Had total thyroidectomy 9 months ago and started taking Synthroid...

Good luck. I had a thyroidectomy almost 2 years ago, and have been on synthroid since then. My hair still falls out, my weight is stable, but too high. I had cancer. Each year I go off the drug for almost 3 months in order to get my blood levels ready to have a full body scan to see if the cancer has occurred. I have to do this for 5 years. I have 4 more. This year, I lost 6 months of my life....the side effects of withdrawing from the drug, the side effects of being without the drug, the side effects of my body getting used to the drug again (cancer free, year one, thank God), the side effects of it not being absorbed effectively, then having another one added to "jump start" me again. All in all, pure hell. Fatigue, constant diarahea for almost 3 years now. I don't mean to sound smart, but if you are just losing hair, (I still am too, and mine was like yours), don't sweat it. A few pounds gained......well, I see the top endocrinologist in FL and he says that the South Beach diet is one you can follow for life, it works, I lost 20 pounds. It is also very forgiving....you can go off a little if you like and it does not set you back. Sorry to ramble. I wish the best for you. Laura B. in the Florida Panhandle

Hi,

I started synthroid about 6 months ago and started losing my thick hair. I have also gained about 5 lbs despite running 30 miles a week and watching every bite and my stomache is always bloated. Have you found any alternative since your posting? I am considering quitting the meds since the side effects are worse than my orginal symptoms.

I had a thyroidectomy in 01/2007 and started on synthroid right away. Before my surgery my hair fell out and I was bald in places. My hair started coming in about 3 months later, but my weight started growing. I felt tired, bloated, and tried to act as I had before my surgery. I ended pushing myself and fainted twice and that made me more afraid. My hair was coming in now but it was thin and brittle! warning signs went up and I spoke to my internist about it. He was not willing to change from synthroid which wasn't the problem. Two years later my hair is the same and I have gained over 100 pounds!!! My dosage of synthroid was raised to 175 and I ended up with a thyroid storm and was taken back down to 100. my bloating is worse around the middle and my digestion is very slow. I eat one whole meal a day and very small ones when hungry. There is no Endo where I live so my internist is it. I walk approx 4 blocks a day to keep me from diabetes or so I believe. When I exercise more I do not sleep and my heartrate goes haywire. I don't know how to go about changing from synthroid.