| colorlvr
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I am just bumping this thread as I am going to the doctor this Friday and asking for a hormone panel/thyroid check. I have been feeling HORRID for about 6 weeks. My symptoms are:
Lots of hair falling out, especially sides and temples/hairline
Tired (need 9 hrs of sleep a night plus a 2 hour nap during the day if I can fit it in)
No sex drive
Depressed
Irritable and moody
Weak muscles, tingling in face, arms, legs
Joint pain in hips, hands, feet
Tight throat and difficulty swallowing, change in my voice pitch, as if it is changing or deepening (this has been really bothersome the last week)
Pressure in head as if I have a sinus infection, actually took antibiotics for it a few weeks ago, didn't help much
Does this sound like Hypothyroid or what? I have put this off too long, I feel like a big ol' mess. I sometimes wonder if I am just depressed (I quit smoking in January) or have anxiety causing all these symptoms, but I guess I need to rule out hormones and stuff first. I try to research, but I keep finding out that cancerous tumours in various places can cause these symptoms too *sigh*.... not good for the depression! So I am going to try not to research anymore and just wait for Friday, but I'll be checking around here in case anyone wants to respond to me with their own advice/experience.
Thanks for listening!
Color (Been beaching since August 14, 2004) |
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Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:59 pm |
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| colorlvr
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I just thought of a couple of questions:
Does thryoid always have to be treated, or can weight loss throw it out of wack, and can it come back to normal on its own?
Also, when you do treat it, how long does it take to feel normal again, and for the symptoms to get better? (I.E. my hair loss, loss of sex drive, depression)
Thanks! You all seem to have a lot of experience in this.
color |
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Wed Mar 09, 2005 5:12 pm |
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| periwcarebear
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i think a thyroid always has to be treated. you should ask your doctor for a good endocrinologist - a good one can really make the difference.
i started with hyperthyroidism and then had radioactive iodine treatment so now i have hypothyroidism and am regulated by regular medication and doctor's visits. it took about 4-5 months to feel normal again but that was because i initially was allergic to the normal medication that they administer for hyperthyroidism.
i don't think that the depression is really affected by hormone medications - it definitely gets better but i ended up needing to go on anti-depressants about two years after my thyroid treatment.
they found out about my thyroid disease because of my hair falling out (which can be treated with cortisone) which caused my doctor to do a blood test. you should have one done if you suspect thyroid treatment because, as far as i know, it's only going to get worse.
hope that helps and good luck! if you need someone to talk to just pm me :) |
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Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:56 pm |
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| joesuzzi
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Hi all.....I have some questions too that I hope someone can answer.
but first off...Colorlvr.........you are doing great..I want my ticker to show the results you have earned ! I really hope your test tomorrow go great. Mine always takes 1-2 days to get the results back so I am in the habit of getting my bloodwork done 2 days before my actual appointment just to be sure the results are in and that we can discuss them.
My questions: I read on a thyroid site that we (hypothyroid folks) are to steer clear of brussel sprouts and cabbage (I think there were a few other veggies listed too but since I did not like those items I don't remember them...but I will go back and copy the whole list)
The reason we are to steer clear is because they stop your meds from being absorbed ! Did you know this??? Is it really a fact ??
Question #2: According to that same site.....exercise does NOT affect us the same way! If we exercise for 20 minutes...our bodies only get the benifits of that exercise for 20 minutes !
Normal folks have the fat burning going on 3-4 times longer than the actual work-out..........not us ! If we stop...out fat burning stops at the same time. THIS IS DEPRESSING !! Have any of you found this to be true?? How long do you exercise each day??
I plan on learning as much as I can about this. There is also a "thyroid diet"...but you gotta buy the book. I LIKE the beach, just wondering if anyone out there has looked at the thyroid diet and how it compares to the Beach??
Thanks in advance..............my fingers will be crossed tomorrw for you Color...................hope you DON't have this!!! |
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Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:27 am |
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| colorlvr
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Joe suzi, I heard that same thing about the exercise. I don't buy it! It really makes no sense, and I hope it isn't true, because YES that would be depressing and would make one think exercise is pointless.
I want to know EXACTLY where this theory comes from. Ya know? I'll have to keep searching around about this.
Thanks for the good wishes. I don't know what to think anymore about whats going on with me.
Color |
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Fri Mar 11, 2005 2:13 am |
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| scottiemom
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joesuzzi - I haven't heard about those foods, but I will steer clear. One thing that bothers me and I have read that it affects others is Iron.
