Re: Does Anyone Else Not Have A Life???

December 1, 2005

....I want my life back, I

want to be who I used to physically and mentally! I am so tired of

being sick and tired and feeling poopy all the time!! Just wanted

you to know that you are definetly not alone!

I completely agree... for 5 years I have been sick and tired and lost

friends because I had nothing to say on the phone.... and was tired

physically and mentally.. No, I didn't want to go snowshoing, because I

would be out of breath, it would be too cold, and it wouldn't be any fun

because I couldn't keep up... I used to work on a ski hill for goodness

sake~! now I hate winter. Thank god for electric blankets and fireplaces..

Anyway,, just want to add a small Ray of Hope.. for what its worth... since

adding cytomel to the mix of dessicated thyroid, I seem to be getting back

more of " Me " . or maybe a different me, one that is finally doing something

she wants to do, and apparently am doing ok at it, as I have been asked to

teach in two different places.. wow. to think I can actually think on a

regular basis. Absolutely cannot afford to have brain fog now!!! I am still

not ok for a whole week at a time. But even a couple days a week is better

than before. I am hopeful that more will come/ .. It does wear me out,

and am trying to be conscious of not overdoing it.. still not fixed.. yet,

but at least better than before. And that is saying a heck of a lot.

take care of yourselves..

Nan

December 1, 2005

I was in therapy cuz I wondered if there was something psychological

about me not being able to get much done. Just before finding I had

this thyroid stuff, I was telling my docs that I felt like I have

brain damage. Doing a housework task has felt like giving me a

calculus test. I had a short spurt one day where I had that sense

of housework being an easy thing. That's been my major complaint,

and weight that won't come off. Except, May '04 at my physical I

had lost 40 lbs since the physical the year before. I don't own a

scale so I don't know when I lost it - a month, or months or the

whole year. But I hadn't exercised at all and was eating worse.

For 7 yrs I exercised every other day, got cardio up to where it was

to be, for an hour to an hour and a half, then did weights, 7 yrs,

every other day, and only lost 20 lbs. People said I was putting on

muscle, but I was above 200 and that's a lot of muscle ! The time I

found out I lost 40 lbs was about the time the brain damage feel was

happening. Doc would look at thyroid levels and they were in

normal, so didn't take it further. They still were in the normal

range just before the TT. If I read the pathology report correctly,

of the tangerine sized lobes, cancer was throughout it all. Thyroid

scan showed large cold areas and a small hyper area. I plan on

bugging docs with my thyroid levels till I no longer feel like I

have brain damage. I hope to get my brain back. I really want my

brain back.

jane

>

> ...I want my life back, I

> want to be who I used to physically and mentally! I am so tired of

> being sick and tired and feeling poopy all the time!! Just wanted

> you to know that you are definetly not alone!

>

> I completely agree... for 5 years I have been sick and tired and

lost

> friends because I had nothing to say on the phone.... and was

tired

> physically and mentally.. No, I didn't want to go snowshoing,

because I

> would be out of breath, it would be too cold, and it wouldn't be

any fun

> because I couldn't keep up... I used to work on a ski hill for

goodness

> sake~! now I hate winter. Thank god for electric blankets and

fireplaces..

>

> Anyway,, just want to add a small Ray of Hope.. for what its

worth... since

> adding cytomel to the mix of dessicated thyroid, I seem to be

getting back

> more of " Me " . or maybe a different me, one that is finally doing

something

> she wants to do, and apparently am doing ok at it, as I have been

asked to

> teach in two different places.. wow. to think I can actually think

on a

> regular basis. Absolutely cannot afford to have brain fog now!!!

I am still

> not ok for a whole week at a time. But even a couple days a week

is better

> than before. I am hopeful that more will come/ .. It does wear

me out,

> and am trying to be conscious of not overdoing it.. still not

fixed.. yet,

> but at least better than before. And that is saying a heck of a

lot.

> take care of yourselves..

> Nan

>

December 1, 2005

>

> In a message dated 12/1/2005 4:52:57 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,

> thyrofeisty@g... writes:

>

> Just a word of caution on anti-depressants.....

> quite a few have adverse effects on the thyroid... Prozac

especially....

> That has flouride..

> Also so much of depression, anxiety, bi-polar and even disorders

are related

> to thyroid issues.

>

> But....sometimes we need antidepressants to get through our

lives...at least

> until we're properly treated. Sometimes they can be literally

lifesavers. I

> agree that there are a lot of side effects but every med has side

effects

> including over the counter meds. It's such a fine line and again

we are all

> individuals and there are some people that have not wanted to take

an

> antidepressant because of the label or status it would put on them

and they end up

> taking their life. Just something to think about.

>

> Tammy

>

I think the main concern here is not so much if a person needs or

should take antidepressants. If you need them be it long term or be

it short term then they should be taken. I think two main concerns is

some have been treated with depression when it has been a symptom of

low thyroid and the thyroid has not been tested even though as a rule

all patients presenting with depression before starting medication

need ot have thyroid ruled out.

The other main concern..I will see if I can piece it together for you

from medical resources.

From Medisource..

What other drugs could interact with this medication?

