Just Thyroid things

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:25:15 +0100

It is so frustrating when you dont know what it is, I was so releived when I found a name for my complaint. I too am ok know. it will never be as good as ther natural t4 but it is the next best thing....glad she is doing great:)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:54:24 +0100

I've just commented on your other blog and then I noticed this one.
My daughter was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in 2003, she was 7 years of age. At the point of her diagnosois or just before, she was overweight, ate next to nothing, barely moved, very bookish, withdrawn, her skin was dry and flaky, we jokingly called it crocodile skin, her hair was dropping out and I don't think her heart was in a good way! Appointment after appointment, I was told she was ok... they plotted a growth chart at my insistance and after 6 weeks realised she had not grown and it was at that point my doctor finally decided we should see a specialist. I was so lucky with the doctor I saw as he specialised in that area and he had her diagnosed almost as soon as she walked in the room. She had record readings which the doctor was very pleased about. (Obviously that wasn't good news for us)
My daughter is now 14, she is as fit as a lop, slimmish (depending on how many chcolates and crisps she eats!) very happy. The down side was her school work. The changes after being diagnosed and taking her medication was so dramatic that school work took a back seat and her teacher at the time said it was likely she would enter senior school in remedial classes.
Thankfully she proved him wrong and is now working towards her GCSE's and doing very well.
Andrea takes 125 microgrammes of T4 every second day, on the other day she takes 100 microgrammes. Sometimes the biggest problem I have is getting her to remember to take them!
Thanks for sharing all of this, I wish I had found something like this back in 2003! It would have helped ease some worry and would have given me a better understanding of what was to be expected etc.
I will leave a link to an entry I did in January 2008, just incase it helps other readers who find your place here. It may give hope.
http://daffy.wordpress.com/2008/01/25/pride/

Thanks again.

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Tue, 12 May 2009 15:16:49 +0200

are you on medicine for high cholesterol?????

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Tue, 12 May 2009 15:07:32 +0200

After all that I will be brief... I have recently been diagnosed as hypothyroid. I had a complete MOT [!] and finished up with leyothroxine. Within days I was feeling better. I am very very lucky to have an excellent medical centre..... Mind you I am now on 7 different medications including the dicey warfarin!! hey ho and all that .....

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Fri, 08 May 2009 15:40:49 +0200

You passed!!!!

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Fri, 08 May 2009 10:14:15 +0200

This is a TEST Comment
Salman Khan
Salman Khan
http://www.google.com/

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:23:31 +0100

היום ישנם שני סוגים עיקריים של פרגולות, פרגולות עץ ופרגולות אלומיניום. הסוג המוביל הוא פרגולות אלומיניום בגלל העמידות שלהם לאורך זמן ובשל העובדה שהן כמעט לא מצריכות תחזוקה

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:39:20 +0100

Hi Jack, thanks for your reply. I used to take an antidepressant called sertraline which is an SSRi. I actually stopped this is July 2008 which is when all these problems started. My GP said that this has nothing to do with it though. I used to take warfarin but stopped this in December 2008 to try to rule this out too. ( I had a DVT and a PE after a fall at work in April 2005 ) So at the moment I only take Levothyroxine. I do try to stick to the same generic brand of this but its not always possible especially with supply problems of the 25mcg tablet. I always take levothyroxine early in the morning with no food for at least an hour afterwards.
I dont have extra fibre, I dont eat any soya products. If I eat any brocolli,cabbage etc it is always well cooked.
My diet includes fruit and vegetables. I usually have chicken or fish daily. The only thing that has changed in the last year or so is that I have stopped eating breakfast. I used to have a bowl of cereal each morning but now I dont feel like eating until dinnertime.
I am hoping to get the results of thyroid antibody blood test this week.
If I knew that these symptoms would eventually go then I could cope. I think its the fact that I have had them constantly for 5 months and they seem to be getting worse, with more numbness in my hands and feet. Its the not knowing that drives me daft. My GP said to me the other week ' I honestly dont know what is causing this '. I certainly dont know myself !!!
Take care, Jo :)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 10:32:15 +0100

The other thing to check is Fibromyalgia ..but i think it is on of the glads the fact that your levels changed means something has occurred...again you have to go after the answers yourself...as hard as it may seem ...NEVER give up and make hubby read about the thyroid he has to help you as you have to help him he also suffers from this complaint through you...I know as I am a carer for my wife and it is hard to understand others complaint...but hey you know all that..

here are some ideas..Have you got Hashimoto's ...This could be the reason for the change..if at first your thyroid was just underactive then the thyroid weas chugging along but it may have given up ythe ghost..this will show when you get your anti bodies result back ..if they are way high then it will be hasie's ....i had the tindling and just about all the synmptoms ...i got rid of them slowly...also are you lactose intolerant...do you take other meds?..when do you take the meds?...have you changed your brand of thyroxine?

