Thyroid

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Comment by Barbara Engle on November 10, 2009 at 12:21pm

Question…..I know that my thyroid is not working as it should. My morning temperature is 94, sometime it is lower than that. When that happens, I began to shiver when I get up at night and my teeth chatter until I get under the heating pad and get my body temp back up. The thyroid med I have been taking are not working at all. Is there something else I could take that might be more effective?

Comment by sukh on October 5, 2009 at 8:56am

I had a minor thyroid problem during pregnancy but was taken off the med after delivery.
However I have gained weight which is not a problem but I have been extremely constipated and i read that thyroid problems have one of these symptoms

Comment by shakeyamy on October 2, 2009 at 9:34pm

Hello! I was diagnosed with overacive thyroid and then put on a heart med. 3 months later it (thyroid) was low. I was scanned- and ONLY the rt side of my thyroid (The side of my dystonia- a neurological disorder) was swollen and there were 4 nodules and one calcified. That was over a year ago. I just keep taking the meds and i am now scheduled for a biopsy Monday oct 5th...(The dr. has still not looked into dystonia at all). A YEAR AGO she said one nodule maybe cancerous and also gave me a handout on Grave's. Any help would be awesome. Thanks!
www.shakeyamy.org youtube:shakeyamy

Comment by chyvonneb on August 27, 2009 at 9:10pm

If you take Natural Thyroid Hormone or know someone who does, you may have heard that there is a shortage of Desiccated Thyroid Hormone Products. Further, there is potential FDA involvement in terms of whether or not Natural Thyroid Hormone (i.e. Armour Thyroid) remains on the market.

While I don't particularly like how any Thyroid Hormone makes me feel, I certainly prefer Natural Thyroid Hormone over Synthetic ThyroidHormone. I never want to be back on Synthroid, Levoxyl, etc.

For more information, view the following internet sites: Stop The Thyroid Madeness.com and sites by Mary Shomon, Thyroid Disorder Activist.

Also visit the following sites on Facebook called: Stop The Thyroid Maness
and Save Natual Thyroid.

There are also some sites on Twitter.

"Power in Numbers!!!"

Comment by chyvonneb on August 6, 2009 at 6:56am

A site that is worth visiting is:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/. There is also a Stop The Thyroid Madness Group on Facebook which would be helpful in answering any direct questions you may have.

I am on Armour Thyroid. But, my story is so long and complicated. I don't want to sway you one way or the other because of my complications. I believe the above site will be a bit more clear in terms of straight information.

Comment by Danismom1 on August 5, 2009 at 10:48pm

Hi everyone!
I have hypothyroidism as a result of having part of my thyroid removed in 1997 due to a benign mass. I have been taking synthroid since that time, and have never felt the same as I did before the surgery. I have recently read about Armour, and was wondering if any of you have tried this, and if so, how have you done with it. I know that traditional doctors won't prescribe this, so I'm thinking of trying a doctor who will. Is it expensive? Would appreciate anyone's feedback. Thanks!

Comment by Barbara Engle on July 31, 2009 at 11:13am

I spent over 30 years battling a thyroid problem that showed up on all my blood work. All the doctors mentioned it in passing and then decided it was not important. I finally took batter into my own hands when my chronic fatigue became crippling… I feel a whole lot better since I began to take Sea Kelp ( iodine) Although, I have not found an actual thyroid natural replacement that works for me. I noticed I am not as tired and I am getting up less at night to go to the bathroom.

Not every doctor has a brain!!!!

Barbara

Comment by chyvonneb on June 17, 2009 at 12:50pm

Sue,

My aim is to help. I figure we can all get some ideas from each other. This can be a lonely journey. It feels good to communciate with someone who is going through similar struggles. So, thank you for being willing to discuss your situation.

Like I've said, I wish that I would have had more guidance when I started this cruel journey about eight years ago. I wish there were more answers out there for those suffering...but, everyone is affected differently and some seem to function just fine. But, I figure there are a few things within our control in terms of things like diet. So, I figure, why not give it a shot. At the very least, health will improve in some manner.

Soy seems to be in everything. At one point, one of my allergy tests showed that I was intolerant to soy. Even before the allergy test, I avoided soy (i.e. soy cheese and soy milk) due to my Thyroid issues. Soy seems like it is beneficial for some people (i.e. hot flashes). But, I am still unclear on the affects of soy on people with thyroid issues or its effects in terms of women and hormones. So,I try to steer clear of it as much as possible.

Currently, I take Armour Thyroid. For about eight years, I took Synthroid. With all of the issues I was having with Synthorid, no doctor ever suggested natural thyroid hormone. Finally, I came across a site called Stop The Thyroid Madness. If you decide to try Natural Thyroid Hormone Replacement, please make sure your doctor doses you slowly in the beginning. I was definitely overdosed in the beginning, and that probably contributed to evern further neurological damage. The above site has some helpful information. There is also a Stop The Thyroid Madness forum on Facebook. The discussions are pretty interesting and informative.

In terms of how I feel, my body doesn't feel as much like it's on an adrenaline rush as it did with the Synthroid. I'm still hyper, but not as bad. Ultimately, I wish that I had never done the Radioactive Iodine Therapy, so I wouldn't have to take any type of Thyroid Hormone Replacement. After going through so much physically, I'm pretty much anti-medication if I can help it. But, hindsight is a ...

