of thyroid issue that will swing from one extreme to the other, but if iodine treatments caused your thyroid to stop functioning, then there you go - it won't make hormone anymore.

I would ask for some serious clarity from your endocrinologist if you have no other insurance coverage options. I mean make an appt if you have to, armed with some of your own research, and ask him/her to explain exactly why you do not need synthetic hormone to replace what your own gland no longer produces. I would ask to see what your TSH levels are too.

There is a great website about thyroid issues, www.thyroid.about.com, run by Mary Solomon who also wrote a book on the topic. It is full of stories about how people are misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all, and a lot of this is due to them being overweight and the doctor not believing they've done everything they can to lose weight. If you do nothing else, visit that site. If I typed it wrong, I apologize. A google search will bring it up too.

Do not take this laying down, because a messed up thyroid will make it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to lose anything at all. I have been there. And even if your thyroid does get leveled out with medication, it can change through the years or depending on other factors. Another thing to remember is the synthroid vs. Armour battle. Many docs prescribe synthroid, but many patients get better results from Armour (dissected thryoid). I have taken synthroid with no problems, but others swear they saw little result from it, and when switched to the natural kind they saw improvement.

What kind of symptoms (if any) are you having? This would be an indicator that something is amiss. Take responsibility for your health in this and don't leave it up to the doctor. Negotiate or something with him/her (you know they just hate the internet sometimes with all the good and bad info), but let it be known that you ARE trying to lose weight by keeping a journal or something. They may still not believe you, but they have to respect your tenacity and attempt at showing proof.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Fango]

throwing in my 2 cents....go to another doctor, perhaps a weight-loss specialist type MD (armed with copies of all your medical records/test results).

Show them your exercise log and diet, ask what can be done to help you.

it may end up costing you out of pocket, but it will be worth it to get some real answers. good luck!

[brismommy]

I have graves disease and went through the radioactive iodine treatment myself to kill off my thyroid. Once they kill it off, you have to be on the synthroid for the rest of your life because you basically have no thyroid. I would definitely seek out a second opinion.

Butterscup- regular iodine is what is used to go under the machines. They use the radioactive iodine to kill your thyroid. Two different type so no worries!

Anyways, my own PC prescribed Phen for me back at the end of December. I take that along with my synthroid and have had no problems. I have lost a little over 30 lbs since early January on Phen. I've watched what I eat and have been exercising on top of the meds. I just don't eat as much these days. You definitely need another medical opinion because you should be on synthroid to keep your thyroid function at a normal level.

[gardengrl]

I agree with the previous posts too. I'm hypothyroid as well and take Levoxyl (generic Synthroid). Once you have your thyroid removed, your body can no longer reproduce the necessary thyroid hormones for healthy functioning. That's were the thyroid meds come in. They synthetically give your body the thyroid hormones you need to be healthy. Without thyroid hormones, our bodies are a mess.

So, if your docotor took you off your thyroid meds, you need to find out why and go to an appointment armed with facts and data. PLEASE visit the website nynavae posted....I'm a member at that site and used the information I gained from there to make sure my endocrinologist didn't slack on my treatment. Knowledge is power.

Doctors have a bad habit, especially endos, of thinking they KNOW what's good for you when in fact, hypothyroidism is as individual as your shoe size. Each person requires a different treatment program. It took me two years to get my meds titrated and to find the right meds for me. Synthroid did nothing for me and I crashed back into my symptoms. I'm a pain in the butt to my endo and demand a quality of life from her. I don't accept the status quo.

Being hypo isn't fair. For every 1 pound an average person gains, we gain 5. The same goes with losing weight. Our metabolisms are in sloooow motion and it often takes us much, much longer to lose weight.

