When your spouse doesn't understand the disease...

[Guest guest]

....what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to varying

degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of the

time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I feel

slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks. Sometimes

(and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head from

crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs, the

bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense of

worth as a human being, especially when my (normally understanding)

husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without having

to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes. He's

not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth when I

tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too much

effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because I've

explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over this

is excruciating.

I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my marriage;

I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He always

seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience, I

would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over this

some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

-- laurel

[Guest guest]

Laurel,

What type of treatment are you receiving and what is your doctor doing for you?

Have they ruled out other causes for your symptoms

as well or are you just totally in the dark?

Depression is a common theme for many of us at some point since we

know we can do more but yet, we can’t. Or that we should feel better but we don’t.

Sometimes this is the thyroid and sometimes it’s other diseases:

CFS, fibromalagia, depression, bipolar, etc.

Have you tried counseling for YOU and your self esteem?

I realize the marriage is at the forefront of your mind/heart/soul but you really have to take care of you now.

Do you have labs you can post?

Sue

....what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to varying

degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of the

time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I feel

slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks. Sometimes

(and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head from

crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs, the

bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense of

worth as a human being, especially when my (normally understanding)

husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without having

to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes. He's

not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth when I

tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too much

effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because I've

explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over this

is excruciating.

I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my marriage;

I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He always

seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience, I

would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over this

some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

-- laurel

[Guest guest]

I wish I had an answer for you! I wanted to let you know that I am

tired ALL of the time too. And I could totally relate to your

description of your fatigue. It does feel that you lose who you are

b/c your life becomes about when you can take your next nap. My

best advice is to read and read these boards and go to

www.stopthethyroidmadness.com. Because you are so fatigued right

now, I would get your adrenals tested and get on some Isocort or

Cortef. I am sure your husband understands deep down, but just does

not know what to do. And what I have learned is that no one could

truly understand the mind-boggling fatigue unless you live it

everyday of your life. Best Wishes! Don't give up!

>

> ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

> group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

>

> I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

varying

> degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

> condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

the

> time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

feel

> slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

Sometimes

> (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

from

> crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

the

> bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

of

> worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

understanding)

> husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

>

> Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

having

> to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

He's

> not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

when I

> tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

much

> effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

I've

> explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

this

> is excruciating.

>

> I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

marriage;

> I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

always

> seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

I

> would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

this

> some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

>

> -- laurel

>

[Guest guest]

Sue,

Your question is simple enough, but my answer is not. The only

applicable lab result I can offer is my TSH (4.8). The story of my

treatment is a lengthy one, and I'm honestly too tired to detail it

right now. Will it be enough, perhaps, to say that through a lengthy

course of holistic therapies for a wildly skewed hormone profile

(estrogens, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, adrenal function,

etc), my naturopath began to suspect that a " sluggish thyroid " was at

the root of all my problems. I should mention at this point that

thyroid problems run in my family; the closest to me being my

brother, who has Grave's, and we share the same doctor. So,

a " thyroid " diagnosis wasn't entirely a surprise. At her suggestion,

I saw my PCP (a - typically- open-minded D.O.) for blood work; I

requested a full thyroid panel.

A full thyroid panel was not done on my bloodwork; which I learned

only upon receiving my results. Only the TSH was run. After a

legnthy back-and-forth with my PCP, he explained to me that the TSH

is the " only test he uses " to determine a hyper- or hypothyroid

state. Only when the TSH is out of range does he recommend further

testing; my TSH was within the " normal " range for the lab he uses.

Essentially, he said I was fine. He said this even after I detailed

my symptoms, including the absurd weight gain of a person who runs 6

miles a day, 5 days a week and who eats about 200 calories/day LESS

than what my weight/height suggest for weight maintenence. Anyway, I

requested more specific lab work and he refused. (This was out of

character for this doctor, I should add.) I asked him to refer me to

an endocrinologist for more complete testing, and he did, but the

doctor he mentioned was an ex-doctor of my brother's -- whom he

had " fired " for keeping his numbers on the " low side of normal "

despite my brothers pleas to him that he still felt terrible. I

wanted no part of this doctor.

Because my PCP essentially refused to treat me, my naturopath

outlined a course of treatment that she believed MIGHT help my

thyroid function. Her definintion of hypothyroid, by the way, is a

TSH over 2.0. The American Association of Endocrinologists, I

understand, considers anything over 3.0 to be indicative of clinical

hypothyroidism. My TSH was 4.8.

This treatment included:

Daily BBT monitoring (from July 2006 to today, my BBT has averaged

about 96.5, I have been as low as 95.9 and, after ovulation, have

spiked to 97.8 for a day, only to drop right back down)

Iodoral (started at 1/day; ended at 3/day, had to stop due to

symptoms of excess). Weekly iodine patch tests indicated

contradictory result -- patch was always completely absorbed within

12 hours, a sign of iodine insufficiency.

Bio-Thyro (2/day; includes a small amount of actual thyroid gland)

Detox regimen using Vitanica (Dr. Tori Hudson) supplements:

Hepafem, Endocrine Disrupter Relief, Women's Detox Cofactors, Fem

Rebalance

Sublingual B-Complex

Magnesium (for constipation)

[Prior to the " thyroid " regimen, I had for several months been taking

adrenal support supplements (to little effect).]

After several months and no significant change in symptoms, my

naturopath decided to refer me to an M.D./N.D for Armour. She made

the referral last week, and I am waiting to hear from this doctor's

office.

I have done hours and hours of research on thyroid problems, spent

hundreds of dollars on books. I understand that depression can be a

side effect of hypothyroidism, but I don't believe that I am

depressed. I have a strong will to live (and to have a full life)

and my outlook, despite the hypothyroid symptoms, is optimistic.

It's not that I have no interest in activities, it's that I simply

don't have the energy. My greatest frustration lies in my husband's

failure to truly comprehend what I am going through. I am at the

point where I feel I am constantly making excuses for myself and that

my husband sees my explanations as exactly that - excuses. I have

spoken to my therapist, however, about the possibility of this being

depression. After questioning me extensively she said she didn't

believe I was suffering from depression, but that a seratonin test

would rule it out, if I felt I needed to do so.

I did not, but felt (and feel) that I need support above and beyond

that which my naturopath, my therapist, and yes, my husband, can

provide. Which is how I ended up here

-- laurel

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

> > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

> >

> > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

varying

> > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

> > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

the

> > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

feel

> > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

Sometimes

> > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

from

> > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

the

> > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

of

> > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

understanding)

> > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> > amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

> >

> > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

having

> > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

He's

> > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

when I

> > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

much

> > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

I've

> > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

this

> > is excruciating.

> >

> > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

marriage;

> > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

always

> > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

I

> > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

this

> > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> >

> > -- laurel

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

You really need to work on getting yourself better..with proper

treatment you should not be having a bad day, every day..

I have a few bad days here and there..hubby knows if the house is

clean when he gets home he better take off his shoes and if it is not

clean then he better get busy cleaning.

Mind you he figured this part out quick, with our first child he

tried the house is not clean routine on me so I grabbed the phone,

invited his mother over for coffee and then went to a friends house

for coffee and told him to have fun..

There is options and little things you can do, there is also things

he can do and somethings that you may need to ask for outside help on.

It is a matter of finding out what works for both of you..after all

you are his wife, not his live in maid service..he may work all day

while you stay home but if physically you are unable to function

through out the day then maybe somethings like a maid once a week to

do floors and vacumning or a drop off laundry service or??

The main thing is though is you need to get better for yourself..JMO

but having a thyroid disorder is not a permanent disability..it can

be if not treated properly..but if you are not able to do the basic

things then you are not getting proper treatment and I am sure

although your husband tries to understand the story gets old if he

sees no improvement..sort of like being in bed for a week with the

flu.. enough already the week is over..get on with life..

Now I am not saying it is that easy, far from, and depending on how

long you have been hypo and how willing your doctor is to work with

you will really depend on how long it takes..

When was your last set of labs? Do you have labs to share as well as

ranges for those labs?

List all medications /supplements you take as well as timing etc..

Please do not take this the wrong way..it is not meant to sound mean

or anything..but it does sound like you have been kept undertreated

and hypo for too long..I would be more worried about how you are

functioning and feeling and less worried about how your husband

thinks you are functioning and feeling..if he sees you getting better

he would understand the disease better as he watches the steps you

need to take to get healthy..and he would have more understanding.

Kats3boys

[Guest guest]

Kats3boys -

I agree that hypothyroidism shouldn't be a permanent disability. It

isn't for me, although I have had a particularly bad stretch the past

month or so. In my response to Sue, I've outlined (briefly) the

treatment I've received so far. For a number of reasons, I have

chosen to address my condition as naturally as possible. One of

those reasons is that I've learned well the hard lessons of my

brother's treatment with radioactive iodine and a lifetime of

(ineffective) Synthroid. I haven't ruled out conventional treatment

(like Synthroid), but I consider it a last result.

The holistic therapy has been lenghthy and frustrating and hasn't

(yet) brought any real relief to my symptoms. The next step for me

is Armour Thyroid, and as I said to Sue, I am waiting for the

physician to whom I was referred to call me regarding an

appointment/testing. I wish I could make this process go faster, but

much of it is out of my hands. This is what I am having problems

conveying to my husband. He and I both agreed that synthetic

hormones (should they be deemed necessary) would be the last resort.