The following medications may affect how levothyroxine works or

increase the risk of side effects:

antacids that contain aluminum

anticonvulsants (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin)

beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, propranolol)

cholestyramine

diet pills

estrogens

ferrous sulfate

ketamine

sucralfate

sympathomimetic medications (e.g., amphetamines)

tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline, imipramine)

Levothyroxine may affect how the following medications work:

anti-diabetes medications

digoxin

theophyllines (e.g., aminophylline, oxtriphylline, theophylline)

warfarin

I have seen the Prozac link too but for some reason I am having a

hard time finding it..

The main problem being that if you go to a doctor instead of testing

you. They put you on birthcontrol to regulate your cycle , diet pills

to help lose wieght, Ferrous sulphate for low iron, cholestyramine

for high colesterol and antidepressants for being depressed.

These exact types of medications lower your thyroid levels and if you

are already hypo it is not a good move.

Antidepressants should be used to treat to treat depression. If the

depression is long term or short term as a result of your low

thyroid then your thyroid levels need to be tested first and

antidepression medication that is least likely to interfere with

thyroid levels should be chosen. Plus any one on thyroid medication

starting any new medication but especially the ones listed above

should have a follow up in 12 weeks to see if thyroid levels are

effected..

You can see how many things are left to proper treatment and how easy

it is to drop the ball in a 5 minute doctor visit. This is why the

tension exists for antidepression medication and low thyroid

conditions.

Kats3boys

December 1, 2005

>

> In a message dated 12/1/2005 4:52:57 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,

> thyrofeisty@g... writes:

>

> Just a word of caution on anti-depressants.....

> quite a few have adverse effects on the thyroid... Prozac

especially....

> That has flouride..

> Also so much of depression, anxiety, bi-polar and even disorders

are related

> to thyroid issues.

>

> But....sometimes we need antidepressants to get through our

lives...at least

> until we're properly treated. Sometimes they can be literally

lifesavers. I

> agree that there are a lot of side effects but every med has side

effects

> including over the counter meds. It's such a fine line and again

we are all

> individuals and there are some people that have not wanted to take

an

> antidepressant because of the label or status it would put on them

and they end up

> taking their life. Just something to think about.

>

> Tammy

>

I think the main concern here is not so much if a person needs or

should take antidepressants. If you need them be it long term or be

it short term then they should be taken. I think two main concerns is

some have been treated with depression when it has been a symptom of

low thyroid and the thyroid has not been tested even though as a rule

all patients presenting with depression before starting medication

need ot have thyroid ruled out.

The other main concern..I will see if I can piece it together for you

from medical resources.

From Medisource..

What other drugs could interact with this medication?

The following medications may affect how levothyroxine works or

increase the risk of side effects:

antacids that contain aluminum

anticonvulsants (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin)

beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, propranolol)

cholestyramine

diet pills

estrogens

ferrous sulfate

ketamine

sucralfate

sympathomimetic medications (e.g., amphetamines)

tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline, imipramine)

Levothyroxine may affect how the following medications work:

anti-diabetes medications

digoxin

theophyllines (e.g., aminophylline, oxtriphylline, theophylline)

warfarin

I have seen the Prozac link too but for some reason I am having a

hard time finding it..

The main problem being that if you go to a doctor instead of testing

you. They put you on birthcontrol to regulate your cycle , diet pills

to help lose wieght, Ferrous sulphate for low iron, cholestyramine

for high colesterol and antidepressants for being depressed.

These exact types of medications lower your thyroid levels and if you

are already hypo it is not a good move.

Antidepressants should be used to treat to treat depression. If the

depression is long term or short term as a result of your low

thyroid then your thyroid levels need to be tested first and

antidepression medication that is least likely to interfere with

thyroid levels should be chosen. Plus any one on thyroid medication

starting any new medication but especially the ones listed above

should have a follow up in 12 weeks to see if thyroid levels are

effected..

You can see how many things are left to proper treatment and how easy

it is to drop the ball in a 5 minute doctor visit. This is why the

tension exists for antidepression medication and low thyroid

conditions.

Kats3boys

December 1, 2005

>

> In a message dated 12/1/2005 4:52:57 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,

> thyrofeisty@g... writes:

>

> Just a word of caution on anti-depressants.....

> quite a few have adverse effects on the thyroid... Prozac

especially....

> That has flouride..

> Also so much of depression, anxiety, bi-polar and even disorders

are related

> to thyroid issues.

>

> But....sometimes we need antidepressants to get through our

lives...at least

> until we're properly treated. Sometimes they can be literally

lifesavers. I

> agree that there are a lot of side effects but every med has side

effects

> including over the counter meds. It's such a fine line and again

we are all

> individuals and there are some people that have not wanted to take

an

> antidepressant because of the label or status it would put on them

and they end up

> taking their life. Just something to think about.

>

> Tammy

>

I think the main concern here is not so much if a person needs or

should take antidepressants. If you need them be it long term or be

it short term then they should be taken. I think two main concerns is

some have been treated with depression when it has been a symptom of

low thyroid and the thyroid has not been tested even though as a rule

all patients presenting with depression before starting medication

need ot have thyroid ruled out.

