Thyroid problem

    • Anonymous
      May 25, 2006 at 4:20 pm

      Hi everyone I just found out my blood work results shows that I have a problem with my thyroids. My # was 11. my new Dr is going to get the reports of my blood works from my past to see if it just started and wondering if it is medication I am taking that is causing that. I know for the last few years my hair has been thinning out and I was looking up the symptoms over active thyroid and I have a lot of them. I hope it’s not Graves Disease or my ADHD medication.
      I also wonder having CIDP could that be affecting my thyroids?

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 25, 2006 at 4:45 pm

      Hi Sue,
      I can’t answer your questions, but I have had a thyroid problem since my early twenties and before I was diagnosed and started taking synthroid, I’d run both high and low. I was almost put in hospital because of heart palpatations. I’m fine as long as I take the medication. Thyroid symptoms, at least for me, mimicked CIDP, hand tremors, weakness, numbness, etc. and because if the similaritis, I didn’t realize I had this syndrome, until different things happened.

      Your doctor will probably put you on a thyroid medication.

    • Anonymous
      May 25, 2006 at 4:53 pm

      Thanks Liz. I hope there is no way my Neurologist would mistake CIDP if it was my thyroids causing the symptoms. I know on the internet it mentions Graves disease as 1 possible thing. I wonder how they can tell what is causing my thyroid problems. Liz do you see a different DR for that?
      Thanks again
      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 26, 2006 at 11:54 am

      Hi Sue,
      I’ve never had to see anyone but a family doctor for the thyroid. When I was diagnosed, I was really in bad shape, actually I was just as bad as the onset of CIDP. When I remember back, the symptoms were very similar. Once I started a maintenence of thyroid medication, I was quite fine. Thyroid is a medication that can be regulated to meet your needs.

    • Anonymous
      May 26, 2006 at 3:12 pm

      Thanks Liz. Most people in Cornwall don’t know what CIDP is and the fact I have ADHD make it moer hard for the DR to figured out if any medication caused it.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 26, 2006 at 11:44 pm

      sue is it hypo thyroid or hyper thyroid, that your dr told you you have? i have had hypo thyroid since i had my son, 7 years now. hypo is when the thyroid doesn’t make enough enzyme to keep your body parts going-in laymans terms. hyper is when it is over active. i was reading an article somewhere online about other problems caused by hyperthyroid. hypothyroid can be controlled with synthyroid(levothyroxine). i hope you are feeling better, sue. take care.:)

    • Anonymous
      May 27, 2006 at 5:22 am

      I Cheryl I have hyper thyroid. my # was 11. He says I have to much and my pituitary gland is not absorbing it I think he said. I told him my pituitary gland is smaller that it suppose to be. Found that out a few yrs ago in a Cat Scan. I read it can effect your emotion and I think anxiety and other monthly problems. I will read more on it.
      Thanks Cheryl The DR thinks it could medication that caused it.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 27, 2006 at 11:41 pm

      Sue,

      I am hypothyroid, so I know a little bit about it. I don’t know how they measure thyroid function in Canada, but expect that it is like here. There are three things that they can measure for: free T4, T3, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). My health organization’s normal ranges for free T4 is 0.70 – 1.48 ng/dL; for T3, 58 – 159 ng/dL; and for TSH 0.4 – 4.0 µIU/mL.

      The number 11 your doctor quoted could be for any of these. If it is for T4, you are severely hypERthyroid. If it is for T3 or for TSH, you are severely hypOthyroid.

      What happens is your pituitary gland actually measures the amount of free T4 in your blood. Depending on the amount of T4, it changes the amount of another hormone, called thyrotropin-releasing hormone. This hormone stimulates the hypothalamus to change the amount of TSH, which causes the thryroid gland to make T4 and T3.