He understood at the outset that natural therapies typically take

much longer and that it was never going to be " take a pill, feel

immediately better " . And yet, I find him growing frustrated with the

process. At times I think he wonders why his wife has gone on

permanent vacation. To make up for this, on days when I DO have some

energy, I clean like a fiend and cook up a storm. Those days are few

and far between lately, though.

I was just hoping someone here had some ideas for better

communicating what it's like to have no control over your energy

level. If I was in my husband's shoes, I would probably start to

wonder about me, too. It's only because I'm living through it myself

that I understand how real it all is.

-- laurel

>

> You really need to work on getting yourself better..with proper

> treatment you should not be having a bad day, every day..

>

> I have a few bad days here and there..hubby knows if the house is

> clean when he gets home he better take off his shoes and if it is

not

> clean then he better get busy cleaning.

>

> Mind you he figured this part out quick, with our first child he

> tried the house is not clean routine on me so I grabbed the phone,

> invited his mother over for coffee and then went to a friends house

> for coffee and told him to have fun..

>

> There is options and little things you can do, there is also things

> he can do and somethings that you may need to ask for outside help

on.

>

> It is a matter of finding out what works for both of you..after all

> you are his wife, not his live in maid service..he may work all day

> while you stay home but if physically you are unable to function

> through out the day then maybe somethings like a maid once a week

to

> do floors and vacumning or a drop off laundry service or??

>

> The main thing is though is you need to get better for

yourself..JMO

> but having a thyroid disorder is not a permanent disability..it can

> be if not treated properly..but if you are not able to do the basic

> things then you are not getting proper treatment and I am sure

> although your husband tries to understand the story gets old if he

> sees no improvement..sort of like being in bed for a week with the

> flu.. enough already the week is over..get on with life..

>

> Now I am not saying it is that easy, far from, and depending on how

> long you have been hypo and how willing your doctor is to work with

> you will really depend on how long it takes..

>

> When was your last set of labs? Do you have labs to share as well

as

> ranges for those labs?

>

> List all medications /supplements you take as well as timing etc..

>

> Please do not take this the wrong way..it is not meant to sound

mean

> or anything..but it does sound like you have been kept undertreated

> and hypo for too long..I would be more worried about how you are

> functioning and feeling and less worried about how your husband

> thinks you are functioning and feeling..if he sees you getting

better

> he would understand the disease better as he watches the steps you

> need to take to get healthy..and he would have more understanding.

>

> Kats3boys

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurel and welcome. Hypothyroidism can be a very debilitating disease, but there is hope. I've gone through spells of times when I was just exhausted most of the time. My husband does not comment because he knows better. When I have energy, I do tons and when I don't, I do as little as possible. It's not like I am willing that type of fatigue on myself. If I'm particularly tired, he takes care of me. I guess I'm lucky that way, but I wouldn't accept anything less.

This is totally off topic, but I got huge relief when I cut out sugars and white flour. I stopped consuming desserts etc. and especially high fructose corn syrup and my energy levels improved dramatically. Today, I'm feeling close to normal. My thyroid levels are in good range and I'm starting to feel like a human being.

I tried Armour for a while but the energy/fatigue ratio was too volatile and I like my levels to be a bit more consistent even if it's not 100%. Now I'm back on Synthetic T4 only. My last TSH was 1.18 which I think is a pretty good number for T4 only treatment. Anything over 2.0 puts me down in the dumps.

I go to a D.O. (Osteopath). This is my second one and both seemed to be more liberal about dropping my TSH. If you have them in your area, it might be worth a shot. They are doctors who take more of a whole body approach. I have had no luck with treatment from an Endocrinologist, and I will not see one again unless something else pops up.

As for your husband, there is another area of my life that I'm trying to get my husband's support on that he does not really understand. I told him that it was important to me that he understand what I'm working on, so in the meantime, I asked if he could 'act as if'. He said yes and that was that.

We need support, not adversity and the last thing you need is someone else's feelings to worry about. Of course, we need to take care of business as much as we can, but rationalizing my illness to someone who doesn't have it is not high on my list.

Did you say if you are on medication and if so, how long and how much? It does take a few weeks for levels to come up. If you move up too quickly, there are other problems that evolve.

Keep us updated with what's going on with you.

Good luck to you... Judy

Finding fabulous fares is fun.Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel bargains.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Believe me, I really do feel for you in this situation with your husband. I

split with mine long before my diagnosis, but I know he would never have

understood ! It's bad enough trying to convince my kids that I'm ill, and

just can't do things like before.

Have you been tested for Hashi's ? I'm just wondering because you say you've

been taking iodine suppliments and iodine is bad news for Hashi's. Yes, I

know you've done the testing to see if you lack iodine but I read somewhere

(can't remember where !) that these tests are pretty useless. Maybe they've

improved them since I read that, I don't know. But if you haven't been

tested for Hashi's your really shouldn't go messing around with iodine.

Hope you find a solution to your problem soon,

Lili

>

>Reply-To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>Subject: Re: When your spouse doesn't

>understand the disease...

>Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 19:52:29 -0000

>

>Sue,

>

>Your question is simple enough, but my answer is not. The only

>applicable lab result I can offer is my TSH (4.8). The story of my

>treatment is a lengthy one, and I'm honestly too tired to detail it

>right now. Will it be enough, perhaps, to say that through a lengthy

>course of holistic therapies for a wildly skewed hormone profile

>(estrogens, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, adrenal function,

>etc), my naturopath began to suspect that a " sluggish thyroid " was at

>the root of all my problems. I should mention at this point that

>thyroid problems run in my family; the closest to me being my

>brother, who has Grave's, and we share the same doctor. So,

>a " thyroid " diagnosis wasn't entirely a surprise. At her suggestion,

>I saw my PCP (a - typically- open-minded D.O.) for blood work; I

>requested a full thyroid panel.

>

>A full thyroid panel was not done on my bloodwork; which I learned

>only upon receiving my results. Only the TSH was run. After a

>legnthy back-and-forth with my PCP, he explained to me that the TSH

>is the " only test he uses " to determine a hyper- or hypothyroid

>state. Only when the TSH is out of range does he recommend further

>testing; my TSH was within the " normal " range for the lab he uses.

>Essentially, he said I was fine. He said this even after I detailed

>my symptoms, including the absurd weight gain of a person who runs 6

>miles a day, 5 days a week and who eats about 200 calories/day LESS

>than what my weight/height suggest for weight maintenence. Anyway, I

>requested more specific lab work and he refused. (This was out of

>character for this doctor, I should add.) I asked him to refer me to

>an endocrinologist for more complete testing, and he did, but the

>doctor he mentioned was an ex-doctor of my brother's -- whom he

>had " fired " for keeping his numbers on the " low side of normal "

>despite my brothers pleas to him that he still felt terrible. I

>wanted no part of this doctor.

>

>Because my PCP essentially refused to treat me, my naturopath

>outlined a course of treatment that she believed MIGHT help my

>thyroid function. Her definintion of hypothyroid, by the way, is a

>TSH over 2.0. The American Association of Endocrinologists, I

>understand, considers anything over 3.0 to be indicative of clinical

>hypothyroidism. My TSH was 4.8.

>

>This treatment included:

>

>Daily BBT monitoring (from July 2006 to today, my BBT has averaged

>about 96.5, I have been as low as 95.9 and, after ovulation, have

>spiked to 97.8 for a day, only to drop right back down)

>

>Iodoral (started at 1/day; ended at 3/day, had to stop due to

>symptoms of excess). Weekly iodine patch tests indicated

>contradictory result -- patch was always completely absorbed within

>12 hours, a sign of iodine insufficiency.

>

>Bio-Thyro (2/day; includes a small amount of actual thyroid gland)

>

>Detox regimen using Vitanica (Dr. Tori Hudson) supplements:

>Hepafem, Endocrine Disrupter Relief, Women's Detox Cofactors, Fem

>Rebalance

>

>Sublingual B-Complex

>

>Magnesium (for constipation)

>

>[Prior to the " thyroid " regimen, I had for several months been taking

>adrenal support supplements (to little effect).]

>

>After several months and no significant change in symptoms, my

>naturopath decided to refer me to an M.D./N.D for Armour. She made

>the referral last week, and I am waiting to hear from this doctor's

>office.

>

>I have done hours and hours of research on thyroid problems, spent

>hundreds of dollars on books. I understand that depression can be a

>side effect of hypothyroidism, but I don't believe that I am

>depressed. I have a strong will to live (and to have a full life)

>and my outlook, despite the hypothyroid symptoms, is optimistic.

>It's not that I have no interest in activities, it's that I simply

>don't have the energy. My greatest frustration lies in my husband's

>failure to truly comprehend what I am going through. I am at the

>point where I feel I am constantly making excuses for myself and that

>my husband sees my explanations as exactly that - excuses. I have

>spoken to my therapist, however, about the possibility of this being

>depression. After questioning me extensively she said she didn't

>believe I was suffering from depression, but that a seratonin test

>would rule it out, if I felt I needed to do so.

