General Chat

Joan thats terrible about your husband ,when I was diagnosed they said I had to have mine removed but I wouldnt too scared and I have been reliably informed it can grow again so I opted for the radio active iodene which they made me have straight away I could not even go home first, as my Heart was so dangerously enlarged they were amazed I hadnt collapsed. I must say in spite of the terrible sweating and always being on the go I would prefer to be overactive to under, my weight is a constant problem now.I am going to get that book too.

Firstly, was appalled by Viv´s comment .....that doctors 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. Surely if someone is suffering from this illness they should have the right to receive this very simple, and not very expensive, medication. Secondly, thank you Tracy for starting this very interesting and informative thread. Elaine

YES YES YES I only have half an eyebrow on each side something else I know , its no wonder I am falling apart, Did you also know it affects your bowels one of the symptoms is diarrhoea its also very common now they test babies automatically for it I believe as soon as they are born.I was silly and gave up smoking as I was diagnosed and put on so much more weight I would not have done if I had not stopped..

Been out and bought the Thyroid diet book today from WHS. Thank you everybody for you input. So much of what I 'suffer' nobody seems to ackowledge. Hope to learn a bit tonight when I get down to reading my new book. Will update if I find anything new to pass on. Good or better health to all fellow Thyroid victims !!!! Regards Linda

Thank you for this thread Tracy. Have had an underactive thyroid for 30 years, on 250mg/day and was totally unaware of a Thyroid diet!! I was an aerobics instructor teaching 12 classes/week and am still a blob! :o((

Hi there was diagnosed with underactive thyroid 7-8 years ago after putting on lots of weight 6 stone in all trouble is haven't lost any of it and am starting to put it on again. Have found that no matter I try I can't lose it. Have a very understanding doctor who has tried various medication to help me lose weight but once the medicatin stopped it went back on. Will have a look at the thyroid diet book though to see if it can help

Think i better go and have an MOT i have gained so much weight but my diet hasnt changed, and im always feeling tired, just thought it was middle age spread, and i will take a look at the diet, thanks ladies this is a great thread Lil

thank you to every onr who replied to my thread , i went to hospital for blood tests about 3 monthe ago for somthing else and they found i had an over active thyroid (i'd lost 1/2 a stone in a week which i was pleased about because i'd been on a diet and to gym and lost 2 1/2 stone myself ,do you remember my NO MORE CHOCOLATE thread) so they put me on CARBIMOZOLE which made my thyroid go underactive and i have put on 1 1/2 stone again (bummer) and my eyes -face -hands and wrists are swollen and i'm tired all the time, have now been put on THYROXIN but thyriod level is still going down so they might increase the dose Tracy xx

As some of you might have read on other threads I have been suffering from fibromyalgia, and recently diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, because I am so tired all the time. Have also got OCD and still suffering from hot flushes after a late menopause. I have had several blood tests for thyroid, iron, etc etc over the last few years and all came back fine, my doc. kept saying to me I can't understand this, from the blood tests you are incredibly healthy! I have also gained loads of weight and am about 3 stones at least, too heavy for my 5' 6' height. Now I have been taking sea kelp for quite a few years to help my hair grow as it has always been fine and thin but was getting thinner. Am now wondering if that self dosing of kelp made my blood tests inaccurate regarding the thryoid tests. Am seeing my doctor on Monday so will have to confess and ask what she thinks. I also have the voice problem - whenever I am really tired, my voice goes very husky and my throat aches, not sore inside tho.

I has blood tests, last may, for various things including diabetes, thyroid and other things. Results were that I was diabetic, and Thyroid was on the low side - but not enough to be given anything for it. I have regular blood checks for thyroid, when I have diabetic blood check. Yes i'm always tired, overweight, husky/hoarse voice Mum also has diabetied, and her thyroid has been gettin lower for years - and the doctors will not prescribe anything until it goes under as apparently this would do more harm than good. Liz

I've been out and bought this book today the sales lady said she has been selling it out as fast as they get a supply in the store................I got the last one.

