I saw the new doctor, the endocrinologist yesterday. He had got my blood test results from my internist and said my “TSH” (Thyroid Stimululating Hormone) reading was 3.7. Lower is better. Acceptable is between 2 and 4 or so. But the doc said if I was feeling great he’d leave things alone, but I’m not, so he prescribed the next higher dose of Synthroid. He said the different doses are different colors. I am switching from grey to lime green. I said lime green was great and would match bile secretions. (Well, I shudda said it.)

He also said some interesting things about this medication that might be useful to some of you. Missing a day messes you up for weeks. Missing a day does not result in an instant reaction because you won’t know for aforementioned weeks that you have had a dip. Problems from missed days are cumulative and it takes quite a while to get back on track. (Sheesh, now I’m going to be paranoid.)

Best to take it in the morning with water and no food. The generic form of Synthroid is NOT ACCEPTABLE because this is one of the few medications that is not monitored for potency. Synthroid is regulated. The generics are not.

He gave me a month’s sample package and that’s great because I can start right away (I did this morning) and have time to order the rest through my mail order provider.

I’ll be checked again in six weeks. He said this might not change my well-being at all, in which case I should continue to look for the source of my problems, but it is acceptable to try this route.

If my internist made any error in judgment at all, it was that because I was in the so-called “normal” range, that this wasn’t my problem. This doctor did not agree.

xx, Teal