Thyroid Conditions
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Thyroid Conditions
Feb 2005
I have a condition called sub clinical hypothyroidism, which
means that my thyroid levels show in range in a standard
thyroid blood test, but I have many of the symptoms of
hypothyroidism like: weight gain, fatigue, missed periods to
name few. My doctor does not think that I should start with the
tradition treatment of synthetic hormones, and suggested seeing
a nutritionist. I'd be interested in learning about other
alternative options, like reflexology, acupuncture etc. to help
balance my thyroid levels. Thanks for any advice.
Tired...of gaining weight
Please pick up the book ''Living Well With Hypothyroidism..what
your doctor doesn't tell you that you need to know..'' by Mary J
Shomon. Its a great book about how to treat hypothyroidism with
alternative methods. You can get it on Amazon, or maybe at
Vitamin Express in Bkly.
There are definitely alternative ways to treat it.
I would also recomend contacting Nori Hudson, a nutritional
educator/consultant in Berkeley. Nori is amazingly knowledgable
about nutritional alternatives to many physical ailments. Her
number is 847-3197. Good luck.
June
Hi- I would first advise you to seek another opinion about
starting synthetic hormone treatment. I've been researching
this issue for almost a year (diagnosed with
Hashimoto's/hypothyroid) and while labs are a helpful tool in
evaluating the progress of your hypothyroidism, the fact that
you're having symptoms is enough usually to mean you need
treatment. My understanding is that there is no way to balance
hormone levels effectively without hormone supplements. There
are things you can do to help get in balance (not so
much ''alternative,'' but rather, ''supplemental:'' herbal,
nutritional, supplements, and other things that help). Patient
advocate Mary Shomon has put out a couple of great books with
details about ''living well'' with your hypothyroidism... she has
information online at about.com, and there you can sign up for a
helpful e-newsletter. I also visit the information ''boards'' at
i-village/health.com; posting a question there often delivers
many excellent responses from experienced people. Good luck,
I've found that this is not always a straightforward path and it
takes a lot of dedication & determination (and all you really
want to do is NAP Zzzzzzzzzz....)
Hashi Mama
I had the same problem. My doctor kept upping my synthetic
hormone repeatedly until I put my foot down and stopped taking
the pills. Of course, I suffered a withdrawal. I sought help
from an accupuncturist and after a months of treatments, I have
not had any more symptoms. I do not test as hypo anymore
either. This is the doctor in the Berkeley Hills who helped me.
I've been seeing him now for many years and he's wonderful:
Dr. Robert Dreyfus
Kensington, CA
510-528-0132
Hope this helps.
Lori
Feb 2005
Can anyone help with me information on Hypothyroid?
I have this disease and take Levothyoxin 1mg 1 times daily.
I feel sick all the time and have gained lots of weight,
please help
Barbara
I just answered another post to someone with hypothyroidism.
Check out the book ''Living Well With Hypothyroidism'' by Mary J.
Shomon. You may need to switch to a different thyroid hormone.
I've been on Synthroid for many yeas with no problems. I also
take a thyroid supplement given to me by my chiropractor who
does nutritional assessment and allergy testing using Applied
Kinesiology and a technique called Total Body Management. His
name is Charlie Prins and his office number is 526-6243.
Also, Nori Hudson is a nutritional consultant/educator. She
could also be very helpful in guiding you with nutritional
alternatives. Her number is 847-3197.
Good luck. Feel free to contact me if you want to talk about it
more.
June
Hypothyroidism is not a disease, but a condition, and it is very easily treatable. Your
dosage of levothiroxine may be too low. You should be checking your levels every
six months, and talk to your doctor if you are still experiencing symptoms. I was
diagnosed 2 years ago, and only now I have finally settled my dose, and believe it or
not, once the dose is right the symptoms do go away. If you haven't already you
should read Living Well with Hypothyroidism by Mary Shomon. Good luck to you.
Anon
Jan 2005
Our 3-month old daughter was born with Congenital
Hypothyroidism. Due to the rarity of this condition, we've yet
to meet any other families in our boat. Thanks to early
detection and straight forward treatment (just one Synthroid
pill a day) we are expecting that our daughter will be just
fine. However, we still have many questions and concerns. We
would love to touch base with other families who have dealt with
this condition to swap information and support.
Rachael
[no replies received]
Dec 2004
I have recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and given a
perscription of levoxyl. My doctor says it is harmless and it
does make me feel better, however the warnings that my
pharmacist gave me give me great concern. Do any of you have
this condition and what do you advise for treatment? I would
like to try to cure the condition with diet, or a more natural
product, if possible.
myrtle
I've been on either Synthroid or Levithroid for 13 years for
Hypothyroidism. I'd be interested to know what your pharmacist
told you...I've never heard of the synthetic hormone you're
taking, but the others are just thyroid hormone replacement. No
side affects, no long term affects that I'm aware of (I read
plenty about it when I was diagnosed and keep up).
There are some dietary and supplemental things you can
investigate.
