RE: Thyroid problems
I've been doing alot of reading up on thyroid, hypothyroid conditions to be precise, and it seems the most accurate way of testing thyroid function is by the Broda Barnes test, which is where you take your waking temperature from the underarm. It has to be 97.8 - mine is consistently lower, Ive been checking it for a month now just to make sure I get an decent average even with hormonal cycle invovement.
http://www.alternate-health.com/thyroid.html
Very interesting about the ferritin levels above.
RE: Thyroid problems
I have found this thread so fascinating. I have spent most of my life with new GPs sending me to specialists as I have a thyroid/goitre that really stands out on my neck. The blood test always come back withing the "normal range". However if someone is within the lower end of the normal range it may not be "normal" for them and could be low - as is the case for me. Mine is mild hypothyroidism.
The consultant at the hospital treated me like a little girl trying to waste his time - and if I hadn't known more about the condition I would have just been sent home with no explanation. Luckily I knew what questions to ask - but it worries me how many other people they must just send home believing there is nothing wrong. They told me that I have a non-physiological nodual goitre(!)
I got some more information from the following site: http://www.thyroid-info.com/community.htm .
Also my herbalist suggested taking L-Tyrosine as well as the kelp I was already on.
As far as I know I've never had my Ferritin Levels checked - I've changed GP recently so will ask them to do this too.
Rima x
RE: Thyroid problems
The common symptoms for hypothyroidism is sluggishness, poor metabolism etc which may or may not be shown by a goitre. The root causes in medical terms can be caused by the thyroid itself, the adrenal gland or the pituitary. The common treatment if caused by the thyroid itself is to take thyroxine, which is a lab produced animal product, to replace the thyroxine that your body is not producing itself.
However, I would recommend a great deal of caution if this were the case and you are recommended to take thyroxine, as it is near impossible to go back once you are on it, as your body will no longer try to correct its imbalances itself and will rely on the thyroxine. Ideally I would start seeing a homeopath as soon as possible, they would hopefully nourish and support your system to start producing its own thyroxine once again, and this is certainly possible.
My sister has been on thyroxine for years, and it has caused her a great deal of misery, as the levels never seem to be right.. unfortunately as it has been going on for so many years now, it would be very difficult homeopathically to turn back the clock. Its a bit like if you were to take laxitives every day, eventually your body would depend on them and you would not be able to 'go' without them - please excuse my analogy, but I hope you get the point.
Anyway, I hope this helps.
RE: Thyroid problems
ORIGINAL: CalmandClear
I have found this thread so fascinating. I have spent most of my life with new GPs sending me to specialists as I have a thyroid/goitre that really stands out on my neck. The blood test always come back withing the "normal range". However if someone is within the lower end of the normal range it may not be "normal" for them and could be low - as is the case for me. Mine is mild hypothyroidism.
The consultant at the hospital treated me like a little girl trying to waste his time - and if I hadn't known more about the condition I would have just been sent home with no explanation. Luckily I knew what questions to ask - but it worries me how many other people they must just send home believing there is nothing wrong. They told me that I have a non-physiological nodual goitre(!)
I got some more information from the following site: http://www.thyroid-info.com/community.htm .
Also my herbalist suggested taking L-Tyrosine as well as the kelp I was already on.
As far as I know I've never had my Ferritin Levels checked - I've changed GP recently so will ask them to do this too.
Rima x
Yes my test came back 'normal' too, although I know it's not cos of all the research, symptoms, links, history and intuitive work I've been doing over the months.
Your link didn't work by the way, can you check it please? (or is it me!)
Do you find kelp helps you?
RE: Thyroid problems
i have an underative thyroid too, on thyroxine 50 mg, I struggled to lose weight 3 years ago and it took me two years to lose 4 stone. In the last year i have put all of it back on even though i have stuck to a healthy eating plan, ok, i have lapsed a few times but not enough to warrant 4 stone back on in a year. I really dont know what to do anymore, and i am getting very down about it and obssesed with my weight, no matter how hard i try it doesnt seem to be coming off at all. Please Help! I dont have a good health record so the weight is not helping with my health.
RE: Thyroid problems
CalmandClear - I'm sure you may have seen my post above - I have a goitre too... I'm 25 years old and have had it for around 2 years. For ages I thought that I just had a "fatty" neck and I've always been dizzy/tired etc . and dr said it was stress etc.
