Re: Fw: son going in the army

[Guest guest]

I would not worry about your son's thyroid function tests. They

look OK. His free T4 is lower in the reference range because it has to convert

to the active hormone T3. His free T3 is good, and it shows his T4 is being

used. I did look the other day on the Internet about hypothyroid sufferers

joining the Army, and it does appear that stabilised hypothyroidism does not

present a problem, but the Army doc. would be able to put your son's mind at

rest about that. If he has no symptoms and his blood results look fine (which

they do) he should be OK

Hi all,

I posted a few

weeks ago regarding my sons health and the prospect of him being hypo.He is

very symptomatic of hypo and managed to persuade my GP to start him on levo

at 25mcg and see how he goes.His bloods were TSH 1.32 ref range 0.35-5.45,

T4 12.8 ref range 10-23 and T3 5.5 [ref range unknown]. I was concerned

about his level of T4,hence the asking of levo treatment,but is the best

thing for him? I'm really concerned as my son has decided to join the army

and am unsure what they would say if he was being treated with T4 for

possible hypo,does anyone have any ideas? I dont want my sons future

prospects being ruined cos of this stupid disease! I do think he has a hypo

problem and know if treated properly he can lead a normal life,but dont

know how the army would react or even if they said no to him,this would

destroy him! If anyone has any knowledge of army protocol with regards to

health issues,I would appreciate any input.Thankyou.

Best wishes Sharon

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18:32:00

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila,

Do you think my son should be on levo or not? I have got my GP to put him on it as a trial at 25mcg,which wont give much effect and he's going back to see him in a couple of weeks to see how he feels and if his T4 level has changed.He is very symptomatic of hypo but is skinny and cant put on weight,although I know being skinny doesnt mean he isnt hypo.He's always cold,to the point of,when walking to his friends,he gets so cold he turns around and comes home! He's always tired and sleeps way in to the afternoon and has to force himself out of bed.He has no energy and gets fatigued very quickly.He has a terrible memory,forgets what he was going to say and jumps at the slightest thing.He has many other symptoms,I've got him to fill in the various questionnaires and he's had spells of ME/CFS in his teens,after having spells viruses.I get a lot of people saying 'oh he's a young

lad,they're all like that,he will grow out of it' and that p%££"^ me off! Does that mean I was never hypo from the age of about 8 and it was just my age,NO! I'm not having a go at you,but I just get naffed off with labels and I cant have my kids going through what I went through at a young age and then a ruined adult life.

What do you suggest? Going by symptoms and his T4 level,I would say he's hypo,but what do you think?Is T4 the right treatment and should I just keep going with it to see if his level rises and he has a positive change in his symptoms?Would being on T4 for a while and then coming off it completely affect the function of his thyroid in the future,or would it be harmless? I dont know what to do for the best!

Best wishes Sharon

I would not worry about your son's thyroid function tests. They look OK. His free T4 is lower in the reference range because it has to convert to the active hormone T3. His free T3 is good, and it shows his T4 is being used.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon,

Adolescent males may be short of zinc and/or iron.

That would suppress thyroid hormone output !

best wishes

Bob

>

>

> From: Sharon son <sprog1967@...>

> Subject: son going in the army

> thyroid treatment

> Date: Monday, March 29, 2010, 7:23 PM

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi all,

>  

>        I posted a few weeks ago regarding my sons health and the prospect of

him being hypo.He is very symptomatic of hypo and managed to persuade my GP to

start him on levo at 25mcg and see how he goes.His bloods were TSH 1.32 ref

range 0.35-5.45, T4 12.8 ref range 10-23 and T3 5.5 [ref range unknown].

[Guest guest]

Hi Bob,

I havent had his zinc results back yet,but his ferritin is fine,I'll have to see what his zinc levels are and see.Thanks Bob.

Best wishes Sharon

From: bob.m9uk <Bob.m9uk@...>Subject: Re: Fw: son going in the armythyroid treatment Date: Thursday, April 1, 2010, 9:38 AM

Hi Sharon,Adolescent males may be short of zinc and/or iron.That would suppress thyroid hormone output !best wishesBob---

[Ed]