There's a great book called ''Living Well With Hypothroidism''
It's by a woman who had hypothyroidism and was not getting the
help she needed from the medical people so she started doing her
own research. She developed a particular diet to boost her
thyroid and took supplements. She explains the physiology of
hypothyroidism and what the medical tests mean etc.
Great book.
Although I take some extra supplements I choose to stay on my
synthetic meds because I've been on them for so long I'm not
really interested in seeing what would happen if I went off.I
felt SOOOO bad before I was diagnosed.
Good luck getting the info you need to help yourself.
June
Levoxyl is not exactly a drug; it's a synthetic replacement for
your missing thyroid hormone. There are ''natural'' thyroid pills
available, made from animal thyroids, but they are generally
regarded as less safe--it's much harder to regulate the dosage
and the balance of hormones. You cannot cure hypothyroidism with
diet. It can be a serious condition if it's not treated
properly, but the good news is that if you are on the appropriate
dose of levoxyl, you'll be just fine, as you've already observed.
No longer hypo
Hi - I'm not sure what warnings the pharmacist gave you, but I
can offer you my perspective. I was diagnosed with
hypothyroidism about a year and a half ago and have been taking
a generic version of synthroid (Levoxyl is a brand-name). My
understanding is that the synthroid basically just replaces the
hormone that your body is not producing. I don't think that the
drug itself has side effects, but an overdose of the drug would
have side effects P it would cause you to be hyperthyroid, but
this can easily be corrected by reducing the dosage. My
endocrinologist was really good about testing my TSH & T4
levels every 5-6 weeks until we got the dosage leveled out.
Hypothyroidism is incredibly common, so youUll probably get a
lot of responses here. Sorry to say that I donUt know much
about treating the condition with diet. Also, a quick search of
the web can give you much more info on Levoxyl, synthroid, and
hypothyroidism. Good luck, and glad to hear that youUre feeling
better!
-hypothyroid in berkeley
I just started on synthetic thyroid a few months ago and am glad
that this is now available. I have so much more energy now. There
is no diet/herbal/exercise/lifestyle change, etc. way to treat
this condition. The best you can do in the way of ''natural''
medication is to go for the thyroid produced by pigs. This was
not very appealing to me. It's frustrating that you can't change
this condition on your own, but I realized finally that I should
just be grateful that this treatment is available. It's been in
use for many decades, so the side effects are well known, but
effect only a small minority of people.
Dianna
I started taking Levoxyl seven years ago, when I was trying to
get pregnant. I have had no problems with it. My understanding
is that Levoxyl is a synthetic form of what your body should be
producing. It has served me well through two kids and numerous
life changes, and I do not believe I have had any negative side
effects.
Best of luck,
happily medicated
I was diagnosed with this same syndrome 12 years ago after the
birth of my first child. I have been on synthroid since. I have
tried a few alternatives: accupuncture, ''natural'' thyroid extract
with no success whatsoever. I cannot say that the therapy leaves
me symptom free, especially for the lack of energy and the loss
of hair (don't worry, I'm not bald!), but I feel that the
medication covers only some of the function of the gland. I have
unsucessfully looked for ways to restaure to communication to the
thyroid gland. I'm sure there are many other women with the same
condition in the area. May be we should create a small network
and exchange past and future therapy and experiences.
sl
Oct 2004
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid after the birth of my now 6
year old son. I have been on Levothyroid since then and still am
not able to loose weight. My blood levels remain within normal
ranges according to my Dr. Does anyone know what I can do? No
matter what I do, exercise 5 days a week, watch what I eat,
nothing seems to work.
Barbara
I can totally relate to your situation about being hypothyroid, the tests looks good,
but still not being able to loose weight. I struggles with this for year and years
because I was diagnosed hypothyroid at age 3 (which is VERY rare). Usually it comes
on much later in life. What I found that finally helped me loose weight was the
following: 1. demanding that my doctor prescribe Synthroid- NOT the generic
brand. Studies have shown that the generic brands are less effective. 2. Taking
Cytomel in addition to Synthroid to regulate the t4, which is just as important in
thyroid function. Even though the numbers in the blood tests might show that
everything is fine, things with you are obviously not fine since you aren't able to
loose weight so you will have to be knowledgeable and demanding with your doctor.
Sometimes it seems like the patient knows more than the internal medicine doctor
about specific issues because these doctos needs to know a little bit about A LOT
of things. 3. Find an endocrinologist. I recommend Dr. David Estrich in Oakland.
Very thorough. 4. Make sure your T3 and T4 values are in the lower end of the
normal range. This will ensure that you metabolism is working most efficiently. 5.
Try cutting out a lot of bread, pasta, chips, crackers, etc from your diet. Eat
protein,
fruits, and veggies. 6. Try adding weight training into your weekly activity, in
addition to cardio. The combination of these things made the weight drop off for
me.GOod luck!!!!!
