Thank you so much for that information. At my next check-up I am going to talk to my dr. about this.

Lydia, that was really interestingÂthanks! I had no idea soy was a possible culprit. It doesn't seem to bother me, and thank heavens for that because I consume soy in many forms. My DH used to manufacture tofu commercially, and I still love itÂalong with soy milk, tempeh, edamame, etc. I learned about the thyroid-cabbage link about a year ago when I got the bright idea to make up a large batch of coleslaw with fruit and a yogurt-based dressing, and reach for that whenever I wanted to snack. I was eating a lot of coleslaw! But I thought that was fine because what could be healthier than raw cabbage? After a while I began to feel wretched....zero energy, difficulty concentrating, thoughts drifting away, hair falling out, etc. A health-savvy friend asked if I happened to be eating much cabbage. I certainly was! She explained the connection. I got back on track by taking kelp (and giving up the coleslaw).

Taking thyroid meds won't make you lose weight, they just make your thyroid work like a normal person's thyroid. You have to lose the weight yourself. Generally, before being diagnosed, you become sluggish and achy and somewhat depressed, These conditions are what cause you to gain weight. Now you have to force yourself to move and cut calories. It's a pain but the only way. Lydia I feel very bad for you. Any disease can be a challenge. All the effects you mentioned are part of the disease if not treated. If you're still having them then you need to tell your dr. Are you seeing a endocrinologist? Do you take a good daily vitamin? When I felt like you described my dr. ran some bloods to find out that I was dangerously deficient in vitamin D. She ran them because my symptoms (and yours) describe that deficiency to a T. She prescribed 50,000 units of D once a week for six weeks and then once a month for four months. I became a new person. All of my energy is back, the cloud lifted and I'm joyful again. I pray you can find the answers you need. Good luck.

Hi Susan! These are the tests that the 'real thyroid help' forum recommends: * free T3--most people seem to feel best with this at the top of the range * free T4--most people seem to feel best with this in the top 1/3 of the range * TSH * TPO (thyroid peroxidase antibodies) * antithyroglobulin antibodies * TSI antibodies * ferritin--most people seem to do best with ferritin 70-80 * B-12--based on our research, this should be at least 800, and 1000 is better. If you've been supplementing B-12, then testing it directly may not be valid--the MMA will be a more accurate test. * Vitamin D (make sure it's the test for 25(OH)D)(This was the other thing you couldn't remember :-) For adrenal insufficiency it is best to do a saliva test at 4 different times of the day (ordered by you through a lab). Your doctor will just run a one time test which won't be accurate. Instead of the saliva tests, I took (and flunked) the Pupil Test which some say is indictive of adrenal fatigue (others say it's low aldosterone only) and that was enough of a test for my doctor to allow me to start hydrocortisone (in low doses). (copied from STTM website) This is called the Pupil test. You need to be in a darkened room with a mirror. From the side (not the front), shine a bright light like a flashlight or penlight towards your pupils and hold it for about a minute. Carefully observe the pupil. With healthy adrenals, your pupils will constrict, and will stay small the entire time you shine the light from the side. In adrenal fatigue, the pupil will get small, but within 30 seconds, it will soon enlarge again or obviously flutter in its attempt to stay constricted. Why does this occur? Because adrenal insufficiency can also result in low aldosterone, which causes a lack of proper amounts of sodium and an abundance of potassium. This imbalance causes the sphincter muscles of your eye to be weak and to dilate in response to light. If you start HC, you must always remember to wean down slowly if you want to try to get off of it. I started weaning a few weeks ago, but had to go back to my orignal dose since I was having shakiness and nausea. Some people can quit taking it after 3 to 6 months (allowing the adrenals to rest), others have to stay on it for life. I was so glad when I was diagnosed after years of symptoms.. but I can tell you I don't feel much better than I did the day I was told I had Hashimoto's. I have some good days and then bad ones.. mostly dealing with fatigue, lack of motivation, inability to exercise, foot pain and the lack of weight loss (even when following low calorie diets). I imagine I have other problems yet to be discovered (maybe insulin resistance, PCOS or a pituitary problem). You do know that adenoids can grow back? My DD had to have hers taken out twice! Poor kid! The only abnormal thyroid tests that I had were the antibody tests. Some people can even have all normal testing and still be hypothyroid. If you don't feel right - keep bugging the doctors till one of them figures it out! Good luck and let us know how things turn out!