Waiting to see my doctor today, I read in a magazine that sometimes the thyroid can be just borderline so doesn't show up on a blood test as low - the article said 'in this case, try taking Sea Kelp tablets which will help by introducing iodine.' Showed my doctor cos it said about the husky voice, and weight gain, tiredness etc and she didn't think my taking it all that time would have made any difference to my blood tests. I think that it might have but her. what do I know? I am only the patient! Letter from hospital re CFS still hasnt arrived, apptmt was Jan 24th.

As one hitting 50 :((( But 18 in mind :))) I have had problems with my thyroid for the last 10 years which the doctors recognise but as I am 'within normal limits' for the thyroid function tests are reluctant to treat. I also have a thyroid goitre which although not pronounced enough to require surgery still prompts any doctor who sees me, for any reason, to say 'You have a goitre...Did you know?' Grrr.... Yes, but only for the last 10 years :((( Chris

Nudge for Betty Linda :o)

I have an underactive thyroid, diagnosed about 20yrs ago, have had to have 2 re-tests done this year with another one next month as thryoid level has gone up, perhaps explains why I feel tired lateley and cant be bothered to do anything, didnt know we had to follow a diet, my weight went up from 8and half stone to just over eleven stone, cant get under the eleven mark. jean

Ok for all you people with an UNDER active thyroid these are the symptoms you may be suffering:_ weight gain Husky voice Dry hair/skin thinning hair (comming out when you comb) Feeling the cold more than normal cold hands/feet difficulty losing weight even when dieting poor memory and concentration dont sweat much depression mood swings PMS Low sex drive headaches Frequent infections Ie colds, sore throats and chest infections face looks bloated bags under eyes yellowing of palms of hands/feet movement and thinking is on slow side need more sleep joint stiffness dizzyness Nasal congestion There may be more, these are ones I know and as a suffer have most of these symptoms. I was diagnosed about 10 yrs ago. Anyone wishing to copy these symptoms feel free. LL

Oh another symptom Ridges on nails

thanks Lady Lucan, now I am depressed lol 9only joking) For 12 years I kept telling doctors something was wrong and got no help. It was only when I had two miscarriages in a row that my GP found me a new gyno that tests were done. I suffer from an under active thyroid and have polycystic overies. i have found that even though the thyroid meds have fixed my thyroid levels my insulin levels stay high. So I don't end up with diabetes I have to watch what i eat and drink. i was also told to make sure I eat when I wake up and drink warm water to help wake up my metabolism and eat small amounts often to keep the sugars constant. this helps with the fatigue too. Louisa

Hi Louisa, Apart from my thyroid problems, I have Fibromyalgia and pernicious anemia. I was being treated for yrs at the hospital for Osteo-Arthritis, and was fed up of being treated like I was making it up. After an off the cuff remark from my doctors 'understudy' at the hospital, I put pen to paper, and wrote to the main consultant. To cut a long story short I told him I could think of better things to do with my time than sit for hours on end in a hospital waiting room only to be treated like a fraud. It worked!!!! They had me in hospital quick as a flash, for 2 weeks, kept a close eye on me, and, thats when a 'Chinese' doctor was brought to my bed, ran some tests, and told me I had Fibro. I had never heard of it. So, I was brought a leaflet to my bed and told to read it. That leaflet could have been wrote about me!!!! Every symptom was there. What I am really trying to say is DON'T give up. No matter how much of a fraud they make you feel, keep pestering them till you get what you want. That goes for anyone else reading this too. LL

thanks LL, I get upset because as you can see from this thread so many women have gone through hell and back just to try and feel 'normal'. And like any disease you think you are going mad, but once you do get diagnosed all of a sudden heaps of people say 'oh yes I have that '. Thank heavens for places like this where we can talk openly and receive/receive so much support. ((((hugs to all)))) Louisa