The other main concern..I will see if I can piece it together for you

from medical resources.

From Medisource..

What other drugs could interact with this medication?

The following medications may affect how levothyroxine works or

increase the risk of side effects:

antacids that contain aluminum

anticonvulsants (e.g., carbamazepine, phenytoin)

beta-blockers (e.g., metoprolol, propranolol)

cholestyramine

diet pills

estrogens

ferrous sulfate

ketamine

sucralfate

sympathomimetic medications (e.g., amphetamines)

tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline, imipramine)

Levothyroxine may affect how the following medications work:

anti-diabetes medications

digoxin

theophyllines (e.g., aminophylline, oxtriphylline, theophylline)

warfarin

I have seen the Prozac link too but for some reason I am having a

hard time finding it..

The main problem being that if you go to a doctor instead of testing

you. They put you on birthcontrol to regulate your cycle , diet pills

to help lose wieght, Ferrous sulphate for low iron, cholestyramine

for high colesterol and antidepressants for being depressed.

These exact types of medications lower your thyroid levels and if you

are already hypo it is not a good move.

Antidepressants should be used to treat to treat depression. If the

depression is long term or short term as a result of your low

thyroid then your thyroid levels need to be tested first and

antidepression medication that is least likely to interfere with

thyroid levels should be chosen. Plus any one on thyroid medication

starting any new medication but especially the ones listed above

should have a follow up in 12 weeks to see if thyroid levels are

effected..

You can see how many things are left to proper treatment and how easy

it is to drop the ball in a 5 minute doctor visit. This is why the

tension exists for antidepression medication and low thyroid

conditions.

Kats3boys

December 2, 2005

Tammy.... forget about all of the rest of the world.... just be yourself... as you are sitting there right now, reading this.... think about your body, your mind... what you are able to do. Just ponder it a bit..... Now think about things that you like to do that you would be able to do.... You like to cook? Me too, I love cooking and baking....

Grab a recipe book..... or a favorite recipe out of your card box that you'd like to bake....

When you have one picked out... dont' think about how hard it's going to be to do it... that's not what we're up to here... I'm gonna share how I did it when I was still too bad to do stuff that I wanted to do.... Pick a something that can cool in it's pan and needs no special attention.

First project is to get out a card table and chair, or make sure that you have space on the kitchen table.... That's it... now go rest. Remember through all of this that you can't skip your meals. Your body is working hard and you need the energy to move your muscles and for your body to convert hormone.... it's all VERY important

Next collect the first half of the dry ingredients and put them on the table.... That's it... now go rest.

Next get out the bowl(s) and measuring utensils. No more, go rest.

Now sit in the chair at your table and organize things... put the dry ingredients in order. Set out your dry bowl, your wet bowl, how ever you need to do it for what you are going to be baking. Double check that you have everything that you need to mix and measure and all the dry ingredients. Now rest.

When you come back, you get to sit. Sit down and measure all the dry ingredients into the dry bowl. Double check the recipe, make sure that you haven't missed any of the ingredients. Pick up two of the dry ingredients and put them away on your way to go rest.

Now you get to measure the wet ingredients. Consider how you are feeling. If you dont' want to work too long plan on measure the wet stuff that needs to stay cold in the wet bowl and then put it in the fridge.. that would be for milk and eggs, that type of stuff... this way, if you end up falling asleep or just feel to spent to finish that day none of your ingredients will go bad...grease your pan(s). Pick up two of the ingredients and put them away on your way to go rest.

Finish measuring the last of the wet ingredients, if any.... Preheat the oven. Start the dishwater. Put all the mixing and measuring stuff that you're done with it the hot soapy water. Mix your batter and put it in the pan(s). Set the timer on the oven for 15 minutes... for the next 15 minutes you are going to just sit... watch the oven preheat, let the cups and spoons and bowls soak in the water. Think about how good this is gonna taste when it's done.

When the fifteen minutes are up slide your pan(s) in the oven and set the timer. Grab two things from the table and put them away. Go to the sink and wash dishes for the length of time to count to 100. Now go sit, where you can see the timer, or a clock, in the kitchen, so that you don't get side tracked and forget you have stuff baking. When fifteen minutes have gone by, grab as much stuff from the table that you can without dropping stuff... and put it away. Now back to the sink and wash what you can in the time it takes to count to 100. Now go sit... in the kitchen.... When the time goes off, check to see if your stuff is done, if it is, take it out, if it's not set the timer for the amount of time that it still needs, even if it's only two minutes... so that you don't start thinking of something else and forget. For that amount of time finish clearing the table, wipe it off. Then wait for the timer.

Once your stuff is out of the oven, turn the oven off. Finish the few things that are still in the sink. Sit for fifteen minutes. The last thing to do is to put away the card table and chair if you had to get one out.

Now, this may have taken you the entire day. I might take you two days. But the point is to learn how to pace. Break projects up into parts. Rest between the parts. Make it your own personal LAW that you rest between the parts.

Once you get the hang of it.... you will be able to accomplish things without killing yourself and ending up immobile for a week. If I broke it down too much for your level... combine it more.... but you must rest before you are tired.

