Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Exactly P, Don't we put so much store on the 'menopause', it definitely blinded me to the thyoid aspect of my health. Such low expectations of our health, combined with the female stoicism, of just getting on with things. Happy reading, take lots of care, x > Thanks for the tip, I will do some research of the files ASAP. I now > realise that a lot of the symptoms which I put down to " womens > problems " were actually caused by the thyroid. The mag was Good > Housekeeping I think. > P > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Hi a, and welcome. what tests have you had from your doctor, please post these and include the ranges. what medicines are you taking for your low thyroid.? it sounds like you may have adrenal problems . go to out file on the home page and read every thing there. the test questionare for thyroid and adrenals will help you decide if these apply to you. also there is a list of what tests you may need to find out what is going on in your body.hope this helps you angel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 > > > > Hi > > I have just joined after seeing an article about the group in a mag. > I > > am 54 and have had an underactive thyroid for about 20 years. Since > > having a hysterectomy 3 years ago I have been suffering with a > variety > > of symptoms such as bad headaches, tiredness, and lack of energy in > > general. I have tried HRT, acupuncture, changing my diet and my > doctor > > is at a loss to know what to do with me! I think going through an > > abrupt menopause has sent my thyroid and any other hormones into > > freefall. If anyone has any advice or has had similar experiences, I > > would love to hear from you. > > P > > >Hi Jane Winwood is not a very common name so was surprised to see you! Thanks for the message. a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2008 Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 Hi hon Welcome I got worse in the menopause, I am supposed to be post menopausal now but who knows. I came here at the beginning of the year and I feel it has saved my life. I was very very ill, still am but seem to be climbing up slowly. I had the test for low adrenal function and I think that was a massive part of the problem for me when my menopause kicked in. Hope you find the answer you are looking for and God bless Dawnx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2008 Report Share Posted November 23, 2008 Hi Sheila The mag was either She or Good Housekeeping. Thanks for your help, I have just spent an hour on the website reading some of the info. My GP did refer me to an endocrinolgist last year. I thought he was hopeless - all he suggested was to double my dose of oestrogen and if that did not work said I could be suffereing with ME! I totally dismiss that out of hand because I could never function in the way I do (full time job and play golf/tennis) if that was the case. I have good days and bad days but just get on with it really. My last blood test (I have never been told not to eat beforehand - is this correct) was 24 and the TSH was .2, so my dose was dropped from 100 to 75. You mentioned adrenals in your post - what are the symptoms? Thanks for everyones help a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 23, 2008 Report Share Posted November 23, 2008 Hi a - the Magazine is 'She' and it is out this month. Somebody else wrote to me to tell me this so I went out and bought it. There is an article called " Blame it on your Hormones " and is about the different hormones in your body. There is an article on 'Hypothyroidism' under that heading and then a story by Charopoulos, who lives in London and she talks about her struggles to get well and found several GP's " unsympathetic " but at last, she has been found to be hypothyroid. She says " During that time, I read Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield's 'Your Thyroid and How to Keep it Healthy' which was really helpful, and I've also found huge support through Thyroid Patient AdvocacyUK (tpa-uk.org.uk) which campaigns for better understanding and tr4eatment of thyroid problems " - Now, isn't that a change from the usual " for further information contact British Thyroid Association " . TPA-UK is knocking them off their pedestal. I am delighted. MR is often given as a " dustbin " diagnosis because they don't know what else to call whatever is the matter with you. Most ME sufferers are found to have a thyroid problem, and once treated with thyroid hormone replacement (often with T3 alone) they start their recovery. You do not need to do a fasting blood test for thyroid function tests, but you do need to if they are testing your cholesterol. Did they not test your Free T4 and Free T3. TSH is insufficient to find out whether you are converting the mainly inactive T4 into the active hormone T3. Do you feel any different (worse or better) since they decreased your dose. Many people who are hypothyroid and started on thyroid hormone replacement can have a problem in absorbing the hormone if they have low adrenal reserve - though this is not the case for everybody. If you are having problems in tolerating synthetic T4 or you feel it is not doing what it should, then you should eliminate low adrenal reserve by getting the 24 hour salivary adrenal profile. You can get this done through Genova Diagnostics or NPTech. You can see details of these in the FILES which you can access from the Home Page of this forum web site. Your doctor should be treating you via symptoms, not via blood results. The average dose of levothyroxine (in the UK at least) is around 150 mcgs to 200 mcgs. If you were feeling better on 100 mcgs, you must