Thyroid question

[Guest guest]

I have fibroids and I am hypothyroid. I am on .75mg of Synthroid.

When I started the medicine a few years ago I wasn't told to take it

on an empty stomach. I found that out later and started taking it on

an empty stomach. From than on my TSH has gone from 8 something to 5

something to 2 something and now between .74 and .92.

From what I have read if it is too low that is when you are at risk

for bone loss.

I have noticed that I have felt a lot better in this range,more

emergy,better mental outlook,etc. but even though this is in the

normal range I am a little afraid of this risk.

From what I have been reading it is better to have the number in the

1-2 range if you want it on the low range.

I am thinking of talking to my Dr. to see if I should lower my dose

and seeing how I feel than.

Does anyone have any knowledge of the risk of bone loss and low

numbers?

Thanks

Bonnie

[Guest guest]

I just read in the book " Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health "

by L. Shames, Karilee H., Shames Phd , that below 0.35 is the

danger zone for osteoporosis. and that above .75 is probably right

for some people, though the author says it's in the gray zone. They

really don't know enough yet.

Tish

[Guest guest]

Tish,

I am not 100% sure of my info, but I know that when a person is below normal

on a TSH for them-(as the normal range provided for a geographical area may

not be " normal " for a patient), and a person becomes sub-clinical or hyper

that at that point the body can begin to pull calcium from the muscle and

bones and teeth which acts like a bank that holds and distributes calcium as

needed for the body. If too much calcium is withdrawn and not re-deposited

(which when hyper your metabolism runs faster) it can create a lower bone

desity that can become osteopenia and then osteoprosis.

I don't know if the same thing occurs if a person is hypo, that is an

interesting point.

I was diagnosed with osteopenia and am right on the line for osteoperosis. I

originally thought there was a problem because my teeth seemed to get thin

shortly after my second lupron shot, so I asked my doc for a bone desity

scan, (of course she argued, saying she didn't feel it was necessary), but

then finally agreed after my persistance. Luckily, because there was a

problem. I believe the cause was the combination of me being hyperthyroid

and then taking the lupron combined, which caused my end result.

Thanks Tish!

Deb

[Guest guest]

Yes that is what I understand. Hypothyroidism can prevent the uptake

of calcium and other minerals such as iron by its effect on the

digestive system and also lead to bone loss. So many hyper and hypo

symptoms are the same because the results of too much thyroid and too

litle thyroid disrupts the same metabolic systems in the body. For

instance, hyperthyroidism causes a racing heart and possible

breething problems due to over stimulation of muscles and maybe later

exaustion-Hypothyroidism causes the inability of the body to take in

enough oxygen, forcing the heart to try and pump faster to increase

blood flow to tissues to get oxygen to them. Low oxygen also stresses

the heart. Both situations can lead to insomnia and other cascading

effects on health. Anyway, that is why the symptom list for each seem

like they cross over.

Tish

[Guest guest]

> Hypothyroidism causes the inability of the body to take in

> enough oxygen, forcing the heart to try and pump faster to increase

> blood flow to tissues to get oxygen to them

Tish,

Can you show me a source for this one? I'm being treated for hypothyroid, but

my PCP is puzzled because my heart rate is high, and all the symptom lists

show that the heart rate is slower with hypothyroidism. As a consequence,

he's reluctant to make any drastic changes to my thyroid medication for fear

of boosting my heartbeat higher. If I could see some source that shows that a

faster heartbeat can also be a symptom, maybe I can get somewhere.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

Thanks Tish!!!

This really spells it out! It is a question alot of people ask, and this

explains it in good detail!!!

It also shows connection with hypothyroid/progesterone which is interesting

too!!!

Here is an update on my daughter! After an extreme amount of research, I

found a female reproductive endocrinologist infertility specialist. She and

her partner are familiar with adhesions and the endocrine system. I was so

relieved!!! They will be seeing her next Wednesday. And they feel that if

vaseline worked the first time, it could again, and that is the way we will

go first!