By breaking things up like this... for me....... I found that I was able to build myself up. I was getting things done that I'd not been able to do for a LONG time, without hurting myself.... I learned to break up all the chores. So that I could rest in between. I split the house into ten sections for vacuuming. Don't misunderstand. This is a three bedroom rambler with no carpeting in the bedrooms. It's the living room, hallway, bathroom, and the large kitchen/dining area. I split it into ten parts so that I could do a part and rest, then do the next part and rest, then do the next part and rest... Yes, it took me all day to do it... but I got it done and I could walk the next day....

I did do only the vacuuming on that day, not much else... but it was done. As time went on I could do it in 8 sections, then in 6, then in four. The last time I did it I did it in two, not because I couldn't finish it... but because I was doing computer maintenance at the same time and the network cable that I run out to the kitchen computer for file transfer was running down the hall and across the kitchen... so I did all of the living room, then washed dishes until the computer was done, then wrapped up the cable and finished vacuuming... I was laughing at myself... I can do it all in one shot now... but the cord stopped me... heheheheheheh

An athlete, when working on building endurance, and strength, must care for the body. It is exercised, fed proper nutrition, the muscles are encouraged to grow, and the intelligent athlete works on becoming better, stronger, faster, more accurate, does not do things that will harm the body and cause down time while it heals.

Now for everyone that thinks what I've just said is a bunch of hooey.. that no one is that messed up that they can't just go out into the kitchen and bake a cake, or vacuum a carpet.... well... I was that bad.... When I got to the point where I could do stuff like this I was already doing happy dances cuz I had gotten so much better... Better? Yep... I had been so bad that I needed crutches to walk. That I had to sit on a chair to wash dishes, or cook at the stove. That it was a major days work to vacuum, or to bake a cake....

I worked hard.. I'm still working hard, to help my body get stronger... It took 12 years to get it so run down and weak and clumsy that I couldn't take a shower without resting half way through and collapsing on the bed for half an hour after wards before I could get dressed. The body is an AMAZING thing, but it can't heal over night, it can't magically create muscle, that took years to become lost.

One of the hardest things for me to learn was to stop comparing myself to other people, or to the me that I was before I got sick. If you can manage to get all of that out of your head and compare today to yesterday, or last week, or last month and be able to SEE that today was a better day... that if you keep at it, and work on getting stronger, that tomorrow will be better, that next week will be better, then next month will be better... that is when you not only win.... but, well... you get to be YOU again. Maybe not the same you that you were before... but that doesn't mean that you can't be a better you.

For whatever level you are at.... sitting 99 percent of the day, 50 percent of the day, or going to the gym 3 days a week, realize your level, challenge only yourself. Anyone that says that you didn't do enough, or that you have to finish... tell them to go eat yellow snow... you have to work according to your body, your level, your stage.... the triumph will be measured on your scale.

And for anyone that says this sounds stupid and lame and moronic or any other word that comes to mind.... fine... You can sit and laugh at me.... But I did the deck yesterday in 6 1/2 minutes.... I set the timer on the stove before I went out... I wanted to see how long it took to do... See. Just three years ago that deck was split into sections, I would clear snow off a section and then rest, then clear a section and then rest... and it would take me an entire day to do the deck just one time. I did it in 6 1/2 minutes... cuz for all the time it took for my body to get stronger, to increase endurance, I didn't give a horse pucky about what people said... They weren't living in my body when it hurt to just breathe, when it was an hour to build up the courage to walk as far as the bathroom to pee.

I'll share my milestones... if this stuff bores you... stop now.... it's the last of my thoughts for this post.

The day that I went to the grocery store and didn't have to hang on to the cart to walk, when I found myself scooting down an aisle to grab and item, leaving the cart at the end of the row.

The first time I stood at the sink to wash dishes.

The first time I was at the stove and didn't grab a chair to sit while I stirred.

The first time I vacuumed the living room in one section.

The first time I made it all the way to the gas station, walking, and back. 1 1/3 miles round trip.

The first time I was able to go down to the basement to do laundry and didnt' have to sit on the bottom step when I got down there, before I could go the last ten feet to get to the washer.

The first time I didn't have to stay downstairs while the washer washed so that I didn't have to go up and down the stairs a second time to get my laundry out of the washer.

The first time I made my bed without resting after putting on the first sheet, then resting after putting on the second sheet and then just throwing the blanket on and hoping most of it stayed on the bed.

The first time I carried my groceries into the house.

The first time I carried my groceries into the house and actually put everything away right away and didn't just throw the fridge stuff in the fridge and the freezer stuff in the freezer, then sit down on that basement step until I could climb back up the stairs, and then leave all the dry goods in the bags until the next day.

The first time I cleaned the glass, inside and out, on the french doors on the deck. It wasn't that hard a job, but it wasn't something that HAD to be done, I just wanted to do it.

There are more... many more... geeze the first time I could not only wash my hair but put in cream rinse......

But you get the point... when you really get to the point where everything is hard, anything that you conquer after than is a milestone and should be treated as such... and if no one else cares..... the person that achieved it does and SHOULD.

I'm shutting up now. Honest.

