thyroid problem

angelbabe2112

ok so here's the deal just recently i found out i have a very very underactive thyroid.getting blood tests every second week and have now been put on tablets for life.my worst side effect is just the tiredness that comes with it. does anybody else have this problem and can help me with how to get rid of the tiredness.id sleep for 2 days straight if i could at the mo.sorry if this is in the wrond place mods feel free to move. i know this isnt a medical board im just wondering does anyone else share this same conditon and their views on it

Beruthiel

have you spoken to your doctor about this?

Bri~

I've been to the doctor on numerous occasions over the last couple of years with complaints about fatigue, generally feeling crap/run down and all they have done is take blood tests and tell me that i'm fine. I'm sure these tests are just for blood sugar levels and things like that, i'd love to get to the bottom of the problem.

How did the underactive thyroid diagnosis come about? Thats a bit of a pain that you need to take tablets for the rest of your life, but it's not the end of the world. You should try and get outdoors as much as you can to combat that tiredness. With summer kicking off now, long bright nights and fresh air will probably do you the world of good.

The_Conductor

One of the probs with an underactive thyroid is your body generates lower (or none) thyroxine- which controls your metabolism. Some of the sympthoms of hypothyroidism unfortunately include tiredness, and (depending on severity) muscle weakness, cramps, feeling the cold, a slow heart rate, dry and flaky skin, hair loss, a deep husky voice and weight gain.

Several of my relatives are on eltroxin on an ongoing basis, and have found that it has solved many of the sympthoms associated with thyroid problems.

If the sympthoms continue after you've been put on medication- consult your doctor.

The following link may be of use to you:

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/consumers/cmi/e/Eltroxin.htm

smileygal

Ask your doctor about Fibromyalgia and M.E. - chronic fatigue features in both, although some GPs aren't au fait with these conditions or don't accept them. They often go misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.

Re fatigue - pacing yourself is crucial, don't overdo it on a good day and plan ahead so you can rest between events/journeys/ whatever.

and eat small meals throughout the day if you find your blood sugar plummets

cormie

Hi,
I have the exact same thing. Mine was diagnosed when I was about 12 years old, I was about 16 stone at the time. I'm 20 years old now, I've been as low as 12 1/2 stone, I've put a bit back on in the past few months but I've started jogging and I'm really aiming to totally tone myself up in the next few months.

I used to have to go to bed every night at around 10. I'd always be tired. The tablet issue isn't a problem at all, you get used to it. I've to take 150mgs daily, that's 2 tablets at the one time, I get a pack of 50mg and a pack of 100mg, each tablet is in its indivual wrap (think strepsills) so every time I get a new pack I just write over each one the date it has to be taken with a perm marker.

You will get allot more energy and if you are over weight, you will probably begin to shed a few pounds. Even though I had an underactive thyroid, I had massive sweet tooth too which is another reason I was over weight.

Just watch what you eat and you'll be fine!

The worst thing about it for me is the blood tests, I'm scared ****less of them! haha. I've had to have brain scans and stuff to. Absolutely nothing to worry about. You will just have to lie in a machine and hear a banging noise. Concentrate on the noise, think it as a beat of a drum and you'll relax. It's seriously nothing to worry about though. I hate hospitals and I found that a breeze. If your ok with needles you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

You'll find your energy increasing. I used to be terrible, I'd always get headaches too and have to sleep, once I got sleep the headache would go. Haven't had one of them headaches in years!!

My dad had an overactive thyroid, he'd be washing his hands and brushing his teeth at the same time, or at least trying to, lost loads of weight and if he went to get it checked out a week later than he did, he would probably have died. So I think it's in my genes.

I used to find it really hard to do anything in a previous job. I wasn't sure if that was to do with the thyroid or just the fact that I had to do the most degrading tasks and had no drive to do them. I find it hard to stay awake when I'm relaxed, I'd often find myself nodding off during videos in a dark room. I'd be able to go asleep in a minute if I was watching tv and relaxed.

