Re: HELP! My friend tested positive for Active EBV-BERNIE

[Guest guest]

> SYMPTOMS CHECKLIST

> > ____ I feel fatigued, exhausted

> > ____ I have allergies/asthma

> > ____ My eyes feel sensitive to light

***Hi - There seem to be quite a few Canadians on this list. I

used to work in Burnaby for several years.

For the record, I DON'T HAVE A THYROID PROBLEM :-) I'm not in denial

about this either. The three symptoms above are the only ones from

that list that fit me. I have had light sensitivity since I was

approximately seven. I come from a family who all have seasonal

allergies. The fatigue/exhaustion is the result of CFS. I don't have

any family members for three generations that have a thyroid problem.

If all a person needed was to have one or two symptoms from that

list, then wouldn't that pretty much mean that everyone in the world

had a thyroid problem??

Like yourself, over the years I have met people that were positive

CFS is a thyroid problem. Then there are the group that are positive

that it is Candida and if we would just eat the right foods we would

be cured; the woman who swears by TUMS and Guaif (sp??); the amalgam

group who swear that CFS is all down to our amalgam fillings; another

gentleman who swears that it is an undiagnosed sinus infection and a

cure is as simple as taking three different types of antibiotics for

two years; the cavitation group, etc., etc.

Each one of you believe, just as passionately as the next, that they

know for sure what CFS is. All I know for sure is that I had a cold

and a tooth infection at the time I became sick. I had recently left

a very stressful job that was leaving me absolutely no personal time,

and there was no hope of things getting better. For me, somewhere in

there lies the cause of my CFS. As the only test that has ever shown

a problem for me is my Glutathione levels are below normal, that is

where I am concentrating my energies :-)

Take care.

Bernie

[Guest guest]

Bernie wrote: Like yourself, over the years I have met people that

were positive CFS is a thyroid problem. Then there are the group that

are positive that it is Candida and if we would just eat the right

foods we would be cured; the woman who swears by TUMS and Guaif

(sp??); the amalgam group who swear that CFS is all down to our

amalgam fillings; another gentleman who swears that it is an

undiagnosed sinus infection and a cure is as simple as taking three

different types of antibiotics for two years; the cavitation group,

etc., etc. Each one of you believe, just as passionately as the next,

that they know for sure what CFS is.

I totally get this and agree. We all feel passionate, but it's not

like hypothyroidism is some quazy disease. It's real! Before the

advent of the TSH and synthetic thyroid meds, diagnosis and treatment

was based soley on symptoms. That's it! If a patient improved on a

trial of Armour thyroid, then they were titrated up to a dose that

made them feel well again. Problem is these days, a patient needs to

fall into a certain " range " to get the diagnosis and the medication.

This leave MANY people out in the cold.

Did you know that years ago the TSH range was up to 10.0. So, all

those below 10 were classified as not hypo (that would have excluded

me for sure. I would not be diagnosed today if it were about 20 years

ago). Then the range changed to 5.5 and even 6.0 for the top of the

range in Canada. That meant that if you were below this you were

normal. Now the range is .3 - 3.14 and where does that leave all those

people who were told they were normal with a TSH of 3.5 or 4.0? They

will never go back to get their thyroid checked because they were told

that it was normal. People don't get pushy, they just accept what a

doctor has to say and move on. I give doctors little trust. They

missed me for over 15 years and it caused me fertility issues and a

3.5 year wait to get prego (because fertility issues are common with

us hypo folk). I never once looked a day like I was hypo. I was thin,

young, attractive and no one assumed that my thyroid was what was

causing me to feel fatigued, have heart palps, insomnia, and stomach

upset. I was just a hypochondriac.

Now I know there are some instqances where thyroid may play no role in

chronic fatigue, but it appears that there are women on this board

with diagnosed thyroid disease that feel that they have CFS and that

thryoid is not their issue. That scares me. That means their doctor

sucks!

Just out of curiousity, what thyroid tests did you have done? Thanks

for posting back .

[Guest guest]

> a problem for me is my Glutathione levels are below normal, that is

> where I am concentrating my energies :-)

This might be a good thing since low levels can reduce thyroid

performance!

[Guest guest]

Hi, .

It can also lead to total destruction of the thyroid!

Rich

>

>

> > a problem for me is my Glutathione levels are below normal, that

is

> > where I am concentrating my energies :-)

>

>

> This might be a good thing since low levels can reduce thyroid

> performance!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Since it seems that you know a lot about thyroid dysfunction, I have a question

for you. I am pretty sure that I fall into that category of undiagnosed

hypothyroidism and am actually currently waiting on some more extensive lab work

that I hope will give me answers. I have always just slid right by, on the

border in the mainstream tests. Anyway, you mentioned a connection to

infertility, I am wondering if you know of any connection to miscarriages?

While I didn't have any trouble getting pregnant, I lost my first baby and

almost lost my son (I had severe hemorraging in my 9th week). and of course, I

was told that no one knew why either happened. I obsessed about it for a long

time, but I finally had to let it go. But, if this could be the answer, it

would be really nice to know and get it corrected before I try to do this again.