      If it is your TSH number that is high, your body is saying, “Hey, thryroid, make more of your hormone, because I don’t have enough!” Your body (i.e., pituitary or hypothalamus) could be wrong about that, or your thyroid could be malfunctioning. You might want to see an endocrinologist if you know you have pituitary problems. Your thyroid could be fine, but your pituitary at fault.

      Let me ask you a question: are you always hot, wanting the room to be much cooler than what everyone else wants? That is a symptom of hypERthyroidism. If you feel really sluggish all the time, it can be a symptom of hypOthryoidism.

      Assuming your neurologist has done the nerve conduction studies and the lumbar puncture, and possibly the electromyelograms (sp?) and the sural nerve biopsy, s/he should not mistake hypOthryoidism for CIDP. However, the clinical presentation is fairly similar. In fact, when I first went to my neurologist, I had just been diagnosed with hypOthyroidism. He thought it prudent to wait a few weeks, to see if the Levothroid would alleviate the symptoms. When it did not, even though I was euthyroid (the term for the hormone level in proper balance), he then went on to look for something else. I don’t think hypERthyroidism presents in the same way as CIDP.

      I hope this information helps. It would be good to make sure that you know just what the number is supposed to measure, T4, T3, or TSH.

      Mark

    • Anonymous
      May 27, 2006 at 11:53 pm

      sue, i still can’t remember where i found the info i want you to see, but i’ll keep looking for it. hyperthyroid can present in similar ways to cidp/gbs, can cause paralysis, muscle weakness, fatigue and you need to watch for thyrotoxicity. it is a result of too much hormone being released from the thyroid. i would check with an endocrinologist especially since you know your pitu gland is smaller then normal. the way i look at it is if one tire is flat you need to give more attention to that wheel to make the whole system glide along smoothly. take care.:)

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2006 at 7:45 am

      Mark and Cheryl Thank You :). Mark I have a hard time regulation my body temperature my monthly cycles are not on schedule also I am loosing my hair it’s really thin and also I am sluggish. The number 11 was associated with the TSH. I never thought to look for the number next to the T3 and T4. Will ask him more question next time I see him. He just told me that my body has a lot but that my pituitary gland wasn’t taking it. Something like that; next time I will write stuff down on paper. I didn’t realize that there was so many numbers to look at. I am from Canada so I don’t think the numbers would be that different from the States.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2006 at 8:57 am

      Hi Sue,
      My thyroid problem goes back to my twenties (boy, about 45yrs if I’m counting right), so I no longer remember details. I do remember being at the hospital for a test. I had to swallow liquid iodine placed in a lead cup, then a scan of the body was done, by following the iodine. I hope that test has improved. I’m sure at one point, I did see an endrocronologist, but mostly it was my family doctor. I only have problems now if I neglect my medication (it’s something you need for a lifetime, every day) for long periods of time and the dose is regulated as per need. Blood tests should be done about every six months to keep a check as to whether it’s under control.

      Since your thyroid problem came after the syndrome, it’s probably a very good idea to see an endrocronologist for a consultation. This is something that you want to keep ahead of, since thyroid symptoms are very similiar to the syndrome.

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2006 at 9:06 am

      Hi Liz I had symptoms all my life but now I have more symtoms and the blood results shows I have a problem. Being that CIDP is an Autoimmune problem maybe that is what triggered my Thyroids to be the way they are now.
      I find that in Canada there are not many endrocronologist. I will let my Neurologist know what is going on maybe she can direct me in the right direction.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2006 at 8:14 pm

      Sue,

      If your pituitary and hypothalamus function properly (disregarding size), with a TSH of 11 µIU/dL, you are most definitely hypOthyroid. With your smaller pituitary, it could be that it is misjudging things and asking the hypothalmus to make too much TSH, even though you have enough T4 and T3. However, pituitary and hypothalamus problems are much less common than thyroid problems, so it is like that you are hypothyroid only.

      That said, if you can get your doctor to agree to it, get tested for T4 and T3. That will nail down if the problem is in the thyroid or in the other two glands.