There are a number of reasons why your TSH might be fluctuating. Changes in potency from batch to batch of your thyroid pills. I always insist on the same brand Synthroid brand has been notorious for this, other brands have tended to have more stringent quality controls in place.

• Possibly your blood samples have been tested at different labs, or some other lab mix up

• Have you changed the timing of when you take your thyroid pill? This can affect the way it's absorbed, whether with or without food. Thyroid is best taken first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach.

• Increased fiber in the diet. Or if you're taking fiber supplements such as psyllium. These need to be taken at least 2 hrs away from the thyroid pill, as fiber can inhibit absorption of the drug.

• Calcium and/or iron supplements .. these also can inhibit absorption of thyroid medication if taken at the same time of day.

• Are you eating a lot of soy foods, protein powders or low-carb bars, baking mixes etc with soy in them? Soy has been shown to worsen hypothyroid in some people .. you should avoid or sharply limit your intake of soy foods.

• Other foods besides soy may possibly affect the thyroid. Vegetables from the brassica family such as broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts .. and others. The "goitrogenic property" is destroyed by cooking, so avoid or limit consumption of these foods in their raw state.

• Other prescription medications you may be taking .. hormones such as estrogen or birth control pills, antidepressants, cholesterol-lowering drugs, some herbal supplements.

• Stress and Illness can affect thyroid levels .. including chronic lack of sleep.

These factors and more are all explained at Mary Shomon's Thyroid Information site (http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/tsh-fluctuating.htm).

Keep fighting and keep in touch..i wish I had the exact answer for you...but it is out there...oh last thing what does your diet consist of?

Jack

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:18:03 +0100

Hi Jack, I have had calcium levels checked in December and they were normal. Also had parathyroids checked, I have heard nothing from the doctor. I keep hoping that I will feel better each day, but now into 5th month of constant pins and needles etc. and I am weary of it all. I wonder if its because my TSH and T4 levels have been swinging from very high to very low and if they can level out then maybe I will start to feel ok ?!? I have very weird headaches at the back of my head too, and I feel like I am going to faint when I am at work. I have never felt so ill. Thanks for replying so fast. I will try to get hubby to read your blog. He isnt much help unfortunately, as he doesnt 'do' being ill. I wish I didnt !!! I cant stand being like this. I want to be well again. I used to run half marathons !!! Take care, love Jo :)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:59:26 +0100

There are so many things it could be ...It is just as important to find out what it isn't as it is to find out what it is, Your doc should be asking why after so long should your levels go wrong...and should have done a battery of checks.for other auto immune diseases...with what you have said i would ask him to check out my parathyroid glands
these are small endocrine glands in the neck that produce parathyroid hormone. Humans have four parathyroid glands, which are usually located behind the thyroid gland, and, in rare cases, within the thyroid gland or in the chest. Parathyroid glands control the amount of calcium in the blood and within the bones.

The following are the most common symptoms of hyperparathyroidism.

Tingling lips, hands, and feet
Muscle cramps
Pain in the face, legs, and feet
Abdominal pain
Dry hair
Brittle nails
Dry, scaly skin

its a long shot ..your doc just needs to check yopur calcium levels....

soory that I am not more help...the thyroid condition is always bespoked to the person and everyone has different problems...but as i said Knowledge is Power...go on google and find out all you can...hope you get it sorted and dont give up...let your old man read my blog so he knows what your going through.

My father and elder brother werte in the RCT..amy other brother was an Army cook and I was a royal engineer.

My eldest is a copper in hampshire.

Let me know how you get on

jack

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 22:20:36 +0100

Hi Jack, thanks so much for sharing your thyroid journey. I just thought I would share mine. I was diagnosed hypothyroid in 2005 and have been on levothyroxine since then with no problems, until summer 2008. Unfortunately I became very ill with horrendous headaches, vomiting and diarrhoea, and I lost lots of weight. I suffered like this for 8 weeks until a new GP decided to check my TSH and T4. My TSH was < 0.01 and my T4 was 36, both of these showed that I was very hyperthyroid. Well, since then I have been told to decrease thyroxine to zero, which I did before christmas 2008. Of course I then ended up going hypo with a TSH of 10. I am now back on thyroxine, but the worst symptom that I have had since October 2008 is the most awful pins and needles/tingling/numbness in both arms and legs, hands and feet, and even in my mouth, lips and scalp.
Its that bad I can only describe it as having far too much adrenaline so that you feel shaky, combined with hypoglycaemia !!! I dont know how much longer I can cope with this. I am waiting for blood test results for thyroid antibodies, I should get them next week. Do you think it could be caused by an attack of antibodies? Apparently they can come and go a bit and cause thyroiditis, which is what must have happened in the summer. Your thoughts are very welcome as I am ready to chuck myself out of my bedroom window. My hubby is a police officer with Lancs constabulary. He was in the Army before that, in the RCT, which is no more of course. My eldest son is 19 and is in REME. Please help. Take care, Jo :)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:01:29 +0100