Thanks,

Dawn

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[Guest guest]

Yes Dawn, miscarriage is very common with Hashi's. We have a lot of

women on the Hashi's board who have experienced miscarriage.

Here are the tests you need to have done:

Ferritin (iron stores) they range is like 5 - 129. A woman should be

somewhere around 70. Low ferritin can cause fatigue.

TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) this is not always accurate, but can

diagnose hypothyroidism if above the range. You should be below 2. 2

and above is highly suspect for hypothyroidism. the range is .3 -3 as

of 2003 although the lab companies (almost all of them) still have not

converted over yet.

Free T3 - this is the most accurate test (not t3. Don't get confused).

The other labs are skewed by estrogen, aspirin, stress etc... Your

level should be AT LEAST midrange, but above the midrange is better.

When on thyroid meds, it should be at the very top and sometimes even

a bit over.

Free T4 - this is the other most accurate thyroid test to have done.

Your level should be at LEAST mid range, but around 2/3 is best. When

on thyroid hormones the goal is to get it at the top 1/4 of the range.

TPO (thyroid antibodies) - anything out of range indicates Hashimoto's.

TgAb- another thyroid antobody

Estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone - hormones if your doc will

do it. Saliva testing is best.

> ,

> Since it seems that you know a lot about thyroid dysfunction, I have

a question for you. I am pretty sure that I fall into that category

of undiagnosed hypothyroidism and am actually currently waiting on

some more extensive lab work that I hope will give me answers. I have

always just slid right by, on the border in the mainstream tests.

Anyway, you mentioned a connection to infertility, I am wondering if

you know of any connection to miscarriages? While I didn't have any

trouble getting pregnant, I lost my first baby and almost lost my son

(I had severe hemorraging in my 9th week). and of course, I was told

that no one knew why either happened. I obsessed about it for a long

time, but I finally had to let it go. But, if this could be the

answer, it would be really nice to know and get it corrected before I

try to do this again.

> Thanks,

> Dawn

>

>

>

> Because e-mail on your cell phone should be easy: Try Windows Live

Mail for Mobile beta

> http://www2.imagine-msn.com/minisites/mail/Default.aspx?locale=en-us

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I pulled out some old labs and this is what I do know. Doesn't sound like much

from what you are saying here... I'd like to know your opinion. I have several

TSH values: 0.97, 0.57, 0.64, and 0.56 all low, not high... and one free T4

1.02. Does this mean anything to you? Like I said, I am waiting for the

results of some more extensive lab work, which I assume will include the other

tests you were talking about. I am just curious while I wait...

Thanks,

Dawn

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[Guest guest]

> chronic fatigue, but it appears that there are women on this board

> with diagnosed thyroid disease that feel that they have CFS and that

> thryoid is not their issue. That scares me. That means their doctor

> sucks!

***Hi - It means that they probably have good doctors that are

doing their job. No offense, but it won't matter what anyone says, you

are hell bent determined to see CFS as a thyroid problem.

Nice chatting with you, however, I'm done with this subject.

Take care.

Bernie

[Guest guest]

I don't at all understand why you are so angry? What have I done? I

feel like if I came on here and said I am on the bogiechoo protocol

and I feel great, I bet I would have had a more welcoming response. Am

I wrong?

I think perhaps I approached this wrong. I get you all are feeling

like crap (I've have and still do on lots of days). I get you feel

hopeless and misunderstood. I just thought I was helping and one day

(years down the road) when you see more and more coming to the surface

about this very issue (it's already happening), you might just think,

" Dang, I remember that crazy thyroid chic on the CFS board talking

about all this. Crap, I feel sorry for basically telling her to screw

off " .

Honest to goodness, I really thought I was giving some insightful info.

BTW Bernie, I never said EVERYONE here has CFS from thyroid. I said

that it appears that MANY do, that's all.

>

>

>

> > chronic fatigue, but it appears that there are women on this board

> > with diagnosed thyroid disease that feel that they have CFS and that

> > thryoid is not their issue. That scares me. That means their doctor

> > sucks!

>

>

> ***Hi - It means that they probably have good doctors that are

> doing their job. No offense, but it won't matter what anyone says, you

> are hell bent determined to see CFS as a thyroid problem.

>

> Nice chatting with you, however, I'm done with this subject.

>

> Take care.

>

> Bernie

>

[Guest guest]

The free t4 level is in range (range .8 - 1.8), but quite low. YOu can

personally email me the extensive labs. I would be interested an I

will help as best I can.

>

> ,

> I pulled out some old labs and this is what I do know. Doesn't

sound like much from what you are saying here... I'd like to know your

opinion. I have several TSH values: 0.97, 0.57, 0.64, and 0.56 all

low, not high... and one free T4 1.02. Does this mean anything to

you? Like I said, I am waiting for the results of some more extensive

lab work, which I assume will include the other tests you were talking

about. I am just curious while I wait...

> Thanks,

> Dawn

>

>

>

> Because e-mail on your cell phone should be easy: Try Windows Live

Mail for Mobile beta

> http://www2.imagine-msn.com/minisites/mail/Default.aspx?locale=en-us

>

>