tell your doctor. Go to our website www.tpa-uk.org.uk and click on 'Hypothyroidism' and then click on 'Associated Conditions' on the drop down Menu. Click on 'Adrenals' and read everything there is about these little glands and their connection with thyroid disease. Luv - Sheila Hi Sheila The mag was either She or Good Housekeeping. Thanks for your help, I have just spent an hour on the website reading some of the info. My GP did refer me to an endocrinolgist last year. I thought he was hopeless - all he suggested was to double my dose of oestrogen and if that did not work said I could be suffereing with ME! I totally dismiss that out of hand because I could never function in the way I do (full time job and play golf/tennis) if that was the case. I have good days and bad days but just get on with it really. My last blood test (I have never been told not to eat beforehand - is this correct) was 24 and the TSH was .2, so my dose was dropped from 100 to 75. You mentioned adrenals in your post - what are the symptoms? Thanks for everyones help a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi and welcome First of all why were you kept on 25mcg for 9 months? This is a very low dose and dose increases usually happen every 6 weeks. Your T4 level is still low, 13 is certainly not high enough and we aim to get our T4 in the upper third of the reference range. You TSH looks ok and I am surprised it went down that much on such a small dose. Have you had a FT3 test? This is the important one as it shows if you are converting the inactive T4 to the active T3. Most labs and docs refuse to do this test, but some of us manage to get it done, I for one am lucky enough to have it done when I ask. Once you are on thyroid meds, wether synthetic or natural, it is usually something that you will require for life, this is because your thyroid is failing and the hormones need to be replaced or you will just get worse. Also have you had an anti body test? This shows if you have antibodies attacking your thyroid, this is called Hashimotos disease and a lot of us here have that, me included. Some of the other members will be along I am sure to help you some more. You are in a good place for help and support Hello all, I am the new kid on the block! Wow! what a load of information to be had here, it all looks so overwhelming I don't know where to start!Maybe I should kick off by explaining I was newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in February after countless GP visits wondering what on earth was wrong with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi Gillian, Hi and welcome to the forum. You will get lots of information and support here! First of all don't worry about becoming dependant on thyroxine, it is simply a natural hormone which your thyroid gland *should* make, so you can not become dependant like with other drugs. There may well be " no way back " , but not in the way you think. In all likelihood, there probably is no way back with or without the thyroxine. The reason you have to take it is because your thyroid has stopped producing enough hormones itself, and while it is possible for this to be temporary, for many people it will never get better because the thyroid is damaged. As far as do you need this dose increase? Well how are you feeling? If you hve a look on the TPA website there is a list of the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism, do you feel you are still experiencing any? If you are then you will proabably benefit from this dose increase,though it will probably take about 6 weeks to take effect. As far as your blood test results, your TSH seems to have dropped surprisingly well on a very small dose of thyroxine (most people end up taking between 100 - 200mcg). Your T4 is pretty low though - you would expect it to be in the 20's for you to feel well... Hope that helps, Leah x > > Hello all, I am the new kid on the block! Wow! what a load of > information to be had here, it all looks so overwhelming I don't know > where to start! > Maybe I should kick off by explaining I was newly diagnosed with > hypothyroidism back in February after countless GP visits wondering > what on earth was wrong with me. I have been on 25mcg of levothyroxine > for 9 months and I've just been told to increase my dose to 50mcg for a > 2 months trial. My TSH result has now changed from 6.61 to 0.8 mu/L and > the FT4 result has changed from 11 to 13 pmol/L. I thought these new > readings were within normal parameters so I cannot understand the need > for an increase in dosage. Am I right to be concerned that my body will > become reliant on this higher dose and there will be no way back? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Good question! I assumed my GP knew what he was doing so I just did what I was told and kept taking the tablets.   I did have blood tests every three months but was told to keep taking the 25mcg dosage so I assumed I was ok and under control. I now know differently and will have to see if I can get this FT3 test. I do suffer with muscle and joint pain which is getting worse instead of better, so I could be deficient in this. I don’t think I have had an antibody test either. I will need to enquire about this as well. Thanks for that. The more ammunition I have next time I go to the Doctor’s the better! From: thyroid treatment [mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of sarah s Sent: 10 December 2008 21:01 thyroid treatment Subject: Re: New member Hi and welcome First of all why were you kept on 25mcg for 9 months? This is a very low dose and dose increases usually happen every 6 weeks. Your T4 level is still low, 13 is certainly not high enough and we aim to get our T4 in the