>

>I did not, but felt (and feel) that I need support above and beyond

>that which my naturopath, my therapist, and yes, my husband, can

>provide. Which is how I ended up here

>

>-- laurel

>

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

> > > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

> > >

> > > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> > > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

>varying

> > > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> > > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

> > > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

>the

> > > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

>feel

> > > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

>Sometimes

> > > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

>from

> > > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> > > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> > > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

>the

> > > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

>of

> > > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

>understanding)

> > > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> > > amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

> > >

> > > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

>having

> > > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

>He's

> > > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

>when I

> > > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

>much

> > > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

>I've

> > > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> > > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

>this

> > > is excruciating.

> > >

> > > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> > > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

>marriage;

> > > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> > > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> > > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

>always

> > > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> > > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

>I

> > > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

>this

> > > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> > >

> > > -- laurel

> > >

> > >

> >

>

>

_________________________________________________________________

Personnalisez votre Messenger avec Live.com

http://www.windowslive.fr/livecom/

[Guest guest]

So on a TSH of 4.8 the doc won't treat you??

It is over the top of the range which is 0.3-3.00

You are hypo......a TSH over 2.00 is considered suspect especially if

accompanied by symptoms.........and even if it is under 2.00 if accompanied

by symptoms.

Can you find another doc? What you really need are the FREE T3 and FREE T4

tested, also antibodies to see if you have Hashimoto's Disease which is the

most common cause of hypothyroidism in which case you need a suppression

dose of meds so that your TSH is close to zero, which will reduce the

antibodies, a 24-hour saliva test for adrenals is also good as well as a

full blood panel including ferritin

Meleese in Oz xxx

----- Original Message -----

Sue,

Your question is simple enough, but my answer is not. The only

applicable lab result I can offer is my TSH (4.8). The story of my

treatment is a lengthy one, and I'm honestly too tired to detail it

right now. Will it be enough, perhaps, to say that through a lengthy

course of holistic therapies for a wildly skewed hormone profile

(estrogens, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, adrenal function,

etc), my naturopath began to suspect that a " sluggish thyroid " was at

the root of all my problems. I should mention at this point that

thyroid problems run in my family; the closest to me being my

brother, who has Grave's, and we share the same doctor. So,

a " thyroid " diagnosis wasn't entirely a surprise. At her suggestion,

I saw my PCP (a - typically- open-minded D.O.) for blood work; I

requested a full thyroid panel.

A full thyroid panel was not done on my bloodwork; which I learned

only upon receiving my results. Only the TSH was run. After a

legnthy back-and-forth with my PCP, he explained to me that the TSH

is the " only test he uses " to determine a hyper- or hypothyroid

state. Only when the TSH is out of range does he recommend further

testing; my TSH was within the " normal " range for the lab he uses.

Essentially, he said I was fine. He said this even after I detailed

my symptoms, including the absurd weight gain of a person who runs 6

miles a day, 5 days a week and who eats about 200 calories/day LESS

than what my weight/height suggest for weight maintenence. Anyway, I

requested more specific lab work and he refused. (This was out of

character for this doctor, I should add.) I asked him to refer me to

an endocrinologist for more complete testing, and he did, but the

doctor he mentioned was an ex-doctor of my brother's -- whom he

had " fired " for keeping his numbers on the " low side of normal "

despite my brothers pleas to him that he still felt terrible. I

wanted no part of this doctor.

Because my PCP essentially refused to treat me, my naturopath

outlined a course of treatment that she believed MIGHT help my

thyroid function. Her definintion of hypothyroid, by the way, is a

TSH over 2.0. The American Association of Endocrinologists, I

understand, considers anything over 3.0 to be indicative of clinical

hypothyroidism. My TSH was 4.8.

This treatment included:

Daily BBT monitoring (from July 2006 to today, my BBT has averaged

about 96.5, I have been as low as 95.9 and, after ovulation, have

spiked to 97.8 for a day, only to drop right back down)

Iodoral (started at 1/day; ended at 3/day, had to stop due to

symptoms of excess). Weekly iodine patch tests indicated

contradictory result -- patch was always completely absorbed within

12 hours, a sign of iodine insufficiency.

Bio-Thyro (2/day; includes a small amount of actual thyroid gland)

Detox regimen using Vitanica (Dr. Tori Hudson) supplements:

Hepafem, Endocrine Disrupter Relief, Women's Detox Cofactors, Fem

Rebalance

Sublingual B-Complex

Magnesium (for constipation)

[Prior to the " thyroid " regimen, I had for several months been taking

adrenal support supplements (to little effect).]

After several months and no significant change in symptoms, my

naturopath decided to refer me to an M.D./N.D for Armour. She made

the referral last week, and I am waiting to hear from this doctor's

office.

I have done hours and hours of research on thyroid problems, spent

hundreds of dollars on books. I understand that depression can be a

side effect of hypothyroidism, but I don't believe that I am

depressed. I have a strong will to live (and to have a full life)

and my outlook, despite the hypothyroid symptoms, is optimistic.

It's not that I have no interest in activities, it's that I simply

don't have the energy. My greatest frustration lies in my husband's

failure to truly comprehend what I am going through. I am at the

point where I feel I am constantly making excuses for myself and that

my husband sees my explanations as exactly that - excuses. I have

spoken to my therapist, however, about the possibility of this being

depression. After questioning me extensively she said she didn't

believe I was suffering from depression, but that a seratonin test

would rule it out, if I felt I needed to do so.

I did not, but felt (and feel) that I need support above and beyond

that which my naturopath, my therapist, and yes, my husband, can

provide. Which is how I ended up here

-- laurel

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

> > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

> >

> > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

varying

> > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

> > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

the

> > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

feel

> > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

Sometimes

> > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

from

> > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

the

> > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

of

> > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

understanding)

> > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> > amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

> >

> > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

having

> > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

He's

> > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

when I

> > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

much

> > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

I've

> > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

this

> > is excruciating.

> >

> > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

marriage;

> > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

always

> > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

I

> > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

this

> > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> >

> > -- laurel

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Laurel,

I am sure all of us here understand very well. Alot of your

family and friends just aren't going to get it.

I fortunately have a husband who has his own limitations due to

cerebral palsy.

This has lead to him understanding my disorders and problems.

Maybe you could get him to understand better by asking him to allow

you to tie one of his hands so he can not use it. It will provide

him all the frustration you are now going through.

IMHO I believe that people with our thyroid disorders have to

face the fact that better is more of a mind frame, because total

healing is a rarity.

Everyone knows that people with our problem go through stages of

wellness but complete healing is hard to get to.

To even begin to get better you will need to focus on yourself

and what medications, vitamins, supplements, and diet restrictions

are going to help you make it through the day.

You will have all the understanding, guidance, support and yes

even love from the members here to see you through your journey.

Robin

-- In The_Thyroid_Support_Group , " catmom15131 "

wrote:

>

> ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

> group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

>

> I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

varying

> degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

> condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of the

> time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

feel

> slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks. Sometimes

> (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head from

> crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

the

> bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

of

> worth as a human being, especially when my (normally understanding)

> husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

>

> Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

having

> to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes. He's

> not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth when

I

> tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

much

> effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

I've

> explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over this

> is excruciating.

>

> I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

marriage;

> I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

always

> seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience, I

> would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

this

> some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

>

> -- laurel

>

[Guest guest]

http://home.velocitus.net/deecee/information.htm

- This is a letter to spouses of those with Graves' Disease, very

informative and will help your family understand what you are going

through.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But I personally think it's for all family's dealing with thyroid disease.

Sami

>

> ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

> group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

>

> I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my marriage;

> I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He always

> seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience, I

> would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over this

> some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

>

> -- laurel

>

[Guest guest]

hi laurel,

have been where you are at and wondered how to get him to

understand. so i started printing the posts from the list that were

talking like me and there is also a wonderful letter from the husband

of a thyroid patient and these all opened his eyes and he could see i

was not just complaining. because there is no real outward sign like

in some illness' and with docs also saying it is 'a head problem'

thet tend to think this way too. here is a link for the letter for

you. http://www.thyrophoenix.com/misunderstood.htm hope this helps

Dawn Cdn

-- In The_Thyroid_Support_Group , " catmom15131 "

wrote:

>

> ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the

> group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

>

> I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

varying

> degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this

> condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of the

> time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

feel

> slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks. Sometimes

> (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head from

> crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

the

> bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

of

> worth as a human being, especially when my (normally understanding)

> husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

>

> Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

having

> to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes. He's

> not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth when

I

> tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

much

> effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

I've

> explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over this

> is excruciating.

>

> I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

marriage;

> I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

always

> seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience, I

> would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

this

> some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

>

> -- laurel

>

[Guest guest]

To all of your responses, thank you.

A few things, with a TSH of 4.8 my PCP doesn't consider

me " hypothyroid " ; he said he didn't think it necessary when I asked

for another test which included free T4, free T3 and thyroid

antibodies. And my PCP IS a D.O. -- and used to be something of a

maverick in the medical community in that he actually listened to

patients and did everything in his power to help them on a path to

wellness. Not so anymore, apparently. His practice was bought out

and things changed. My bad luck.