I take a thyroid supplement too, and my attention was caught
while listening to the radio the other day by a thryoid diet
specialist being interviewed on the Joanie Greggins show. Her
approach sounded sensible, and I ordered her book, ''The Thyroid
Diet: Manage Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss'' by Mary
Shomon. I haven't received the book yet, so I can't make a
personal recommendation, but I thought her approach sounded
sensible and worth looking into.
Claire
Hi, I was also diagnosed with Hypothyroid after the birth of my
daughter. Indeed, losing weight has been a struggle. I talked
with my doctor and she simply said that it's going to be harder
for me to lose weight but it won't be impossible. Moreover,
strategies that worked before may not work now.
Once upon a time I could excercise (ie: go for a walk) and
watch what I ate (avoid junk). Now I need to make sure that I
excercise vigorously to ensure that my heart rate is around 75-
80% of its maximum and make sure that my calorie intake is
sufficiently low enough to lose weight. Weight Watchers is an
excellent program -- when I stick to it I drop weight. I also
bought a heart-rate monitor and quickly discovered that my
walks would barely put me at 60% of my maximum heart rate. And
so now I take excercise classes (spinning classes at the Y are
fantastic -- and they keep me at the top of my target zone).
Good luck!
''Watching what I eat'' no longer works around here, either
You don't mention where your results fall within the normal range. My
TSH levels were within the ''normal'' range but tending towards the high
end of the range. Given family history with Thyroid cancer and many
symptoms I was experiencing (hairloss, dizziness, always cold, weight
gain), I persisted until I saw Dr. Ammond (endocrinologist in Orinda). He
put me on synthetic thyroid (.05 Levoxyl), and I've been fine since. If
weight gain is not your only symptom, perhaps your dosage should be
increased.
laurel
I didn't see the original post, but I wanted to let you know
that the ''normal'' range for TSH, which is the basic test run to
evaluate the thyroid, was narrowed in 2003, though most labs
have not yet changed their normal values. Basically, if a TSH is
above 2.5 or 3.0 it is too high, and the thyroid isn't
functioning well. I see women every week with TSH's that are
higher than this that are not being treated as hypothyroid.
There are also certain foods that inhibit thyroid hormone
production and function, especially soy. Mary Shoman's website
at about.com is a good place for information. There are several
good endocrinologists in the area who really work well with
hypothyroidism. Natural medicines, which I work with, can also
help support the thyroid gland. Feel free to contact me if you
would like more information.
Tara
June 2004
I recently was diagnosed with cancer of the tyroid and had a
thyroidectomy. I am still in the process of testing to make sure
the surgery was successful. In the meantime, I am left with an
extra 10 pounds on me and absolutely no energy. The dosage of
medication is certainly not correct and from what I hear, it
could take a YEAR to figure out the right amount!! While my
doctors are very familiar with hypothyroidism, they have no
advice on thyroid cancer (it is somewhat rare) or the effects of
NOT having a thyroid. Can anyone direct me to a book, a website,
or offer some related advice? Thanks!
christine
Hi,
I had Graves disease as a college student and ended up being
treated w/radioactive iodine. It is the ''nuclear'' equivalent of
a thyroidectomy. I have been on synthroid ever since. I went
hypothyroid after the treatment and was cold and gained weight
and felt sleepy, but these symptoms rapidly disappeared once I
was on thyroxin. YOu should let your doctor know that you are
experiencing these symptoms and she will start you on a dose and
probably test you after about 2-4 weeks to check your blood
levels. I stayed on the same dose for 15 years, until I got
pregnant, and it was increased.
Frankly, although it ''could'' take one year to find the optimal
dose for you, it is not like your thyroxin levels will be
swinging around wildly while they figure it out. Maybe you start
at 120 mcg and then if that is too low you go up by 10 mcg
increments. Frankly, I was a little on the low side for years,
and it was not physically apparent to me, but my blood levels of
TSH were on the high side of normal, meaning that my body wanted
more thyroxin than I was giving it.
I have to have it checked once a year for the rest of my life to
make sure I am stable. The biggest problem for me is that I have
to take the pill on an empty stomach, so if I forget first thing
in the morning, it is hard for me to remember to take it one
hour before lunch or dinner.
feel free to write me if you have more questions,
denise
Hi, I had to read your message three times because I could not
believe my eyes. I am a doc, but not an endocrinologist. Part
of my training was at UC San Francisco's Endocrinology clinics
where, sorry to say, thyroid cancer is common. Perhaps the
subtype of cancer you had was an uncommon one. Anyway, you want
to go to the thyroid clinic. Dr. Greenspan is the thyroid guru
(world expert). Dr. Woeber is also excellent. You will be seen
by a resident first and there will probably be a wait but this
is where I would go. Take care and I hope your tests come back
with a good result.
Lori
Aug 2003
I am hypothyroid since 6 years, at least that's when they
found out. I take my thyroid medication every day and go for
a blood test every 6 months. I just wonder if this is enought
? Do I need to see a thyroid specialist every ones in a while
?