      Godspeed with this issue. And try to hurry your doctors along. Resolving the thyroid issue, if it is hypo-, is fairly easy and will make a big difference in the quality of your life.

      Mark

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2006 at 8:25 pm

      Thanks Mark I think he had down on his results paper T3 and T4 I just never look next to it to see the numbers. All I saw was the word THS and the 11 next to it and the word High. Will have lots of question for him next time I see him. He is getting my lab results from my past to compare and figure out if it is from a medication I take then he will call me to book an appointment.

      Thanks Mark I have learned alot

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2006 at 8:43 pm

      Sue,

      Unless your doctor is really good, I would not wait for him to set up the appointment. Well, I might wait a week or two so he can do the background work, but no longer. This problem is one that a simple medication regime can resolve in a matter of weeks. There is no point in letting this drag out.

      If it does in fact turn out to be a pituitary or hypothalamus problem, things are much trickier. Still, it is better to attack it as soon as you can.

      Let’s assume it is only hypothryroidism. As Liz said, treating it is life long. And while fairly easy, there are some tricks to doing it right. One, take it early in the morning, first thing upon arising, with about 8 oz of water. That is because your body makes most of its T4 between 4 and 6 am and you want to try to match that rhythm. Second, do not eat or drink anything for one full hour. You do not want anything to interfere with its absorption. Third, do not take vitamin supplements, especially those containing calcium, for at least four hours after your morning dose. These can interact with the T4 in your intestine, affecting its absorption.

      Once you first start taking a synthetic thyroid, you will need a blood test once every 6 to 8 weeks until you are euthryroid. While the normal range for TSH is 0.4 to 4.0 µIU/dL, it is better to be under 2.0. Sometimes the available doses won’t let you get under 2.0 without pushing you down to under 0.4 (I know from personal experience), so you will have to live with an adjustment period. Once you are euthyroid, a blood test every 6 months should be sufficient.

      Again, don’t wait too long. Godspeed.

      Mark

    • Anonymous
      May 28, 2006 at 8:47 pm

      Thanks Mark 🙂 He is trying to find out what cause it instead of treating it for now I think. I will push him after not hearing from him for 2 weeks.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      May 29, 2006 at 9:56 am

      Dear Sue,

      I am not understanding how you can have ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and symtoms of hypothyroidism. The two just don’t seem to go together. Was your ADHD diagnosed in childhood?

      I hope you are happy with your new doctor. If I were you I would phone his secretary to make sure your file is on its way from your previous doctor.

      How is your Dad doing?

      Love, Val.

    • Anonymous
      May 29, 2006 at 10:29 am

      Hi Val My ADHD was diagnose only 2yrs ago but I had the symptoms all my life. I just never put 2 and 2 together. About the ADHD and my thyroid problems I read somewhere that ADHD was alist of sign in the Thyroid problems. Also the thyroid problem I was just recently diagnose with that. My Dad is very tired but his mind is all there. It’s his right side that he had the 2 strokes. But he has no more pain in his back. The back surgery went well.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      June 3, 2006 at 3:27 am

      I’m beginning to think I have hypothyroidism. The more I’ve been looking into it, it’s making a lot of sense. I noticed major changes after my son was born in 2002. I’ve fought fatigue, depression and lack of sex drive since. In 2003, I asked my doctor to check my hormone levels but she told me that since I had 2 healthy pregnancies I am fine… and sent me off to counselling! What a nut.

      I’m going to ask my new doctor about this. It would make really make sense, because my anti-depressants aren’t helping me as much as I thought they would.