Topper ()

On Thu, 1 Dec 2005 21:53:34 EST tammyco5@... writes:

This hit me so hard between the eyes... I started cussing out the ceiling...

Hi ,

I am not sure how to take this! lol!

Thank you for the advice though. I wish I could do what I have enjoyed in the past. I used to read and liked to cook, and a lot of more things. I just don't have it in me though. I don't mean to sound like I am having a pity party. I am not like that at all. I try in all my strength to do something productive. I literally can't right now. I thank you for all that you do for me and all of us to improve our life with this Thyroid problem! I have been on and have tried many antidepressants. I'm on Prozac right now which I have been on and off for years. It gets tiring...I'm sick of the meds and the psychs!

Hugs,

Tammy

December 2, 2005

Prozac is THE SuperDaddy of the SSRI Thyroid Killers, it's the #1 one of them all. Yes, you may need something for depression while you're working on your thyroid, but it should never be an SSRI. I'm not saying that you don't need temporary help there, but the thyroid meds need to be optimized while you're doing this. Wellbutrin works for some, but is devastating for others, and it is NOT an SSRI, it increases dopamine, serotonin, and nortriptylene. Some of the old TCAs work good for some people, but can drive blood pressure up also (imipramine, clomipramine, trimipramine, etc...). Some or all of these are not appropriate for some people, but do work on some. They just shouldn't be taken for extended periods of time and certainly not in place of proper thyroid treatment.

Re: Does Anyone Else Not Have A Life???

This hit me so hard between the eyes... I started cussing out the ceiling...

Hi ,

I am not sure how to take this! lol!

Thank you for the advice though. I wish I could do what I have enjoyed in the past. I used to read and liked to cook, and a lot of more things. I just don't have it in me though. I don't mean to sound like I am having a pity party. I am not like that at all. I try in all my strength to do something productive. I literally can't right now. I thank you for all that you do for me and all of us to improve our life with this Thyroid problem! I have been on and have tried many antidepressants. I'm on Prozac right now which I have been on and off for years. It gets tiring...I'm sick of the meds and the psychs!

Hugs,

Tammy

December 2, 2005

When I found out I had thyroid problems, one of my docs got real

excited and said she thinks I'll be able to come off a lot of my

meds that have actually been treating symptoms of thyroid stuff.

We'll see. I can see how many of my physical complaints the last 2

yrs could be thyroid related.

jane

TT 11/05

pap & foc dx 11/05

RAI 11/05

WBS 12/05

>

> Tammy... the point is one that we stress here a lot, actually.

Learn how

> to care for your body, learn how to take care of your body now

that your

> thyroid can no longer do it for you. Find what you can do to help

your

> body function normally by dealing with the messed up thyroid

function and

> get things working correctly on their own.

>

> Way too many of us rely, or used to rely, on drugs to get by....

look at

> me. Since I know be better than anyone else. I had chronic pain.

That was

> the direction my body went when it didn't have enough thyroid

hormone to

> work right.... I'm talking pain that makes you tear, pain that

makes you

> sit in a chair and consider just how BAD you had to pee before it

> justified the pain involved with standing up and, heaven forbid,

walking

> down the hall AND sitting down on the toilet..... and if that

wasn't bad

> enough.. then I had to get up and walk back here.

>

> I would sit here at night... so exhausted that I could just throw

up....

> but dreading the walk of about fifteen feet, to cross the hall and

go to

> bed... and not so much for the walk but that because even sleeping

> hurt... I often work up in more pain in the morning that I had

when I

> went to bed at night.

>

> I was popping 20 and 30 Ibuprophen at a time... not a day... at a

time,

> often two or three times a day, day after day, week after week,

month

> after month... just in an attempt to get the pain squashed enough

to not

> scream.

>

> I went that way for years. Dealing with what was wrong with me..

thinking

> that was my lot in life.... You learn to deal with it, right?

>

> Imagine my surprise... just imagine my joy...when that pain

started to

> subside when I started self treating.... no, I'm not saying self

treating

> was the answer.... I'm saying that when my body started getting

the right

> hormone... my body wasn't processing the synthetic correctly... it

was

> starved for hormone and suddenly it was getting what it needed....

>

> Now... less pain... I was sleeping better... not good yet, but

better

> than before.... hurt was still there, but no longer ALL the

time....

>

> Skip ahead about six months.... I continued to share my symptoms in

> group.. those that were lessening, those that clung on..... those

that

> cropped up new... and folks made suggestions... Without going into

> specific details, a suggestion was made about the timing of my

dose and

> my specific circumstance (zero gland function and suspected VERY

poor

> conversion).

>

> Ready? I changed my timing that night.... In this case it meant

> postponing my 7 pm, last dose of the day, to taking it at bed

time.

>

> I slept like a baby that night. I woke up the next morning....

>

> with absolutely no pain.... none... it was gone.... period...it was

> gone.. the first time I was in absolutely no pain in so many YEARS

that I

> didn't even know how long it had been.

>

> That is an extremely quick and immediate response...but it was

also a

> very profound one.

>

> I could go on with other symptoms... headaches that lasted

weeks... I

> hardly have headaches anymore... and most of the time one

Ibuprophen will

> make it go completely away.