At the moment though I find myself lacking sleep. I think this is due to the fact I have allot of commitments and I have quite a bad sleeping pattern as I have no 9-5 job, I'm just working on poker.ie at present.

You'll begin to feel allot better though. Trust me:)

angelbabe2112

yeah ive spoken to the doctor and she sent for more blood tests. ill have no blood left at this rate.(",) bri ask your doctor to specifically a thyroid test.worth a shot if it means you find out whats wrong.all started because i was going with pains in my hips and back.was born with my hips slightly out of place but not too bad.was sent for an x ray and theyre just slightly inflamed because they were malalligned when i was born. so the doc just sent for some blood tests just to make sure and this was one of the things she tested for. also getting sent for an ultra sound on my neck too.find out why its so swollen.as my boyf says im a crock!! ha ha

angelbabe2112

thanks cormie.i hope your right.but its just so frustrating and it can make me so anti social because i just can't stay up so late like all my friends, even last night we were all watching a movie and i just couldnt keep my eyes open even though i had a good nights sleep the night before. ive lost a small bit of weight since but nothing significant.joining the gym though when college is finished.wanna tone up for holidays.im only on 50 mg a day and been prescribed calcium tablets too. i used to be really into sports but just dont seem to have the energy anymore.can really get me down

RPGGAMER

i have a friend with that. and know 2 more with it. my friend finds great positive affect with lifestyle changes. even with out taking the medication. exercise every day. as in alternate between free weight training for 45-60mins and 30-40mins aerobic training in the morning. and eat little and often meal not snack every 3 hours at least, thus maintaining blood sugar. most of todays doctors i know don't research too deep into such practical solutions. they take a book and your symptom and give you the thyroid hormones. these same thyroid drugs/hormones are not good longterm. thats why i say look for alternative. not hocus pocus just plain proven ways. EXERCISE/FOOD/Lifestyle

cormie

50mg, that's strange. I wonder would you be on more if you were male? I wonder why I'm on 3x more than you?!?!?

You will begin to feel better very quickly. I found after a few months I could stay up allot later without needing to conk out. As long as I'm busy, I'm fine. I only start to conk when I'm really relaxed, I do lack sleep these days too.

Seriously though, nowadays it doesn't affect me at all. I'd say within less than 6 months you'll be feeling great! My main struggle has been losing the weight I had. I should show you some pictures of then and now actually, pretty funny

In that link it says take tabs before breakfast, I remember when I was in hospital, the nurse would always come in after my breakfast with my tablets.

Also, if I forget to take them one day, I just take the two doses within about 12 hours of eachother, I take 150mg in the morning when I wake, and then 150 when I go to bed. That's just if I forget a dose.

Once you get into a routing of excercise and diet, you will shed the weight no problem!! I'm pretty pissed off because I really worked hard at it and have put a bit back on in the past few months, but I'm losing it again which will be fine. And I'm very determined, started jogging (don't do it too much, I only started a week ago and kinda went at it like a rabbit and my knees got kinda sore, I was doing an hour or more a session, wayyy too much, do about 15 minutes and you'll be fine). I've also just ordered a cycling jersey and padded shorts, I love cycling. So I'm going to mix it up jog one day, cycle another, use different muscles etc.

You should ask in the fitness forum for a good plan if you're looking for one.

In a few months you will start to feel "normal" and then it will just be a case of "ok, I feel normal, now it's time to lose this excess weight"

Also, cycling when I was really overweight was good because, when I was at my peak, it was sore to walk etc because my thigh flab would rub against eachother With a bike, your legs are far apart but you're still sweating. If you can swim, that would be great too. I can't:(

You'll soon be able to watch the end of the film with your friends though. Actually I remember one film in particular, I forget the name of it, Sylvester Stalone, Wesley Snipes, Future, eyeball? I dunno, but I watched that 3 times, and I fell asleep all 3 times and never saw the whole thing. From what I did see, I was quite entertained too if I remember.

tk123

angelbabe don't stress about it - it takes a few months of blood tests to get the dosage right and then it should even out. Mine started off being overactive - i lost weight from palpatations etc and I was knackered becuse my heart was pounding all the time, I started out at 4 a day, now i'm on 1 5mg tablet a day with blood tests every 6 months. My levels were all over the place for the first 6 months because I wasn't resting - I kept trying to push myself so I was changing from overactive to underactive. Just listen to your body and rest when you need to - i doubt your friends will see you as being anti-social - they're your friends and would want you to be well. I only ever get symptoms - paplatations/sweating too much/aches and paints etc when I'm stressed or pushing myself too hard. At the moment you feel crap but it WILL be ok!!Sure I have to take one stupid pill a day but I go the the gym at 6:00am a few times a week, I've got lots of energy, i don't wake up drenched in sweat any more or get tremors or any of that crap....

cormie

RPGGAMER wrote:

i have a friend with that. and know 2 more with it. my friend finds great positive affect with lifestyle changes. even with out taking the medication. exercise every day. as in alternate between free weight training for 45-60mins and 30-40mins aerobic training in the morning. and eat little and often meal not snack every 3 hours at least, thus maintaining blood sugar. most of todays doctors i know don't research too deep into such practical solutions. they take a book and your symptom and give you the thyroid hormones. these same thyroid drugs/hormones are not good longterm. thats why i say look for alternative. not hocus pocus just plain proven ways. EXERCISE/FOOD/Lifestyle

That's what it's all about. Get out there, get active and eat well. I'm not going to risk cutting back on the tablet though.. just incase. It's something my body lacks so I may as well just take it. I'm getting earlier nights these days too. I've been getting to bed at around 12/1 the past week. Which for me is good, it used to be about 3/4am at the earliest. My main problem these days is getting up and dressed though. I'd get up fine but it seems like allot of effort to take that step into the shower. I do of course eventually get around to it, but allot of the time it wouldn't be till around 4/5pm. I'm still not dressed as I type this. I'm gonna go have a shower now actually. Cop myself on a bit:D

karlh

cormie wrote:

Actually I remember one film in particular, I forget the name of it, Sylvester Stalone, Wesley Snipes, Future, eyeball?

Demolition Man

davidoco

I agree with Cormie, you will be back to normal once you have settled in on the tablets.

What he described is exactly what I went through also. I'm 32 and it started about 3 years ago, put on weight, very very cold all the time and no energy and my moods were like a roller coaster. I was studying and would fall asleep constantly at the desk. My thyroid gland was shot. I take 150mg every day

I went on the eltroxin and within 2 months I was pretty much back to normal. The weight thing is a bit of a battle buy I try to exercise and eat good foods. I have a bad day every six to eight weeks but you just keep the head down and it passes within a couple of hours. I got a weekly tablet box (Monday to Sunday) because it is important to take the correct dose and if at all possible at the same time everyday. Taking a little tablet every day for the rest of your life isn’t so bad considering some of the treatments you might have to go through were it any other illness. The eltroxin is a “synthetic version” of the natural product so I don’t think it is toxic or dangerous as such.

Loads and loads of people have a thyroid problem. In three or four months you’ll look back and thank god that you went to the doctor, had the tests and now have the tablets.

angelbabe2112

i only found out 6 weeks ago cormie so they probably just put me on a low dossage but they might increase it. i can't see why but maybe it would be different for males and females. i suppose the fact that it was a really long film (titanic) didnt help me.well i am joining the gym at home in two weeks when i finish college and am gonna start going walking too get all the fresh air into me. im not too worried bout the weight thing anyway. im not skinny by all means but i wouldnt be huge(im size14) i just got really freaked out by getting told ive to go for the ultra sound coz my next door neighbour had to get hers removed and has a horrible scar. im just a worrier thats all thats wrong with me. its not so scary seeing that its a pretty common problem by the responses ive already gotten back.

angelbabe2112

davidoco- just wondering if i hadnt of found out how bad does it get.or does anybody out there know. lady luck must have been on my side when the doctor by fluke tested for it i guess. coz my reading was super low when it was spotted

cormie

Well mine wasn't spotted until we changed GP. I think one of my first check ups, the GP said he wanted to test me for it. Low and behold, I had it. I remember gaining weight when I was about 8, so I think I had it for about 4 years or so before it was discovered.

I've had quite a few ultrasounds done due to different medical problems too (kidneys, pregnancy etc:D) but I don't think I had one on my neck? Good luck with that anyway.

I don't think there is much to worry about with a thryoid problem anyway. I'll have to get another bloodtest in a few months. Scary!! I'm terrible with them, I always get light headed. One time I was about to get blood taken and went lightheaded and said I'm ok if I lie down, so they got a wheelchair and had to take me upstairs to a ward to lie me down! haha.

angelbabe2112

well i got more blood taken today.the nurs put the strap on and then went to write something down.i was sitting there and the pain from lack of blood to my arm made me go weak.when i finished she was doing this survey on me and my arm was pumping blood still.i had cotton bud and plaster on and she said put pressure on it.made it worse though coz the blood was everywhere.all because she left that god damn stupid tight strap on my arm too long

davidoco

Like I said above I'm on 150mg a day, which is probably as high as you can get. I used to take 200mg a day. I never had an ultrasound.

I have to say that my doctor was fantastic in identifying my problem. I was in a bad way, I had bad pains in my lower back, I was very overweight, at night in bed my arms would just pain me and I would have to shake them around above my head to get the pain to go away. My head felt like it was full of cobwebs?? I wore a winter jacket on the train in the middle of summer.

I went to the specialist and he said there was no point in operating on it as it had stopped working completely. This is not medical opinion but I think the only reason they would operate is for an overactive one, to cut away some of it and for an erratic under active one to remove it altogether so that the person can go on a steady supply through tabs.

cormie

angelbabe2112 wrote:

well i got more blood taken today.the nurs put the strap on and then went to write something down.i was sitting there and the pain from lack of blood to my arm made me go weak.when i finished she was doing this survey on me and my arm was pumping blood still.i had cotton bud and plaster on and she said put pressure on it.made it worse though coz the blood was everywhere.all because she left that god damn stupid tight strap on my arm too long

Jebus, I would have been well gone at that stage. Out cold I'd say. Haha. If you can get through that I think you'll be fine for everything else involved.

I think I was on 200mg for a while too actually.. at the start.. I never had any pains like that though, I simply had fatigue and I was overweight. My vocals were slightly slow too maybe? Or that may have nothing to do with it. I don't know.

Anyone else go to Laher?

angelbabe2112

oh i kknow all about those pains in lower back.they can be so so uncomfortable when your just lying trying to get asleep at night and your back is killing you right down at the very bottom of your spine

davidoco

I had chronic lower back pain until I got into the medication and got some spine manipulation work done (see below). I think what happened is that I was a normal weight and when my thyroid failed I put on about 2 stone weight quickly (over about 8 months) and that put the muscles in my lower back under pressure – my body didn’t have time to build up the strength for the extra weight. The extra weight also squeezed blood vessels in my lower back, which meant that I couldn’t walk more than a ½ mile without my legs paining me.

This is not medical advice just something that worked great for me ---- the damage was done to my lower back muscles but I went to a guy with a clinic in Portlaoise (Pat Kelly, number in book for address in Hollywood Wicklow). After about four sessions of spine manipulation and back massage along with losing some weight I felt better than ever and only very occasional pain. He works in a prefab building in the town and it’s first come first served. He’s very personable and really works with you to get you back to normal. It’s not for everyone as he really works you hard on the massage and manipulation but thankfully he then did some “release therapy” which is great.

angelbabe2112

i think ill just stick with the trying to loose some weight bit first to see if that takes the pressure off and see what im like after that. then contemplate other alternatives but thanks davidoco

RPGGAMER

http://www.thyroidmanager.org/thyroidbook.htm

its a nice indepth look at the physiology of the thyroid. great worldwide experts write each chapter.

Lucy Lu

Hi, I have had thyroid problems the last 4 years. Thankfully it has been a long time since I have felt bad, the tablets are working perfect.

Every so often the doctor has changed the dose of my medication. Sometimes I need extra in the winter over the summer. I work long hours and have to travel a lot but I just listen to my body and rest a lot when needed.

It can take a while to settle down but you will get there.

Take care

StandnDeliver

Hey Angelbabe
i too have an underactive thyroid problem.i found out when i was 18 im now 25.i was anemic,depressed,tired,over weight etc

dont worry too much because first off they will have to get your correct dosage and that means bloodtests.they start you usually at 50mg and then 75 mg and so on until they find what suits you. im now on 125mg .You will still feel tired as you are not at full function so to speak.the tired thing will pass when ur on the right meds etc.
try taking some iron tablets you might be anemic or multivitamins just to perk you up.

you will soon be ok no real things to worry about tho it is daunting someone telling you you have to take tablets for the rest of your lfeetc,but dont worry to much its only routine and you will be fine.
hope you feel well soon

angelbabe2112

bad news guys. got back the results from my ultra sound and now they're sending me to a specialists. my goitre is swollen and theres something there on the left hand side that they dont know what it is so now lots of nervous waiting for appointments to come through for a specialist. the nervous wait begins......

cormie

Hey again! Don't worry until you go see the specialist anyway.

Were you not already attending a specialist anyway for the Thyroid? Them guys earn big bucks!! €80 or so for a 15minute check up! Crazy. But yeah, when are you going to the specialist?

elle

Just saw the post, such a coincidence coz i was at the doctor last week and now she's sending me for tests to check for overactive thyroid. Had been putting off going to see her for months coz I've nothing physically wrong with me and felt like a thick going in because i was tired. I was putting it down to the fact that i have a heart murmur, but been getting worse recently to the point where i have to lie down to recover if i as much as run up the stairs. anyway going in for this test tomorrow(have also put that on the long finger), the taking pills and losing weight part i can handle, hair falling out, not so much!

LegacyUser

elle wrote:

Just saw the post, such a coincidence coz i was at the doctor last week and now she's sending me for tests to check for overactive thyroid. Had been putting off going to see her for months coz I've nothing physically wrong with me and felt like a thick going in because i was tired. I was putting it down to the fact that i have a heart murmur, but been getting worse recently to the point where i have to lie down to recover if i as much as run up the stairs. anyway going in for this test tomorrow(have also put that on the long finger), the taking pills and losing weight part i can handle, hair falling out, not so much!

If you do end up having an overactive thyroid it is not that bad and is very treatable and you will feel a lot better in a short amount of time. I was diagnosed when I was 4 (my dad had had the same condition when he was 22) - for me, the treatment was tablets for a few months and then I was fine. I actually was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid a few years later which was far easier to deal with.

sweetoblivion

crikey, I'm glad I spotted this thread! I was at the doctor for a check-up about 7months ago and she spotted that the front of my neck was a bit swollen, (ie goitre, not bad but still noticeable if you look hard enough!), so I got a blood test done, and it came back fine. however, I went back a month ago and I still have the goitre so she took some more blood (and apparently the results aren't back yet? which is weird) and has booked me in for a neck ultrasound to check for cysts - this friday! I'm scared witless. My aunt had to get a cyst removed, so did my great aunt I think, and my mum is on thyroid medication for years and years and also had radium for it. Why would my results be fine if I had goitre? (on another medical note, my cholesterol was (is) ridiculously high - especially as I'm not overweight, don't eat dairy, or meat regularly, hate eggs, cheese....ugh, don't get me started on the things I now can't eat!!!)

What was the next ultrasound like? I'm pretty scared of hospitals as I've never (touch wood) had to stay in one!

It's good to know other people have the same problem, feels like I'm not alone!

sweetoblivion

that should read 'neck' not 'next' ultrasound...damn computer's acting up and I can't edit, sorry!

cormie

I don't know if I want to continue reading this thread It's making me worry now that I'll have to do more than just take tablets. I've had my share of hospitals too. I get all weak when I go into them, even visiting people. But if I'm there getting a check up and I'm actually booked into the hospital it's not so bad.

Bri

Taking tablets for life really becomes a non-issue with habit. I've been on them for years and don't even think about it - regardless of where I am. Just keep some spare in your wallet.

Good luck!

Redshift

Oh this all brings me back a couple of years; I was diagnosed with acute hyperthyroidism caused by graves disease. It was the worst year of my life and very nearly the last one. I started on the usual course of medication, Inderal, Neomerc; ect which helped for a time and seemed to be bringing it under control.. Until suddenly I took a severe allergic reaction to the anti thyroid drug neomercazole after taking it for months. I was immediately switched to another alternative whose name escapes me at the moment; I remember they were tiny little white and extremely bitter tablets.

Unfortunately for me this medication was doing little to control the condition and the symptoms were becoming steadily worse to the point where I was drenched in sweat all the time and the hand tremors were making work very difficult and I had this constant almost buzzing inside my head not to mention my heart feeling like it was going to explode at any minute.

At this point my GP was becoming gravely concerned about my health and got my appointment to see the endocrinologist which was still nearly a month away bumped forward to the next day as an emergency. I was on forced sick leave at this stage because my employer thought I was in no fit state to continue working and had sent me home.

That night was the worst single thing I have ever experienced even though I only have a dream like recollection of it now but the symptoms were at this stage unbearable and I was violently sick and semi delirious I actually thought I was a gonner that night.

The next morning I had recovered somewhat but still felt very ill as I headed off for my appointment at the hospital. When I arrived at outpatients it was packed and the heat in there only made me feel worse and there was also a long queue for the desk to check in. I was in the line for about 15 minutes by now and was nearly at the desk and by now feeling very sick and nauseous.

The last thing I can recall is a loud buzzing sound and my vision going dark... then nothing. The very next thing I remember is a light being shone in my eyes which sucked as I had the mother of all headaches and realizing I was in a different room now lying on a trolley and feeling very disorientated.

I was admitted at that point and spent three weeks in hospital until it was brought under control using the only remaining option -radio iodine
Which had to be done twice? It was a further three months before I was allowed to go back to work.

Now my thyroid gland is all but defunct and I have to take replacement thyroxine every day now for the rest of my life. which is easier to get used to that you think, just like brushing your teeth it becomes a habit.

Anyway good luck to the OP keep your chin up; I hope it all works out for you in the end

LegacyUser

Just a quick question for the underactive thyroid people - Do you find yourself sweating too easily. i.e after the slightest bit of exertion??

I have some similar symptoms to you guys, general fatigue, feeling ill quite alot of the time, very difficult to loose weight and I have a problem with sweating. I am not overly unfit - people who are alot heavier and unfitter than me would not break out in a sweat after the same exertion

StandnDeliver

yup,i hear ya ,the weight thing is so annoying :mad:
i just try to keep a bit fit anyway.

newgrange

angelbabe - I'm presuming you're female?

Women suffer more from thyroid problems because as the thyroid is the 'conductor of the endocrine orchestra', if it's out of whack, everything is. You should make sure to get your results off your doctor, so that you can keep a record of what is going on.

Depending on what your doctor is like, he/she may start the 'but you're within the normal range so you must be ok' nonsense, but if you're lucky and have a good doctor, they will keep an eye on the numbers, but trust you enough to go by how you are feeling.