I see a naturopath, as I said, and I also consider HER to be

my " doctor " , although she is limited in her capacity to help me with

a thyroid condition. She did what she could and when I didn't

improve, she referred me to someone she believed could help me at the

next level (with Armour). One of the things I've done as part of my

treatment with her is to try elimation diets, where I totally avoid,

say gluten or sugar, for a set period of time to see if any

improvement is forthcoming. I did feel somewhat better when I

eliminated sugar, but not enough to help my overall energy levels.

Eliminating gluten had no apparent affect. I also avoid all of the

foods that a hypothyroid person would typically avoid. All in all,

I've always had a very healthy, natural foods way of eating; there's

really very little more I could do to help myself. I eat a lot of

veggies and legumes and fruits and grains; very little meat.

Virtually everything I eat is organic and hormone-free.

I also understand that it is very likely that I will NEVER feel 100%

with a thyroid condition. I accept that. On the other hand, I can't

imagine feeling much worse than I do at this point, which gives me

hope that I will eventually feel, at least, better. That's really

all I want. Not perfection, just better.

As for the iodine/Hashimoto's connection. I have no idea whether I

have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I took the iodine for 3 months in

increasing dosages without any problems and with a (very) modest

improvement in some areas. My patch test always indicated that I

wasn't absorbing the iodine, so it was something of a surprise when I

experienced a whole host of nasty side effects in relatively short

order.

When I see the doctor to which I was referred, I will have more

complete testing to see where all of my levels are. I understand

the process of " getting better " takes time; I've done my reasonable

best to be patient with my treatment. I appreciate all your thoughts

that I should be taking care of this condition; I am doing exactly

that. My husband seems to have lost his patience with my

progression, or lack thereof, so I'm seeking the counsel of those

who've " been there " . I'm sorry I can't provide a series of lab

numbers for you all to analyze. I only have a lonely little TSH for

now. I've spent a great deal of time looking for doctors who are

willing to treat my symptoms (with an open mind toward Armour and

other holistic therapies) and not a series of lab numbers. Believe

me, even in a medium-sized city, such doctors are not easy to come

by. My mother, who works for a doctor, asked him to recommend

someone for me and he failed to come up with a name. I only know

about this new doctor because of my naturopath -- I had done

extensive online searching for one and this particular doctor's name

never came up. Hopefully, I will know a lot more, and soon, but that

doesn't mean that a " cure " wil be forthcoming. I'm not sure my

husband understands that this is an imperfect process. That is

killing me.

Again, though, I thank you all for your thoughts and look forward to

talking with you all again

-- laurel

> >

> > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for

the

> > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

> >

> > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

> varying

> > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from

this

> > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

the

> > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

> feel

> > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

Sometimes

> > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

from

> > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

> the

> > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

> of

> > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

understanding)

> > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> > amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

> >

> > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

> having

> > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

He's

> > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

when

> I

> > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

> much

> > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

> I've

> > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

this

> > is excruciating.

> >

> > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

> marriage;

> > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

> always

> > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

I

> > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

> this

> > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> >

> > -- laurel

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurel,

I sure do relate to what you are going thru. I have been gaining weight the past 4 years and work out more than I did in my 20s...!

I am on levo/cytomel and supplements for my now high cholesterol as well even though I don’t even look at fatty foods.

I see my doctor next month. Last time I saw her she thought it was Metabolic Disorder which means I am out of whack I guess but I have NO IDEA how to fix it.

She suggested the South Beach Diet and with no carbs I go into sluggish mode so I am back on my health

kick of plenty of protein, fresh fruit and veggies and gonna try once more to lose weight.

Like you I do a lot of research, reading and “self treating” as well.

I dunno what the answer is, but thank God I am stubborn enough that I won’t stop looking/trying til I find out!

And you do need to get your T3f and T34 checked -=-- we can give you names of independent labs to get that done if you can’t find a doctor to do it.

Sue

Sue,

Your question is simple enough, but my answer is not. The only

applicable lab result I can offer is my TSH (4.8). The story of my

treatment is a lengthy one, and I'm honestly too tired to detail it

right now. Will it be enough, perhaps, to say that through a lengthy

course of holistic therapies for a wildly skewed hormone profile

(estrogens, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, adrenal function,

etc), my naturopath began to suspect that a " sluggish thyroid " was at

the root of all my problems. I should mention at this point that

thyroid problems run in my family; the closest to me being my

brother, who has Grave's, and we share the same doctor. So,

a " thyroid " diagnosis wasn't entirely a surprise. At her suggestion,

I saw my PCP (a - typically- open-minded D.O.) for blood work; I

requested a full thyroid panel.

A full thyroid panel was not done on my bloodwork; which I learned

only upon receiving my results. Only the TSH was run. After a

legnthy back-and-forth with my PCP, he explained to me that the TSH

is the " only test he uses " to determine a hyper- or hypothyroid

state. Only when the TSH is out of range does he recommend further

testing; my TSH was within the " normal " range for the lab he uses.

Essentially, he said I was fine. He said this even after I detailed

my symptoms, including the absurd weight gain of a person who runs 6

miles a day, 5 days a week and who eats about 200 calories/day LESS

than what my weight/height suggest for weight maintenence. Anyway, I

requested more specific lab work and he refused. (This was out of

character for this doctor, I should add.) I asked him to refer me to

an endocrinologist for more complete testing, and he did, but the

doctor he mentioned was an ex-doctor of my brother's -- whom he

had " fired " for keeping his numbers on the " low side of normal "

despite my brothers pleas to him that he still felt terrible. I

wanted no part of this doctor.

Because my PCP essentially refused to treat me, my naturopath

outlined a course of treatment that she believed MIGHT help my

thyroid function. Her definintion of hypothyroid, by the way, is a

TSH over 2.0. The American Association of Endocrinologists, I

understand, considers anything over 3.0 to be indicative of clinical

hypothyroidism. My TSH was 4.8.

This treatment included:

Daily BBT monitoring (from July 2006 to today, my BBT has averaged

about 96.5, I have been as low as 95.9 and, after ovulation, have

spiked to 97.8 for a day, only to drop right back down)

Iodoral (started at 1/day; ended at 3/day, had to stop due to

symptoms of excess). Weekly iodine patch tests indicated

contradictory result -- patch was always completely absorbed within

12 hours, a sign of iodine insufficiency.

Bio-Thyro (2/day; includes a small amount of actual thyroid gland)

Detox regimen using Vitanica (Dr. Tori Hudson) supplements:

Hepafem, Endocrine Disrupter Relief, Women's Detox Cofactors, Fem

Rebalance

Sublingual B-Complex

Magnesium (for constipation)

[Prior to the " thyroid " regimen, I had for several months been taking

adrenal support supplements (to little effect).]

After several months and no significant change in symptoms, my

naturopath decided to refer me to an M.D./N.D for Armour. She made

the referral last week, and I am waiting to hear from this doctor's

office.

I have done hours and hours of research on thyroid problems, spent

hundreds of dollars on books. I understand that depression can be a

side effect of hypothyroidism, but I don't believe that I am

depressed. I have a strong will to live (and to have a full life)

and my outlook, despite the hypothyroid symptoms, is optimistic.

It's not that I have no interest in activities, it's that I simply

don't have the energy. My greatest frustration lies in my husband's

failure to truly comprehend what I am going through. I am at the

point where I feel I am constantly making excuses for myself and that

my husband sees my explanations as exactly that - excuses. I have

spoken to my therapist, however, about the possibility of this being

depression. After questioning me extensively she said she didn't

believe I was suffering from depression, but that a seratonin test

would rule it out, if I felt I needed to do so.

I did not, but felt (and feel) that I need support above and beyond

that which my naturopath, my therapist, and yes, my husband, can

provide. Which is how I ended up here

-- laurel

I

> > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

this

> > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> >

> > -- laurel

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurel,

I'm sorry to say this, but it could be that your diet isn't helping. Lots of

veggies, most legumes and some fruits are goitrogens, which could be making

the conditon worse. And you need more meat, not less ! The worse thing I did

was to go vegetarian. We need animal fat to produce hormones. And we need

more protein than 'normal' people. So, try increasing the meat and cutting

out :

cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, spinache, radishes, turnips, cauliflower,

broccoli, leafy greens, asparagus, bamboo shoots, garlic, onions, chick

peas, peas, beans, lima beans, strawberries, peaches, pears, nectarines,

almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, linseed, maize (popcorn), rape seed

(oil - canola is made from rape seed) and especially all forms of SOY.

I know this doesn't sound as if there's much left, but there's no point in

eating things that are going to harm you, is there.

Good luck,

Lili

>

>Reply-To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>Subject: Re: When your spouse doesn't

>understand the disease...

>Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:46:15 -0000

>

>To all of your responses, thank you.

>

>A few things, with a TSH of 4.8 my PCP doesn't consider

>me " hypothyroid " ; he said he didn't think it necessary when I asked

>for another test which included free T4, free T3 and thyroid

>antibodies. And my PCP IS a D.O. -- and used to be something of a

>maverick in the medical community in that he actually listened to

>patients and did everything in his power to help them on a path to

>wellness. Not so anymore, apparently. His practice was bought out

>and things changed. My bad luck.