> Hair? My receding hair line as filled in AND my hair has thickened

AND

> I'm no longer losing hair in the shower.

> Crying. I used to cry all the time... no kidding... little baby

lost his

> diaper in the commercial, I cried. Cloud goes over the sun, cry.

Sun in

> my eyes, cry. Dropped something on the floor, cry. Show gets

preempted on

> TV, cry. Water glass empty, cry, cuz it meant walking to get more

water.

> Now I cry when there is a reason... no longer all the time.

> Agoraphobia is gone.

> Fear is gone (fear of everything, task to hard, day to long, work

too

> hard, making a mistake, fear of being afraid)

>

> Having a messed up thyroid can mess up sooooooooo many things in

our

> bodies and our minds. One of the things that is common is

depression...

> it's one of the very classic symptoms of both low and high levels

of

> thyroid hormone.

>

> Taking a med to control that depression is one way to handle

it....

>

> but... consider this..... if the med is only masking the

depression and

> not dealing with the cause

> ...if the med is actually harming the thyroid level abnormalities

and

> causing the root cause of the depression to be even more

pronounced.....

>

> is that TRULY what you want to do?

>

> Explore options... quite a few of the others here already have...

finding

> drugs that help with the depression without making the thyroid

issues

> worse... and then as the thyroid issues are addressed, levels

optimize

> and the brain starts getting the thyroid hormone (T1) that it

needs, they

> find that the time is right to reduce those depression meds and

work

> toward their body being able to function without them.

>

> If you are out on the lake in a boat and it gets a small leak you

head to

> shore.... the next day you want to go out again and the boat still

> leaks... but this time you brought a cup to bail it out, but the

hole is

> bigger and you end up having to go back to shore.... The next day

you

> want to go out again but take a bucket.. the bucket does the

job... you

> can keep the boat bailed out and keep it from sinking by using the

> bucket..... but you don't get to do much else but keep track of

the water

> and bail.

>

> Or you can fix the leak.

>

> Which works better for you? Medicating one symptom or dealing with

the

> root cause of the symptoms? Getting a bigger bucket or a patch kit?

>

> You got angry, defending yourself.. that shows just how desperate

you are

> to feel better, that you want to protect what is working for you

now....

> that's good....... Take the anger, focus it, find a way that works

> better, not just for the depression.. but for all the other

symptoms

> too..... It's surprising how much better you feel when you can

start

> doing more stuff.. when you WANT to do more things, not just

work.. but

> fun things.... like going out on a boat.....

>

> *shy smile*

>

> Topper ()

December 2, 2005

When I found out I had thyroid problems, one of my docs got real

excited and said she thinks I'll be able to come off a lot of my

meds that have actually been treating symptoms of thyroid stuff.

We'll see. I can see how many of my physical complaints the last 2

yrs could be thyroid related.

jane

TT 11/05

pap & foc dx 11/05

RAI 11/05

WBS 12/05

>

> Tammy... the point is one that we stress here a lot, actually.

Learn how

> to care for your body, learn how to take care of your body now

that your

> thyroid can no longer do it for you. Find what you can do to help

your

> body function normally by dealing with the messed up thyroid

function and

> get things working correctly on their own.

>

> Way too many of us rely, or used to rely, on drugs to get by....

look at

> me. Since I know be better than anyone else. I had chronic pain.

That was

> the direction my body went when it didn't have enough thyroid

hormone to

> work right.... I'm talking pain that makes you tear, pain that

makes you

> sit in a chair and consider just how BAD you had to pee before it

> justified the pain involved with standing up and, heaven forbid,

walking

> down the hall AND sitting down on the toilet..... and if that

wasn't bad

> enough.. then I had to get up and walk back here.

>

> I would sit here at night... so exhausted that I could just throw

up....

> but dreading the walk of about fifteen feet, to cross the hall and

go to

> bed... and not so much for the walk but that because even sleeping

> hurt... I often work up in more pain in the morning that I had

when I

> went to bed at night.

>

> I was popping 20 and 30 Ibuprophen at a time... not a day... at a

time,

> often two or three times a day, day after day, week after week,

month

> after month... just in an attempt to get the pain squashed enough

to not

> scream.

>

> I went that way for years. Dealing with what was wrong with me..

thinking

> that was my lot in life.... You learn to deal with it, right?

>

> Imagine my surprise... just imagine my joy...when that pain

started to

> subside when I started self treating.... no, I'm not saying self

treating

> was the answer.... I'm saying that when my body started getting

the right

> hormone... my body wasn't processing the synthetic correctly... it

was

> starved for hormone and suddenly it was getting what it needed....

>

> Now... less pain... I was sleeping better... not good yet, but

better

> than before.... hurt was still there, but no longer ALL the

time....

>

> Skip ahead about six months.... I continued to share my symptoms in

> group.. those that were lessening, those that clung on..... those

that

> cropped up new... and folks made suggestions... Without going into

> specific details, a suggestion was made about the timing of my

dose and

> my specific circumstance (zero gland function and suspected VERY

poor

> conversion).

