Do You Have Hypothyroidism?Perimenopausal and menopausal women should be concerned
RobinMillerMD
Posted: Dec 20, 06 11:11am Is your hair thinning? Feeling sluggish? Gaining weight? Is your skin drier than usual? If you are a woman who is approaching menopause, or going through menopause, you may have hypothyroidism. Over 20-percent of menopausal women in the U.S. are diagnosed with this condition each year. And many more are walking around with undiagnosed low thyroid function. What exactly is hypothyroidism?The thyroid is a bow shaped gland located in the throat area that is responsible for making the hormones which regulate your metabolism, help control your heart rate and body temperature, and regulate the amount of calcium in your blood. These hormones are critical for helping your body burn energy, and when it doesn't have enough, you have hypothyroidism. What causes hypothyroidism?
What are the signs and symptoms?One of the reasons hypothyroidism is left untreated is because many symptoms usually appear slowly and are not unusual if you have an active or stressful life:
To make matters worse, many women and their doctors chalk up these symptoms to menopause or the stress of working, or caring for children, teenagers, or their aging parents. What can you do?If you think you may be hypothyroid, ask your doctor to check your thyroid function level with a simple blood test. If the test indicates that you are hypothyroid, then you need to take thyroid hormone supplements. There are several medications available. Most patients are prescribed a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone, T4 (Levoxyl or Synthroid). This works well as long as your body can convert T4 to T3, the active form of the hormone your body uses. For some, a preparation that combines T3 and T4 may work better. What is really important is that if you are feeling sluggish, gaining weight and attributing it all to stress and/or menopause it is time to get your thyroid checked. It isn't normal to feel poorly. Talk to your doctor! Do you have hypothyroidism? How did you get diagnosed? Have Something to Say? | ADVERTISEMENT  |
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Posted: Dec 20, 06 6:49pm
I wish I had seen this list of symptoms 8 years ago. At 52 the fatigue didn't feel like fatigue. It felt like I hit a wall, called "age." Nope. It was Hashimotos. A daily low dose of Levoxyl got me up and feeling normal and energetic again. Happily it is a relatively inexpensive drug.
Thyroid conditions run in my family, so once I heard, it made more sense as to why and how I got it. It was, however, the first time I felt "age" was beginning to touch me, as I had always been quite athletic and active. It did seem, however, to start a touch of other age related issues such as increased cholesterol count, osteoarthritis, and bone loss.
I am not ready to begin to describe in this reply what the prescribed medications for those subsequent issues did to me with their side effects. That's another reply for another day.
Posted: Dec 21, 06 8:18am
Hi Sally,
Thanks for posting about your diagnosis -- glad you got the right treatment and feel back to your normal self. Amazing what one little missing hormone can do!
But I'm interested to hear more of what you mean by being touched by "age" -- I think that's a topic that many of us are beginning to feel. When, and if, you're ready to talk ... we'll be listening ;)
Posted: Dec 21, 06 8:18pm
Hi LoraMa,
To try to address what I meant by being touched by "age." I felt that wonderful invincibility of a teen, gotten on by 30 + years. What I felt when I first had Hashimotos and now still feel at times, is limitations which, happily, are still foreign to my being. "Age" as I mean it, is like being intimate with the inevitable decline, and not comfortable with this new space, like being in a new room, not at all comfortable with the layout. It's a fact I am occasionally in the new room, feeling this thing called "Age." It is a place I had not anticipated, and I am not glad to have the limitations. It isn't that I am afraid to die; I live fully, have learned to appreciate almost every moment. Growing up having been told I could do anything; the reality is now there are visibly and sometimes painfully things I can no longer do, or do without being in this strange land of limitations. I am not staying up redefining myself, but do feel things are occasionally different in ways I am not rejoicing about. Mostly I lead my life as though there were no limitations, focusing on the positive fun things and people, being creative. I am also learning a peace in accepting where I am and how best to deal with, and still enjoy where I am.
Posted: Dec 15, 07 7:32pm
I have hypothyroidism...on levoxyl (up to 175 mcg)
I had to have my tyroid removed thru iodine treatment due to graves disease. I am so unhappy about the weight I gained since this procedure. I had lost alot of weight, but being short and chubby most of my life it was like a blessing to get thin! Unfortunatly it was not a blessing but a burden.
I am 5ft tall and weight about 137lbs. I really want to loose at least 10lbs..then work on another 5 after that. I recently quit smoking (12day now), and dont want to gain more. Hoping to get out and start walking..just HATE the cold and live in NH..so its cold and snowy here right now. Do you know if it is possible to lose weight while having this tyroid issue?? Or am forever going to just be chunky???
