[leslie]

as years go by i begin to appreciate just how stupid even good doctors can be. because thyroid imbalances govern a number of bodily functions, if the stress of miggin' it hits deep you could find yourself (women 7 x more likely) with an unbalanced thyroid. it can have awful consequence and it should be checked for without you having to grab doctor by the throat but fear factor and threatening to sue works best for me.

if you feel really, really off colour try to read up on thryoid issues before you decide you are a write off. son screaming so must post books later.

[Jo and Andy]

I have an underactive thyroid, and it does get you very tired when stressed, or even on good days, Perhaps I should up my doseage whilst getting the ITA done (only joking all medical people).

Andy has to see a Cardiologist to get a report for our medical. Nice little bill and we need it all sorted so quickly. Rhiannon and I passed our medicals just got to hope to get Andy through, our Dr says there is no problem with him, so just more paperwork and costs.

Well life is sent to try us, and at the moment I am keeping up.

[leslie]

having dodgy thyroid is crap.

meant to explain better

with underactive thyroid it doesn't matter what you do/ eat etc, you still feel physically exhausted. the inevitable stress of not being able to physically function leads to mental distress and can turn into depression. because it tends to come on in times of extreme stress it makes it easier to feel mentally unable to cope. with underactive t you gain susbstantial weight without explanation, hair falls out skin coarsens, lose ability to concentrate etc. with over your heart races you lose weight etc.

anyway, if you feel dramatically, uncontrollably tired and very suddenly mentally 'fogged' or you suddenly start firing on all pistons whether you want to or not, best read up on thyroid. i read an interesting book if slightly long called ' the thyroid solution' - which my doctor immediately wrote off as quackery but even hub thought credible... quackery diagnosis in the week it was announced in the media a mother was able to kill her son in great ormonds st hosp, right under their noses and over a period of 5 months, because doctors felt there was a more 'conventional' diagnosis for boys inexplicable illness. despite the overt signs and reports from nurses etc.

for some reason thyroid is treated as a bit of a joke, but if you have problems you will know it isn't. because it comes when you are usually stressed well beyond the norm the impact is far greater. i have had thyroid problems for many years - possibly from first pregnancy) but dropped meds during a 'scare'. when i got pregnant second time and obviously needed to get back on meds uk doctors said it was 'too dangerous to treat a pregnant woman'. when i researched it later found out the opposite is true - its doubly important to monitor/ treat. fetus can die etc. went to hospital in oz (exhausted) where they took one look at me and said 'yes' to hypothryoid just looking at me, and when tests returned put me on meds immediately. they couldn't believe i was under the care of a medical professional so i told them i wasn't - i was under the care of a british doctor.

testing thyroid is such a simple thing to do its a big puzzle as to why medics ignore it. it also affects a large swathe of population. but, they make huge money out of the symptoms so why on earth would they have a vested interest in eradicating it?

again, if you have physically lost control of your self/ life don't assume its your head - it may be your thryoid. and if you are a woman you are 7x more likely to have thyroid problems than the man next to you. without thryoid problems i am a 5 hour/night sleeper who is into everything - think maggie t with a lessor interest in ruling the world. with uncontrolled t probs i portion out my physical activity like an energy anorexic. and this from a former elite athlete with otherwise very good health.

the biggest lesson i have learned is that when you move you should take your medical history with you. for all family members. it helps the doctor and it helps you. and if you feel really, really tired no matter what you do - dont assume its in your head.

[jan]

I have under active (200mgs) a day.

My brother(33) was diagnosed as having it about 12 mths ago, but being a bit of a mans man, he chose to ignore the diagnosis and leave un-treated.

Countless times I begged him to take it, purely to alleviate the un-happy person he had become ( his new wife of 4 months had died so this became the obvious reason to his state)

Thankfully he has begun to take it and can not believe how he feels. Amazing were his words. That nasty black cloud hanging over my head has gone.

He smiles a lot now :P

[jo b]

Although I have been tested and haven't got it I know some who have my Sis-in-Law has it.

When she rang the surgery for her results they said it was fine. 7 months later when she went back to the docs again about her tiredness and weight gain he asked her how she was doing on the tablets.
"What Tablets" she said :eek :eek She had it all along but told her she was fine :eek :eek
My sympathies to Leslie and Jan it must be a terrible thing to deal with on a daily basis.

jo

[leslie]

it is a horrible thing to have but the terrible part is before its dealt with. once you know/ are sorted its okay.

mind, once you know about thryoid the really big stories appear and the whole thing goes from being 'freaky friday' to 'alien'.

its hard to understand why doctors are reluctant to acknowledge it as being important when it is so easy to traet and impact is rather phenomenal. i was sitting home one day, reading about the origins of thyroid disorders - as one does - and started to see pictures of all these migrants plastered to their beds thinking they were losing it when its just their stupid thyroid - triggered by stresses of moving etc. it annoyed me.

[Carol]

there are many days....when I get to 6:30pm and I'm so tired I just go to bed and can sleep through until 6:30am.
Have gained approx 20kg in the last nine years since coming here - put that down to "comfort" eating.



and actually - I'd put it ALL down to full time teaching and having 3 kids!


Father has INACTIVE (not just underactive) thyroid........

hmmm....

[leslie]

carol - in your shoes i'd have it checked.

[jan]

We are due to leave in about 5-6 weeks. I am going to book an appointment with the G.P and ask if he will prescribe me 1 years supply of thyroxine!!! :eek :eek :eek

Has anyone else tried this with any other medication and it worked???????


Jan xx

[leslie]

my gp said he would alot me 6 mos worth to' save me the hassle of trying to get it the minute we touched down' and i was hugely impressed and grateful. filled prescrip and was puzzled to run out 3 mos later. assumed i had lost track of remaining (thy probs make most embarassingly forgetful) and was too embarassed to ask for more. after a week without meds i read the reciept part of prescription to find he'd only written 3 months. am pushing for a year now but not hopeful.