When my blood tests came back normal 6 months ago, I went back to the dr and told them that I didn't believe the blood results - I said surely just for the fact that my thyroid is swollen there must be something wrong with it (I'm not accepting that it's "just one of those things"!) it wasn't like that since birth so....
Anyway, I've since been referred for an ultra sound which showed nothing growing on it but it did show that it was swollen, so the dr sent me to see a surgeon... following on from that the surgeon sent me for a CT scan (which I had last Friday) I now have to wait till the 30th of Sept. to see the surgeon again for his diagnosis.
The surgeon was very good, he felt the goitre and said that he won't suggest anything until he knows who, what, why, how - which he said he can only tell from a CT scan. As I sometimes feel it like a lump in my throat and have trouble catching my breathe I have a feeling that I might have to have it removed.
I would go back and tell them that you would like to see a specialist. Does it cause you any discomfort or is it purely cosmetic?
Sorry for the long post! 🙂
RE: Thyroid problems
Sorry for not replying earlier - this is the first chance I've had to log on for weeks.
Daydreamer - yes found kelp and the L-Tyrosine really helped. I'm not taking either at the moment as took them for quite a while before. My naturopathic colleagues all suggested I take a break from it. Try the link: http://www.thyroid-info.com/community.htm
ORIGINAL: siany3
When my blood tests came back normal 6 months ago, I went back to the dr and told them that I didn't believe the blood results - I said surely just for the fact that my thyroid is swollen there must be something wrong with it (I'm not accepting that it's "just one of those things"!) it wasn't like that since birth so....
Anyway, I've since been referred for an ultra sound which showed nothing growing on it but it did show that it was swollen, so the dr sent me to see a surgeon... following on from that the surgeon sent me for a CT scan (which I had last Friday) I now have to wait till the 30th of Sept. to see the surgeon again for his diagnosis.
I would go back and tell them that you would like to see a specialist. Does it cause you any discomfort or is it purely cosmetic?
siany3 - my goitre sounds very much like yours. I have been to see several specialists in my life, who have said that I have nodules of my goitre, but it's non-physiological. It used to swell up and cause me problems when I was younger, but not so much anymore. In fact my mum now notices when it is more swollen, but I don't. It does seem to be related to my menstrual cycle too.
Please let us know how you get on after you see the specialist on the 30th Sept.
Rima x
RE: Thyroid problems
Can I ask a question... don't answer if you think its a little personal.... do you find that you get really dizzy around your period time? I'm not sure if it's related to my thyroid or another problem I have to contend with! 🙁
RE: Thyroid problems
Hi Siany3 - it's fine to ask - don't think it's that personal.
I do get light headed and very spaced out during my period. I have sometimes become dizzy, but I've always put it down to the pain (I have very very painful periods [&:]). Also the flow - if heavy - can make me light headed.
The dizziness you have could very well be related to the thyroid as it controls the metabolic rate as well as the reproductive hormones - which in turn may effect the blood pressure/sugar levels.
RE: Thyroid problems
Hi everyone,
I've just found healthy pages and am desperately searching for some help/advice for my mum. She had her thyroid removed three years ago and regularly feels really low. She never seems to get anywhere with her GP. On her last blood test all they told her was that her levels were 'borderline'. She is waking up in the morning feeling awful, very lethargic, and generally quite down. I feel that the doctors just fob her off and it's terrible to see her like this. Can anyone give any advice?
Thanks
Denise
RE: Thyroid problems
I agree 100% with Maya. Alot of the medicine Doctors are putting out there dont actually cure disease. Our body has a natural way of curing itself. We shouldn't look at what we are not taking. We should look at the things we are doing that could be the cause of this problem, be it mental, emotional, or physical habits.
I recomend a daily regime of excercise, healthy eating, and breathing excercises. There is also Yoga postures such as the shoulder stand which is specifically designed to regulate the thyroid. I noticed that when i stop getting good excercise, I have no energy. Once you get over that first initial hump of bad habits, you can start getting back to a normal lifestyle.
Homeopathics can help, because they use special remedies that you taper off of, so it will boost the natural production of chemicals in your body which you may have lost due to un-natural lifesylte.