>

>I see a naturopath, as I said, and I also consider HER to be

>my " doctor " , although she is limited in her capacity to help me with

>a thyroid condition. She did what she could and when I didn't

>improve, she referred me to someone she believed could help me at the

>next level (with Armour). One of the things I've done as part of my

>treatment with her is to try elimation diets, where I totally avoid,

>say gluten or sugar, for a set period of time to see if any

>improvement is forthcoming. I did feel somewhat better when I

>eliminated sugar, but not enough to help my overall energy levels.

>Eliminating gluten had no apparent affect. I also avoid all of the

>foods that a hypothyroid person would typically avoid. All in all,

>I've always had a very healthy, natural foods way of eating; there's

>really very little more I could do to help myself. I eat a lot of

>veggies and legumes and fruits and grains; very little meat.

>Virtually everything I eat is organic and hormone-free.

>

>I also understand that it is very likely that I will NEVER feel 100%

>with a thyroid condition. I accept that. On the other hand, I can't

>imagine feeling much worse than I do at this point, which gives me

>hope that I will eventually feel, at least, better. That's really

>all I want. Not perfection, just better.

>

>As for the iodine/Hashimoto's connection. I have no idea whether I

>have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I took the iodine for 3 months in

>increasing dosages without any problems and with a (very) modest

>improvement in some areas. My patch test always indicated that I

>wasn't absorbing the iodine, so it was something of a surprise when I

>experienced a whole host of nasty side effects in relatively short

>order.

>

>When I see the doctor to which I was referred, I will have more

>complete testing to see where all of my levels are. I understand

>the process of " getting better " takes time; I've done my reasonable

>best to be patient with my treatment. I appreciate all your thoughts

>that I should be taking care of this condition; I am doing exactly

>that. My husband seems to have lost his patience with my

>progression, or lack thereof, so I'm seeking the counsel of those

>who've " been there " . I'm sorry I can't provide a series of lab

>numbers for you all to analyze. I only have a lonely little TSH for

>now. I've spent a great deal of time looking for doctors who are

>willing to treat my symptoms (with an open mind toward Armour and

>other holistic therapies) and not a series of lab numbers. Believe

>me, even in a medium-sized city, such doctors are not easy to come

>by. My mother, who works for a doctor, asked him to recommend

>someone for me and he failed to come up with a name. I only know

>about this new doctor because of my naturopath -- I had done

>extensive online searching for one and this particular doctor's name

>never came up. Hopefully, I will know a lot more, and soon, but that

>doesn't mean that a " cure " wil be forthcoming. I'm not sure my

>husband understands that this is an imperfect process. That is

>killing me.

>

>Again, though, I thank you all for your thoughts and look forward to

>talking with you all again

>

>-- laurel

>

>

>

>

>

> > >

> > > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for

>the

> > > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

> > >

> > > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> > > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

> > varying

> > > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> > > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from

>this

> > > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

>the

> > > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

> > feel

> > > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

>Sometimes

> > > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

>from

> > > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> > > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> > > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

> > the

> > > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

> > of

> > > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

>understanding)

> > > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> > > amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

> > >

> > > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

> > having

> > > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

>He's

> > > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

>when

> > I

> > > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

> > much

> > > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

> > I've

> > > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> > > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

>this

> > > is excruciating.

> > >

> > > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> > > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

> > marriage;

> > > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> > > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> > > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

> > always

> > > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> > > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

>I

> > > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

> > this

> > > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> > >

> > > -- laurel

> > >

> >

>

>

_________________________________________________________________

Gagnez des pc Windows Vista avec Live.com http://www.image-addict.fr/

[Guest guest]

Hi list.

I wonder if staying away from those wegetables and fruits has actually helped anyone so they are sure it is the change of diet and not something else that made the difference?

Anyone?

Best Jóhanna

-- Re: When your spouse doesn't >understand the disease...>Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:46:15 -0000>>To all of your responses, thank you.>>A few things, with a TSH of 4.8 my PCP doesn't consider>me "hypothyroid"; he said he didn't think it necessary when I asked>for another test which included free T4, free T3 and thyroid>antibodies. And my PCP IS a D.O. -- and used to be something of a>maverick in the medical community in that he actually listened to>patients and did everything in his power to help them on a path to>wellness. Not so anymore, apparently. His practice was bought out>and things changed. My bad luck.>>I see a naturopath, as I said, and I also consider HER to be>my "doctor", although she is limited in her capacity to help me with>a thyroid condition. She did what she could and when I didn't>improve, she referred me to someone she believed could help me at the>next level (with Armour). One of the things I've done as part of my>treatment with her is to try elimation diets, where I totally avoid,>say gluten or sugar, for a set period of time to see if any>improvement is forthcoming. I did feel somewhat better when I>eliminated sugar, but not enough to help my overall energy levels.>Eliminating gluten had no apparent affect. I also avoid all of the>foods that a hypothyroid person would typically avoid. All in all,>I've always had a very healthy, natural foods way of eating; there's>really very little more I could do to help myself. I eat a lot of>veggies and legumes and fruits and grains; very little meat.>Virtually everything I eat is organic and hormone-free.>>I also understand that it is very likely that I will NEVER feel 100%>with a thyroid condition. I accept that. On the other hand, I can't>imagine feeling much worse than I do at this point, which gives me>hope that I will eventually feel, at least, better. That's really>all I want. Not perfection, just better.>>As for the iodine/Hashimoto's connection. I have no idea whether I>have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I took the iodine for 3 months in>increasing dosages without any problems and with a (very) modest>improvement in some areas. My patch test always indicated that I>wasn't absorbing the iodine, so it was something of a surprise when I>experienced a whole host of nasty side effects in relatively short>order.>>When I see the doctor to which I was referred, I will have more>complete testing to see where all of my levels are. I understand>the process of "getting better" takes time; I've done my reasonable>best to be patient with my treatment. I appreciate all your thoughts>that I should be taking care of this condition; I am doing exactly>that. My husband seems to have lost his patience with my>progression, or lack thereof, so I'm seeking the counsel of those>who've "been there". I'm sorry I can't provide a series of lab>numbers for you all to analyze. I only have a lonely little TSH for>now. I've spent a great deal of time looking for doctors who are>willing to treat my symptoms (with an open mind toward Armour and>other holistic therapies) and not a series of lab numbers. Believe>me, even in a medium-sized city, such doctors are not easy to come>by. My mother, who works for a doctor, asked him to recommend>someone for me and he failed to come up with a name. I only know>about this new doctor because of my naturopath -- I had done>extensive online searching for one and this particular doctor's name>never came up. Hopefully, I will know a lot more, and soon, but that>doesn't mean that a "cure" wil be forthcoming. I'm not sure my>husband understands that this is an imperfect process. That is>killing me.>>Again, though, I thank you all for your thoughts and look forward to>talking with you all again >>-- laurel>>>>>> > >> > > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for>the> > > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.> > >> > > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long> > > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to> > varying> > > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --> > > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from>this> > > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of>the> > > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I> > feel> > > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.>Sometimes> > > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head>from> > > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply> > > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the> > > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,> > the> > > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense> > of> > > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally>understanding)> > > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of> > > amazement) "you didn't do ANYTHING today?".> > >> > > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without> > having> > > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.>He's> > > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth>when> > I> > > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too> > much> > > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because> > I've> > > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online> > > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over>this> > > is excruciating.> > >> > > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but "better" isn't> > > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my> > marriage;> > > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that> > > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my> > > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He> > always> > > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation> > > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,>I> > > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over> > this> > > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.> > >> > > -- laurel> > >> >>>__________________________________________________________Gagnez des pc Windows Vista avec Live.com http://www.image-addict.fr/

[Guest guest]

Well, yes, actually, it helped me. Otherwise I wouldn't keep banging on

about it. But I'm not suggesting that anybody should cut them ALL out

FOREVER. I've explained this several times here, but I'll explain it again :

Not all goitrogens affect everybody. And some affect some people more than

others. We're all individuels and we're all different, and the things is -

as with hormones - to find out what works for you. So, you start by

eliminating them all from your diet for a few weeks and see how you feel.

Might not, as you say, make any difference - but then again it might. Then,

you reintroduce them one at a time, and see how you feel. If you start to

feel bad then it my be the goitrogen, repeat the process until you're sure.

But you might not feel any bad effects at all. In that case, carry on eating

it. However, I don't recommend this process with soy, soy should be

illiminated radically and difintively by everyone ! (Well, that's my

opinion, anyway.) As has been said so many times here, and Topper said just

recently " Soy is bad news for everyone " (see her post).

By using this process I have been able to iliminate the foods from my diet

that were making me ill : soy (obviously !), walnuts, strawberries, pears,

maize (and something else but I forget ! lol). The rest I can eat. No big

deal. Perhaps I'm just lucky... (no I'm not ! I adore strawberries !!! sob)

lol

I'm not saying that you're suddenly going to feel on top of the world by

doing this, but in our situation, every little helps. Personnally, I think

it's worth a try, don't you ?

Lili (don't know where you got the List from lol)

>

>Reply-To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group >

>Subject: RE: Re: When your spouse doesn't

>understand the disease...

>Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:56:51 +0000

>

>Hi list.

>I wonder if staying away from those wegetables and fruits has actually

>helped anyone so they are sure it is the change of diet and not something

>else that made the difference?

>Anyone?

