I myself was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at the age of 25.  I was prescribed 125mcg of synthroid and took it daily for eight years.  When I decided to pursue a career in TCM I decided I needed to heal myself first and foremost using the medicine I was about to dive into learning.  I had been on synthroid for eight years.  I told my western MD that I wanted to use acupuncture to heal this and he said TCM will not work.  He said maybe I'll get away with it for a year but eventually my thyroid function would fail.  I began treatments for spleen yang deficiency .  My hypothryoidism symptoms were weight gain, fatigue in the evenings and memory loss (as in not remembering entire conversations).  I had a history of IBS as well.  When I look back at pictures of myself I see the bright white complexion of Yang deficiency.  (It's so interesting to self diagnose with old pictures).  I received acupuncture weekly, took Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang every morning and Mu Xiang Shun Qi Wan at night.  I also had a very strong Tai Chi practice at the time, practicing for two hours a day, four or five days a week.  I believe this was a big part of my healing.  I remember feeling qi gather in my neck and I would feel like screaming during a nice, quiet, peaceful tai chi morning.  I now think of that clear yang qi rising right up to the thyroid gland to stimulate it's function.  I slowly weaned myself off of the synthroid and had blood work done every three months.  For example: From 125 to 112.5 to 100 to 85 etc...  Perhaps your colleague took too big a leap (33% at once).  My T3, T4 and TSH levels were all normal throughout my treatments.  After about six months I lessened my acupuncture treatments to every two weeks and then every three.  After about 10 months I was off of synthroid.  It's now been about four years and I'm doing great!  It was especially gratifying to call my MD and tell him how this all worked.  :) Anyway, I thought I would share my personal experience with you and the community.  I hope this helps. 

Big Love!

David

On Apr 3, 2007, at 12:51 PM, Joseph adams wrote: