thyroid misery

tigerb,

I jog 10km every second day now, usually complete it in just over 1hr. I usually swim or cycle anyday I don't jog. I'm 86.8KG now, many are remarking on how well I look, but I need to get down to 80KG since I'm 5'8". Its bloody hard work most of the time, but I actually enjoy jogging when its sunny. Felt really hungry this evening, would have raided the fridge in the past, but ate fresh pineapple and tinned prunes and some pistachio nuts instead. Its important to keep many healthy nibbles in the house, otherwise you start making sandwiches and toast and anything you can get your hands on.

Its all about sacrifices, it has to be done if you want to get the better of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism has robbed me of the best of the years, I've been overweight since I turned 30, peaking at 102KG when I turned 36, and I've felt like a 50something in these years, so I feel cheated because I didn't neglect myself, it was my thyroid that let me down through no fault of my own. But no point feeling sorry for myself, need to make the best of the situation, and I hope that I'll live a fulfilling life in the years to come.

Hey I believe I've been suffering from Thyroid problems as well. I had a blood test done with my doctor and was told that they're normal. I'm pretty certain that I've had these problems since I was 17. I've been suffering hair loss, heat intolerance, fatigue, IBS etc..

Here are my results -

Thyroid Screen:
Free T4 = 18.1 pmol/L (10.5-22.0)
TSH = 0.75 mIU/L (0.27-4.20)

I've learned that these tests are not very accurate in gauging thyroid health, I plan on going back and getting a more comprehensive test to see if I have hashimotos or graves. I took Iodine for a week during the Summer and my hair loss and other symptoms stopped within 4 days, but then I had heart palpitations etc. and had to stop.

What do you guys think of the above results?. Are they at a good range?.

cltt97 wrote: »

Well, TSH and T4 look normal, but as suggested, get tested for anti-TPO and free T3. also get tested for iron and B12 and for coeliac antibodies (think it's anti TgA, can't really remember). if you have a reasonably flexible GP try also for morning blood cortisol test.


Shellieh, what were your latest results? Many people experience real improvement at the beginning and then it flattens out, suggests you may need to increase, but needs to be checked via blood test. 50 seems a low enough dose, most people are on around 100, but depends on the state of your gland.

And if any of you are in Dublin - not all hospitals do free T3, so make sure to ask about this, total T3 doesn't tell you anything. For example James' hospital only do total T3, but Tallaght do free T3.

I have the bllod test on Tues Morning as i work a hour and half from my home so its hard to get time in the morning.

I have never actually been to my results in the form of T3 etc. Just always they are fine you don;t need to be worried and ur dose is staying the same. I have made my appoint with the doc as i want some good feedback.

Has any one experienced swelling of the glad??? as at the moment my neck seems swollen and puffy:cool:

Shellieh wrote: »

Hey
Due to get bloods done next week but feeling really crappy at the min. And i wonder has anyone had the the symptoms i have been having. For the few weeks 10 hours a sleep a nite is not good enough, need cat nap when driving home from work, memory is gone so back, I have what i would call body tremors or feeling like my body is shaking the whole time. My poor b.friend has put up with my mood swings, weigh has pilled on agian and nails/hair are so bad. Generally feeling really depressed:(

For me the body tremors were always a sign that I had gone hyper. Hopefully your next set of bloods will give some answers to your changes in symptoms.

Shellieh wrote: »

I have only ever spoken to the nurse in my doctors about this as she does my bloods, When i mentioned the weight gain at the start she said am i eating to much and should i cut down on my diet. I have always been a 8/10 now am a 12.

I'm assuming you DO mention these things to your GP too?
I can't speak for the nurse in your local surgery, but the one here with my GP is so full of tosh, I just try and avoid her as best I can...

Shellieh wrote: »

I have never actually been to my results in the form of T3 etc. Just always they are fine you don;t need to be worried and ur dose is staying the same. I have made my appoint with the doc as i want some good feedback.

From now on, get printed copies of all your blood test results. They are your tests and you're entitled to them. Also, if they'll give them to you (again, no reason why they shouldn't) get back copies of the previous tests. Then get on and learn how to read and interpet them for yourself

Often, if the TSH/FT4 is ok or normal enough, the labs won't test for FT3/T3...so don't necessarily blame the GP for not testing. I know my own GP has had many a row with the testing lab because she has specifically asked for T3/FT3 etc, and they repeatedly send back the results without them. The GP will send off bloods asking for a full thyroid panel, and the lab just sends back what they chose to test.

Shellieh wrote: »

Has any one experienced swelling of the glad??? as at the moment my neck seems swollen and puffy:cool:

Possibly the start of a goitre...but equally possibly not. Either way definitely mention it to the GP when you go for your bloods. It may just be a fluctuation from your thyroid gland, until they get your dose sorted and everything settles down again.

I had a large, toxic, multi-nodular goitre...the left side was always biggest (8-10cm), but I do recall at one point the right-handside of the goitre swelled up so much after a dose change, I looked like a lop-sided bull frog. :eek: We dropped the dose down, and the right side of the goitre went back to its regular size 5-6cm) fairly quickly. :pac:
All gone now - I had a total thyroidectomy last year.

Blahh89 wrote: »

Hey I believe I've been suffering from Thyroid problems as well. I had a blood test done with my doctor and was told that they're normal.

Here are my results -

Thyroid Screen:
Free T4 = 18.1 pmol/L (10.5-22.0)
TSH = 0.75 mIU/L (0.27-4.20)

What do you guys think of the above results?. Are they at a good range?.

Personally, I'd be delighted with those results...for me, my TSH sweet-spot is between 075-1.0 with a corresponding FT4 sweet-spot of 21-23...but that is me, and everyone will have their own thyroid sweet-spots. Also, not forgetting, that for so many people, the numbers bear little relation to their symptoms

So, more importantly, given those are your latest results...how do you feel?

Just spotted your comment re; iodine...my advice, if you have a thyroid problem which isn't caused by iodine deficiency (extremely unlikely to be iodinedeficient in thispart of the world) then don't mess with iodine supplements...it can make things worse, and was possibly the cause of your palpitations.

zippy84 wrote:

kelp, bladderwrack, walnuts, ginseng, green oats, coconut oil, protein drinks, multivitimin tabs all help. Have people tried any of these alongside eltroxin, say? Or noticed any help?

I've also read that onion and garlic should be avoided as they supress the thyroid function..

The bladderwrack & kelp - presumably they are for additional iodine? - walk away and don't bother, for reasons I gave above!
With regard to the supplements, if they claim to do anything for your metabolism (eg ginger, green tea, ginseng etc), personally I'd steer well clear. The way I look at it, our metabolisms are screwed up enough as it is, thank to our thyroids..and will not behanve in a conventional way whatever you do...so anything engineered to alter the metabolism, is more likely to screw it up even more, possibly irreversibly. Just my views, YMMV

Can't imagine the multi-vits can hurt, but do double check with your gp, and the patients notes on your medication, including over-the-counter stuff...if you never bothered reading those in the past (I know I never used to), I recommend you do start now.

Onion & garlic are considered goitrogens - for more info go HERE
But to be honest, if I cut out everything in that list, I'd have a pretty awful & boring diet. So I personally fully subscribe to the "everything in moderation" school of thought. I don't go all out to avoid goitrogenic foods, but I make a conscious effort not to go mad on them either. I'd literally die without garlic, soy sauce, peanuts etc...well, ok, I wouldn't die...but I sure do love a lot of those foods :pac:




Sorry folks, that initially started out as a short post <blush>

hi there. recently been reading up on thyroid issues and i firmly believe i do have something up with mine. i am gluten intolerant and read that these 2 go hand in hand a lot of the time. just curious to see the best way to go about getting tested for it. i am in co. galway. is there a good specialist in the area to see? or do you just see your GP and get blood tests done and go from there? really lost as where to even begin. thanks for your help

Ask for a thyroid function test (usually TSH and T4 - best to specify free T4, otherwise they might test total T4) including test for antibodies (anti-TPO). The latter is usually only tested if the function test comes back out of range, but try and get your GP to request is straight away, especially given the fact that you're gluten intolerant - and if you haven't been tested for coeliac disease yet, then get him to add the gluten antibody test also (anti t-TG)

I know there is one other member here from Galway, haven't seen her around for a while, but I'll see can I contact her via pm and find out who she goes to.

Thanks for all the info.
Had my bloods done and the doc thinks that i could need my dosage upped as i my day has changed quite a bit (up at 5.30am home @ 6.30 with up to 2.5hrs travel in that day) so she thinks my body isn;t keeping up with the changes. She said the tremors could be due to the fact that i am feeling a little depressed.:o

does anyone know of any good books with info on Underactive Thyroid???

do any of you get problems with heart palpitations? i noticed that when i don't get enough sleep (under 6-5 hours) i wake up with palpitations and they last all day. i also noticed that when i drink too much, i get palpitations the following day. this is why i gave up drinking. just curious to see if anyone else gets them. i read this could be down to a thyroid issue

Well, I've got about ten books on underactive thyroid, and by far my most favourite is this one. can be ordered via amazon, I think easons might have it, too.

And palpitations - I used to get them quite badly, together with shortness of breath and rapid pulse,now I get a lot of head-pressure and dizzy spells. Oftentimes it's not only the thyroid gland, but also the adrenals that are affected, and this can play absolute havoc with the system. it's a very fine balancing act and requires a lot of research. Many people do fine on T4 only, others need to add T3, others do best only on T3 and others feel they do best on desiccated natural thyroid. Some feel great improvement on gluten free or dairy free (or both) diets, others really benefit from vitamin/mineral supplementation, some drink salt water or isotonic solutions - it's very different for each person. Most of us have to turn into labrats for a while and experiment to see what works for us! One thing is for sure, if you're tired, wrecked, depressed, indifferent, have no zest, feel bloated, brainfogged and fatigued and just exist - it's not good enough, even if your blood test suggests you're perfectly fine!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nn92rFtW9k&feature=related

Do this 1 hour before you go to bed, and do about 6 sets. It helps with overcoming insomnia and helps with thyroid also.