[radioheadqueen]

Thank you guys so much, I'm going to try to get some type of assistance or medical insurance I don't have to pay a billion dollars for and find another endocrinologist. I tried calling mine a couple of times this week already because I know something really needs to be done about this, because I just feel horrible and I didnt know why until now. I honestly didn't even know that much about the thyroid but I do now, thanks to you guys and the website , but he doesn't seem to want to return my calls so the hell with him

[momma2ski]

hate to add more confussion, I have the radioactive iodine, was on iodine for 7 years was doing yearly blood test, the dr. says i no longer need synthroid, am producing "enough"... So go figure this one out... When I took the treatment to kill off the thyroid, I also had a very large "goider" (sp) so the dr. said the treatment may have just been the cure for that...
talk about confussed...

[momma2ski]

what - can u tell i was interupted twice

[momma2ski]

let me see if i can clarify. I HAD the radioactive iodine, was on synthroid meds for 7 years... sorry

[nathansbaby9503]

i had both my thyroids taken out do to thyroid cancer and i had radiation.i have to be on synthroid the rest of my life. without the thyroid you have nothing to regulate the chemicals in ur body.when my medication isn't right(which has been a constant fight to get it right)weight loss is very hard and slow.i know when i was not on synthroid for a while i was tired all the time,bad hair loss,my whole body ached,cold all the time,and problems sleeping and thats just a few to name ur thyroid controls ur whole body.i would get a second opinion.

[smilynnic]

Hi, I think that my experience is very similar to others who've posted about your situation. I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease (symptoms: sweaty palms, racing pulse, heat intolerance, unexplained weight loss). My endocrinologist recommended the radioactive iodine, which completely shuts down your thyroid from functioning. As a result I must now take the synthetic hormone replacement for the rest of my life. Everyone that goes this route must use the SHR--so you essentially go from hyper to hypothyroidism and symptoms go in reverse (symptoms: cold intolerance, slow heartbeat, weight gain and depression, dry skin, and some may even experience the proptosis of the eye(s)).

Let me just tell you that I've been seen by numerous endocrinologists, and none them ever want you to go the route of prescription meds to assist you in weight loss. They all want you to modify your lifestyle. What I've found to work for me is: 1.MOST IMPORTANT--make sure that you're on the correct dose of thyroid hormone. This is so important, b/c if not, all of your efforts are in vain. You can think of the hormone as the switch to your thermostat--if the switch is broken, it doesn't matter what temperature you put the indicator on, nothing's going to change. What's bad about this is that it really takes a good 4-6 weeks of the hormone in your system before you'll know that things with your body are on the right track.
2.Once your hormone dosage is correct, implement the phentermine into your daily schedule. The phentermine will help control your appetite and it will also give you motivation (energy) to get moving (cardio, weight resistance).

If you apply these two rules, all you have to do is sit back and watch the magic happen! I'm living proof that this method works. I'm really happy with what phen has helped me achieve. I understand the frustration and depression that you go into when you know that you're doing everything you can to get the weight off. For hypothyroidism affected individuals, we've got to work almost 3x's as hard as others b/c our "thermostats" are wacky!

Hope this helps

[Jasmyn]

You don't necessarily have to take Synthroid forever. Radioactive iodine doesn't always affect the whole thyroid gland. There may be enough thyroid function left that thyroid supplementation is not necessary.

I had Graves disease, overactive thyroid, when I was 4 years old. I had the goiter -- enlarged bump on my neck, and the large staring eyes. My pediatrician would take me off medication and after awhile it would come back.

Eventually, when I was 25, I got tired of the game and decided to take the radioactive iodine. I am sorry I did, because it did make me hypoactive, completely destroying any thyroid function. and now I do have to take thyroid replacement, Synthroid.

On Mary Shoman's About site, I read about Cytomel. I started taking that along with my Synthroid, lowering the dose of synthroid. I have been taking it for 3 years now, and feel MUCH better. My Endocrinologist is very cool, and he keeps up on the latest medicines. He has been fine with it.

Good luck to you. I hope you get it sorted out.
Jaz