Synthroid Stories

Hear from real patients and doctors

From the basics, to diagnosis and treatment, hear from real patients and clinical experts about Synthroid and hypothyroidism.

Diagnosis & treatment Diagnosis & treatment

Patient stories Patient stories

How Synthroid works

Hypothyroidism is a condition that generally requires lifelong treatment. By continuing to take Synthroid as your doctor prescribed and getting your levels checked regularly, you can help keep your thyroid hormone levels where they should be.

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Dr Levy explains hypothyroidism

Hear from clinical expert, Dr Elliot Levy, as they offer an overview of hypothyroidism, its causes, and known risk factors.

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Managing hypothyroidism: Lisa’s story

Learn why Lisa’s doctor prescribed Synthroid for hypothyroidism, which was a diagnosis she received after she had her thyroid removed.

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A SYNTHROID Story: Meet Lisa

ON SCREEN:

Lisa

Living with hypothyroidism

LISA:

Hi, I'm Lisa. I'm a wife and mother of three amazing boys. And I adore my corgi, Mabel.

In my spare time, I love listening to music, I love to restore furniture, and my real passion is writing.

In the fall of 2008, after a routine physical and a series of tests, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. That led to meeting with a surgeon, who had to remove my entire thyroid gland. This led to me living with hypothyroidism for the rest of my life.

After my surgery, I met with my endocrinologist, and he taught me all about living with hypothyroidism and that I would have to take, every single day, a thyroid hormone replacement medication. And he prescribed to me, SYNTHROID.

ON SCREEN:

Individual results may vary.

Talk to your doctor to determine which medication is right for you.

LISA:

He told me it would take a while to get the right dosage for me, and that over time, adjustments might need to be made with the amount of SYNTHROID that I would be taking on a daily basis.

ON SCREEN:

Your doctor will carefully monitor your thyroid levels regularly.

Individual results may vary.

LISA:

I've had several different doses over the past almost 16 years. You really have to advocate for yourself, and you have to keep the communication going with your endocrinologist, and be on top of your health, because things happen in life, and sometimes that medicine just needs to be adjusted.

ON SCREEN:

Your doctor will regularly check your TSH blood levels.

LISA:

My doctor told me that I would have to take my medication in the morning, first thing, on an empty stomach, with water, and that I would have to wait about an hour before I had breakfast.

ON SCREEN:

SYNTHROID should be taken alone, with water ONLY, on an empty stomach 30 minutes to 1 hour before breakfast.

LISA:

When I get up in the morning, I take my SYNTHROID first thing, and it's become a routine. I look forward to actually taking that medicine every morning ‘cause that's how I start my day.

Even my dog knows now, like, she'll hear me with the pill bottle. I get up, take my SYNTHROID, and then it's time to go for a walk. So it has to become part of your life, has to become part of your daily routine.

One important thing I have learned over the years is that there are certain foods that can interfere with the absorption of SYNTHROID. So that’s why it’s important to take it only with water.

My doctor also pointed out to me, which I found very interesting, to wait ‘til nighttime to take my calcium supplements and any other vitamins that I do take.

When he writes my prescription, he specifically states SYNTHROID.

ON SCREEN:

The Food and Drug Administration has determined that certain levothyroxine products are interchangeable.

LISA:

I have a terrific relationship with my endocrinologist. Not only because I see him at least four times a year, but it's not just about the treatment. He asks me how I'm doing, how my family is, we just get along really well and he sincerely cares. It’s so important to see that personal side of a physician ‘cause they have it. It's not all clinical and black and white.

They just want to help us. And you have to really nurture that relationship.

If there's one thing I've learned over the past 16 years, it's to listen to my body, because it is telling me when something's just not right and when something needs to be adjusted with my thyroid hormone replacement medication. It's so critical. And it is the answer. It's the key. You have to listen to your body, and you have to communicate with your doctor.

It's been so long that I don't even really think about it anymore. And when my levels are in check and I'm taking my medicine every single day, I feel good. I can move on with life.

LISA:

Knowing that my treatment is consistent gives me confidence.

ON SCREEN:

SYNTHROID is not for everyone.

I need SYNTHROID every day. And thank goodness it's around, because it's going to keep me going, and I'm very fortunate.

A surprise diagnosis: Wendy’s story

Hear about Wendy's story of receiving a surprise diagnosis of hypothyroidism during her pregnancy and how she took an active role in her treatment.

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Struggling for a diagnosis: Tracy’s story

Tracy talks about her struggles to get diagnosed with hypothyroidism and finally get treatment with Synthroid.

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A Synthroid Story: Meet Tracy

TRACY:

...not taken seriously about your own health is very frustrating, and almost demoralizing, because you know that there’s something wrong, but nobody around you will listen.

ON SCREEN:

TRACY’S STORY

TRACY:

The symptoms that I had when I was — first realized something was wrong, was I was gaining weight, I was having constipation, my hair was falling out. I was really, really tired. And I just felt horrible all the time. And so I went to the doctor, and I told him what my symptoms were and what I was feeling, and he was like, well, um, you’re overweight, you need to eat less, work out more, um, and that’s all that’s wrong. There’s nothing else that could be causing this. And so I went home, confused, because I knew I wasn’t eating a lot. I was very active, as it was, and I needed, I knew there was something more than just that.

ON SCREEN:

Tracy, living with hypothyroidism since 2006

ON SCREEN:

THE JOURNEY TO DIAGNOSIS

TRACY:

So I did some research and I talked to my new healthcare provider. I told him all the symptoms I was having and that I had done some research and I knew something was wrong.

So he said, “let’s check your thyroid out.”

So we ran the TSH test and it came back very high. So we knew that that was the problem.

