thyroid misery

Irishchick

Rattlehead_ie wrote: »

I have hypo, but I don't suffer from that. I am prone to it though due to allergies (hayfever) which this week has kicked off in vengeance.

Allergies are the one thing I don't have. I just looked it up. Apparently hoarseness is common in hypo -_-

RentDayBlues

Hoarseness is my sign I'm run down, a lack of sleep will lead to losing my voice! And a sign to get bloods done

goldjogger

Hello, I am interested to hear yer views, Today I have been diagnosed with having an underactive thyroid and to take 100mg of eltroxin. I had a baby 7 months ago and recently gave up breastfeeding, i cant help but think that my low thyroid levels is hormone related from pregnancy and breastfeeding. the doc wants me to go back in a months time to check my levels.

part of me wants to do a total lifestyle change for the month and prove that i dont need to be on eltroxin for life. My gut feeling is that its pregnancy related and that it will regulate itself or am I living in denial? Is it possible for my levels to go back to normal? Also, if I start eltroxin can you ever come off it?

I feel that no other option was given to me and it was just the most normal thing to diagnose me with and hand me the prescription.

would i be crazy to not take the medication for a month and see how I am?

cyning

Post partum thyroiditis is where your thyroid levels fluctuate usually within a year of giving birth. You need to take your meds but you won't necessarily be on them forever. They will do bloods and if you show signs of going overactive they will take you off them. But if you are under active even temporarily you need to take your meds.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Did he put you on 100mcg straight off the bat?

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

goldjogger wrote: »

would i be crazy to not take the medication for a month and see how I am?

Quite frankly it would be foolish. For your doctor to put you straight away on 100mcg, your levels must have been hypo enough.
I was a person diagnosed with hypo years ago and I didn't really take it seriously. I was on 50mcg for the past say 8 months. All of a sudden I started to feel a bit unwell. Not even unwell, but not myself at all. Tired, smells making me sick, boobs sore, certain foods making me vomit, going off my food completely, no periods. I was certain I was pregnant, but tests I done were neg. tests my dr done were neg and eventually the hospital preg tests, also neg.

Then I got a bad dose. felt like my sinus, constant drip into my throat. I got really ill, and even when the symptoms of that "infection" disappeared, I was so unwell. I couldn't eat. I couldn't even smell food. My head was foggy. I constantly felt like I was going to collapse. The final straw was sitting on a bus on the way home from work, and I honestly didn't think I was going to make it to my stop (10 mins away). I went to the dr that night who couldn't find anything at all wrong with me. Told me it was probably heartburn and sent me home. It was a Friday night and I went home bawling my eyes out because he made me feel like I had imagined it, and I was questioning if it was all in my head.

That Monday, my partner had enough of listening to me and he came with me to my own GP. I told her how sick id been, how I felt, and how nobody was listening or taking it seriously. In the space of 3 weeks I had been to see 3 doctors. She listened, said it could be my gallbladder or I could be coeliac. We needed blood tests for that. She said while I was there we might as well do my thyroid as I hadn't had my bloods done for a while. She told me she'd call me in a few days re;gallbladder and coeliac as they came back very fast but as thyroid had to go to a different lab to be tested that would be at least a week.

The next day I missed a call from her. I rang back and the receptionst put me straight through to the dr (they never do that) so I knew there was something. The lab had called her with my thyroid results. They were freaking out because it was off the scale high (347, I think the very highest it should be is 5) my doctor had never seen it before and had called ahead to an endocronology unit in another county. They told her I needed to go straight in. I was in profound hypothyroidism/myxodema state. She told me on the phone (about 4:30) to go straight to hospital. I thought I could go in the morning, I mean surely the units would be closed. "No, you need to go this evening,".


I won't bore you with the Ins and outs, but I eventually had to see an endocronologist. She tested me for every single thing you can think of. She told me I can't have kids right now as my condition would leave the foetus unable to develop its brain. The prolactin tests came back INSANE too, so i doubt I can even concieve right now.

Slowly but surely it's getting better and its certainly going in the right direction. I have my bloods done monthly and monthly consultations with my endocronologist, but I would not wish that experience on anybody.


When I was diagnosed I didn't believe it was that serious. I believed "hypothyroid" was just an excuse for fat people and didn't really have a lot of impact on someone. To me it was something as insignificant as a cut on my leg or something, something I had but didn't impact me too much. Boy - how wrong was I!

Don't neglect it. Listen to your doctor, and if you're not happy get a referral to an endocronologist. Ignoring it won't help, and seems to cause a lot bigger problems in the long term.

fighterman

https://chriskresser.com/the-gluten-thyroid-connection/

In many cases thyroid problems are an undiagnosed gluten intolerance issue . Currently no testing available in Ireland for gluten intolerance available (Cyrex labs in the UK do testing , which you could do via a home test kit) . The best approach is to go cold turkey and completely remove gluten from the diet for a few weeks and see if symptoms improved.