upper third of the reference range. You TSH looks ok and I am surprised it went down that much on such a small dose. Have you had a FT3 test? This is the important one as it shows if you are converting the inactive T4 to the active T3. Most labs and docs refuse to do this test, but some of us manage to get it done, I for one am lucky enough to have it done when I ask. Once you are on thyroid meds, wether synthetic or natural, it is usually something that you will require for life, this is because your thyroid is failing and the hormones need to be replaced or you will just get worse. Also have you had an anti body test? This shows if you have antibodies attacking your thyroid, this is called Hashimotos disease and a lot of us here have that, me included. Some of the other members will be along I am sure to help you some more. You are in a good place for help and support Hello all, I am the new kid on the block! Wow! what a load of information to be had here, it all looks so overwhelming I don't know where to start! Maybe I should kick off by explaining I was newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in February after countless GP visits wondering what on earth was wrong with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi Leah, Thanks for that. It does help and I wish I had discovered this group earlier! In all honesty I don’t feel on top of the world….I still get tired and I ache in places I wish I didn’t! I am also going through the menopause as if I didn’t have enough to deal with, hot flushes and all!! Regards, Gillian From: thyroid treatment [mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of lelole76 Sent: 10 December 2008 21:45 thyroid treatment Subject: Re: New member Hi Gillian, Hi and welcome to the forum. You will get lots of information and support here! First of all don't worry about becoming dependant on thyroxine, it is simply a natural hormone which your thyroid gland *should* make, so you can not become dependant like with other drugs. [Edit Abbrev Mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Gillian, You wrote: > ... My TSH result has now changed from 6.61 to 0.8 mu/L and > the FT4 result has changed from 11 to 13 pmol/L. I thought these new > readings were within normal parameters so I cannot understand the need > for an increase in dosage.... You will almost certainly need thyroid hormone replacement for the rest of your life. The proper dose is probably going to continue to increase, although it may go down a bit once or twice before you stabilize. The final dose could be as high as 200 mcg per day, depending on body mass and other factors. Three women in my family were all at 200 mcg for some part of their lives. Eventually, that will come down again. My mother is currently at 100 mcg. Regardless what the lab reference range is, you will probably not feel well on a T4 medication unless your TSH is about 2 or lower. Many on this list will say that even that doesn't work for them, and they need a T3 type medication or other treatments. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hi Gillian Welcome to the forum and I know you will get lots of help and support here. Read everything that is in our FILES (you can access these from the Menu in our Home Page) and read also all the information on our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk . If there is anything you don't understand, just shout and somebody will be along to try to answer your question. When you ask your doctor to test your Free T3 and antibodies, ask also that your ferritin (stored iron), your Vitamin B12, your Vitamin D levels are checked also. Also, you may need some supplements, so read about 'Nutrition and Supplements' on our website. You will need to take 200 mcgs Selenium daily to help with the conversion of the mainly inactive T4 into the active T3. You should also take at least 1000mgs Vitamin C, and you will probably find magnesium will help with your pain. Do you know that to tell if you need zinc (and many of us do) you should put a zinc tablet into your mouth and chew it and if it tastes very coppery, you are OK, but if it tastes of chalk, you are not and you need to take a zinc supplement. If ever you have to take any supplements of iron or calcium, never take these anywhere near your Thyroxine, they must be taken at least 4 hours away from each other. There was a small study done on patients taking their levothyroxine at night, and it was found they slept better, and felt more refreshed throughout the day - and taking it when you go to bed means you can take it on an empty stomach (which you should do). Thyroxine is better absorbed in the lining of the intestines at night with no other interference, so you might want to try the experiment. I have only heard good reports about this. If it works for you, this is something you might want to tell your GP so this can be passed on to other patients. Luv - Sheila _______________________________ Good question! I assumed my GP knew what he was doing so I just did what I was told and kept taking the tablets. I did have blood tests every three months but was told to keep taking the 25mcg dosage so I assumed I was ok and under control. I now know differently and will have to see if I can get this FT3 test. I do suffer with muscle and joint pain which is getting worse instead of better, so I could be deficient in this. I don’t think I have had an antibody test either. I will need to enquire about this as well. Thanks for that. The more ammunition I have next time I go to the Doctor’s the better! From: thyroid treatment [mailto:thyroid treatment ] On Behalf Of sarah s Sent: 10 December 2008 21:01 thyroid treatment Subject: Re: New member Hi and welcome