I can't really trust my healthcare plan ( Kaiser) since they are
known for doing just the minimun in care. If I ask them they
will just say I don't need to see anybody, which could be true
but I also know that HMO's want to save money. I would like
to know from other people who have maybe a better
healthcare plan if this is really enough.
anon
You should be taking 1200 mg of calcium every day, at least
four hours after you take your prescription medication. I'm
hypothyroid as well. Good luck.
also hypo
I was just diagnosed with hypothyroid and saw an
endocrinologist. He said he'd need to see me at 6 wks, 3 mo, 6
mo., and then once a year from there on out. So, every 6 mo.
actually sounds more frequent than my specialist is telling me.
Hope that helps.
anonymous
I've been hypo- for about 12 years now and have had a few
different insurance plans and some excellent primary care
physicians. For about the last 10 years, I've only had a blood
test done once a year and have not seen any specialists. My test
results have been consistent throughout and my prescription
dosage hasn't changed in all those years. I think once you are
stable you don't need to do anything else.... unless you are
pregnant and then they check you more often.
anon
I've had hypothroidism for 12 years and have been on synthroid.
I recently found out that the TSH tests they routinely give at
Kaiser are not complete. As I understand it it only measures
part of the t-3 or t-4 hormone (I don't remember which).
I go to Richmond Kaiser and found a wonderful nurse practitioner
named Marianna Philippek. She's very wholistic minded and when I
requested a complete thyroid test including t-3 and t-4 and told
her why I wanted them, she agreed with me and ordered the
complete test for me.
It is very frustrating to have to fight wtih the Drs. over this
kind of stuff.
There is a great and very informative book called ''Living Well
With Hypothroidism''. I forget who it's by but you can get it
through Amazon, or maybe at Viatmin Express.
The woman who wrote it was diagnosed with hypothroidism but the
synthroid she was taking was not doing the trick and the Drs.
kept insisting that she didn't need anything mroe. She started
doing research to find out more and more about how to test and
treat and maintain hypothroidism. She discusses the best types
of foods for hypo. For example, Broccoli, cauliflower and
another vegie in the same family have an enzyme that counteract
the thyroid hormones, so for hypothyroid people it's best to
thoroughly cook these vegies and eat them in limited amounts.
If you can't find the book, contact me and you can borrow mine.
Good luck.
June
It is the standard of care in the U.S. to be seen by an
endocrinologist, ideally board-certified, when one has thyroid
problems. Make a stink and insist on seeing an endocrinologis
Kaiser Adversary
I've had hypothyroidism for about 9 years and have never seen an
endocrinologist (specialist for thyroids). At first I had
frequent blood tests to get the right dose but since then have
been tested maybe once every 2 years or so (more before, during
and after pregnancy). Kaiser actually tests me much more
frequently in comparison (I joined them in Sept.). I'm a doctor
and I'm very comfortable with that. Hypothyroidism isn't rocket
science usually once you have a diagnosis (ie Hashimoto's
thyroiditis which is usually the cause) and a set level of meds
that works for you. And by the way, I've found Kaiser is
actually much more vigilant than many health plans in doing what
is medically indicated based on research, especially for
preventive medicine (which thyroid would fall into).
MamaMD
My experience with hypothyroidism is that the basic tests that
Kaiser gives are just fine for monitoring your status. I will
admit however, to having checked and added a couple of other
thyroid tests to the lab slip myself a couple of times out of
suspicion! But what I found is that the additional tests only
mirrored the results of the basic tests and didn't really provide
any other important info.
The best indication of how your thyroid is doing is how you feel.
Thyroid imbalance can affect your energy level, cognition, and
can mimic many psychiatric disorders. Thyroid supplement is
actually used to treat depressive disorders whether the tests
show below normal or not. I take more thyroid supplement than
would ''officially'' be prescribed because it greatly helps my
bipolar depressive disorder. My (Kaiser) psychiatrist prescribes
it, and my primary practioner supports this (although she would
not have known enough to prescribe in this way herself). I'm not
saying that your case is the same as mine, just that thyroid
levels affect mood, and that watching your moods is important in
your own self-evaluation.
anon
I was diagnosed w/Graves Disease in 1992, was treated w/the
radioactive iodine and have been on maintenance meds since then.
I've also given birth to one amazing little girl and am newly
pregnant. Talk about having to REALLY watch/modify your meds!
Geesh- The body is an ever changing, evolving thing and you
ought to be in touch w/your endocrinologist accordingly. I know
that Kaiser's range for a ''normal'' panel results are different
than that of my doctor's. I tend to think that what my doctor
says, is right for me- his name is Dr. Steven Lewis- he's in
Concord (a UC alum as well-) and he is AMAZING. I credit him
with finally getting me on the right track. I've seen plenty
of ''specialists'' and tried various prescriptions, and I think
that it might be worth your time to meet w/someone outside the
Kaiser group. Yes, I had Kaiser and am familiar w/their
practices, logic, etc. If you have any questions, please don't
hesitate to drop me a line- Good luck.
marian
hi, I've been hypothyroid for about 11 years and I think an
every-six-months blood test is fine unless you feel symptoms,
are gaining or losing weight or, especially, are pregnant.
happy hypo
Greetings - as someone who has been dealing with thyroid
disease for a number of years, I would begin by
recommending, ''trust your instincts.'' I too am a Kaiser
patient and my diagnosis happened because my great Kaiser
internist, Dr. Cohen, trusted my sense that something was amiss
and sent me on for further testing (which revealed papillary
CA). I had great results with my surgery which was conducted
by a Kaiser surgeon in Southern California. For ongoing care,
I was seen by Dr. Bydaur, the staff endocrinologist, for some
time, but just didn't feel that I was getting the total care I
needed. He was a bit too much of a scientist for me and I
couldn't follow all the bio-chemistry he was describing. After
feeling uneasy with the whole thing for quite some time, I
ended up going outside the Kaiser system for the first time in
20 years. My endocrinologist is now Dr. Nathan Becker, whom I
trust totally, and found through Digest recommendations. So,
in a nutshell, I think Kaiser is outstanding for many things
(we had our two kids at Oakland Kaiser, including an emergency
C-section and VBAC), but again, on occaison, it is necessary to
put your health in the best possible hands and that means going
outside the system. For me, it has been worth the extra
expense to have the peace of mine and sense of well-being that
being in Dr. Becker's expert care brings. Best of luck.
Fellow patient
I wonder whether the problem is not so much Kaiser as
your primary care provider there, since you have the
impression of not getting what you want.
I am also with Kaiser, and I have a wonderful, very thorough,
kind, smart and funny primary care provider who has never
hesitated to request tests that he felt were necessary as
well as tests that I have requested if I had a good reason.
Last year on a hunch he had me tested and found I was
hyperthyroid before I was even symptomatic. I was soon
diagnosed with Grave's Disease and offered the RAI
(radioactive iodine) treatment which is the standard of care
in the U.S., not just at Kaiser. Nonetheless, being
asymptomatic and considering nuking my thyroid, I wanted
a second option, and Dr. Huynh, although he felt strongly
that I should eventually have RAI, was comfortable with my
researching my options and getting a second opinion. I
talked to a lot of my MD buddies at UCSF, Stanford and
Kaiser, and based on their recommendations, ended up
choosing an endocrinologist at Kaiser in Santa Rosa
(which happens to be convenient for me since I'm up there
frequently). He was great - spent lots of time answering my
questions (I had faxed ahead a page of questions) and I
have been able to talk to him by phone for followup while I'm
being treated with meds.
I personally feel that I have had superb care at Kaiser, not
just for this, but for other issues. I have a background in
medical research and am very proactive in asking
questions and getting them answered. You should know
that (a) thyroid issues should be reviewed by an
endocrinologist, even if your primary care MD says s/he can
handle it, (b) you can do that within Kaiser w/o spending
money outside, (c) you should research your options so that
you can ask informed questions, (d) thyroid replacement,
like anything else having to do with your body, is an art as
much as a science and (e) you should have a physician
who answers your questions thoroughly.
Best wishes,
-Kaiser patient
My mother is an endocrinologist so I asked her if she knew
of any websites with reputable current information that might
help you determine if you are getting the best care. She
recommended:
http://www.allthyroid.org/disorders
http://patients.uptodate.com/frames.asp?page=topic.asp&file=endo_hor/7775&title=Hyperthyroidism
(remember to copy and paste entire url)
http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patients.html -- this site has
two helpful pdf files.
Hope this helps
June 2003
My child is 21 mos now and I weaned him at 11 mos. I thought my sex drive
would slowly come back after weaning, but to the contrary, it continued
dwindling until it finally disappeared (completely, absolutely disappeared). I
was so alarmed that I insisted to have my hormones checked (my ob-gyn kept
telling me that it was psychological). It turned out that I was very hypothyroid.
Now I am being treated, but I find it difficult to believe that things can go back
to normal after hitting so low. Also, in all of my readings, the loss of sex drive
in hypothyroid individuals is just mentioned in passing and not listed as a main
symptom, when for me it has been the most disturbing one (pretty much the
only one). I could not find any specific reference to this in the website. It
would help to hear from other people whose sex drive has returned after
thyroid levels went back to normal. Thanks!
Anon
The Thyroid Sourcebook is excellent as are the many internet sites for
research. Dosage for any thyroid condition is tricky. Once my dose was
on the mark all systems were go and have been for six plus years :)
living in balance
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when my 1st son was 6 months
old...it was hard to tell if lack of sex drive was the
hypothyroidism or exhaustion from having a new baby.
As soon as I went on thyroid hormone I felt better within
days...all my symptoms (I had every one in the book) went away.
My sex drive returned.
Lack of sex drive could be related to other hormones too. Have
you had a complete blood panel done to check everything?
Good luck
anon
I have borderline hypothyroidism that is now being treated.