[Guest guest]

a couple of your son's symptoms strongly stand out to me as being adrenal

related

>...skinny and cant put on weight

>...jumps at the slightest thing

Trish

>

> Hi Sheila,

>  

>             Do you think my son should be on levo or not? I have

got my GP to put him on it as a trial at 25mcg,which wont give much effect and

he's going back to see him in a couple of weeks to see how he feels and if his

T4 level has changed.He is very symptomatic of hypo but is skinny and cant put

on weight,although I know being skinny doesnt mean he isnt hypo.He's always

cold,to the point of,when walking to his friends,he gets so cold he turns around

and comes home! He's always tired and sleeps way in to the afternoon and has to

force himself out of bed.He has no energy and gets fatigued very quickly.He has

a terrible memory,forgets what he was going to say and jumps at the slightest

thing.He has many other symptoms,I've got him to fill in the various

questionnaires and he's had spells of ME/CFS in his teens,after having spells

viruses.I get a lot of people saying 'oh he's a young lad,they're all like

that,he will grow out of it' and that

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon, be advised by your doctor. Most people are started on

levothyroxine 25mcgs, and then it is gradually increased to 50mcgs and in

increments of 25mcgs every 2 to 3 months according to his serum thyroid function

tests. I doubt very much there will be too much of a change in his free T4

levels after just a couple of weeks though. He should wait at least 6 weeks

before getting his blood tested again as thyroxine has a long half life.

Many people have normal thyroid gland function tests whilst

deeply hypothyroid, and doctors should diagnose and treat according to

symptoms, body temperature, physical examination, symptoms and signs and not be

blood results alone.

Luv - sheila

What do you suggest? Going by symptoms and his T4 level,I

would say he's hypo,but what do you think?Is T4 the right treatment and

should I just keep going with it to see if his level rises and he has a

positive change in his symptoms?Would being on T4 for a while and then coming

off it completely affect the function of his thyroid in the future,or would

it be harmless? I dont know what to do for the best!

Best wishes Sharon

I would not worry about your son's

thyroid function tests. They look OK. His free T4 is lower in the reference

range because it has to convert to the active hormone T3. His free T3 is

good, and it shows his T4 is being used.

No virus

found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2780 - Release Date: 03/31/10

18:32:00

[Guest guest]

Hi Sharon, As your son is symptomatic of hypo is is not a kindness to not treat- as you know yourself. A healthy person given T4 will, on stopping the meds, recover their own natural thyroid function fairly quickly as the TSH rises to tell the thyroid to work harder. If the thyroid is compromised then this will happen less effectively- taking T4 does not kill a thyroid it just puts the remains of natural function to sleep. As you know 25mcg is a small starter dose. If, in the army he is in cold conditions he may be at risk of frostbite more easily than his healthier colleagues so not treating could be a risky business. thyroid treatment From: sprog1967@...Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 02:19:44 -0700Subject: RE: Fw: son going in the army

Hi Sheila,

Do you think my son should be on levo or not? I have got my GP to put him on it as a trial at 25mcg,which wont give much effect and he's going back to see him in a couple of weeks to see how he feels and if his T4 level has changed.He is very symptomatic of hypo but is skinny and cant put on weight,although I know being skinny doesnt mean he isnt hypo.He's always cold,to the point of,when walking to his friends,he gets so cold he turns around and comes home! He's always tired and sleeps way in to the afternoon and has to force himself out of bed.He has no energy and gets fatigued very quickly.He has a terrible memory,forgets what he was going to say and jumps at the slightest thing.He has many other symptoms,I've got him to fill in the various questionnaires and he's had spells of ME/CFS in his teens,after having spells viruses.I get a lot of people saying 'oh he's a young

lad,they're all like that,he will grow out of it' and that p%££"^ me off! Does that mean I was never hypo from the age of about 8 and it was just my age,NO! I'm not having a go at you,but I just get naffed off with labels and I cant have my kids going through what I went through at a young age and then a ruined adult life.

What do you suggest? Going by symptoms and his T4 level,I would say he's hypo,but what do you think?Is T4 the right treatment and should I just keep going with it to see if his level rises and he has a positive change in his symptoms?Would being on T4 for a while and then coming off it completely affect the function of his thyroid in the future,or would it be harmless? I dont know what to do for the best!

Best wishes Sharon

I would not worry about your son's thyroid function tests. They look OK. His free T4 is lower in the reference range because it has to convert to the active hormone T3. His free T3 is good, and it shows his T4 is being used.

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[Guest guest]

Thanks ,I'll keep up with what I'm doing for him then.

best wishes sharon

From: jenny stenning <jennystenning@...>Subject: RE: Fw: son going in the army"sheila turner" <thyroid treatment >Date: Friday, April 2, 2010, 1:50 PM

Hi Sharon, As your son is symptomatic of hypo is is not a kindness to not treat- as you know yourself. A healthy person given T4 will, on stopping the meds, recover their own natural thyroid function fairly quickly as the TSH rises to tell the thyroid to work harder. If the thyroid is compromised then this will happen less effectively- taking T4 does not kill a thyroid it just puts the remains of natural function to sleep. As you know 25mcg is a small starter dose.

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