If it is any help I am now back to normal and I have got rid of all the symptoms, some of them through what I ate and some by getting the doc to try some things I had read...As i have said your best weapon is knowledge...don't take what people tell you find out whats good for you...I believe although the condition has a generic form it is also bespoke to the individual...so take your meds and help yourself through what you eat and it will get better...I was very bad and now I am fine and getting on with my life...take care if you have ant questions please don't hesitate to write...even if it is just for support..

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:44:13 +0100

Jack, I've just been diagnosed with severe hypo- TSH70. My body all of a sudden let me down with nasty aches, cramps, headaches, tingling hands and feet, fatigue and shortness of breath. My mind went somewhere else and I'm just beginning to get it back thank god. A few weeks ago I'd be in the middle of a sentence and totally forget what I was saying! I also though I was dying.
I gained 12kg within a few months and at first I attributed it to giving up smoking 4 months earlier. However when I put on 7kg in 4 weeks, this combined with the symptoms got me straight to the doctor to get some bloods done. When I quit I also went cold turkey after a pack a day for 30 years. I simply lost the desire to smoke.
Your story resonates with me in so many ways and I know it's going to be quite a battle, but I will win. This is a horrible condition when it's this severe and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. Thank you so much for taking the time to record your journey for us to gain a better understanding.
Sandy (Australia)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:28:29 +0200

Thanks for your advice! I clicked on the link you gave and it definitely sounds like my problem, so I googled it some more and have found a set of exercices that I hope will help (The Stretching Institute). I'll let you know!
I also googled devils claw and it sounds good. It lowers cholesterol as well apparantly, which has got to be good for us hypothyroids!!
Thanks once again for your advice.
Take care
Lou

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:50:43 +0200

i am gl;ad to have been of some help. joint pain is quite common but could be other things, careful not to assume it is all your thyroid if it is just your shoulder it could be something like a torn or worn rotator cuff

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/rotator_cuff_injury.html

also google devils claw. that might help.

take care and as always knowledge is power.:)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:03:15 +0200

Hi Jack
Just wanted to let you know what an inspiration you have been to me! I followed your story on patient uk.
I was diagnosed as being quite severely hypothyroid last February. Took them a long time to diagnose me as I was not overweight according to their charts, although I kept on telling them I'd gained 10kg! However, like you, I was on my knees and convinced myself that I was dying of some horrible disease!
Anyway I now have a super specialist who listens to me.I live in Tunisia which uses a private healthcare system so don't have problems getting blood tests etc.. I just pay for them, all, what's more important than your health!!
I'm feeling loads better but still have shoulder pain which wakes me at night. It feels like a muscular/tendon type pain rather than arthritis and moves around the shoulder a bit. During the day it's fine. I wondered if you have any experience of this or any ideas?
I try and follow your advice about diet too. Luckily I love liver and beetroot!!
I wish you all the best as you continue on your thyroid journey . You don't know how much you helped me get through the difficult times.
Lou

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:49:01 +0200

I hope it is fine but if the doc says the results are fine ask for a print out so you can check the result yourself:)

if it is not that I truly believe that it is just as important to find out what it isn't as much as finding out what it is..

remind me when and where did you serve

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:26:05 +0200

Thanks for all the info Jack. Allthough it has been 3 years since my heart attack I have for sometime been having many of the above symptoms so I have just had blood samples taken to test for a thyroid problem. If I do, I now have a lot more information thanks to you. My symptoms, if they are, are far less pronounced than you describe but nevertheless made my doctor test for it. Like you I thought I was just getting old especially after the heart attack, noe I can see that there may be other reasons. Once again thanks, keep well, we old coppers must stick together. ED

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:22:47 +0200

Thanks. it has been an interesting journey but i am now fine just a bit of tweaking here and there.

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:05:54 +0200

Hi Just wanted to wish you well with your thyroid journey.