From my psychiatrist who I see for depression, I learned that
thyroid problems can cause any and all symptoms, even mimicing
psychiatric disorders (doesn't mean it's all in your head just
cuz the symptoms are psychiatric!). I am being treated at a
higher dose than usual, pushing me to the upper range of normal,
to treat the depression (an accepted treatment used even in
people who do not test low, although it is not
known by most GP's or unsophisticated psychiatrists). This
treatment is supported by my progressive Kaiser internist, even
though she would not have known to do it herself. It has been
very helpful, affecting both my energy level and state of mind.
Don't give up, and seek out a good, up-to-date psychiatrist if
you suspect that you may be being under-treated.
anon
Dec 2002
I was tested for hypothyroid since I was feeling very fatigue.
The first time the result of my blood test showed that I was hypothyroid.
My doctor said that I should be tested two months later and then discuss
the case. The second time, my blood test result came back negative. So
my doctor decided that I was all right.
I wouldn't have liked to take any medication even if my test result came
back positive the second time around. But I have a gut feeling that I am
hypothyroid. And I would like to know some alternative way to help
myself get better. Does anyone know about anything that would help
hypothyrodism?
Thanks.
anonymous
The British Medical Journal 2 years ago indicated that a TSH (thyroid
stimulating hormone) level above 2.0 is ''suspicious'' and warrants further
investigation. If
you can, get a copy of the blood test. Further, the ''other side'' of the
thyroid blood test includes measuring T4 and T3. Evenso, many alternative
care professionals
think that blood tests do not tell the whole story. There are several fairly
recent, and well-written books out there to investigate: by Mary Shamon,
Stephen Langer,
and Richard Shames. Dr.Broda Barnes developed the ''basal body temperature
test'' described in his classic, HYPOTHYROIDISM: THE UNSUSPECTED
ILLNESS, and found it more accurately predicted thyroid dysfunction. This
hard-cover may be in the library. Somehow you will find answers.
Several next steps are outlined in the aforementioned books. My own approach
with myself and clients has been increasing dietary protein and iodine
sources, and
getting the necessary co-factors. Avoiding goitrogenic foods (uncooked
Brassica vegetables and soy, for example) and exercise have also helped. It
is wise you have
noticed this condition in yourself because having a low metabolic rate can
predispose one to weight gain, depression, infections, lethargy, and CVD
issues, according
to the literature. Good luck!
Nori Hudson
If your second test came back showing normal thyroid levels, then
you're
probably not hypothyroid. You didn't say whether you have a
child. Having
a baby often disrupts thyroid levels, so it's possible that you were
hypothyroid for a while and then got better (as your test results
suggest).
It might take a while for you to start feeling better.
If you're worried that your thyroid level is not normal, you
could get
tested again. If you are hypothyroid, you will be prescribed
synthetic
thyroid hormone pills. These are no big deal at all--you take
one small
pill a day to restore your normal hormone balance. Again, if
your thyroid
function was disrupted by having a child, you might be able to go
off the
medication at some point--your doctor will have your thyroid
levels tested
a few times a year to make sure they stay normal.
Hypothyroid but under control
I believe the most common cause of hypothyroidism in women is an
autoimmune condition, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, in which the body
produces antibodies that gradually knock out thyroid function.
Autoimmune diseases, by their nature, wax and wane, so it's
possible (at first) to have normal hormone levels at times. I
have a family history of hypothyroidism and had several symptoms
(fatigue, coarse hair that falls out, etc.) but had a normal
thyroid hormone test. Subsequently, another doctor tested me for
thyroid-specific antibody, resulting in positive diagnosis.
There are a lot of potential causes for fatigue. Do you have
other thyroid symptoms? If yes, you should pursue the matter by
getting further testing, including a repeat of thyroid hormone
level testing and if possible, an antibody test. If you have a
normal thyroid, taking thyroid hormone (in theory!!) is not a
problem, because your body will reduce the amount it makes. If
you have thyroid disease, however, the body's self-regulation
can get messed up, potentially producing excess levels if you're
on thyroid pills.
Kate
Nov 2002
Since giving birth to my daughter 9 months ago, I've lost a lot
of wieght, and am now almost 20 lbs below my
prepregnancy weight. I was chalking it up to the
breastfeeding, until a friend suggested I have my thyroid
checked. Sure enough, I was diagnosed with mild
hyperthyroid, which I now understand is not uncommon
postpartum. My docter has prescribed methimazole, but I
am still breastfeeding, so the medicine is contraindicated
due to the meds being passed through breastmilk. Since I
have a mild case of hyperthyroid, I am interested in
alternatives to medication so that I can continue to
breastfeed. Anyone have this problem postpartum? Any
advise, or input on treatment options? How about herbs or
dietary changes? Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Amy
Amy,
I am a trained lactation counselor with the Santa Clara County
Nursing Mother's Counsel.
According to the LLL Answer Book, methimazole is compatible with
breastfeeding. Here's a reference to bring to your doctor: Cooper
DS, Bode HH, Nath B, et al. ''Methimazole pharmacology in man:
studies using or newly developed radioimmunoassay for
methimazole.'' Journal of Clinical Endocrinological Metabolism.