First of all why were you kept on 25mcg for 9 months? This is a very low dose and dose increases usually happen every 6 weeks. Your T4 level is still low, 13 is certainly not high enough and we aim to get our T4 in the upper third of the reference range. You TSH looks ok and I am surprised it went down that much on such a small dose. Have you had a FT3 test? This is the important one as it shows if you are converting the inactive T4 to the active T3. Most labs and docs refuse to do this test, but some of us manage to get it done, I for one am lucky enough to have it done when I ask. Once you are on thyroid meds, wether synthetic or natural, it is usually something that you will require for life, this is because your thyroid is failing and the hormones need to be replaced or you will just get worse. Also have you had an anti body test? This shows if you have antibodies attacking your thyroid, this is called Hashimotos disease and a lot of us here have that, me included. Some of the other members will be along I am sure to help you some more. You are in a good place for help and support Hello all, I am the new kid on the block! Wow! what a load of information to be had here, it all looks so overwhelming I don't know where to start! Maybe I should kick off by explaining I was newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in February after countless GP visits wondering what on earth was wrong with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 11, 2008 Report Share Posted December 11, 2008 Hi Gillian, Welcome to the wacky world of thyroid. There is, as you say, much useful info on the TPA website- read and re-read. I think that your doc is going far too slowly- at the start of treatment your should be retested and dose increased every 6 WEEKS. TSH is now fine, BUT the FT4 is still near the bottom of the range , top is usually around 24 so a result of 19-20 would be better. It's helpful to include the range when sharing test results as labs differ) Most of us feel better with the FT4 and FT3 results in the top quarter of the range. The NHS generally seems to be reluctant to do FT3, but here we believe it is vital as T3 is the active hormone and T4 is inactive until converted to T3. When your thyroid has failed there is no going back- I have never heard of anyone regaining thyroid function, so just accept that it's pills for life. When you go for blood tests DO NOT take thyroid meds that day until after bloods have been drawn otherwise test results can look better than they actually are, leading to undermedication. Subject: New member Hello all, I am the new kid on the block! Wow! what a load of information to be had here, it all looks so overwhelming I don't know where to start! Maybe I should kick off by explaining I was newly diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in February after countless GP visits wondering what on earth was wrong with me. I have been on 25mcg of levothyroxine for 9 months and I've just been told to increase my dose to 50mcg for a 2 months trial. My TSH result has now changed from 6.61 to 0.8 mu/L and the FT4 result has changed from 11 to 13 pmol/L. I thought these new readings were within normal parameters so I cannot understand the need for an increase in dosage. Am I right to be concerned that my body will become reliant on this higher dose and there will be no way back? ------------------------------------ TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical practitioner before changing medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi Irene, Sounds like your thyroid may have already started to fail. Now tests being in normal range can be deceptive- you can feel rotten at one end of the range and fine at the other- unless you are tested beforehand when you are healthy you don't know what is normal for you. Ask your doc for the test numers and range- it can vary from lab to lab. 90% of healthy folk have a TSH of around 1.0 so anything higher than that is suspect. > thyroid treatment > From: irenepetty@...> Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:24:47 +0000> Subject: new member> > Hi , i am looking for some help and advice.> I have a benign cyst on my thyroid gland. The consultant said there is > a small chance that it may turn to cancer.And he has offered to remove > half my thyroid gland. i was told that i would have to take thyroxine > for the rest of my life.As most of the women in my family have had > breast ,bone or lung cancer i am concerned that the chance that the > lump will turn in to cancer may be higher than some others. can any one > offer advice re this please ,also can they let me know what life is > like on thyroxine.> i became quite poorly about three years ago, i felt tired all the time > and i lost a lot of my hair. now i am constantly cold and lethargic, > and i have to push myself every day just to keep going yet my blood > tests all come back as within normal paramaters. am i missing something?> Any help or advice would be much apprecieated> regards> Irene> > > ------------------------------------> > TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical practitioner before changing medication.> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi , many thanks for the e-mail, it will not surprise you that I have no idea what TSH is but I am going to look through the archives. I did not know that I could ask for my test results? are most doctors/specialists happy to give them? Also if any one can let me know re the thyroxine or the possibility of the cyst turning into a tumor I would be most grateful. I can see I have a lot to learn Irene RE: new member [Edit Abbrev Mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi Irene, Doesn't sound to me like YOU are missing anything at all. However, perhaps the same cannot be said for the professionals supporting your health. NORMAL is a word I have come to loathe in terms of blood results. I too fall into the category of unwell with symptoms but undiagnosed as a result! Grrrr! I too have a thryoid nodule, a sizeable one too, for the second time in life. I had a partial thyroidectomy 21 years ago, and like yourself this one has to be monitored regularly as there is always a small chance of its nature changing. FNA due next month. Do you have a copy of your blood results to post here, along with the references ranges. There are some very knowledgeable folk who can help with interpretation. Also, have you had a good read through the files about hypothyroidism and associated conditions? This is how I got started many months ago and now feel empowered to manage my own health. You've come to a good place, welcome. Take care, x > and i have to push myself every day just to keep going yet my blood > tests all come back as within normal paramaters. am i missing something? > Any help or advice would be much apprecieated > regards > Irene > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hope you find some balance and get better soon Irene. Somedays can make no sense what so ever. I went through a lifestyle change to try and cope, but it has limits unfortunately and life is ever changing and can be too demanding. Keep asking around and if you have to pester your health professional, dont be ashamed too, keep it up. Your a human being. It may seem that your confused and mis-understood, but you are not. Try not to get too depressed. Always ask for assistance, and dont let it get you too down. try not to get sucked into the many thyroid , cut and paste authors who just plagerise from out of date thyroid material. There are many books on thyroid issues and they are pointless. Written by morons. Try and talk to more people with issues like us, as this can help. Please Dont give up, you are not alone. There are relaxation techniques that can help a little. Give yourself some rest periods during the day. Empower yourself with advice that you feel helps. Your not alone. Your a Human being , and we are emotional beings who can help each other. Hope you get better Midge [Edit Abbrev Mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi , thanks for the mail. how did you get on after your partial thyroidectomy?. I have phoned my GP re getting my results and it was like the third degree, why did I want them, when I explained why I wanted them I got a long winded reason why I should not use web sites ectra and he did not give them to me!. I am a bit stuck here as they are the only doctors for miles around. I have a gp appointment tomorrow and I will try again. I will have a look at the files now. many thanks for helping out a newbie Irene Re: new member Hi Irene,Doesn't sound to me like YOU are missing anything at all. However, perhaps the same cannot be said for the professionals supporting your health. NORMAL is a word I have come to loathe in terms of blood results. [Edit Abbrev Mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi Irene, They can't refuse you access to your results; ask the PALS folk to remind them of this. Also, it'd be worth asking the receptionist for a copy of the last results when you book in for your appointment tomorrow. best wishes Bob > > Hi , thanks for the mail. how did you get on after your partial > thyroidectomy?. > I have phoned my GP re getting my results and it was like the third > degree, why did I want them, when I explained why I wanted them I got > a long winded reason why I should not use web sites ectra ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi Midge, thanks for the post, you all sound so knowledgeable, I feel like the new girls in class who has to learn a foreign language before I can even begin to start to understand. I do not like to make decisions with out knowing all the facts. So I have around three months before I go back to the hospital to try and sort it all out in my mind many thanks for the comforting words Irene Re: new member Hope you find some balance and get better soon Irene.Somedays can make no sense what so ever.I went through a lifestyle change to try and cope, but it has limitsunfortunately and life is ever changing and can be too demanding. Keepasking around and if you have to pester your health professional, dontbe ashamed too, keep it up. Your a human being.It may seem that your confused and mis-understood, but you are not.Try not to get too depressed. Always ask for assistance, and dont letit get you too down. try not to get sucked into the many thyroid , cut and paste authorswho just plagerise from out of date thyroid material. There are manybooks on thyroid issues and they are pointless. Written by morons. Tryand talk to more people with issues like us, as this can help. PleaseDont give up, you are not alone. There are relaxation techniques thatcan help a little. Give yourself some rest periods during the day.Empower yourself with advice that you feel helps. Your not alone. Youra Human being , and we are emotional beings who can help each other.Hope you get betterMidge [Edit Abbrev Mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 many thanks Bob.I will ask for a copy of my last results.who are PALS? Irene Re: new member Hi Irene,They can't refuse you access to your results; ask the PALS folk toremind them of this.Also, it'd be worth asking the receptionist for a copy of the lastresults when you book in for your appointment tomorrow.best wishesBob>> Hi , thanks for the mail. how did you get on after your partial > thyroidectomy?.