I was diagnosed in 2004 after a long period of illness, my TSH was a staggering 255.0 and i had to demand they run tests!! The DR I saw with my classic hypo symptoms told me i needed antidepressents.

It took me a long time, but since going on Armour thyroid in 2006 my life has changed for the better.

For anyone suffering with the hell that is hypothyroidsm. Don't give up. You will get there in the end.

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:28:09 +0200

Thankyou for that...

I definitely have the weight thing - though that could just be fat laziness ;) - the coldness and am quite prone to the sore throat/swollen glands thing - am not too worried at the moment - just sort of looking for explanations for stuff.

Will definitely persuade endo dr to do more tests next time - I think I get them as part of my six monthly diabetes clinic anyway probably...

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:39:47 +0200

your not rambeling, sorry you feel so crap

I had lower leg pain. But you would have a host of other symptoms. Like putting on or losing weight for no reason. sore throat swollen tongue, depression forgetfulness cold hands Carpel tunnel syndrome. These are also symptoms of diabetes. The best thing is to go to the doc and get your levels checked very easy and it will show if your thyroid is dodgy.

People with diabetes experience thyroid disorders more frequently than the general population. Both diabetes and thyroid disease involve the endocrine system, a group of glands that helps to regulate the body's metabolism.

Almost one-third of people with type 1 diabetes have thyroid disease. This is because type 1 diabetes is one type of autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks a gland or organ of the body. Patients with one kind of autoimmune disease are at risk of developing another type.
Thyroid disorders are more common in females, and up to 30% of women with type 1 diabetes have thyroid disease. What's more, the rate of inflammation of the thyroid gland in women with diabetes who have given birth is three times higher than women who do not have diabetes. There also appears to be a higher than normal occurrence of thyroid disorders in people with type 2 diabetes, with hypothyroidism being the most common

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:23:42 +0200

Quick question - you seem to know everything about this stuff :)

Did you get calf pain with the hypothyroidism (or is it something that happens)?

I get it on and off (quite severely - sometimes is v hard to walk) since being diagnosed with diabetes and thought that it was probably to do with that. It's been suggested to me before that it might be a mineral imbalance of some kind, and I usually try to make it go away with potassium rich foods like bananas, orange juice and lo-salt salt...
However, someone recently suggested tht it might be a thyroid issue and it strikes me that my high potassium foods are also pretty heavy in iodine...

Thyroid problems are pretty common in conjunction with diabetes and my endo doctor often says that my thyroid tests are a abnormal, but he doesn't seem to want to treat it, so I guess they're probably not that weird yet...

This is a bit rambling - sorry - really just wondering if you knew anything about the calf pain :)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Tue, 06 May 2008 22:48:13 +0200

well i am glad to say i am just about ok now and i learnt alot thats for sure..i hope you are doing well :)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Tue, 06 May 2008 00:06:55 +0200

Oh I can relate to it all and understand it all very easily I had, Graves Disease, Goiter, and Thyrotoxicosis I had the operation about 11 years ago and now I take 150 micr of thyroxine per day
I thought after the operation there would be no more medication oh boy was I wrong :-(

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:44:39 +0200

i hope it all checks out ok!1 the one thing i have learnt is that we dont eat enough variety of food so that we get all the vitimins and minerals that we need i have reverted to some traditional grandma theories and i have to say it has done wonders i have taken to eating "Super foods" and foiund out the stuff that stops depression and supports all my glads..i have done the same with the kids ...it is so easy to give them the same old food over and over again ...i have changed and introduced a wide variety of stuff ...things like beetroot and liver things that support your insides to make it all work better

hope it is all good news ..if you feel run down find out the things that make you tick...X

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:21:06 +0200

The doc took blood from me on mon and he is going to get my thyroid checked as well as other things(iron etc)All i did was mention that i was trying to get to 8 stone to give blood but can't get past 7 stone 8,i have always been thin and he tested me before in 2004 but it was ok,he gave me build up drinks but dont know if i will take them they aren't very nice, i'm easily scunnered by things if i don't like the smell etc. My doc is quite thorough so he will sort me out if something is wrong, i also had glandular fever last year which was unusual cause its usually teenagers who get that, horrible thing one minuite i'd be fine next i felt as if someone had jumped on my back and i couldn't move(shudder!)To go back in 3 weeks to get results and see if i have put any weight on. :)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:08:53 +0100

I love medical articles very much! I's my pleasure! Great site!
:)

In response to:My thyroid journey from the start to now

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:46:46 +0100

we dont realize what a delicate balance our bodies have to maintain...thanks for taking time to have a look:)