General Chat

Well ladies, my thyroid was said to be on its way out at Christmas after years of failing thyroid function...and guess what? The blinking thing has gone back up to normal! I do have a small goitre which was diagnosed over 10 years ago. I had yearly blood tests and then 6 monthly and now 3 monthly and the levels kept dropping. I have anti-bodies in my blood and have nodules on my goitre. (Had a thyroid scan for that and they are ok) Over the years I have suffered depression, dry skin and hair, tiredness, lethagy, voice drop, once cold can't get warm, lack of concentration, weight gain etc.. My Dr will not put me on Thyroxine until my thyroid stops working. My sister's thyroid had stopped working totaly and she was very ill where it had not been diagnosed. Her Dr lets her dictate the dosage of thyroxine...she takes slightly less in the summer. Viv (still waiting for her thyroid to work out what its going to do!!!)

There's masses of information on www.thyroiduk.org Monica

Starting May last year my weight loss was good (I was over-weight). Went to the Dr, they found in August that I had an over-active Thyroid, and told me in November. The first lot of tablets I was put on wer no good. I will find out in March whether these are working better, I am also taking Beta Blockers.

Question: Can anyone tell me do you get free prescriptions because of your Thyroid problem, and if so is it for over-active as well as under-active?

Granny - you do for under active, dont know about over though. (try adding symptoms of Hypothyroidism with menopause....Arggghhhhhhhhhhhhh)

Thanks for that, you might know I'd get the wrong one. Ha

Yes you do get them free as i had over active for a few years but all sorted now,and back to paying lol Nicky.x

The prescription issue is the reason drs and consultants will not prescribe thyroxine for underactive thyroids until they actually stop working because prescription are free for life. It costs the NHS lots of money as it is not just for the thyroxine tablets but for anything you are prescribed. Does that make sense? Viv

Can anyone tell me about this Thyroid Diet Book ? Viv

Right Nicki I will make enquiries about that. Thanks

Hi Granny i had over active thyroid at the age of 21 and took a few years to get medication sorted and levels normal then it came back as soon as i had my son aged 26 so back on medication,in the end i had to have radioactive treatment (TWICE LOL)before it worked. anyway all free scrips for two years at least after as well,just in case it came back or went underactive. Nicky.x

Hi Nicky, thanks for that I am definitely going to enquire. I have to have a blood test tomorrow, so will ask then. Thanks for info.

can someone tell me if I had a overactive one and after having The Radioactive iodene I am underactive what sort of food should I avoid thanks

Hi Val it is very possible you may go under active, but it's not always the case,i never and have been fine for 7 years or so now. as for food i was never told what to eat or what to avoid hope this helps Nicky.x

Nicky I didnt put that very well I am underactive now, What I wondered is is anybody getting very thin on top my hair has gone very brittle and thin its most upsetting .

Valerie i did read it quickly oops! sorry no idea,i know my hair was awful at the time not so much brittle but came out handfulls at a time. Nicky.x

Valerie...dry, brittle thinning hair is a symptom of underactive thyoid. Viv

i have had underactive thyroid all my life was not told untill 34 have been on tablets ever since when you see doc ask about free perscriptions am now 58 and still working weight verys in beetwen 13&14 stone and 5ft nothing also take all tablets in the morning as soon as you get up at first was taking mine three times a day as was not told any differant have been fine never had any time off wok because of it must be lucky Val

I did think it was still underactive the doctor said not but I had a blood test and have been found to have gone even more underactive as the menopause affects it too, we are lucky us women arent we ??? so am now on 2 100 tablets a day, it seems they would rather keep me under than over as its easier to treat and not so dangerous , when I was diagnosed with the overactive kind my Heart was very enlarged because of it , I had been suffering for years they now say it started after I had my first baby, it seems that is very common. And they didnt find out about it till she was about 8 years old good eh!!!!

Google these following subjects: ''Mary Shomon'' and ''Sticking Out Our Necks'' -- Mary is a very knowledgable patient advocate for thyroid and other autoimmune diseases. She has quite a few best sellers including the ''The Thyroid Diet''. She leans towards more natural remedies. She is not at the beck and call of any of the pharmacuetical companies, therefore her opinion/attitude is not biased towards any particular product. She also writes free newsletters covering thyroid and weight loss, with back issues available to read online. Although she is based in the US, I'm sure that her information is applicable to all.