> I have phoned my GP re getting my results and it was like the third > degree, why did I want them, when I explained why I wanted them Igot > a long winded reason why I should not use web sites ectra ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi Irene PALS ~ Patient Advice and Liaison Service via your PCT..... they can often resolve 'little' things like that without the doctor knowing who might have complained (?anon). best wishes Bob > > > > Hi , thanks for the mail. how did you get on after your partial > > thyroidectomy?. > > I have phoned my GP re getting my results and it was like the third > > degree, why did I want them, when I explained why I wanted them I > got > a long winded reason why I should not use web sites ectra ... > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hello Irene2 (we have another Irene - so if you could either call yourself Irene2 when you write or give yourself a nick-name, this would stop any confusion. I hope you will get all the support you need here. First, go to our website and read the information under 'Hypothyroidism' - 'Hyperthyroidism' and 'Thyroid Cancer' so you get a good overview of all of these conditions and what they are all about. Read about the different recommended treatments, and if you are really concerned about the possibility of you getting thyroid cancer, especially as your specialist has mentioned this and it runs so high in your family, you may seriously wish to consider the option he has given. Being hypothyroid for the rest of your life is not a problem for the majority of sufferers, all they need to do is to find the level of thyroid hormone replacement their body requires, and that is that. The majority have no problem - so don't look for any problems right now. If you need a partial thyroidectomy, then go for it and the rest will take care of itself. Amost everybody who is hypothyroid are frustrated because their thyroid function test results come back within the normal reference ranges, and sadly, doctors don't know how to diagnose except by blood results. Before these tests were manufactured, doctors looked at the symptoms, signs, listened to the patient's story, asked about others in the family with thyroid disease or an autoimmune disorder, took their patients basal temperature etc. There was never any problem and if the doctor believed his/her patient had hypothyroidism, they started them on thyroid hormone replacement. It is not YOU who is missing something, it is your doctor. You need to talk to your endocrinologists about the ins and outs and what to expect from such an operation and what he believes will happen to you afterwards. We have a file called " First Visit to Endocrinologist " (you can access our FILES from the Home Page of this Forum). Read this and I would recommend you take the advice there so you cover everything when you visit him. However, do remember that if there are any hormones that are not being made in our body, we have to replace whatever hormone is missing with that particular hormone. You are ONLY replacing what you are not making anymore. Any questions, just shout, and somebody will be along to help you. Luv - Sheila i became quite poorly about three years ago, i felt tired all the time and i lost a lot of my hair. now i am constantly cold and lethargic, and i have to push myself every day just to keep going yet my blood tests all come back as within normal paramaters. am i missing something? Any help or advice would be much apprecieated regards Irene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi again, Really, the thyoidectomy wasn't that bad, I was back to normal within a week or two, however, I was then only 32! I'm not scheduled for another op to date, as the fna results were fine last year. Dr's have advised that I don't unless I have to. This time it would all have to go, and although my thyroid isn't functioning well, at least it is a bit.I'm a wee bit concerned though, since last year it does seem to have got bigger. So, why do the Dr's feel you will have to be on thyroxine, are they suggesting after the op you will become hypo? Not always the case, my function hasn't changed up until two or three years back. You are most certainly entitled to see any information stored about you, that includes your results. However, that's the law but the reality can be uncomfortable. You could try just a polite note to the practice manager, bypassing the Dr if you see what I mean. Dr's don't like us to know too much. Ha! Take care Irene, read up, it's helps with the decision no end. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Hi Irene, You have a right to the tests results- they are yours after all- and to see your notes if you wish. It’s simplest to ask when you next see the doc and write it in your notebook together with the range- as it varied from lab to lab. If you make a big fuss then they can get awkward so keep it simple. The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone which is tested is produced by the pituitary in response to the amount of thyroid hormone available- the clearest explanation I’ve found on how it is all supposed to work is on http://www.endocrine.web.com Subject: Re: new member Hi , many thanks for the e-mail, it will not surprise you that I have no idea what TSH is but I am going to look through the archives. I did not know that I could ask for my test results? are most doctors/specialists happy to give them? Also if any one can let me know re the thyroxine or the possibility of the cyst turning into a tumor I would be most grateful. I can see I have a lot to learn Irene RE: new member [Edit Abbrev Mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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