Here's a guide below to how to go about it and get over the first few days withdrawal symptoms

http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-quick-and-dirty/

cyning

fighterman wrote: »

https://chriskresser.com/the-gluten-thyroid-connection/

In many cases thyroid problems are an undiagnosed gluten intolerance issue . Currently no testing available in Ireland for gluten intolerance available (Cyrex labs in the UK do testing , which you could do via a home test kit) . The best approach is to go cold turkey and completely remove gluten from the diet for a few weeks and see if symptoms improved.

Here's a guide below to how to go about it and get over the first few days withdrawal symptoms

http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-quick-and-dirty/

You still would need to take tablets to ensure that you are healthy. For a woman after having a baby it's particularly important.

r93kaey5p2izun

I was diagnosed with Hashimotos 2 years ago. I'm on 50mcg eltroxin since. I don't even think about being hypo though - have other more serious health problems so don't really take it seriously. I regularly miss my tablet too. I haven't had my bloods retested since I was diagnosed.

For the past few months I've been feeling absolutely awful - very like you describe Lexie. I essentially have morning sickness, can't stomach anything only the plainest foods, I'm just exhausted and feel like I'm going stupid at times my mind is so foggy. My skin is gone paper thin and just unbelievably dry. I keep getting hot flushes too though I know hypo usually causes cold. For the past couple of weeks I'm experiencing a horrible feeling of pressure on my throat too.

I think I'll ask my GP for my bloods to be done again just in case. Hopefully he'll oblige, though I'll feel like a hypochondriac asking - I always have such vague symptoms. I never really considered it might be my thyroid tbh.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I know they say hypo is always cold but when mine was that bad I could not beat heat on me. You need to have it reassessed. My dr told me that a very short time longer I could have went into a coma so it is serious and it's only since May I realised.

njs030

Really struggling to get my meds balanced. They've pushed me slightly over into hyper now and combined with the meds I take for migraines I'm losing weight crazy fast (just under 2 stone in 6 weeks).

Doc said its only very slightly (0.23) so she's gonna leave my eltroxin alone for now and reassess in 6 weeks but does anyone have any tips on how to deal with the sweaty anxiousness? I think I prefer fat and cold

goldjogger

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Yes, he has put me on eltroxin 100mg straight away, so i guess they tsh level is out of whack. the few days leading upto getting bloods taken I was on a steroid - slowly coming off it for an allergic reaction, part of me stills thinks its all connected.
I have been in touch with a nutritionist and she advocates a 100% gluten free diet, so I have started that with the last 3 days, so far so good.
I am going to ask doc to do more bloods when I go back in 3 weeks for a retest and ask to test for thyroid antibodies, free t3 and t4, have ye found doctors to do them for ye without a struggle?

cyning

With post partum thyroiditis you may have no antibodies and still need treatment. It is a good idea to have them done but it's something to bear in mind. Look for your vit d to be checked too. Some hosps are very poor at checking for ft3 but there should be no problem with ft4 or TSH. I've never seen TSH done without t4.

jenizzle

Any of you had lingering weight issues? I'm currently eating at a 30% deficit and weight isn't shifting at all. In saying that, at least weight gain has stopped!

Other symptoms have reduced, this is the remaining one and it's annoying.

Have any of you sought the help of a dietitian or did weight sort itself out once the meds were correct?

RentDayBlues

I did use a dietician when money was plentiful, it was helpful but 2 pregnancies and eating nonsense put paid to that

I read some interesting studies in terms of thyroid and weightloss. For me, it'll always be a real struggle. I know that I will need to work twice as hard as the average person to lose half the amount of weight they would. Slow and steady! Meds definitely help and I know when I'm working my backside off and not seeing results I get my bloods checked, if I'm slightly hypo it really slows me down which demotivates me, and the cycle continues!

It will take some time so don't be put off with slow results

jenizzle

I studied my test results today and my levels have improved a lot in the last 6 months. I have taken up a new sport and have lost some inches around my hips and waist so I guess something is happening but I guess I thought once they stabilised that there would be a more drastic drop. I'm still slightly anaemic so I'll work on that and find some patience

njs030

jenizzle wrote: »

I studied my test results today and my levels have improved a lot in the last 6 months. I have taken up a new sport and have lost some inches around my hips and waist so I guess something is happening but I guess I thought once they stabilised that there would be a more drastic drop. I'm still slightly anaemic so I'll work on that and find some patience

When they stabilise we are just the same as everyone else unfortunately, losing inches is good though!

I have been slightly overmedicated for the last couple of months and the weight is dropping off without any effort.....2 stone in that time though my gp is keeping a close eye on the situation as I'm borderline hyperthyroid.
It's the only positive so far

RentDayBlues

notjustsweet wrote: »

jenizzle wrote: »

I studied my test results today and my levels have improved a lot in the last 6 months. I have taken up a new sport and have lost some inches around my hips and waist so I guess something is happening but I guess I thought once they stabilised that there would be a more drastic drop. I'm still slightly anaemic so I'll work on that and find some patience

When they stabilise we are just the same as everyone else unfortunately, losing inches is good though!