    • Anonymous
      June 5, 2006 at 3:34 pm

      Sue,
      You mentioned loosing hair…I experienced a great deal of this while taking autoimmune suppresants (mostly Immuran). Are you taking these medications? :confused:

    • Anonymous
      June 5, 2006 at 8:36 pm

      Julie no. I started having problems a 2 or 3 yrs ago not sure why. Now I just found out I have Thyroid problem wondering if that is what causing my hair to thin out.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      July 6, 2006 at 11:37 pm

      Sue,

      Did you ever manage to get your doctor to deal with your hypothyroidism? By the way, hardly any doctor really looks at the cause, partly because so many cases are Hashimoto’s and partly because the treatment is the same regardless of the cause. If your doctor is looking into the cause, that is pretty impressive. Would you be willing to let us know about his/her findings?

      Here is a link to an article about Hashimoto’s thryoiditis and hypothyroidism generally: (link deleted by administration)

      MarkEns

    • Anonymous
      July 7, 2006 at 1:46 pm

      Mark,

      You are very knowledgeable on the thyroid, and I have a question I wonder if you can help me with, as I just dont know where else to ask for advice? 🙂 I am sorry to change the line of discussion sue, just didnt want to start a new thread again.
      I initially went to an endocrinologist after my diagnosis (hypo), but he honestly read out aloud from a book to what ‘levels’ were normal etc. (he really didnt seem to know much as he kept having to look at the book to see what needed to be done) No other endo’s in this area apparently. In any case. This endo told me that one would obviously not want to take too much medication cause the thyroid would get used to that, and then work accordingly, and one would never be able to decrease the amound of meds being taken for thyroid. Almost 4 years later, with regular blood tests (done by family doc) showing I apparently am on the correct dosage, my Rhuematologist gets a test back showing that all of a sudden I seen to be taking too much medication, seem to be showing hyper results and must go back to my family doctor to sort it out. Family doc. changes prescription from 125mg to 100mg, and a blood test in six weeks time to see if anymore changes need to be done. He says it often happens to all of a sudden need to decrease meds for hypo. Conflicting information to say the least, :confused: and besides, I never displayed symptoms over the past couple of months of being hyper, wish I had in a way, probably would have had more energy – lol. Tried to find an answer, just cant seem to get one, and I know its a real cheek, but was wondering [I]IF[/I] by chance you had [I]ANY[/I] info. Understand if you are unable to help. Thanks

    • Anonymous
      July 7, 2006 at 5:54 pm

      Hi Mark I saw my Dr June 26 and he didn’t get any result from the lab for my past blood work results. So he is suppose to ask for just the recent ones to see the numbers. I ask what my T3 and T4 number were and he said T4 was normal but that they didn’t check for T3. He told me if I don’t get a call from his office in a month to call back. What I find that it’s been 6 weeks now since I found out I have thyroid problems and I have to wait a few more weeks to see of the lab sent him some results from my past before I started seeing him.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      July 8, 2006 at 6:08 am

      Alison hypo causes weight gain, sluggishness, thick non elastic skin, constipation, hairloss, deafness, lowering in pitch of the voice, feeling cold, mental confsion even dementia. The commonest causes are thyroidectomy or excess treatment for hyperthyroidism (thyrotoxicosis, Graves disease) and Hashimltos thyroiditis, an autoimmune inflammation destroying thyroid tissue; in some conutries a mothers diet deficient in iodine can cause congenital hypothyridism with a goitre the rest are idiopathic (cause unknown).
      Your doctor should check your T3, T4,TSH levels periodically, usually annually in established patients and if readings stray outside normal either repeat the test in a month or adjust the dosage. DocDavid

    • Anonymous
      July 9, 2006 at 11:35 pm

      Alison,

      Thanks for the kind words. It is not so much that I am knowledgeable is that I am a good parrot. What I said is a summary of Mayo clinic, eMedicine, WedMD, Wikipedia and the American Society of Clinic Endocrinology information. So I claim no particular expertise.

      Your endocrinologist, however uninformed he may appeared to have been, might well be correct; along the lines of use it or lose it. Still, I think most doctors would prescribe thyroid replacement at a level to get a TSH value in the normal range. By the way, that range does vary from lab to lab, depending on the details of how the test is done. Not too worry, just keep using the same lab and the results will be consistent.