1984;58:473
FWIW, most medications are OK for breastfeeding, except illegal
drugs (cocaine, heroin, etc), radioactive drugs, and most
psychotropic drugs. It is not uncommon for MDs to be
unknowledgeable about medications and mother's milk. Please
contact La Leche League or a lactation consultant for more
information.
Hope this helps,
Laurel
I have HYPOthyroidism so all the things I need to AVOID might be
helpful for you. The literature certainly suggests this! Rebecca Wood
(WHOLE FOODS ENCYCLOPEDIA) suggested that using sea vegetables, even
though they contain iodine, can modulate thyroid activity. Raw
cruciferous vegetables, soy and carrot juice are goitrogenic and
therefore can inhibit thyroid function. I had a client with asthma
and hyperthyroidism. Interestingly, when we addressed her food
sensitivities/allergies through an elimination diet, she was able to
reduce her meds for both the asthma and thyroid issue (same med as you
have been prescribed).
Good luck!
Nori
I am currently being treated for a more severe hyperthyroid with a
beta-blocker that is safe to use while breastfeeding. I was diagnosed
about 3 months post-partum. I do not feel 100% better but my symptoms
are more tolerable (extremely high heart rate, muscle treamors,
anxiety, being hot & sweaty, etc.) I do think it is something you need
to take care of. Evidently, I was close to what is called ''Thyroid
Storm'' which is more serious and can require hospitalization.
Luckily, I have a very competent doc. that figured this all out when I
went to see him for joint pain. Ask your doctor about a
beta-blocker. According to him, even though it does not attact the
thyroid it does decrease the symptoms. I have had no
side-effects. Both my doctor, and the research I have seen, say this
should go away (yea) or switch into hypothyroid (yuck). Feel better.
Another Amy
I experienced a postpartum hyperthyroid condition shortly after
the birth of my second child. My most prominent symptom was a
very rapid heartbeat, as much as if I had done strenuous
excercise, from just waking up and getting out of bed. My heart
was just racing! I was treated with propylthyuricil (PPU) in a
low dose since I was also breatfeeding. After 18 months of the
medication and monitoring from my endocrinologist, the condition
fortunately has gone into remission. Still I am being monitored
every few months via a blood test to make sure that it does not
recurred. In my case, should the condition recur, I would need
to do radioactive iodine treatment to dissolve the hyperactive
thyroid and then take supplements for the rest of my life. So I
really want this conditon to stay in remission. I did not
research any alternative methods.
anon
I am surprised that your doctor didn't perscribe PTU. This is
the drug you should check if you are nursing. I take 100 mg of
PTU a day and am still nursing. I checked on the dose with the
pediatrician and he said that was fine.
There is a good thyroid discussion group that you might want to
look at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/thyroid.html
Helena
Dec 2000
I have been diagnosed with a hypothyroid condition after a blood test
requested by my regular physician. I am currently taking low-dose
Synthroid and am due to go back for blood tests to see if it is having
any effect.
I would appreciate any feedback about whether I should go to an
endocrinologist and not waste time with my regular physician, who is a
GP, or if I should go along with the current treatment to see if it is
effective.
Any other advice?
Anonymous
I would give the synthroid time to take effect before going to a
endocrinologist. Most cases of hypothyroidism can be cured by a low
dose of synthroid. It sometimes take a few months before they will
get the right dosage though.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a year ago. My then GP prescribed
a low dose synthroid as well but I insisted on seeing an
endocrinologist and am glad that I did. My GP prescribed way too low a
dose for my weight and I "wasted" several months of not feeling well
before I got the correct dosage. My endocrinologist (Dr. Ammon in
Orinda 925 254-7450) is efficient and extremely knowledgeable and I
have been very happy in his care.
My family has a history of thyroid conditions (hyper and hypo). It is
easily misdiagnosed and while I give kudos to the g.p. for ordering
the blood test, I think getting care and diagnosis from an
endrocrinologist would be a real good idea. There is a book called
The Thyroid Sourcebook by M. Sara Rosenthal you may want to get, to
get up to speed and figure out what questions you need to ask. Good
luck. It is a manageable condition.
Lissa
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease a year ago (causes
hypothyroidism), and I decided to go to an endocrinologist. I wanted to
know everything about my condition, and I felt going to a specialist was
the way to go.
I recommend reading "The Thyroid Solution" by Ridha Arem. It's a
comprehensive book on thyroid disorders. The section on diet and
supplements alone was worth it. Good luck.
I've had thyroid problems for approximately 20 years, and consider
myself somewhat of an expert at this point. My advice would be: if
your GP can handle it, and you feel better with the Synthoid and
following your GP's advice, stay with it. If your symptoms don't
improve, or you start feeling like your GP doesn't know enough or
isn't working on it hard enough, then going to an endocrinologist is
your best bet.