I have been slightly overmedicated for the last couple of months and the weight is dropping off without any effort.....2 stone in that time though my gp is keeping a close eye on the situation as I'm borderline hyperthyroid.
It's the only positive so far

Slightly jealous, even borderline I've never experienced this symptom

cyning

Even with being hospitalised with an overactive thyroid I was gaining weight... As a 16 year old I felt incredibly hard done by! And again as a 20 year old and so on...

njs030

cyning wrote: »

Even with being hospitalised with an overactive thyroid I was gaining weight... As a 16 year old I felt incredibly hard done by! And again as a 20 year old and so on...

Wow I feel very lucky. Tsh is 0.23 so it is very borderline!

Rathkenny

My TSH is being managed with my meds but I was still feeling rubbish so closer look at bloods identified Hashimoto's as the cause. Luckily my GP was away and the locum was brilliant. She recommended going gluten and dairy free. I have been doing slimming world for a long time and any loss has been very slow (0.5lb a week at best). I went dairy and gluten free 3 weeks ago and lost 0.5 stone in that time so it must have an impact!

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Guys how do you feel when you know you're getting sick again?

njs030

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Guys how do you feel when you know you're getting sick again?

My warning signs are fatigue, crankiness and a serious craving for salty carbs.

Are you starting to feel rough again?

EJ78

should i know what me TSH is? should i be asking certain questions about things i can be keeping an eye on myself? im only newly diagnosed and on the meds six months. im sweating like crazy, like flood waters down my back and from my head!! im heading in for blood tests on oct 3rd for my first check since i started them.

njs030

EJ78 wrote: »

should i know what me TSH is? should i be asking certain questions about things i can be keeping an eye on myself? im only newly diagnosed and on the meds six months. im sweating like crazy, like flood waters down my back and from my head!! im heading in for blood tests on oct 3rd for my first check since i started them.

I'd suggest getting those tests immediately, that doesn't sound good.
Tests should be every 6-8 weeks or so until you stabilise and then it's between you and your doctor.

Most people ask to know their records, you don't have to but it helps to know what's going on, you can look up symptoms fairly easily.

EJ78

i was suppose to get the blood test ages ago but i hurt my shoulder and was on a lot of painkillers then got a steroid injection so had to wait for all that to clear up before get tested. i had about three weeks of fatigue at one point, that was hell! thank god that went away.

njs030

EJ78 wrote: »

i was suppose to get the blood test ages ago but i hurt my shoulder and was on a lot of painkillers then got a steroid injection so had to wait for all that to clear up before get tested. i had about three weeks of fatigue at one point, that was hell! thank god that went away.

Did the doctor tell you to wait? Unless you're specifically told not to get them done you should do them on time or you're not going to be properly treated.
Always check.

EJ78

yeah the doctor told me to wait but then when i got the go ahead from him i went to make the appointment and there was a one month wait.

njs030

EJ78 wrote: »

yeah the doctor told me to wait but then when i got the go ahead from him i went to make the appointment and there was a one month wait.

If you're happy with that it's your choice of course but perhaps checking with another doctor would be no harm?

wurzlitzer

hi everyone
New to here, I am writing regarding my recent diagnosis of hypothyroidism my TSH was 15 and the doctors prescribed me 25mcg of eltroxin I have been on the meds almost six weeks. But in the last few weeks symptoms have got worse.

My symptoms were in January when I initially presented after what I think was Epstein Barr virus last December. I had chronic fatigue the whole month of January, I went to the doctor and told her how it was taking two hours to get ready for work normally it took me 45 mins. I was suffering from depression. In February hair started falling out, I stopped running difficulty breathing and napping.Gaining weight, eating less by July I suffering memory loss and had problems concentrating and two bad anxiety attack aches and pains Went to doctor she put me on antidepressants the lab report came back high TSH negative for antibodies.

On eltroxin six weeks I am now so tired that when I come home I have to nap for a few hours memory bad cold all the time, light sensitive depressed. Although no anxiety I feel worse now than I did in July. Severe itchy scalp the last two weeks also carpal tunnel syndrome comes and goes.

Bottom line should I go to doctor soon last week in bed by six 3 out of 7 days.

I want to got on natural drug replacement how do I go about finding a GP that prescribes it I live in cork.

I really want to go the natural route my mum has been on eltroxin for years and her symptoms are the same as mine she sleeps every afternoon for the last twenty years and she has type one diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, my mums mum had hypothyroidism as well diagnosed in her forties, she became obese.

I want to go natural as I feel the eltroxin is having no effect although it's a low dose. pm me if anyone knows a doctor in cork that can prescribe cheers.

Does the fact the antibodies were negative mean that I don't have hashimotos that the it's secondary hypothyroidism that it could be an adrenal problem

Thanks in advance