>

> Ready? I changed my timing that night.... In this case it meant

> postponing my 7 pm, last dose of the day, to taking it at bed

time.

>

> I slept like a baby that night. I woke up the next morning....

>

> with absolutely no pain.... none... it was gone.... period...it was

> gone.. the first time I was in absolutely no pain in so many YEARS

that I

> didn't even know how long it had been.

>

> That is an extremely quick and immediate response...but it was

also a

> very profound one.

>

> I could go on with other symptoms... headaches that lasted

weeks... I

> hardly have headaches anymore... and most of the time one

Ibuprophen will

> make it go completely away.

> Hair? My receding hair line as filled in AND my hair has thickened

AND

> I'm no longer losing hair in the shower.

> Crying. I used to cry all the time... no kidding... little baby

lost his

> diaper in the commercial, I cried. Cloud goes over the sun, cry.

Sun in

> my eyes, cry. Dropped something on the floor, cry. Show gets

preempted on

> TV, cry. Water glass empty, cry, cuz it meant walking to get more

water.

> Now I cry when there is a reason... no longer all the time.

> Agoraphobia is gone.

> Fear is gone (fear of everything, task to hard, day to long, work

too

> hard, making a mistake, fear of being afraid)

>

> Having a messed up thyroid can mess up sooooooooo many things in

our

> bodies and our minds. One of the things that is common is

depression...

> it's one of the very classic symptoms of both low and high levels

of

> thyroid hormone.

>

> Taking a med to control that depression is one way to handle

it....

>

> but... consider this..... if the med is only masking the

depression and

> not dealing with the cause

> ...if the med is actually harming the thyroid level abnormalities

and

> causing the root cause of the depression to be even more

pronounced.....

>

> is that TRULY what you want to do?

>

> Explore options... quite a few of the others here already have...

finding

> drugs that help with the depression without making the thyroid

issues

> worse... and then as the thyroid issues are addressed, levels

optimize

> and the brain starts getting the thyroid hormone (T1) that it

needs, they

> find that the time is right to reduce those depression meds and

work

> toward their body being able to function without them.

>

> If you are out on the lake in a boat and it gets a small leak you

head to

> shore.... the next day you want to go out again and the boat still

> leaks... but this time you brought a cup to bail it out, but the

hole is

> bigger and you end up having to go back to shore.... The next day

you

> want to go out again but take a bucket.. the bucket does the

job... you

> can keep the boat bailed out and keep it from sinking by using the

> bucket..... but you don't get to do much else but keep track of

the water

> and bail.

>

> Or you can fix the leak.

>

> Which works better for you? Medicating one symptom or dealing with

the

> root cause of the symptoms? Getting a bigger bucket or a patch kit?

>

> You got angry, defending yourself.. that shows just how desperate

you are

> to feel better, that you want to protect what is working for you

now....

> that's good....... Take the anger, focus it, find a way that works

> better, not just for the depression.. but for all the other

symptoms

> too..... It's surprising how much better you feel when you can

start

> doing more stuff.. when you WANT to do more things, not just

work.. but

> fun things.... like going out on a boat.....

>

> *shy smile*

>

> Topper ()

December 2, 2005

When I found out I had thyroid problems, one of my docs got real

excited and said she thinks I'll be able to come off a lot of my

meds that have actually been treating symptoms of thyroid stuff.

We'll see. I can see how many of my physical complaints the last 2

yrs could be thyroid related.

jane

TT 11/05

pap & foc dx 11/05

RAI 11/05

WBS 12/05

>

> Tammy... the point is one that we stress here a lot, actually.

Learn how

> to care for your body, learn how to take care of your body now

that your

> thyroid can no longer do it for you. Find what you can do to help

your

> body function normally by dealing with the messed up thyroid

function and

> get things working correctly on their own.

>

> Way too many of us rely, or used to rely, on drugs to get by....

look at

> me. Since I know be better than anyone else. I had chronic pain.

That was

> the direction my body went when it didn't have enough thyroid

hormone to

> work right.... I'm talking pain that makes you tear, pain that

makes you

> sit in a chair and consider just how BAD you had to pee before it

> justified the pain involved with standing up and, heaven forbid,

walking

> down the hall AND sitting down on the toilet..... and if that

wasn't bad

> enough.. then I had to get up and walk back here.

>

> I would sit here at night... so exhausted that I could just throw

up....

> but dreading the walk of about fifteen feet, to cross the hall and

go to

> bed... and not so much for the walk but that because even sleeping

> hurt... I often work up in more pain in the morning that I had

when I

> went to bed at night.

>

> I was popping 20 and 30 Ibuprophen at a time... not a day... at a

time,

> often two or three times a day, day after day, week after week,

month

> after month... just in an attempt to get the pain squashed enough

to not

> scream.

>

> I went that way for years. Dealing with what was wrong with me..

thinking

> that was my lot in life.... You learn to deal with it, right?

>

> Imagine my surprise... just imagine my joy...when that pain

started to

> subside when I started self treating.... no, I'm not saying self

treating

> was the answer.... I'm saying that when my body started getting

the right

> hormone... my body wasn't processing the synthetic correctly... it

was

> starved for hormone and suddenly it was getting what it needed....

