The Thyroid Thread - Page 2

[beanma]

i'm here! i am hypo. i have never seen an endo, but have been treated by several different gen practioners past 13 yrs or so. currently am under the care of the midwives who delivered dd2 and do my well woman care. i do love them, but sometimes wonder if i should see an endo. i think i probably have hashimotos, but don't really know. my dose of synthroid has been pretty consistent for the past 12/13 yrs with some adjustment at the beginning and in pregnancy number 2. before synthroid i got cold all the time and had a bit of brain fog and i remember i would have trouble making the effort to keep my eyes focused. i could do it easily enough, but it was easier to let them go unfocused. not good while driving. i have had depression issues (not treated) and lack of motivation issues (that feeling that i could sink into the couch never to return) off and on forever. my skin is probably the biggest issue i have now. it tends toward dry, but i also have a lot of vitiligo (lack of pigmentation) though luckily not on my face. it's associated with thyroid issues, but it's an autoimmune condition, too.

a good site with a ton of info on thyroid issues (both hypo and hyper) is www.thyroid.about.com and yes it can swing wildly especially after birth. if you're considering getting it checked out my advice would be go ahead and do it. check out that site, too.

as for the pill thing, often thyroid folks need to be rechecked and have their dosages adjusted so maybe that's why they don't want to let us get more than 30/90 pills at a time?

[supercrunch]

I have a goiter but normal levels. The endocrinologist is saying that we will probably have to get rid of it within a year or so before it gets too large (either surgically or with RAI).

Could someone tell me about the RAI method? How long do you have to stay away from family/kids?
My ds sleeps wrapped around my neck so I know that will have to be avoided for a while.

how did you all handle that situation?

[crissei]

Hi,
Just wanted to introduce myself. I don't have a thyroid problem but my son does and, since I haven't seen any other kids on MDC that have it, I thought y'all wouldn't mind me posting here.

My DS was diagnosed with congenital hypothyroidism at 33 weeks gestation (he was a 30 week preemie) when they did the newborn screening. He has been on 18.75g. of synthroid since then.
My sister has Hashimotos. Supposedly un-related

~Crissei

[jerawo]

Rai

You have to stay away from adults for 3 days, and children/babies for 2 weeks. You can be in the same room as them, but no touching. You also have to use your own toilet during that time, and have your own eating utensils, plates, and cups.

I bet it will be hard to do with a child. I didn't have children yet when I did mine, and DH had to go out of town the next day which made it easier.

Sort of a funny story...Two weeks after my RAI, DH and I flew to Canada in order to get to a wedding in Northern Minnesota. As we drove through this tiny US border crossing, I set off the radiation detector. We couldn't figure out why the border patrol was asking us if we'd had cancer treatments recently, then it dawned on us that I had set the detector off. We just explained the situation and they let us through with no problems. The same thing happened in the airport when we went through customs, and again I just explained my situation and there were no problems. It was nice to find out that the detectors are very sensitive.

[supercrunch]

yikes!

I wonder if insurance would pay for a hotel stay. I guess that's something to look into. I almost wonder if it would be easier on the kids if I opted for surgery. I was in the hospital for a week for my last surgery and that was hard enough on them. I can't imagine 2 weeks

[jerawo]

Surgery might be a better option for you. Like I said, I think doing the RAI with children is going to be hard. I decided not to do the surgery, because I didn't need to be pregnant in the next 12 months and I felt that there was a bigger risk with the surgery because of the possible damage to the parathyroid glands. My father is a doctor and he didn't want me to have the surgery at all. I made up my mind, but I did take his input into consideration. Of course, plenty of people have sucessful surgeries with no complications. I would just make sure you use a surgeon who removes thyroid glands everyday and who is an expect!

[supercrunch]

I guess I can hold out hope that it can wait a few years, until my kids would be more ready for that kind of separation. My levels have been normal for about 2 yearswithout any meds...so it's just the big ole thyroid that we're dealing with. :

[Synchro246]

Question about iodine interference.

I have read that flouride, chlorine, and bromine in the system can interfere with iodine's place (much the way lead will with iron). Over the course of my life I have been exposed to truely high levels of all three. (If you care how I will tell you)
I was wondering what testing is available that would help me figure out if I have a true interference going on, or if it's something else. My thyroid hormone levels were WNL when they were tested last.
IF my iodine levels are off- how can I get iodine to replace the florine, chlorine, and bromine that found there way into my system?


Anyone know????TIA

[TanyaS]

Originally Posted by cloak

I am still reading through the thread but had to comment on this. My doc tried to prescribe me 90 count and my insurance will only let me get 30 at a time!!! I have to go every freaking 30 days to get my pills.

I am able to get a 90 day supply through the mail order pharmacy with three refills. If I tried to take it to a local pharmacy, I'd only be able to get it in a 30 day supply. When I'm not pregnant, my levels are pretty stable, and I only go get it checked every six months unless I have symptoms return.

I've been hypo for nearly 10 years. I am one of those that synthroid alone was not enough so I also take cytomel. I know exactly at what TSH level I feel best, and have a hard time convincing doctors to listen to me because my TSH might be in the normal range, just not where I feel best.