      As to a sudden change, you did not say what the interval was between tests. If it was a few weeks, then it was sudden. If it was a few months, then it probably wasn’t. What was the TSH value? He may have decided that a low, but still in the normal range, value was sending you toward hyper, and therefore it would be a good idea to cut back.

      As for why things can change, I speculate (and it is only speculation) the autoimmune attack on your thyroid gland might be slowing down, which could increase the production of thyroid, thereby lessening the need for medicine. I bow to DocDavid’s expertise on how often and what to test.

      And if I may come to your doctor’s defense a bit. I am a chemist by training, and let me tell you, if I did not have my books and periodic table, I would be sunk. Be glad that he was at least looking it up, rather than getting it wrong entirely.

      MarkEns

    • Anonymous
      July 10, 2006 at 12:02 am

      Sue,

      It is a bit surprising that your T4 was normal, yet your TSH was high, 11 as I re-read your post. As a chemist, this result would lead me to retest and to do additional tests, in this case, for T3. By the way, it turns out the test for TSH is easier to do than those for T4 and T3 and TSH is less subject to daily variations. That why TSH is the main hormone tested in thyroid problems.

      It sounds like your doctor did not get previous lab results, only the most recent. Is that correct? And it sounds like in the most recent test, they tested for T4 and TSH, but not T3. Is that correct? It also seems that your doctor thinks you might have been tested for T4, T3, and TSH at some point in the past. Is that correct? The reason I ask it that the older tests should give the doctor a better idea of what is normal for you, but he wants to make sure that he has all of the data he needs. If the new tests results are quite different, it suggests a change from normal-for-you. As a chemist analyzing data, when I have to do something similar to this, I like to see tests going back several years. I like it, but I never get it: nobody tests for problems that they don’t suspect. I suspect the same will be true for your lab results.

      I stress again that I am not a medical doctor, so take what I say with a large grain of salt. Based on a normal T4, presumptively normal T3, and a high TSH, perhaps you don’t have a thyroid problem after all, but another endrocrine gland problem. This is probably why your doctor is not treating you right now; he is trying to make sure the problem is with the thyroid.

      Given the uncertainty, if your blood work was more than 6 weeks ago, I would ask to have T3, T4, and TSH tested again, and soon. Your doctor needs to gain more information, I suspect.

      Godspeed with this issue.

      MarkEns

    • Anonymous
      July 10, 2006 at 6:42 am

      Mark He only got me to do blood work once. Just that my second visit with him I asked for more information on the original bloodwork. I had signs of hypothyroid problem all my life. Feeling cold, tired 24/7 unexplained hearing loss anxiety all my life and in the last few years hair loss and now some muscle cramps/pain and menstrual cycle is off track, some dry skin.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      July 10, 2006 at 8:41 am

      Thank you both David and Mark for your replies.
      David, Im always so glad to hear from you, we are blessed to have you back and posting again.

      Mark, I really appreciate your time and helping out with the knowledge you have. When I go to the doctor for my ‘retest’ I will as about the TSH value. My bark may well be worse than my bite, as they say, and I do tend to become quite quiet while seeing the doctor, and never know what the correct questions are to ask. Besides that, there has been about a 6 month difference between tests, and they were probably done by different labs. Thank you once again.

    • Anonymous
      July 10, 2006 at 11:18 pm

      Sue,

      Now I see the picture. I don’t know how to explain a normal T4 value and a high TSH value, especially with all your symptoms. It would be good to investigate further, but to do so probably means more blood tests [Ugh; I don’t like them much either.] and doctor’s visits. It probably means that getting to an answer will take more time, too.