Another point that I have found is that my sister who is my daughters

biological mother was given estrogen during her pregnacy! I found it listed

in my daughters medical record. I am extremely upset about that fact, as it

was known in science, through DES (a synthetic estrogen) years before it was

banned in 1971, for pregnant and nursing mothers, that there were major

cancer risks, risks of autoImmune Disease, and reproductive abnormalities in

the children from the birth and now it is proved the 3rd generation of the

DES mothers!

On top of this newly found info that my daughters pediatrician's had in her

file and NEVER informed ME of, they at the time when she was 1 and now at 8,

reccommended " PREMARIN OINTMENT " for treatment of the adhesions. When the

vaseline should have been tried first, in the least. Never mind the fact

that my family history has a strong AutoImmune Disease history!!!

After an EXTREME amount of research into Major studies that have been done

and the FDA. I am thoroughly disgusted with the medical and pharmaceutical

society!!! I pray that any medicine that any of you women are taking, that

you reasearch it thoroughly and tell everyone you know to do the same!!!

Your life and well-being may depend on it!!

This is the second time since last November (and at two completely different

health insurances and facilities) that if I did not do the homework, SERIOUS

AFTER EFFECTS, and for me coma or death, could have occured!!! Why? The

doctors not taking the time to really READ the MEDICAL FILE and going by

their GUIDELINE BOOKS, set forth by their employer and insurance company,

instead of doing what is right or safe!!! Some of these doctors are really

good doctors too! But the best ones would never have offered and pushed

options that were not safe when there were still less invasive treatments to

try first!

Please research your medicines, especially birth control, hormone replacement

and the like!!! And if you must take hormone replacement, get your estrogen

and such levels checked and monitered regularly and adjustments made to the

medicine accordingly to your levels! If your doctor argues with you, find a

doctor who will listen to you, when you are ill, you do not need added

stress!!!

It took 5 hours on the phone to find a doctor who " I " did not have to explain

the dangers to!!! They explained it to me! As it should be!!! Those 5

hours have been the best 5 hours I have spent, I can trust that my daughter

will be taken care of properly and safely!!!!

Thanks again Tish for the link!!! I am going to bookmark it!

Deb

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/19/2002 11:14:23 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

lkwetter@... writes:

> Sorry, I don't remember where I read it but I found this more

> technical explanation at: http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/ray-

> peat.htm

Thanks, Tish. Food for thought. Though I don't think I have a heart rate that

high, thank goodness. My doctor has had me taking my pulse, and I seem to

have an average resting pulse rate ranging from the high 70s to mid 80s. Just

the day that he saw me, it was over 100. Could be " white coat syndrome. " My

blood pressure was found to be high, too.

[Guest guest]

Sorry, I don't remember where I read it but I found this more

technical explanation at: http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/ray-

peat.htm

" Shomon: Many people describe how they are clinically

hypothyroid, with elevated TSH levels, but have extremely high pulse

rates. Do you have any thoughts as to what might be going on in that

situation?

Dr. Ray Peat: In hypothyroidism, thyrotropin-release hormone (TRH) is

usually increased, increasing release of TSH. TRH itself can cause

tachycardia, " palpitations, " high blood pressure, stasis of the

intestine, increase of pressure in the eye, and hyperventilation with

alkalosis. It can increase the release of norepinephrine, but in

itself it acts very much like adrenalin. TRH stimulates prolactin

release, and this can interfere with progesterone synthesis, which in

itself affects heart function.

I consider even the lowest TSH within the " normal range " to be

consistent with hypothyroidism; in good health, very little TSH is

needed. When the thyroid function is low, the body often compensates

by over-producing adrenalin. The daily production of adrenalin is

sometimes 30 or 40 times higher than normal in hypothyroidism. The

adrenalin tends to sustain blood sugar in spite of the metabolic

inefficiency of hypothyroidism, and it can help to maintain core body

temperature by causing vasoconstriction in the skin, but it also

disturbs the sleep and accelerates the heart. During the night,

cycles of rising adrenalin can cause nightmares, wakefulness, worry,

and a pounding heart. Occasionally, a person who has chronically had

a heart rate of 150 beats per minute or higher, will have a much

lower heart rate after using a thyroid supplement for a few days. If

your temperature or heart rate is lower after breakfast than before,

it's likely that they were raised as a result of the nocturnal

increase of adrenalin and cortisol caused by hypothyroidism. "

Tish