My understanding is that your run-of-the-mill hypothyroidism will
respond to Synthroid, and it's just a matter of getting tested and
adjusting the dose until you feel better. At some point, though, you
may feel lousy at the same time the blood tests say you're on the
right dose; again, that's when you need an expert. There were
recommendations within the last several weeks for endocrinologists. I
go to Nathan Becker in SF (at 350 Parnassus, (415) 681-7707), who is
rather expensive and not covered by health insurance, but I had many
years of treatment by doctors who didn't know what they were doing
first (I had something called Hashimoto's Thyroiditis until I had my
thyroid removed finally; now I'm hypothyroid, technically -- but I
didn't respond to treatment even the way many Hashimoto's sufferers
do, so it really took a specialist).
Finally, my advice is not to underestimate the power of your thyroid
to affect many aspects of your life. If you're not feeling well,
insist on getting treatment, one way or another!
Good luck! Laurel
I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism about 9 years ago when my first
son was 6 mos. old. I had symptoms that made me feel like I was going
to have a nervous breakdown and I thought it was the stress of a first
baby. I actually had every symptom in the book for hypothyroidism. I
did extensive research (at Pacific Med. Ctr in SF medical/health
library) and found out that it's a pretty basic condition to
treat. The synthroid (or whatever your synthetic hormone is) acts as
your natural thyroid hormone so the body thinks all is well in
thyroid-ville. There are different beliefs about why the thyroid
stops functioning according to eastern medicine, but in the western MD
world there's no apparent reason (or interest to find out) and it's a
pretty straightforward condition to treat. There are usually no
complications with hypothyroidism, like Goiter or Hashimoto's disease
etc. It's a good idea to have your blood TSH (Thyroid stimulating
hormone) level checked every few months till your synthroid level
normalizes for you and then once or twice a year (I get a blood test
about once per year unless something wierd is happening in my
body...I'm 47 and am experiencing other hormonal changes). Once you
start taking the synthetic hormone supposedly the thyroid atrophys and
will never work again. Some alternative health practitioners think
this is not necessarily true and that with certain diet and
supplements it can work again. Also some people take a variety of
supplements, one being bovine thyroid extract, instead of the
synthetic hormone. I never went that route (Md's don't prescribe to
this treatment), although I usually do go for alternative treatments
rather than alopathic medicine. In this case I didn't want to be
taking 15 pills 3 times per day and the synthetic hormone seemed(s)
simple enough with no long term side effects unless you take too much
of a dose. You can find out a lot on the internet. Personally I don't
think it's necessary to see a specialist, at least not till you gather
as much info as you can for your own knowledge. Hypothyroidism is
VERY common amongst women and for some reason especially after the
birth of a child. Good luck. Please feel free to contact me if you
have any other questions or want to talk further.
June
I have had a hypothyroid condition for about 15 years--mild to
moderate--and it was always managed by whatever GP I saw, with no ill
effects at all. It's just a matter of calibrating the dosage of
whatever medication you're on, and most GP's are trained to deal with
that. However, when I got pregnant, my thyroid went absolutely
haywire and since I was under the care of my OB, he declared himself
stumped and sent me to an Endocrinologist, for whom it still took a
couple of months to get my dosage right (I ended up on double my
original dosage, and was switched from synthroid to levoxyl). Since I
was having heart palpitations from the crazy thyroid, I felt it was
right to go to a specialist. Now that I'm no longer pregnant I still
go to the endocrinologist, but I'm down to once a year and my dosage
is down to normal. I really don't feel like I need to see him,
necessarily, as things seem completely back to normal, I just got in
the habit. My advice is that if you have a fairly typical mild to
moderate problem, your GP should be able to handle it fine. If they
can't calibrate the dosage after numerous tries or you're still having
symptoms, then consider a specialist.
In my experience (I am hypothyroid) there is no reason not to stick
with your GP if you are comfortable with him/her, as thyroid is easy
to treat and is very common. BUT if you do not feel completely well
within a few months of starting medication and you are not getting
help from your GP, ask for the endocrinologist. Also do a lot of
research on the internet, it is easy, and you will be able to tell
which are the reputable sites.
I, too, have hypothyroidism and have found a combination of
prescription and herbs/supplements to work best for me. I take a low
dose of synthroid, which is all my blood tests indicate I need, but
have also found a glandular supplement (Thyrostim, from my
chiropractor) to be a life saver (without it, I can hardly keep my
eyes open in the afternoon, and have had some scary moments driving!).
I have also seen an herbalist, and with herbs from her, have been able
to cut my glandular supplement in half. So I feel I'm getting closer
to the right combination for me. I would be happy to talk to you more
about any of this, and happy to hear what people say about an
endocrinologist/ specialist. As I've done more and more research on
this problem, I have learned how the problems with the thyroid gland
affect SO MANY aspects of health including depression, loss of sex
drive, metabolism, memory, etc, etc., many of which I have
experienced. It really is an amazing little gland! I would also
recommend a book called Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Balch
to get you started on some useful information. It has helped me more
than a lot of sources and is available at Berkeley Natural Grocery and
El Cerrito Natural Grocery, as well as other places.
Good luck!
Kris
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