What advice can you give me? Thank you in advance!
Posted: Dec 16, 07 8:49pm
One of the things I have noticed is that many people need to be supplemented with T3 and T4 together. Levoxyl and Synthroid are both forms of T4. I would suggest that you have your T3 checked along with the T4 and TSH. If your T3 is low, your doctor can add it to your treatment. Since T3 is the active hormone, it can make a big difference in how you feel and how much you weigh!
Posted: Dec 15, 07 8:02pm
I'm 53 now, but when I was 29 they found a Prolactinoma, a Pituitary tumor. These tumors are usually slow growing and benign. But unfortunately they usually grow where the optic nerves are and cause vision loss, with the shrinking of the tumor, vision loss can return.
But Pit tumors raise holy havoc. And when there is a problem in the pituitary it is very likely that it affects the thyroid.
So after my surgery for the Pit tumor, the doctors found that I had Hypothyroidism. So I've been taking medicine for it the past 25yrs. Levoxyl allows me to function without it I am not the Walrus....I am the SLUG!!!!
Just in the event that someone taking thyroid medicine for Hypothyroidism hasn't heard this. I took it for many years before hearing that you cannot eat for an hour after taking the med.
Is anyone taking Armour as well as Levoxyl.
Posted: Dec 16, 07 8:51pm
Hi AnitaP, I started out taking Levoxyl for my hypothyroidism. I still felt tired and had brain fog. Then, I switched to Armour thyroid. I feel great. My energy is back and my weight is under control!
Posted: Jul 24, 08 7:57am
Hi, Robin - oh, just discovered you have "MD" after your name - do you have a speciality? Was wondering how you got diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My mom has it - I've had terrible symptoms, have read extensively on this, but dr. tests me at "the normal range". Presently, I still have not been diagnosed, but have the brain fog and constant fatigue. My weight also just seems to stay the same, fluctuates some; thought of dieting, but didn't know if that would even help. Thanks for any advice, info. B
Posted: Nov 30, 08 3:58am
My doctor keeps me on generic Synthroid medicine. It has been changed 3 times and he wants to change it again. The dose is either too high or too low. I am tired of this.
Posted: Dec 16, 07 9:21pm
Dr Miller,
Thank you for replying. I know things work different for different bodies, but I have read where others swear by Armour.
You actually surprised me about mentioning the weight as a symptom, because a lot of doctors say that hypothyroidism isn't the reason for a weight problem.
Oprah has been mentioning Hypothyroidism because she was recently diagnosed with it.
You know better then I do for sure, but the thyroid is sure a sensitive little gland. I have so many friends that have Graves Disease.
Thanks again for your comments.
Posted: Jul 24, 08 8:02am
Hi again, just read a comment to you regarding so many friends having Graves disease- wondered if I might, although there's a lot of things I wonder about! Been having trouble with my eyes lately, think it's just allergies, but have to put eye drops in every morning - eyes seem cloudy, strained and sensitive to light. Thanks girl, your a good friend!
Posted: Dec 17, 07 7:07am
You are welcome AnitaP.
Posted: Dec 17, 07 6:42pm
AnitaP,
I also found out (by reading the little blurb that lists side effects and so forth) that if you take a calcium supplement, you shouldn't take it within four hours of taking your thyroid meds.
Posted: Aug 11, 08 5:12am
Hi, Robin - I'm one of your friends, sent message some time ago - want to know about interpreting my thyroid lab tests - I've had TSH, T3, T4, Free T4 and antibodies- my doc says I'm "normal" as far as TSH as that's all he goes by - the psychiatrist who ordered the other tests also says "I'm perfectly normal"; but why do I still have almost all of the symptoms - do you know how I can get the other tests interpreted - I can give you the values if you want them - thanks!!
Posted: Aug 11, 08 5:50am
Robin, I am one of the lucky people who doesn't but thanks for posting this list. Many who may be suffering the symptoms and don't know the cause could be beneficiaries of your wisdom.
Perhaps you might want to consider starting a group that looks at symptoms of a variety of common and hidden disorders and possible diagnoses? It could get a few people to go to a doctor instead of asking their friends.
I participate in the depression group even though I am not depressed (though I am sometimes depressing) because of my expertise in diagnosing and the treatment of the emotional component of the disorder. If I can believe the feedback, it seems to have helped a number of people who thought they could "behave" their way out of clinical depression or worse yet, gain relief through herbal remedies. Even St John didn't benefit from his warts!
Just my 'pinion.