I was diagnosed in April 2000. I had given up heavy smoking in December 1999 and put on almost four stone in four months. I thought it was because of not smoking, but in fact, because I was smoking a great deal (50 a day) before I stopped cold turkey, it was masking the thyroid problems, and once I stopped, the metabolism slowed to its natural level.

Just so as you know, some people get much worse before they start to get better. I ended up with very severe problems in the menstrual department, and have to take medication to regulate things now.

I found the about.com site excellent.
http://forums.about.com/ab-thyroid/start
http://forums.about.com/ab-thyroiduk/start

If you can find Mary Shomon's book, it is well worth buying.

angelbabe2112

first of all well done on the being able to quit smoking cold turkey especailly if on fifty a day. and yes i am all female. the specialist thing is on thursday( thank mam for having me on bupa to cover medical expenses) the doctor told me that the left side in particular is swollen and i had already told her bout tightness in my neck on that side previous like a strained muscle and ear aches in that ear. but seeing as they are all connected i presume its all from the same source. recently found out there is a history in my family(little further back though) my great granny suffered from it and had an operation to remove her thyroid. getting used to the tablets. that doesnt bother me too much. just the thought of more tests i dont like.going on hols in 2 and a half weeks so i dont want to get them ruined by bad news or anything. its so nice to see im not alone and that ye all are so supportive. makes it easier to talk about it with people with the same problem

newgrange

There are far worse things we could have, of course. Thyroid conditions are very common in people of Celtic and Viking heritage, so we hit the jackpot on two counts. If your thyroid condition is an auto-immune type (eg. Hashimoto's disease), it gives you a slightly higher risk of developing other auto-immune conditions, so your doctor should keep an eye on you for signs of diabetes, lupus and a few others.

They should increase your dosage gradually until they are getting what is classed as normal TSH results. More progressive specialists now have a fairly narrow band of what they now consider 'normal' for TSH, so many people who were told 'there is nothing wrong with you, it's all in your head' a couple of years ago, are now being treated. It's an inexact science, and good doctors will admit this.

If you'd like a loan of my copy of the Mary Shomon book "Living Well with Hypothyroidism : What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You... that You Need to Know", PM me. (Lovely holiday reading).

angelbabe2112

well guys went to see the specialist and turns out ive a cyst on my thyroid so they're doing a biopsy and checking it for cancer. at 19 thats pretty scary. and my tsh levels were so high that it killed my thyroid and it no longer works.

newgrange

Hi Angel
The mention of cancer is scary at any age, but thyroid cancer is very curable. In fact it is one of the most curable cancers, so even if it is cancer, please do not worry too much.
I sympathise with you on the TSH levels, and I know how sick that makes a person feel, but if they remove your thyroid, they will put you on replacement thyroid (T4) hormone, Eltroxin, and hopefully your TSH will drop. Some people find that along with T4, they need T3, and that is where the fun starts, as not all the 'experts' in Ireland will prescribe it.

Please read and maybe post on Mary Shomon's forums on about.com - they are full of people who know all there is to know about thyroid things.

Best of luck.

dcervante13

Hello there.....new here...been diagnosed for about 3 months now when i developed strong heart palpitations...misdiagnosed at the beggining with minor heart blockage(resident doctor) then dignosed with graves after ultrasound, blood test etc... now i have been taking neo-mercazole(carbimazole) 5gm for the t3 t4 and propanolol(deralin)for the heart rate...i suddenly had very hard coughing attacks....could not breath and had very huge rash spots and little lumps everywhere i scratched from the rash...so they tell me is allergy to the neo-mercazole.... i then went to a chinese natural doctor as i was not able to take normal anti allergy agents...and to my surprise the prescribed teas did supress the allergic reaction...im due for my blood check up on friday....so i was wondering if you can find out the name of the other medication you were using....as far as the doctor is concern he says there is no substitute for neo-mercazole...in another website i found they use methimazole and propylthiouracil(PTU) to treat graves or overproductive gland....are this different versions of the same? thanks for your help.... has anyone here got better just by medication? or am I heading for iodine treatment or possibly surgery...i have UNI final exams in november so my only window of hard treatment is basically now....either surgery or iodine...thanks for your input....

tk123

I'm on neomercazole myself and it gives me a rash every now and again. My thyroid was spotted when I was getting bad palpatations. All I can say is stick with the treatment as it's going to take longer than 3 months to get your levels right. Have you tried taking Zirtek for the rash. I use it sometimes and it does the trick - it's the only anti-alergy medicine that I can take without getting palpatations or being really drowsey...