I started taking multivitamins and I was sick every morning. Sick enough to take a Preg. test. I wasn't preg. so I ask my Dr and he said it was the iron in the vitamin. I stopped taking them and I was fine. The only Multivitamin I can find without a ton of iron is Centrum Silver or the walmart brand of Centrum Silver. Just wanted to give you the heads up, if you didn't already know. |
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Fri Mar 11, 2005 3:36 am |
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| mehitabel
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Last time I went to see the thyroid specialist I asked about non-compatible foods. She said quite categorically that as long as you take the thyroxine/synthroid on an empty stomach and at least 30 minutes before you eat then there is no problem. This stuff gets absorbed in your gut (don't know exactly which bit), so if there's nothing else there it can't be interfered with, and if you give it 30 minutes to an hour then it gets absorbed before anything else comes down. :) If I take it as soon as I wake up then there's at least that amount of time before I eat breakfast. How about you?
Someone posted an excellent link to a site... ah here it is
www.rxabbott.com/pdf/synthroid.pdf
with a comprehensive list of incompatible substances. Again, none of this should be a problem if you take the thyroid replacement on its own.
I mean, who eats brussels sprouts for breakfast anyway... :shock: :) |
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Fri Mar 11, 2005 9:48 am |
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| joesuzzi
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Thanks headed YOUR way from "across the pond" for the great website.
I have been taking the generic of synthyroid..............and now I am a bit MAD !!
I have asked 2 different Doctors about WHEN to take my meds and in what combinations !
I have ALWAYS taken them together...1st thing every morning on an empty stomach, and I wait at least an hour before eating (But I DO go ahead and have my coffe until then...only 1 cup per day)
Now, I just read that my HRT (Hormone Replacement ) pill and my low dose antibiotic (tetracycline) BOTH work against the thyroid meds !!!
So for 8 years I have been doing this wrong ???
YYEEEESH ! You would think the Doctors would know this stuff !
I am still searching the web for more info....I can not seem to find the page with the veggie list to avoid...but I ams till searching ! I do remember reading that if you cook the crap out of the veggies it DOES help.............I always cook the crap out of the veggies....but I save the broth it makes to use in soups........so am I again defeating the purpose???
Don't laugh...but I have been known to eat brussels in the morning....I have put them in my quiche..(That or spinach...or asparagus.....it really does taste good !!) |
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Fri Mar 11, 2005 3:06 pm |
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| mehitabel
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There's a small paragraph about Drug-Food interactions halfway down page 8 of the pdf file. It mentions dietary fibre among other things. But if you take it on its own an hour before anything else this shouldn't matter.
And you shouldn't always boil those poor green things to bits :) Try slicing sprouts very finely and stirfrying them with a little ginger and sesame. Yummmm...... |
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Fri Mar 11, 2005 5:57 pm |
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| joesuzzi
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Here is a GREAT link to answer alot of questions we have had:
http://thyroid.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=thyroid&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thyroid-info.com%2Farticles%2Fthyroid-drug-faq.htm
Maybe I have been eating just too much of the brussels.....ya think that is what could have caused my TSH levels to go wacky???
Also found out that the generic med I have been taking for the past 8 years has had a TON of recalls.............it seems it loses its potentcy!!! This has been ongoing for a couple of years. I have never been notified about this.
I buy my meds in 6 month quanities........that might be the reason too?
Still searching for answers................................ |
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Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:59 pm |
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| colorlvr
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Mehitabel-
Are you the one who was having voice issues as a result of thyroid? I would like to pick your brain about this topic, but I will wait until I hear whether it was indeed you who had this problem or not.
Color |
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Mon Mar 14, 2005 4:53 pm |
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| mehitabel
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Yes, it was me - it was first diagnosed when I went to an ENT specialist about my voice which had become very fragile. I was trained as a classical singer and although I don't sing professionally any more, I use my voice a lot and not being able to sing at all or speak for more than an hour was awful.
Sadly, though, the voice hasn't really improved. The thyroid was just one of the solutions offered, and although that seems to be relatively under control, I still can't sing as I once did. Other symptoms also remain, like tiredness and cold hands. On the brighter side, I've lost 14lbs since August and my hair hasn't been falling out, so I should count my blessings... :) |
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Mon Mar 14, 2005 6:30 pm |
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| LEM1955
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| joesuzzi - Was the generic med that suffered all the recalls named levothyroxine, or something else? Thanks - Linda |
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Mon Mar 14, 2005 7:23 pm |
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| mehitabel
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| Linda - I think levothyroxine sodium is the actual chemical formula of the generic. Batches might be recalled, but the formula will remain the same. It looks as if it would be sensible to get the stuff in smaller batches, say three or six months at a time rather than longer. |
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Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:01 pm |
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| joesuzzi
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LEMI....Yes, it was the generic that was having a problem....I have been trying to find where I found the info at so I can post the link for you but no luck so far !
I would "assume" (I hate that word) that if any of us got the batches that lost potency we would have been notified....right??? |
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Thu Mar 17, 2005 9:50 pm |
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