Being diagnosed with hypothyroidism was kind of a game changer for me. It gave me a reason to know that it wasn’t all in my head, that there was a reason why I had gained weight, and there was a reason why I was so tired all the time and my hair was falling out. And that there was a light at the end of the tunnel and there was something that I could do for it.

ON SCREEN:

DECIDING ON SYNTHROID

TRACY:

After trying a few, uh, medications, my doctor and I decided to try Synthroid because my numbers were not coming down. I was not, um, feeling any better and I was not where I needed to be. And when I started taking it, after taking it for a while, I did start feeling better. So we checked, uh, my TSH level and it was normal.

ON SCREEN:

Your doctor will carefully monitor your thyroid levels regularly Individual results may vary SYNTHROID is not right for everyone

Talk to your doctor to determine which medication is right for you

ON SCREEN:

GETTING WHAT HER DOCTOR PRESCRIBED

TRACY:

My doctor and I decided that Synthroid was what medication that I needed to be on.

The way I make sure that I always get brand name Synthroid at the pharmacy is, first, I look at the bottle to make sure it says “Synthroid” on it; and then I’ll open it up and make sure that the pills that are inside say “Synthroid.”

ON SCREEN:

FINDING RESULTS WITH SYNTHROID

TRACY:

I’ve been on Synthroid for 14 years, and I’m a fan because it works. It is consistent. The dosage is always what is prescribed. And, um, it keeps my TSH where it’s supposed to be.

For me, being on Synthroid means I am taking control of my hypothyroidism.

ON SCREEN:

Take SYNTHROID exactly as your doctor prescribed

Individual results may vary

Facing hypothyroidism: Elisa’s story

Elisa shares her journey to receive a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and how she learned the proper way to take Synthroid to manage her thyroid hormone levels.

Transcript

Facing hypothyroidism: Elisa’s story

ELISA:

When I was growing up, I didn’t realize I had a problem. I just knew that there was an issue there. So when I was diagnosed and was reading about each of the symptoms, that’s when I really connected—the symptoms I had in high school and middle school were in fact symptoms and not the normalcy of most day-to-day people.

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FACING HYPOTHYROIDISM: ELISA’S STORY

ELISA:

I was technically diagnosed in 2009 by a doctor that I went in just for a physical, and she had felt my neck and pulled back and was like, “Ma’am, your thyroid is swollen.” So although I was diagnosed then,

ON SCREEN:

Elisa

Living with hypothyroidism

ELISA:

and I went and I had just got blood work done, and they called me the next day and told me, I didn’t do anything about it until 2010.

ON SCREEN:

If you are experiencing symptoms, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may decide to have your thyroid levels tested.

ELISA:

Part of the reason that I waited was lack of education. I took anatomy in high school and college, and I knew where the thyroid was, and I knew how to spell it. But beyond that, I knew nothing about its function.

I didn’t really understand that it was going to be a lifelong disease. I didn’t…it was so much to take on, that I had to take time to educate myself before I was willing to go back through the door at the doctor’s office and say, “You know, I’m ready to get on medication the rest of my life.”

It was hard to accept, is the bottom line.

ON SCREEN:

UNDERSTANDING HYPOTHYROIDISM

ELISA:

The first doctor I saw did not explain to me what hypothyroidism is. She did tell me that I have hypothyroidism and that my thyroid was swollen. But she didn’t really go beyond that.

But the doctor that I did see a year later, he was extremely informative. He detailed extensively, what it meant, where the thyroid was. He even pulled out charts and showed me my blood work and showed, you know, “Here’s your range that you’re supposed to be in and here’s where you’re at.”

ON SCREEN:

A TSH test can help determine if your thyroid levels are in range.

ELISA:

Once I learned what the disease was and what it entailed I didn’t feel as crazy as I had felt for so many years.

ON SCREEN:

GETTING YOUR THYROID LEVELS IN BALANCE

ELISA:

He did explain each of the options for treatment. He went through and explained, branded versus generic. He explained how important it was to get on a regimen. He did recommend Synthroid. When I started Synthroid it was not a quick fix. That’s the best way to put it.

ON SCREEN:

SYNTHROID is not for everyone. Talk to your doctor to determine which medication is right for you.

ELISA:

The doctor also explained that it’s going to take time to get your level, you know, within that range that it needs to be. It took me some time to get that level straightened out. And really finding out, you know, what’s going to work for me.

ON SCREEN:

Your doctor will carefully monitor your thyroid levels regularly.

And once I got in range, I don’t want to say, like, everything’s perfect. But it was finally like that glaze came off and a light bulb came on and I felt for the first time in control.

ON SCREEN:

When starting SYNTHROID, it may take time for you and your doctor to find the dose that works for you.

ELISA:

I would tell someone that’s just starting on Synthroid that once they’ve made that commitment to stick with it. And be willing to allow yourself to not be perfect. But remember that each day is a new day, and you need to make that commitment, and you have to be willing to do it.

ON SCREEN:

Take SYNTHROID as your doctor prescribed.

Do you have a Synthroid story to share?

If you have experience being treated with Synthroid for hypothyroidism, helping and inspiring others can be as easy as sharing your personal story.

Please email info@speaknetwork.net or call 855-971-0541 to learn more about how you can make an impact on the lives of people living with hypothyroidism.

Share your story

Myths vs Facts

Dispel the myths surrounding hypothyroidism and learn the truth about how this condition can be managed with Synthroid.

Get the facts

Synthroid Stories

Hear from real patients and doctors

How Synthroid works

Dr Levy explains hypothyroidism

Managing hypothyroidism: Lisa’s story

A surprise diagnosis: Wendy’s story

Struggling for a diagnosis: Tracy’s story

Facing hypothyroidism: Elisa’s story

Do you have a Synthroid story to share?

Myths vs Facts

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