LegacyUser

Hi!

I've had an overactive thyoid gland for over three years now. I'm really getting fed up of it at this stage. I was taking neomercazole 20mg, 3 times a day for over 2 years. Then I got the radioactive treatment in January of this year. But it didnt work for me.

I was put on PTU, which used to make me feel sick etc. I got more radioactive treatment there in August. I have to go back to my specialist this week. I had my blood tests there on Friday. I honestly dont think this treatment worked either.

Has anybody else been on tablets for over three years, got radioactive iodine treatment twice. What's my next option? I suppose surgery.

tk123

What does the radioactive treatment entail?!

newgrange

tk123 wrote:

What does the radioactive treatment entail?!

The thyroid is the only part of the body that absorbs radioactive iodine. The dose is administered either in a capsule form or in a water-like drink. The body gets rid of it soon after and it is not as scary as it sounds. You will not glow in the dark.

The radioactive iodine accumulates in the thyroid and slows the production of thyroid hormone. Sometimes it kills the thyroid off altogether and then you join the fun club that is hypothyroid people, and take T4 tablets daily.

See: http://www.thyroid.ca/Articles/EngE12A.html and
http://www.endocrinologist.com/Radioactive.html

LegacyUser

Tablets for years and years.....

2 goes of radioactive iodine treatment....

The radioactive treatment is not a very nice thing to have to go through. NO, you dont glow in the dark but u can be feeling very sick and drowsy for days after. The worst of all is that you have to limit contact with people and I was off work for 3 weeks.

I wish that my thyroid would go hypo for a while. I dont think I can cope with it been hyper for much longer.

Any other suggestions on how to cure hyperthyroidism?

Gordon

Guest 2005 wrote:

Any other suggestions on how to cure hyperthyroidism?

No, this is not a medical forum. If you need medical advice you should consult your doctor.

dcervante13

i checked with my doc to see if can use some antihistime or antiallergy stuff and the doc said no as it interfers with the medicine...the only thing i took was chinese herbal tea from the naturopath and it worked but it was too expensive and it takes a great deal of cooking and preparation but once you get used to it.....friday is my second appointment so hopefully my levels are even lower than before...my rash is constant and it won't let be breath sometimes as i cough really hard from inflammation of my air passage (side effect from neomerc) i will check with the doc about zirtec...according to must of the information websites..plus also my friend who went all the way

the hypers go through this sequence...

- treatment with neo merc + heart rate regulation med for months or years

---

if doesn't work

- radioactive iodine in the form of pills 1-2 sessions

---

if that doesn't work either

- surgery to remove thyroid located under your chin
+ 1 pill everyday for the rest of your life......


of course everyone is different like myself i get allergies from everything...it seems i can't use neo merc, i dont want to lose my thyroid gland and what if i'm allergic to the forever pill? is just very confusing....has anybody else gone all the way and got some side effects from the everyday pill?

tk123

Good luck on friday! Has you doctor explained everything to you abt the treatment etc - you seem a bit unsure. If the doc isn't explaining stuff etc I would get a second opinion/change doctor. My thyroid prob kicked off when I was in college but the college doctor told me it was ok so I took his word for it and felt crap for a year, when I went to my own doctor when the palpatations started happeneing he sent me off for tests and diagnosed it as a thyroid problem. He's really helpfull and I can call him if i think my dose needs to be changed etc etc...