But, your case is different from mine--having Hypothyroidism. Is it that you still have your Thyroid in tact, but it is just not functioning properly? I wonder if consulting with a GOOD Naturopath, relaxation techniques, or anything like that might help. It would depend on the cause/severity of your case. But, I've read about cases in which people have helped there thyroid function through holistic measures. That sure sounds better than taking a pill each day.

Regarding a vegetarian diet, I've heard some good things about raw diets, Vegan Diets, and Vegetarian Diets. For me, this is not an option right now. First of all, I am a lover of food, and the diet that I went on due to my intolerances just about killed my spirit (LOL). Also, I don't want to waste away, because I already don't weigh much.

But, I have definitely increased my vegetable and fruit intake. I try to bake more versus frying. Also, I have GREATLY reduced my sugar intake, because I am concerned about my intestinal issues and the other affects of sugar on my body. I heard about a good book called Sugar Busters that I plan to read eventually. I will never be perfect in terms of diet, but my diet has greatly improved.

Let me know how your allergy tests comes out. Hopefully, all is well. Also, remember that everything doesn't show up on tests. In additon to the many intolerances that showed up on my test, I believe that at times, I am also sensitive to things such as wheat. That's when the elimination diet might be helpful. All of these things will help you pinpoint possible food related issues.


Leeta

Comment by suej on June 15, 2009 at 9:21pm

Leeta,
I like your suggestion about testing for allegies because I believe that may be one underlying factor in some of the food issues I may have. I have really explored the possibility of becoming vegetarian however I too have read Mary Shomom books for hypothyroidism and am concerned about the issues with soy ,a commonly used substitute for protein, and it's effects on the thyroid. I also want to discuss with my doctors about switching to a natural thyroid replacement product because after reading her books I have to agree with her concerns about synthroid. I sometimes have wondered if that might also have contributed to my dystonia. Do you have any experience with some of the natural products available? I know you mentioned you have Graves disease where mine is hypothyroidism but you seem very informed about many products and I really appreciate all your suggestions... I am definately going to look into those other books you mentioned

Thanks,
Sue

Comment by chyvonneb on June 15, 2009 at 3:19pm

Sue,

Yes, you sound like you are falling apart. But, don't feel bad, because I feel the same way sometimes. Maybe, it's the teaching (LOL). I miss teaching. But, the profession can be very stressful when you are suffering from Autoimmune issues and Dystonia which can be very painful, as you know. I pray that all of this will be behind us one day!

In terms of diet and nutrition, I am just experimenting with so many things in hopes that something might help. Some things have helped certain issues and some things have not. It's about doing what you feel comfortable with and paying careful attention to your body and its reactions. Before trying anything (i.e. vitamins/minerals, etc.), I would just research everything very thoroughly. I spend lots of time on the internet and reading.

There are so many possible triggers for illnesses. In my family, I seem to be the one who gets all of these 'weird' illnesses, although my Aunt does have Graves' disease. There is clearly a genetic component in terms of Autoimmune Disease since we also have familial cases of other Autoimmune Diseases such as Diabetes and Sarcadosis as well. As I mentioned in prior posts, I believe that we might be genetically predisposed to certain illnesses, but it definitely takes a trigger or a combination of factors (i.e. stress, chemicals, allergies, etc.) to be stricken with the illnesses.

I would suggest that you investigate allergies. I had the skin test done and a blood test (IGE) test. The skin test only showed allergies to things like ragweed and dust mites. The blood test showed that I was intolerant to at least 14 foods. Repeatedly offending your intestines/body with items you may be allergic or intolerant to will cause many problems.

There are not many books out there about Dystonia. There are a few resources on Graves’ Disease. A few that I have read are Living Well With Graves’ Disease and Hyperthyroidism by Mary J. Shomon and The Thyroid Solution by Ridha Arem.

So, I often read books or websites about disorders that have a remote connection to my issues or sources that discuss how to improve general health. I also find good articles in magazines and journals. One good journal is The Well Being Journal.

I would like to recommend the following books: The MS Recovery Diet by Ann D. Sawyer and Judith E. Bachrach, Recapture Your Health by Walt Stoll, and The Autoimmune Epidemic by Donna Jackson Nakazawa. Another book that I found interesting was Coping with Food Intolerances by Dick Thom (in case that you find this is an issue). Also, you may want to start researching Leaky Gut Syndrome or Intestinal Permeability on the internet and you will see how common it is in people with Autoimmune Disorders. I do many searches on the net for immune health, and I come across many books or resources in relation to that topic.


I wish I would have known how to better take care of myself in the face of Autoimmune Disease. I never ate terribly, but I know that I should have done a lot of things differently over the years. I wish I would have been more concerned about antioxidants, Omega 3, and other aspects of healthy living. But, better late than never. If I were a doctor who worked with patients in terms of Autoimmune Disease, I would inform them about the importance of taking care of your body as a whole (i.e. stress reduction, eating well, etc.). This type of thing has never been mentioned by the many Endocrinologists I have seen. The visits are simply about medication regulation—nothing more and nothing less. This type of treatment works for a patient with a textbook case. Although, I have consistently been treated like a “textbook” case, I have never been a “textbook” case in terms of my illnesses.

Unfortunately, many traditional doctors consider “prevention” and principles of “wellness” to be under “alternative” medicine. It will be a great day when “alternative” medicine and “traditional” medicine are truly combined. This type of medicine would truly benefit hard-to-treat illnesses such as Autoimmune Disease!

Take care and we’ll be writing…

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