>

>Best Jóhanna

>

>-- Re: When your spouse doesn't

> >understand the disease...

> >Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:46:15 -0000

> >

> >To all of your responses, thank you.

> >

> >A few things, with a TSH of 4.8 my PCP doesn't consider

> >me " hypothyroid " ; he said he didn't think it necessary when I asked

> >for another test which included free T4, free T3 and thyroid

> >antibodies. And my PCP IS a D.O. -- and used to be something of a

> >maverick in the medical community in that he actually listened to

> >patients and did everything in his power to help them on a path to

> >wellness. Not so anymore, apparently. His practice was bought out

> >and things changed. My bad luck.

> >

> >I see a naturopath, as I said, and I also consider HER to be

> >my " doctor " , although she is limited in her capacity to help me with

> >a thyroid condition. She did what she could and when I didn't

> >improve, she referred me to someone she believed could help me at the

> >next level (with Armour). One of the things I've done as part of my

> >treatment with her is to try elimation diets, where I totally avoid,

> >say gluten or sugar, for a set period of time to see if any

> >improvement is forthcoming. I did feel somewhat better when I

> >eliminated sugar, but not enough to help my overall energy levels.

> >Eliminating gluten had no apparent affect. I also avoid all of the

> >foods that a hypothyroid person would typically avoid. All in all,

> >I've always had a very healthy, natural foods way of eating; there's

> >really very little more I could do to help myself. I eat a lot of

> >veggies and legumes and fruits and grains; very little meat.

> >Virtually everything I eat is organic and hormone-free.

> >

> >I also understand that it is very likely that I will NEVER feel 100%

> >with a thyroid condition. I accept that. On the other hand, I can't

> >imagine feeling much worse than I do at this point, which gives me

> >hope that I will eventually feel, at least, better. That's really

> >all I want. Not perfection, just better.

> >

> >As for the iodine/Hashimoto's connection. I have no idea whether I

> >have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I took the iodine for 3 months in

> >increasing dosages without any problems and with a (very) modest

> >improvement in some areas. My patch test always indicated that I

> >wasn't absorbing the iodine, so it was something of a surprise when I

> >experienced a whole host of nasty side effects in relatively short

> >order.

> >

> >When I see the doctor to which I was referred, I will have more

> >complete testing to see where all of my levels are. I understand

> >the process of " getting better " takes time; I've done my reasonable

> >best to be patient with my treatment. I appreciate all your thoughts

> >that I should be taking care of this condition; I am doing exactly

> >that. My husband seems to have lost his patience with my

> >progression, or lack thereof, so I'm seeking the counsel of those

> >who've " been there " . I'm sorry I can't provide a series of lab

> >numbers for you all to analyze. I only have a lonely little TSH for

> >now. I've spent a great deal of time looking for doctors who are

> >willing to treat my symptoms (with an open mind toward Armour and

> >other holistic therapies) and not a series of lab numbers. Believe

> >me, even in a medium-sized city, such doctors are not easy to come

> >by. My mother, who works for a doctor, asked him to recommend

> >someone for me and he failed to come up with a name. I only know

> >about this new doctor because of my naturopath -- I had done

> >extensive online searching for one and this particular doctor's name

> >never came up. Hopefully, I will know a lot more, and soon, but that

> >doesn't mean that a " cure " wil be forthcoming. I'm not sure my

> >husband understands that this is an imperfect process. That is

> >killing me.

> >

> >Again, though, I thank you all for your thoughts and look forward to

> >talking with you all again

> >

> >-- laurel

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > > >

> > > > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for

> >the

> > > > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

> > > >

> > > > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> > > > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

> > > varying

> > > > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> > > > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from

> >this

> > > > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

> >the

> > > > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

> > > feel

> > > > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

> >Sometimes

> > > > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

> >from

> > > > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> > > > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> > > > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

> > > the

> > > > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

> > > of

> > > > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

> >understanding)

> > > > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> > > > amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

> > > >

> > > > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

> > > having

> > > > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

> >He's

> > > > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

> >when

> > > I

> > > > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

> > > much

> > > > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

> > > I've

> > > > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> > > > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

> >this

> > > > is excruciating.

> > > >

> > > > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> > > > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

> > > marriage;

> > > > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> > > > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> > > > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

> > > always

> > > > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> > > > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

> >I

> > > > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

> > > this

> > > > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> > > >

> > > > -- laurel

> > > >

> > >

> >

> >

>

>__________________________________________________________

>Gagnez des pc Windows Vista avec Live.com http://www.image-addict.fr/

>

>

>

>

><< 608-1041A.jpg >>

><< imstp_heads_by_im_en.gif >>

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[Guest guest]

Oh! Sorry, your'e not a list. Group then.

I just asked because I always find it a bit stupid to make some drastic changes in your diet for some obscure reason or hearsay.

I actually don´t feel very bad and am probably mostly okey.

It's just I don´t seem to be able to loose weight and gain even though I don´t eat much or unhealthy food. Then I'm saying I eat lots of vegetables, fruit and other stuff you mentioned.

Just wondering

Jóhanna

-- Re: When your spouse doesn't> >understand the disease...> >Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:46:15 -0000> >> >To all of your responses, thank you.> >> >A few things, with a TSH of 4.8 my PCP doesn't consider> >me "hypothyroid"; he said he didn't think it necessary when I asked> >for another test which included free T4, free T3 and thyroid> >antibodies. And my PCP IS a D.O. -- and used to be something of a> >maverick in the medical community in that he actually listened to> >patients and did everything in his power to help them on a path to> >wellness. Not so anymore, apparently. His practice was bought out> >and things changed. My bad luck.> >> >I see a naturopath, as I said, and I also consider HER to be> >my "doctor", although she is limited in her capacity to help me with> >a thyroid condition. She did what she could and when I didn't> >improve, she referred me to someone she believed could help me at the> >next level (with Armour). One of the things I've done as part of my> >treatment with her is to try elimation diets, where I totally avoid,> >say gluten or sugar, for a set period of time to see if any> >improvement is forthcoming. I did feel somewhat better when I> >eliminated sugar, but not enough to help my overall energy levels.> >Eliminating gluten had no apparent affect. I also avoid all of the> >foods that a hypothyroid person would typically avoid. All in all,> >I've always had a very healthy, natural foods way of eating; there's> >really very little more I could do to help myself. I eat a lot of> >veggies and legumes and fruits and grains; very little meat.> >Virtually everything I eat is organic and hormone-free.> >> >I also understand that it is very likely that I will NEVER feel 100%> >with a thyroid condition. I accept that. On the other hand, I can't> >imagine feeling much worse than I do at this point, which gives me> >hope that I will eventually feel, at least, better. That's really> >all I want. Not perfection, just better.> >> >As for the iodine/Hashimoto's connection. I have no idea whether I> >have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I took the iodine for 3 months in> >increasing dosages without any problems and with a (very) modest> >improvement in some areas. My patch test always indicated that I> >wasn't absorbing the iodine, so it was something of a surprise when I> >experienced a whole host of nasty side effects in relatively short> >order.> >> >When I see the doctor to which I was referred, I will have more> >complete testing to see where all of my levels are. I understand> >the process of "getting better" takes time; I've done my reasonable> >best to be patient with my treatment. I appreciate all your thoughts> >that I should be taking care of this condition; I am doing exactly> >that. My husband seems to have lost his patience with my> >progression, or lack thereof, so I'm seeking the counsel of those> >who've "been there". I'm sorry I can't provide a series of lab> >numbers for you all to analyze. I only have a lonely little TSH for> >now. I've spent a great deal of time looking for doctors who are> >willing to treat my symptoms (with an open mind toward Armour and> >other holistic therapies) and not a series of lab numbers. Believe> >me, even in a medium-sized city, such doctors are not easy to come> >by. My mother, who works for a doctor, asked him to recommend> >someone for me and he failed to come up with a name. I only know> >about this new doctor because of my naturopath -- I had done> >extensive online searching for one and this particular doctor's name> >never came up. Hopefully, I will know a lot more, and soon, but that> >doesn't mean that a "cure" wil be forthcoming. I'm not sure my> >husband understands that this is an imperfect process. That is> >killing me.> >> >Again, though, I thank you all for your thoughts and look forward to> >talking with you all again > >> >-- laurel> >> >> >> >> >> > > >> > > > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for> >the> > > > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.> > > >> > > > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long> > > > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to> > > varying> > > > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --> > > > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from> >this> > > > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of> >the> > > > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I> > > feel> > > > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.> >Sometimes> > > > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head> >from> > > > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply> > > > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the> > > > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,> > > the> > > > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense> > > of> > > > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally> >understanding)> > > > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of> > > > amazement) "you didn't do ANYTHING today?".> > > >> > > > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without> > > having> > > > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.> >He's> > > > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth> >when> > > I> > > > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too> > > much> > > > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because> > > I've> > > > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online> > > > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over> >this> > > > is excruciating.> > > >> > > > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but "better" isn't> > > > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my> > > marriage;> > > > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that> > > > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my> > > > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He> > > always> > > > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation> > > > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,> >I> > > > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over> > > this> > > > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.> > > >> > > > -- laurel> > > >> > >> >> >>>__________________________________________________________>Gagnez des pc Windows Vista avec Live.com http://www.image-addict.fr/>>>>><< 608-1041A.jpg >>><< imstp_heads_by_im_en.gif >>__________________________________________________________Découvrez le Blog heroic Fantaisy d'Eragon! http://eragon-heroic-fantasy.spaces.live.com/

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I eat at least half of those things as part of my regular diet and I don't ever notice a difference. Perhaps my meds are a bit higher than they might be if I eliminated them all, but since it took me 35 years of treatment to even see the list, I'm not going to change that now. I have eliminated soy since learning about it, and make sure that I take everything else 4 hours after my meds, otherwise, I'm not stressing about it. Some people react to some of them, but that doesn't prove to me that it is the goitrogen effect and I've read that cooking them lessens the problem. I've heard of some having an immediate reaction, which does not make sense to me. I would think that if everything else takes time, six weeks for example, so would the goitrogen effect... Judy

I wonder if staying away from those wegetables and fruits has actually helped anyone so they are sure it is the change of diet and not something else that made the difference? Anyone?

