Hyper thyroidism Anyone else?

[Dawai]

I'm coming up on the two year mark since Iodine-radiation treatment to kill my thyroid.

Going nearly cold and catatonic for a month, I started taking iron, zinc, vitamin E and Geritol.
I feel better, but can't sleep now.

Sleeping pills have quit working. They made me groggy and useless for the next day anyways.

I have a appointment with a specialist next month on the 10th. Still can't work or enjoy life.

Anyone else? I emailed someone else who is a regular on this board, but can't remember who it was..

[mochinist]

I was originally hyperthyroid, the Doctor gave me some medicine and it made me hypothyroid instead. So I have been on various doses of thyroxin for the past two years to try and keep my levels as close to normal as possible. To tell you the truth I prefered it when I was hypr, losing weight was easy then, now that I am hypo, I have to really watch my diet and exercise alot and still I have a little gut.

[oldmx]

David, my wife has hypo thyroidism. Made her super fatigued and depressed. It was tough for me to watch a very active person become like that. But now we had it figured out, she went and had 2/3 of it removed and put on meds. she starting to come back to the person I use to know. Get it diagnosised and get on the proper meds. it will make a huge difference in your life. Joe.

[Frank Ford]

Right - it' vital to keep on top of the thyroid meds. And, it can take a while to get the dosage stabilized. After my thyroidectomy (malignant tumor) I got the radioactive iodine, too. The lab tech lifted the cup out of a lead box with long tongs and handed it to me saying, "Here, drink this, it's perfectly safe."

It took a number of visits over the next year or so to straighten out my dosage, and I went through some high and low points along the way - you bet.

I've just passed the 35 year mark on thyroid meds, and I still get my level checked every year or so. . .

[operose]

my dad is either hyper/hypo.. and his identical twin brother is the other.

[Milacron of PM]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">David, my wife has hypo thyroidism. Made her super fatigued and depressed. It was tough for me to watch a very active person become like that. But now we had it figured out, she went and had 2/3 of it removed and put on meds.</font>

David said he has hyper thyroidism...which is the opposite of hypo thyroidism. Re the 2/3 removed aspect, I'm curious why anyone would have part of their tyroid removed when it's not producing *enough* hormone, as intuitively it would seem they need *more* thyroid gland, not less. Or was it that it was swollen...like a goiter situation, and needed to be reduced for cosmetic reasons ?

[Dawai]

Yeah, Hyper all my life. Going at breakneck speeds at every little thing. Broken 100+bones *since the ice Last friday it may be more.. Got a swollen ankle and knee..

I preferred the high energy level of Hyper instead of comatose hypo.

Always been a bundle of springy vibrating can't sit still muscle, now going downhill in a landslide. Not real happy with the doctors changes so far. BUT, I was hyper, run wide open then fall over out of fuel.

Vitamins helped more than anything in the past year. Still something missing.

[Al Messer]

David, my wife had to have her Thyroid Gland "Shot" with that radioactive bullet back in about 1988. She takes a regular dose of "Synthroid" and live a normal active life. Keep plugging away and it will all come together for you. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

[Your Old Dog]

David, there's a couple of good forums out there that I found helpful. Couple things to keep in mind.

Most doctors are afraid to overmedicate you on thyroid meds as they say it wears the body down faster. My doctor says that's way out of proportion and I believe him. He goosed my meds up until I started having trouble sleeping and then backed it down until my only issue was over-heating to easily. (I was able to snowblow a buffalo driveway in a t-shirt) We've since backed that down and I'm doing much better. You won't live long enough to have most doctors get your meds right. They all go for the figures that work for normal healthy people. Read on a forum from a woman who worked in a lab. She said most hypo-thyroid patients reported feeling better when their levels were slightly elevated from those of normal people.

You probably know the med is taken first thing in the morning when it is absorbed the best with water. Don't have any caffiene for 30 minutes or better. Avoid almonds as they work against the meds. Realize that this med doesn't work right away. It takes weeks before you see the result of a minor change in meds. That's why you instead of taking 100 mg of med every day you can break one in half and and take part of it with your regular dose every 3 days or so and feel a slight perk up after 2 weeks or so. My doctor told me to feel free to skip or take extra as I see fit and to keep track of it. Then I add up what I've taken for the week and he divides it by 7 for any script changes. It ain't a good time but when I see what some other folks are dealling with I'm grateful I have something that is half-way-dealable.

My sister had what was called thyroid storms and they had to remove hers. My sisters are all nurses and they were surprised the havoc it caused her. Usually, just before a hypo persons thyroid takes it's last gasp, there is a thyroid storm where it really kicks out the t's . I remember walking one night with the CD player and I felt like I could have gone on forever and not tired !!! When it finally gave out things got real sluggish. (SPEAKING OF SLUGGISH lol: If you ain't on fiber get on it post haste and know the joy of taking a normal dump Thyroid affects how you go to the bathroom. I take 1 heaping teaspoon of metamucil every evening at 7:30pm and sink a 3 footer every morning with no effort LOL (Does this board cover some crap or what !!)

good luck, feel free to email me anytime I can help. Not everything I got to say is for public consumption despite how this just read !

Ray.....

[This message has been edited by Your Old Dog (edited 12-17-2005).]

[Your Old Dog]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by D. Thomas:

David, my wife has hypo thyroidism. Made her super fatigued and depressed. It was tough for me to watch a very active person become like that. But now we had it figured out, she went and had 2/3 of it removed and put on meds.</font>

David said he has hyper thyroidism...which is the opposite of hypo thyroidism. Re the 2/3 removed aspect, I'm curious why anyone would have part of their tyroid removed when it's not producing *enough* hormone, as intuitively it would seem they need *more* thyroid gland, not less. Or was it that it was swollen...like a goiter situation, and needed to be reduced for cosmetic reasons ?

Either Graves of Hashimoto's desease. Occasionally for cancer of the thyroid.