As much as I wanted it to work, sadly, it didn't. I had been on Synthroid for 5-6 years, based on high TSH (50's). I had very few symptoms and they never tested anything but TSH and T4. The Synthroid didn't help me, I thought, as I got fatter, on more meds, etc... After I started paleo eating in Jan 2011, I quickly lost 50lbs and got off all meds. In May 2011, i started halfing my 150mcg Synthroid pills. TSH stayed very low for several months (.55). I quit altogether in Sep. In Oct my TSH was 1.5, T4 mid-range. In Nov I noticed my toes getting cold in a warm house and my weight loss completely stalled. In Dec my TSH was 2.5, T4 lower mid-range, toes cold, weight stalled. 5 Jan 2012 I requested full thyroid panel: TSH was 4.2, T4 below range, T3 at bottom of range, no thyroid antibodies present. They didn't check rT3, but I assume it would be non-existant since i had no T4.

I restarted my Synthroid on 10 Jan and have an Endo appt at end of this month. I hope to get a rx for a natural dessicated thyroid (Armour or equiv).

I started supplementing with selenium and iodine (kelp tabs) in December, wish I had started years ago.

What it seems to me is my thyroid is indeed not working well. The Sythroid must have accumulated in my body and it took 3 months to run it out. I have heard that T4 has a long life and T3 an extremely short (6 hours).

Bottom line, if you quit, be sure to test. Hypothyroidism is a bitch and without proper levels you are hosed as far as weight loss and health long term.

I really don't know why I am so against taking Sythroid--if it was sold as a supplement, I'd probably brag about taking it, like my Vit D 10,000IU/day.

Post back and let us know how you make out. I will do the same.

There is a mass of opinion / anecdote / advice, as well as more researched (medically based) info etc for thyroid here...

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread45205.html

http://home.comcast.net/~jocy1/junk/The%20Guide%20to%20Supplementing%20with%20Iodine.pdf

http://www.oasisadvancedwellness.com/learning/iodine-deficiency-under-recognized-epidemic.html

on the basis of which I am taking kelp pills and have ordered some Lugol's solution from eBay.

There are many causes and types of hypothyroidism. I had low T3 only, suggesting I had a problem with conversion. I also had low progesterone, low vit D, high cholesterol and at that point, about a year and a half of no menstral period. My doc prescribed hormones, cholesterol and thyroid meds which I took for a few weeks (except the cholesterol meds, they went in the trash the moment I got them home). They didn't change the way I felt so I tossed them and started researching.

What I did was vit d, selenium and fish oil supp., increased fiber from plant sources (potatoes, nuts, avocados), ate tons of white potatoes and rice (I was low carb paleo before), stopped exercising completely except for lots of long quiet walks, stopped eating all dairy, even ghee and I did my absolute best to relax.

My cholesterol dropped first. Then I lost my insurance so I don't know what my hormone and thyroid levels are, but about 4 months after I started my plan I got my period and have had it regularly for nine months now and the thyroid symptoms stopped. I gradually stopped vit d and fish oil, being careful to get sunshine and fish. I felt great. Then I tried to stop selenium and I felt good for about a month and then I started to feel the old symptoms again. My mouth, neck and chest would tingle, my hands grew cold and achy, I was jumpy and I was starting to feel like I could sleep at all hours of the day.

I went right back on the selenium and all it took was a few days and the symptoms began to dissipate. So I'll stay on they selenium for the time being.

But you have to figure out what kind of hypothyroidism you have. If you have something like hashimoto's I think you've got to be on meds the rest of your life.

I have had hypothyrodism for about 3 years now and the synthroid has done nothing me other than make my numbers on a lab report change for the better. I also gained more weight and I've been eating the same but exercising more. I decided to go off of it for a while and try natural ways to help my thryoid. Hopefully that will help my weight go back down. I really do not think synthroid works for everyone unfortunately.

Check out old threads like http://paleohacks.com/questions/48584/stopping-the-synthroid/57700#57700

You might want to contact akman and get an update- it sounded promising.

Hi meret,

Here is some info that you may find useful:

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=4383

http://perfecthealthdiet.com/?p=5528

+1 for the iodine recommendation. Also see this article http://chriskresser.com/selenium-the-missing-link-for-treating-hypothyroidism

Be certain to measure iodine levels as levels that are too low, as well as too high, can be an unhderlying cause of hypothyroidism. Most people probably have selenium levels that are too low to support good thyroid function - this can also be measured in serum. As others in this thread have mentioned, check for thyroid related antibodies to make sure the root cause is not an autoimmune condition.

Maria, you need to get on Armour thyroid and make sure the dosage is high enough. Start at the dosage indicated by the blood test, and take it for 6 weeks. If you still feel crumby after 6 weeks, no matter what the blood test says, increase the dosage to the next level, wait another 6 weeks, etc. until you reach a dosage that makes you feel human.

I had one thyroid removed. I take .1 mg or 100 mcg of thyroid medication daily. I want to get of medication. Is this impossible?

Fish broth/epi-paleo rx

i am on armour, i took 30 mcg and now tired and heart racing

http://chriskresser.com/three-reasons-why-your-thyroid-medication-isnt-working

All my tests were in the normal range but my Dr put me on synthroid anyway. Tests still fine.. I want to stop taking it how do I do it slowly?;

I would like to know how to go about this too, am on desiccated thyroid and my levels are almost the same as I was before I started but tsh 0.0. Doctors say I didn't need them in the first place because my TSH/T4/T3 were low but normal. Endocrinologist prescribed Cytomel as well but that didn't do much and I was told by doctors to not take it. I am scared now that my thyroid is not producing any hormone I will be stuck on them for life. Weight gain is a big issue, the only one I am scared of if going off it. I am already gaining weight for no reason on a low-cal diet with light exercise. I cannot starve like this for life. Have seen two nutritionists, they were of no help.

Eating carbohydrate is crucial to producing t3..Paul Jaminet has articles on this