>

> Now... less pain... I was sleeping better... not good yet, but

better

> than before.... hurt was still there, but no longer ALL the

time....

>

> Skip ahead about six months.... I continued to share my symptoms in

> group.. those that were lessening, those that clung on..... those

that

> cropped up new... and folks made suggestions... Without going into

> specific details, a suggestion was made about the timing of my

dose and

> my specific circumstance (zero gland function and suspected VERY

poor

> conversion).

>

> Ready? I changed my timing that night.... In this case it meant

> postponing my 7 pm, last dose of the day, to taking it at bed

time.

>

> I slept like a baby that night. I woke up the next morning....

>

> with absolutely no pain.... none... it was gone.... period...it was

> gone.. the first time I was in absolutely no pain in so many YEARS

that I

> didn't even know how long it had been.

>

> That is an extremely quick and immediate response...but it was

also a

> very profound one.

>

> I could go on with other symptoms... headaches that lasted

weeks... I

> hardly have headaches anymore... and most of the time one

Ibuprophen will

> make it go completely away.

> Hair? My receding hair line as filled in AND my hair has thickened

AND

> I'm no longer losing hair in the shower.

> Crying. I used to cry all the time... no kidding... little baby

lost his

> diaper in the commercial, I cried. Cloud goes over the sun, cry.

Sun in

> my eyes, cry. Dropped something on the floor, cry. Show gets

preempted on

> TV, cry. Water glass empty, cry, cuz it meant walking to get more

water.

> Now I cry when there is a reason... no longer all the time.

> Agoraphobia is gone.

> Fear is gone (fear of everything, task to hard, day to long, work

too

> hard, making a mistake, fear of being afraid)

>

> Having a messed up thyroid can mess up sooooooooo many things in

our

> bodies and our minds. One of the things that is common is

depression...

> it's one of the very classic symptoms of both low and high levels

of

> thyroid hormone.

>

> Taking a med to control that depression is one way to handle

it....

>

> but... consider this..... if the med is only masking the

depression and

> not dealing with the cause

> ...if the med is actually harming the thyroid level abnormalities

and

> causing the root cause of the depression to be even more

pronounced.....

>

> is that TRULY what you want to do?

>

> Explore options... quite a few of the others here already have...

finding

> drugs that help with the depression without making the thyroid

issues

> worse... and then as the thyroid issues are addressed, levels

optimize

> and the brain starts getting the thyroid hormone (T1) that it

needs, they

> find that the time is right to reduce those depression meds and

work

> toward their body being able to function without them.

>

> If you are out on the lake in a boat and it gets a small leak you

head to

> shore.... the next day you want to go out again and the boat still

> leaks... but this time you brought a cup to bail it out, but the

hole is

> bigger and you end up having to go back to shore.... The next day

you

> want to go out again but take a bucket.. the bucket does the

job... you

> can keep the boat bailed out and keep it from sinking by using the

> bucket..... but you don't get to do much else but keep track of

the water

> and bail.

>

> Or you can fix the leak.

>

> Which works better for you? Medicating one symptom or dealing with

the

> root cause of the symptoms? Getting a bigger bucket or a patch kit?

>

> You got angry, defending yourself.. that shows just how desperate

you are

> to feel better, that you want to protect what is working for you

now....

> that's good....... Take the anger, focus it, find a way that works

> better, not just for the depression.. but for all the other

symptoms

> too..... It's surprising how much better you feel when you can

start

> doing more stuff.. when you WANT to do more things, not just

work.. but

> fun things.... like going out on a boat.....

>

> *shy smile*

>

> Topper ()

December 3, 2005

We should have a 'firsts' listing day... maybe next theme day... just so that everyone can sing for a day!!!

Speaking of Theme day...... c'mon guys... I want to hear specials that you guys do for the holidays!!

Topper ()

On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 08:15:53 -0800 "lecody" writes:

Topper,

thanks for your lists of first.... I have been having my firsts here lately and I know I can be a lot better.....

It will just take time... I am impatient about it, but I know I have to proactive with the doctor and appreciate every first as it comes along...

C.

December 3, 2005

We should have a 'firsts' listing day... maybe next theme day... just so that everyone can sing for a day!!!

Speaking of Theme day...... c'mon guys... I want to hear specials that you guys do for the holidays!!

Topper ()

On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 08:15:53 -0800 "lecody" writes:

Topper,

thanks for your lists of first.... I have been having my firsts here lately and I know I can be a lot better.....

It will just take time... I am impatient about it, but I know I have to proactive with the doctor and appreciate every first as it comes along...

C.

December 3, 2005

We should have a 'firsts' listing day... maybe next theme day... just so that everyone can sing for a day!!!

Speaking of Theme day...... c'mon guys... I want to hear specials that you guys do for the holidays!!

Topper ()

On Sat, 3 Dec 2005 08:15:53 -0800 "lecody" writes:

Topper,

thanks for your lists of first.... I have been having my firsts here lately and I know I can be a lot better.....

It will just take time... I am impatient about it, but I know I have to proactive with the doctor and appreciate every first as it comes along...

C.

December 3, 2005