      Godspeed with this issue.
      MarkEns

    • Anonymous
      August 17, 2006 at 6:12 pm

      Hi Everyone I saw my Dr yesterday. He ordered more blood work stat to check my thyroid levels and he got part of the results today. The result he got back was the TSH 3.9 and a few more and they were all normal. But the tests he is waiting for is to see if it autoimmune related. He says sometimes when it’s autoimmune related it may flair up then go back to normal. He will let me know when he get’s the rest of the results. He doesn’t in Cornwall on Fridays so hopefully I will know more on Monday. So asked if everything is normal does that me I could be checked again in six months just be to be on the safe side? He said yes. I saw my neurologist on Tuesday and asked for my TSH level from last year when I saw her it was 2.53.

      Sue

    • Anonymous
      August 17, 2006 at 6:26 pm

      Hi Sue,

      You can see either an endrocinologist or a holistic medical practitioner about your thyroid problem.

      I have had a good experience with a holistic doc- she’s well trained and very thorough.

      It is important to pay attention to the T3 and T4 levels. Many docs are not aware of this. These can have a big an effect on how you feel too.

      Best wishes, and I hope you can get this on track so you feel better.

    • Anonymous
      August 17, 2006 at 6:36 pm

      Hi Ali,

      Sorry to hear that you had an uniformed endocrinologist- like all professional, some are better than others. As I told Sue in an earlier post, I found a holistic md who is just great with this.

      Something you should be aware of: the “normal” level for TSH is a range, not just a number. Some people feel better in the upper part of the range, some in the lower part. You are the only one who can determine where you feel most comfortable.

      I have to take a chemical called DHEA with my thryoid meds each day. Not all docs are informed about this (and frankly, some don’t believe it helps), but I can only speak from personal experience that it has helped me get to a place where I feel good again.

      Good luck with getting this straightened out.

    • Anonymous
      December 28, 2006 at 8:42 am

      Hi all, I did a search on thyroid and got this thread, and I thought that I might just post my recent investigations.

      These are apparently the test to be taken, if a thyroid disease is suspected:
      TSH
      T3 free
      T4 free
      TPO – thyroid peroxides antibodies, TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies)
      TG – thyroglobulin antibodies
      Hashi’s is FNA (fine needle aspiration) and Grave’s would be TSI which is a lab test (Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin.)

      ANA (Anti-nuclear antibodies)
      Low adrenal function – adrenal fatigue
      Cortisol test = urine and saliva tests
      ACTH Stimulation Test

      Sue, do you take medications for a thyroid disease, if affirmative, then what kind?

      Did you discover the chat forum for Thyroid diseases: [url]http://thyroidhost.proboards30.com/index.cgi[/url]

      Some of the members of the above chat forum say that the TSH should be below 2.0 for some persons, especially those with high antibodies. Read: Changing guidelines for thyroid test levels: [url]http://thyroidhost.proboards30.com/index.cgi?board=Newpeople&action=display&thread=1164236493[/url]

      What I found especially interesting, was what foods not to eat when having problems with a thyroid disease. They correspond closely with the foods to which I have been tested intolerant.

      Read: [url]http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=47[/url]
      Read: [url]http://www.freewebs.com/thyroid/goitrogens.htm[/url]

      Adrenal fatigue can be associated with a thyroid disease. On adrenal fatigue read:
      [url]http://www.project-aware.org/Resource/articlearchives/adrenalfatigue.shtml[/url]

    • Anonymous
      December 28, 2006 at 8:54 am

      Ninus I don’t take any medication. My thyroid number went back to normal except for my TG but they are getting lower also so my DR isn’t going to do a thing. Also I notice I am not loosing hari like I used to. So things are changing for the better in that area.
      I wonder if now taking ADHD medication (Concerta) which can cause a person to have Hyperthyroidism is why my levels of Hypothyroidism are going back to a normal range.
      Thanks for links. I went to one place on the net [url]http://thyroid.about.com/[/url]
      It has a forum and lots of information also.

      Sue