[Ravin]

Hypothyroid here. It runs in my family (mom, grandmother, an aunt), so when I showed symptoms as a preadolescent my mom insisted I be tested. I've been on synthroid since I was 11 (grew 6 inches in the year after starting!) While I was in the Navy, the military docs a few times took me off the med, I'd get run down, and they put me back on--usually a lower dose than I needed. I gained 35 lbs. during my six years in the military, partly from lack of exercise (yes, there is irony there), partly from poor management of my thyroid, I think.

Once I got out of the service, the first doc I saw upped my meds. I had no trouble getting pregnant once it was adjusted, and it didn't need adjusting during pregnancy, though did need lowering for a couple of months postpartum.

[member]

:

Hypo due to Hashi's here. I was diagnosed after an ER visit due to dehydration (gut issues) and I never would have guessed as I've spent most of my life fearing diabetes.

I went through the u/s of nodules, FNA biopsy, and now another u/s in three months because endo wants to see if the nodules are shrinking. I take 100mcg Synthroid daily and my TSH is below 3 now when it was 53 at first.

The depression and anxiety is still awful for me. I take scrips but I am wanting to get off of them in the next nine months (sooner rather than later) and try a more natural way again. I also have rage issues, it's "nice" to see other people with similar problems.

[Barcino]

I am Hypo. I got diagnosed a couple of months ago. Seems like it kicked in for me after pregnancy. I had a son last September 30th who died a week after birth... as if I did not have enough going on with grieving for him I got striked with the darn hypothyroidsm and I feel like a dog most days. I went to the midwive (practices with a OBGYN) and they started me on synthroid but I need to go back and I *KNOW* my dose needs to be upped because I still feel horrible. Tired all the time, fogged up, cold, and I have gained a bunch of weight. I was in tip top shape during my pregnancy and lost all my weight the day my son was born but now I am heavier than I was at 9 mo. with him I really feel horrendous. I think I am going to find a good endo to manage my thyroid issues as I dont think my midwife obgyn is good enough for this. Other than for this they are great though I rather just go with someone that deals with this all the time. Anyway... I am rambling... probably a thyroid symptom My periods are irregular and that is what made me go get bloodwork and how we found out. I am hoping to get pregnant again soon but I need to get back to fit first and make sure that i have the hypothyroidsm under controls. Fun Fun!

[AngelaB]

Did anyones lymph nodes swell and shrink depending on your levels? I am hyper and my thyroid is enlarged, and I also have some enlarged nodes like I am fighting off something. NAK or I would say more!
~Angela~

[*Jessica*]

Update~I was tested and found to be hypothyroid. Whew! I was pretty sure that was what was wrong, but it's always scary having the symptoms I was having and not knowing for sure. I've been started on a low dose of generic Synthroid and go back in a few weeks to be retested and have my dose adjusted. But I am already feeling fabulous! I'm not 100%, but I'm certainly miles closer than I was just a couple of weeks ago. I just wish I hadn't kept putting off being tested until I got so sick.

If you think you're having thyoid problems........GET TESTED!

[marie1080]

Another hypo here. I had hashimotos with antibodies. My initial TSH was 249. Yup that's two hundred forty nine. I was really tired and really cold all the time. My thinking was also pretty foggy in the few months before I got a diagnosis- I felt like I couldn't focus on anything, which was really scary. I just thought my symptoms were because I was working nights, a lot of overtime, going to school during the day, and just plain worn out from it all. Synthroid has been like a little drop of heaven for me.

Does anyone here take Armour thyroid? I have read some of Mary Shomon's stuff on thyroid and she seems to be a big advocate of armour type replacements. I've felt quite good on generic synthroid (150 mcg right now- my last TSH was 0.57- yay!), so haven't really investigated any other treatment. I'd love to hear any experiences with with the more natural armour type products.

[EBG]

Could I be hypo?
I am always cold, especially feet, losing a ton of hair, and I have rage issues...
Is there anyone here who is trying to treat it without meds? Like special diet, supplements and sea salt?

[Mooney]

Another borderline case here, looking for herbal/nutritional thyroid support tips. Has anybody tried an herbal formula or individual herbs that have helped? I've often seen bladderwrack (a seaweed, for extra iodine), but most other herbs are aimed at specific symptoms rather than systemic support.

Also, those of you who adjusted your dosages during pregnancy, did you need more or less Synthroid pregnant? What about postpartum? Was it always a reduction after having a baby?

[TanyaS]

Originally Posted by Mooney

Also, those of you who adjusted your dosages during pregnancy, did you need more or less Synthroid pregnant? What about postpartum? Was it always a reduction after having a baby?

I've had my dose stay the same and also need to be increased both during pregnancy and postpartum. I had different needs during each of my pregnancies. I made sure the OB office did a TSH panel during each trimester. And with my first, my endo insisted I come in and have him check it, too. After my first, I was able to rely on the OB tests and monitor it myself. This last pregnancy was the only time I needed to increase my dose. Thyroid meds should always be taken seperately from prenatal vitamins (and food) to maximize absorption.

[babygrant]

I've been doing some research and I'd like to know how many of you mama's with thyroid problems have had your tonsils taken out.

[EBG]

Originally Posted by babygrant

I've been doing some research and I'd like to know how many of you mama's with thyroid problems have had your tonsils taken out.

Is there a connection?
I got mine taken out when I was 8. I'm not sure if I'm Hypo but I think so...
My mother still has them and she is definitely hypothyroid.