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Well, it's not obscure or hearsay, I can vouch for that. If you're hypo then

it's not surprising you can't lose weight, or that you put it on when only

eating very little. Perhaps you don't eat enough ? Topper has written lots

of excellent posts on that subject, not eating enough. Why don't you go back

and read some of them.

Lili (just me)

>

>Reply-To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group >

>Subject: RE: Re: When your spouse doesn't

>understand the disease...

>Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:05:06 +0000

>

>Oh! Sorry, your'e not a list. Group then.

>I just asked because I always find it a bit stupid to make some drastic

>changes in your diet for some obscure reason or hearsay.

>I actually don´t feel very bad and am probably mostly okey.

>It's just I don´t seem to be able to loose weight and gain even though I

>don´t eat much or unhealthy food. Then I'm saying I eat lots of vegetables,

>fruit and other stuff you mentioned.

>Just wondering

>

>Jóhanna

>

>-- Re: When your spouse doesn't

> > >understand the disease...

> > >Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:46:15 -0000

> > >

> > >To all of your responses, thank you.

> > >

> > >A few things, with a TSH of 4.8 my PCP doesn't consider

> > >me " hypothyroid " ; he said he didn't think it necessary when I asked

> > >for another test which included free T4, free T3 and thyroid

> > >antibodies. And my PCP IS a D.O. -- and used to be something of a

> > >maverick in the medical community in that he actually listened to

> > >patients and did everything in his power to help them on a path to

> > >wellness. Not so anymore, apparently. His practice was bought out

> > >and things changed. My bad luck.

> > >

> > >I see a naturopath, as I said, and I also consider HER to be

> > >my " doctor " , although she is limited in her capacity to help me with

> > >a thyroid condition. She did what she could and when I didn't

> > >improve, she referred me to someone she believed could help me at the

> > >next level (with Armour). One of the things I've done as part of my

> > >treatment with her is to try elimation diets, where I totally avoid,

> > >say gluten or sugar, for a set period of time to see if any

> > >improvement is forthcoming. I did feel somewhat better when I

> > >eliminated sugar, but not enough to help my overall energy levels.

> > >Eliminating gluten had no apparent affect. I also avoid all of the

> > >foods that a hypothyroid person would typically avoid. All in all,

> > >I've always had a very healthy, natural foods way of eating; there's

> > >really very little more I could do to help myself. I eat a lot of

> > >veggies and legumes and fruits and grains; very little meat.

> > >Virtually everything I eat is organic and hormone-free.

> > >

> > >I also understand that it is very likely that I will NEVER feel 100%

> > >with a thyroid condition. I accept that. On the other hand, I can't

> > >imagine feeling much worse than I do at this point, which gives me

> > >hope that I will eventually feel, at least, better. That's really

> > >all I want. Not perfection, just better.

> > >

> > >As for the iodine/Hashimoto's connection. I have no idea whether I

> > >have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I took the iodine for 3 months in

> > >increasing dosages without any problems and with a (very) modest

> > >improvement in some areas. My patch test always indicated that I

> > >wasn't absorbing the iodine, so it was something of a surprise when I

> > >experienced a whole host of nasty side effects in relatively short

> > >order.

> > >

> > >When I see the doctor to which I was referred, I will have more

> > >complete testing to see where all of my levels are. I understand

> > >the process of " getting better " takes time; I've done my reasonable

> > >best to be patient with my treatment. I appreciate all your thoughts

> > >that I should be taking care of this condition; I am doing exactly

> > >that. My husband seems to have lost his patience with my

> > >progression, or lack thereof, so I'm seeking the counsel of those

> > >who've " been there " . I'm sorry I can't provide a series of lab

> > >numbers for you all to analyze. I only have a lonely little TSH for

> > >now. I've spent a great deal of time looking for doctors who are

> > >willing to treat my symptoms (with an open mind toward Armour and

> > >other holistic therapies) and not a series of lab numbers. Believe

> > >me, even in a medium-sized city, such doctors are not easy to come

> > >by. My mother, who works for a doctor, asked him to recommend

> > >someone for me and he failed to come up with a name. I only know

> > >about this new doctor because of my naturopath -- I had done

> > >extensive online searching for one and this particular doctor's name

> > >never came up. Hopefully, I will know a lot more, and soon, but that

> > >doesn't mean that a " cure " wil be forthcoming. I'm not sure my

> > >husband understands that this is an imperfect process. That is

> > >killing me.

> > >

> > >Again, though, I thank you all for your thoughts and look forward to

> > >talking with you all again

> > >

> > >-- laurel

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > > >

> > > > > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for

> > >the

> > > > > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.

> > > > >

> > > > > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long

> > > > > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to

> > > > varying

> > > > > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue --

> > > > > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from

> > >this

> > > > > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of

> > >the

> > > > > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I

> > > > feel

> > > > > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks.

> > >Sometimes

> > > > > (and lately more frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head

> > >from

> > > > > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply

> > > > > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the

> > > > > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs,

> > > > the

> > > > > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense

> > > > of

> > > > > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally

> > >understanding)

> > > > > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of

> > > > > amazement) " you didn't do ANYTHING today? " .

> > > > >

> > > > > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without

> > > > having

> > > > > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes.

> > >He's

> > > > > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth

> > >when

> > > > I

> > > > > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too

> > > > much

> > > > > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because

> > > > I've

> > > > > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online

> > > > > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over

> > >this

> > > > > is excruciating.

> > > > >

> > > > > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but " better " isn't

> > > > > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my

> > > > marriage;

> > > > > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that

> > > > > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my

> > > > > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He

> > > > always

> > > > > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation

> > > > > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience,

> > >I

> > > > > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over

> > > > this

> > > > > some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.

> > > > >

> > > > > -- laurel

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> >__________________________________________________________

> >Gagnez des pc Windows Vista avec Live.com http://www.image-addict.fr/

> >

> >

> >

> >

> ><< 608-1041A.jpg >>

> ><< imstp_heads_by_im_en.gif >>

>

>__________________________________________________________

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>http://eragon-heroic-fantasy.spaces.live.com/

>

>

>

>

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[Guest guest]

I eat at least half of those things as part of my regular diet and I don't

ever notice a difference. Perhaps my meds are a bit higher than they might

be if I eliminated them all, but since it took me 35 years of treatment to

even see the list, I'm not going to change that now. I have eliminated soy

since learning about it, and make sure that I take everything else 4 hours

after my meds, otherwise, I'm not stressing about it. Some people react to

some of them, but that doesn't prove to me that it is the goitrogen effect

and I've read that cooking them lessens the problem.

Yes, that's what they say, but I haven't found that it's

true with the things that affect me.

I've heard of some having an immediate reaction, which does not make sense

to me.

Immediate being within the next few hours, and that

happens to lots of people on thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Yes. We're

not talking about long term damage here, we're talking about a rapid but

temporary effect, enhancing the hypo symptoms and making people feel bad.

I would think that if everything else takes time, six weeks for example,

so would the goitrogen effect... Judy

But Judy, you do exactly as you wish. I'm not trying to force anybody to do

anything. I'm not preaching the gosple here, I'm just trying to help a few

people feel better, that's all.

Hope that's clear, Lili

>

>---------------------------------

>

>I wonder if staying away from those wegetables and fruits has actually

>helped anyone so they are sure it is the change of diet and not something

>else that made the difference? Anyone?

>

>

>

>---------------------------------

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> Try the free Yahoo! Mail Beta.

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[Guest guest]

What? List, loop, group, they're all the same in my brain. No worries. You can call us whatever you want, just don't call us late for our Thyroid meds LOL. We're not a listserv loop, but they all accomplish the same thing.

It can be difficult to lose weight when you are hypothyroid, especially if you're not properly medicated. As much as the hormones keep us upright, they're not the real deal and although metabolism is involved, it's not the only factor.

My husband and daughter are both euthroid (normies) and one is slim eating what he wants, and the other is overweight even when she's not overeating. There is a connection, but it's not the only connection.

Here is what I have to do to lose weight. First of all, I have to eliminate all junk foods and gratuitous sugars. I don't worry about the sugar in milk, condiments, etc. I have lost significant weight by eating 3 moderate meals each day with 2 healthy moderate snacks if I need them. The other key for me is cardio exercise and strength training (muscle building). Muscle simply burns more calories than fat.