RE: Thyroid problems
Hello Denise, I've recently had my meds increased because I was still having lots of symptoms of underactive thyroid despite having a "normal" result from blood tests. I went to my GP and made it clear that I needed him to listen to me, and to my surprise he did. Too often we don't like to make a fuss or be a bother, but we should make a fuss if illness is affecting our lives. try to encourage your mum to go back and make the doc listen, she doesn't have to go on feeling awful.
RE: Thyroid problems
Having gone through Thyroid cancer, a 2 stage thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy(recurrent Thyroid cancer,with RAI both times)and I'm also diabeticand havea history of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I am my endocrinologists worse nightmare. ;)Whatever you do, seek out professional guidance, there is so much mis-information floating around. As a nurse I have had people tell me some of the strangest things that I should or shouldn't do regarding my thyroid or lack there of,had I not know better & listened to them I could be in very bad shape.
RE: Thyroid problems
Hi,
I'm a new member and joined specifically to share information and obtain advice about thyroid disorders.
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease (autoimmune disorder) about 9 years. I had just had a baby and my thyroid was so underactive my GP said he was surprised I was still standing!
Weight gain was a huge issue and still is. I have only to look at food and it finds a place to live on my body! However my situation improved greatly about 8 years ago when I was referred via a UK thyroid support group to a private doctor called Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield.
Dr. Peatfield had pioneered a new approach to treating thyroid disease which did not depend upon the results of blood tests. As many people have experienced, blood tests are often inconclusive and can indicate "borderline" thyroid problems or indiate that all is well, when clearly it is not.
Dr, Peatfieldchanged my medication from a drug called Thyronine (T4) to a drug named Tertroxin (T3) and also put me on a course of low dose steroids to assist my adrenal glands. The results were fantastic. My weight began to settle, my puffy face and hands disappeared and my hair and skin improved (previously I had lost most of my outer eyebrows and my skin was peeling off in huge scales - sounds disgusting I know - imagine living with it?). I am still on Tertroxin niow prescribed by my GP(the sterioids were prescribed for only a matter of a few months) and I am fine. I still struggle with weight gain as I've said ,but if I eat little but well, dont drink alcohol and excercise regularly this is managable.
Dr. Peatfield was however "struck off" by the GMC (General Medical Council) and no longer practices medicine. He does however continue to campaign and is an author. If his name is entered into one of your search engines you will find details of his approach to tyroid treatment.
I think we need to be proactive on our own behalf when it comes to thyroid problems. We need to trust the fact that the symptoms we are experiencing are not in our minds and are real. We need to be hopeful about the fact that the situation can improve.
Merk
RE: Thyroid problems
This has been a wonderful resource. I've been fighting 'something' wrong for the past two years and like others, just been pushed off with, "your numbers are normal", "you just need to eat less" (to someone already eating only 1,000 calories a day in a desperate bid to QUIT GAINING WEIGHT), "there's nothing wrong with you"...it's so frustrating. Finally went to an endo and was put on various steroids and then testeserone. My God, what a mess that made of everything. I gained even more and my cycle went wacky. Now I have to take Glucophage (he wants me to up it to double what I take now although that already makes me dizzy and nauseous) to try to correct my cycle and the side effects for that aren't pleasant.
I got up the nerve to see two others who were also no more helpful, insisting it was high Bp or simply depression (whoWOULDN'T be depressed with the things that happen to you when your thyroid, thus reproductive cycle and metabolismare all out of whack and nobody will listen????)
Then by chance (we met at a sports event) I made an appointment withfemale physician, a "mere" family doc who looked at my labs and immediately put me on Armour thyroid. The first month I lost 5 pounds while being able to eat more so that my head didn't hurt all the time. It's cheap and it really works for me. God bless her!:)Bless for being the ONE professional to look beyond the labs at the suffering human being sitting before them and offer a solution that actually didn't make things even worse.
I do still have problems with swelling of my joints but that is suposed to also get better.
I post all this to say one important thing: INSIST ON HELP. DO NOT BE BRUSHED OFF. No matter how stupid you feel demanding someone listen to you, insist. Go to as many doctors as you need to get your life and your health back. If YOU don't do it, nobody else will.