But let me talk about the cardio and what I have found out about me. I could walk moderately to work and back 4 miles a day and it would do barely nothing. It would have the effect I suppose of whatever calories were burned as opposed to sitting in the car, but what would that be? Maybe 200 calories which is nothing when it takes 3500 to burn a pound. I would venture to say for me, that it wouldn't have much effect at all. This 'park at the back of the lot and walk' thing does nothing for me that is noticeable.

BUT, the real cardio that gets my heartrate up to 75% target daily, will start to really burn the fat and I have to do it almost every day. I have to sweat big time, it's as simple as that. It may be the affects on my body temperature etc., I'm not really sure, but it works. One time I lost 90 pounds from diet and exercise. After about 1.5 years, I kept the same eating plan, but stopped the intense cardio and gained back exactly half. I was still walking everywhere at a normal pace, that's why I know that it doesn't do much for me. I was also teaching and on my feet the entire day, but it didn't make any difference. I maintained that half weight loss for the next 2.5 years when my food fell apart.

So for me, it's half food and half cardio, as simple as that. I have the food in order again, and I've plateaued at almost the exact same weight as I did way back then. It's annoying, but it is consistent. It's now time to get the cardio built up to lost the rest. Maybe it opens the lungs for more oxygen, I'm not sure, but what I do know for me, is that it has WAY more benefit that the actual calories being burned.

Rambling now LOL, maybe something will ring to someone... Judy

Oh! Sorry, your'e not a list. Group then. I just asked because I always find it a bit stupid to make some drastic changes in your diet for some obscure reason or hearsay. I actually don´t feel very bad and am probably mostly okey. It's just I don´t seem to be able to loose weight and gain even though I don´t eat much or unhealthy food. Then I'm saying I eat lots of vegetables, fruit and other stuff you mentioned.

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Laurel, I am so sorry to hear this about your husband not understanding the things you are going thourgh. This whole Thyroid thing is really bad on relationships that will not do self research. My husband and I have been seperated for 11 months now, we date and spend time together but he is just now tring to understand all of this. I really do not see us ever living in the same house again but will do love each other very much. I belive if your husband will read about this issuse and go to the doc with you he will learn alot faster. I have started a Thyroid Support Group here were I live and my husband comes to the meetings and is very supportive of them. I just found another web site yesterday that is really good. If you would like the web site is www.stopthethyroidmadness.com this way you guys can look on it your self. Karol from , Fllaurelhiker wrote: To all of your responses, thank you.A few things, with a TSH of 4.8 my PCP doesn't consider me "hypothyroid"; he said he didn't think it necessary when I asked for another test which included free T4, free T3 and thyroid antibodies. And my PCP IS a D.O. -- and used to be something of a maverick in the medical community in that he actually listened to patients and did everything in his power to help them on a

path to wellness. Not so anymore, apparently. His practice was bought out and things changed. My bad luck.I see a naturopath, as I said, and I also consider HER to be my "doctor", although she is limited in her capacity to help me with a thyroid condition. She did what she could and when I didn't improve, she referred me to someone she believed could help me at the next level (with Armour). One of the things I've done as part of my treatment with her is to try elimation diets, where I totally avoid, say gluten or sugar, for a set period of time to see if any improvement is forthcoming. I did feel somewhat better when I eliminated sugar, but not enough to help my overall energy levels. Eliminating gluten had no apparent affect. I also avoid all of the foods that a hypothyroid person would typically avoid. All in all, I've always had a very healthy, natural foods way of eating; there's really very little more I

could do to help myself. I eat a lot of veggies and legumes and fruits and grains; very little meat. Virtually everything I eat is organic and hormone-free.I also understand that it is very likely that I will NEVER feel 100% with a thyroid condition. I accept that. On the other hand, I can't imagine feeling much worse than I do at this point, which gives me hope that I will eventually feel, at least, better. That's really all I want. Not perfection, just better.As for the iodine/Hashimoto's connection. I have no idea whether I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I took the iodine for 3 months in increasing dosages without any problems and with a (very) modest improvement in some areas. My patch test always indicated that I wasn't absorbing the iodine, so it was something of a surprise when I experienced a whole host of nasty side effects in relatively short order. When I see the doctor to which I was

referred, I will have more complete testing to see where all of my levels are. I understand the process of "getting better" takes time; I've done my reasonable best to be patient with my treatment. I appreciate all your thoughts that I should be taking care of this condition; I am doing exactly that. My husband seems to have lost his patience with my progression, or lack thereof, so I'm seeking the counsel of those who've "been there". I'm sorry I can't provide a series of lab numbers for you all to analyze. I only have a lonely little TSH for now. I've spent a great deal of time looking for doctors who are willing to treat my symptoms (with an open mind toward Armour and other holistic therapies) and not a series of lab numbers. Believe me, even in a medium-sized city, such doctors are not easy to come by. My mother, who works for a doctor, asked him to recommend someone for me and he failed to come up with a name. I

only know about this new doctor because of my naturopath -- I had done extensive online searching for one and this particular doctor's name never came up. Hopefully, I will know a lot more, and soon, but that doesn't mean that a "cure" wil be forthcoming. I'm not sure my husband understands that this is an imperfect process. That is killing me.Again, though, I thank you all for your thoughts and look forward to talking with you all again -- laurel > >> > ...what do you do? As a new member, I have many questions for the > > group, but today this is the most pressing concern I have.> > > > I am a 36-year old female with undertreated hypothyroidism (long > > story for another time). I have all of the usual symptoms to > varying > > degrees, but the one that occupies most of my life is fatigue -- > > generally moderate, sometimes extreme. No one suffering from this > > condition needs me to detail what it is like to be tired ALL of the > > time. Sometimes it is merely a feeling of being in low gear; I > feel > > slow and somewhat weak, but I can manage my daily tasks. Sometimes > > (and lately more

frequently) it's all I can do to keep my head from > > crashing into a pillow. I awake from one nap only to fall deeply > > into another. Several days of this and I lose all control of the > > house (laundry piles up, dinners are largely microwaved affairs, > the > > bed stays unmade...). Several weeks of this and I lose all sense > of > > worth as a human being, especially when my (normally understanding) > > husband comes home each evening and says (in a state of > > amazement) "you didn't do ANYTHING today?". > > > > Having to live with this condition is horrible enough without > having > > to see the look of utter disappointment in my husband's eyes. He's > > not there to witness the tears of frustration that spill forth when > I > > tire halfway through my morning shower or when it really IS too >

much > > effort to fold a load of laundry. He knows these things because > I've > > explained them to him or highlighted symptoms in books and online > > articles. But he doesn't get it. The frustration I feel over this > > is excruciating.> > > > I AM getting treatment for this condition, but "better" isn't > > happening fast enough. All I am living for right now is my > marriage; > > I simply don't have the energy to do any of the other things that > > made up my life before my thyroid called it quits. I've told my > > husband this, many times. He always says he understands. He > always > > seems to forget. I don't have it in me to have this conversation > > anymore. If anyone here has worked through a similar experience, I > > would be grateful to know about it. We had couples therapy over > this >

> some time ago and it did not help to resolve the issue.> > > > -- laurel> >>

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Lili, I have no interest in disputing this topic with you again, which is why my reply was not in response to yours. I too am simply passing on information from my mind set and it is clearly stated that way. I am happy to 'agree to disagree'.

Having said that, I've tried everywhere to find an article that indicates an immediate reaction, and I have not been able to find a single one, so if you have a reference, I'm extremely open to it. The articles that I reference all state that moderation and cooking are the keys to lessening the effect and that the effects are greatest when there is an iodine deficiency. I've had my iron levels checked and they are great, so maybe there is a significance in that.

It may not always appear this way, but I am about as open minded as they come, so shoot me a few links and I'll be happy to rethink my position... Judy

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I wish I could, Judy ! But unfortunately, when I started out on this road I

didn't know enough about IT/internet to save all the stuff I read, blithely

thinking that I could always find it again if I wanted it lol - wrong ! -

add to that a few computer crashes, change internet provider and a whole

heap of brainfog, and you get the picture. lol But I do know my own

experience, and that is what I'm trying to share - pretty stupid of me, I

suppose, but there you go... What I wish is that you wouldn't dicourage

others from trying something that might help them by poo-pooing the whole

idea.

Thank you, Lili

>

>Reply-To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>To: The_Thyroid_Support_Group

>Subject: Re: Re: When your spouse doesn't

>understand the disease...

>Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 06:55:40 -0800 (PST)

>

>Lili, I have no interest in disputing this topic with you again, which is

>why my reply was not in response to yours. I too am simply passing on

>information from my mind set and it is clearly stated that way. I am happy

>to 'agree to disagree'.

>

>Having said that, I've tried everywhere to find an article that indicates

>an immediate reaction, and I have not been able to find a single one, so if

>you have a reference, I'm extremely open to it. The articles that I

>reference all state that moderation and cooking are the keys to lessening

>the effect and that the effects are greatest when there is an iodine

>deficiency. I've had my iron levels checked and they are great, so maybe

>there is a significance in that.

>

>It may not always appear this way, but I am about as open minded as they

>come, so shoot me a few links and I'll be happy to rethink my position...

>Judy

>

>

>

>

>---------------------------------

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