Thyroid

[Happytobedivorced]

That’s actually overactive! Unless I’m mistaken? What type of symptoms have you got?

Sorry, I mistyped and realised that was overactive! My mistake.
Mainly hot all the time, palpitations, fatigue, feeling really agitated etc. O also feel hungry all the time but have lost weight rapidly at a couple
Of points this past year. I looked at my notes on the app and 18 months ago it was 0.36 (normal is 0.35) and in Jan and June 0.32
Thanks for replying. This is new and a bit scary

 

[ChampagneBox]

Hiya, I had a hemithyroidectomy in 2016. It probably will hurt a bit to move your neck, and you'll be a bit stiff, so some button up style tops could be useful.

I'd also take something warm, so a dressing gown perhaps. I know hospitals are usually warm but I found I was quite cold at points during the night.

Other stuff would be mp3 player and a book. You may be waiting around a while both before and after the op.

Depending on which side you're having out, as daft as it might sound, I'd suggest one of those soft seatbelt things or a fleece to wrap around it because a seatbelt resting against your incision (even with a dressing on) isn't pleasant.

I'd also get some dry shampoo because you can't get the incision wet for a while. I vaguely remember wrapping my neck in clingfilm, leaning very uncomfortably over the bath so someone could wash my hair. Amusing but not fun!

I had some voice issues afterwards so be prepared that things could be a bit different with your voice. It gets better though!

Happy to help with anything else you might want to know although of course your experience could be totally different to mine and I hope nothing I've said worries you.

That’s all really helpful, thanks! If you don’t mind me asking, Did you have stitches or staples?

 

[knivesnflowers]

Annoyingly, all she said was they’re normal. I didn’t get a chance to ask..

is this something I should find out?

mine are available under medical record / test results on the patient access app if that's something you have or can download? like others have said 'borderline normal' isn't normal at all imo!

 

[wibblywobblywoo]

Hello, newly diagnosed hypothyroid here, apparently! Dr said it's apparently very under-active, I had no idea don't seem to have any symptoms they expected me to have, I feel great in myself, not bothered by the cold if anything I'm quite a warm person, my hair and skin are fine, no problems with my period etc don't get it but meh, maybe I just haven't noticed and I'll feel like Spiderman once the meds kick in

TSH was at 10 if that means anything to anyone

O.27-4.2 is the range so yours is high.

 

[Bidscavan]

First time poster-

does anyone suffer with any heart complications or symptoms as a result of their thyroid?

Yep me. I'm on beta blockers and also ace inhibitor and a blood thinner. Also have afib heartbeat but whether that was caused by been hyper I don't know. Am more hypo now than hyper . Think in the last five years I've been on an even keel once with thyroid.

 

[Vidyagaymes]

Anyone Else With and under active thyroid heard about using selenium to supplement the levothyroxine? I lost so much hair and heard this can also help with that part of things…

 

[monga]

Exactly this, I was at work when I had my first panic attack, I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. I’d dismissed previous edginess as work stress because the symptoms creep up on you. Also a real intolerance to heat, I went on a lovely holiday in the sun and just felt I couldn’t breathe.

It’s awful and so frightening everytime you experience it x

 

[Beth1980]

Yes I struggle to get warm the only time I do is when the UK has a heat wave then I get heat intolerance. In winter I wear 2 layers of socks (one thick walking ones), a vest top, long sleeveed top and a thick jumper or fleece and I can be sat dressed like that with a hot water bottle, thick cover and fingerless gloves on and still freezing.

 

[aggytha]

It may settle down, most autoimmune disorders do during pregnancy ,if not they may offer medication under endo care and carefully monitored as some can cause liver problems in the mum, your bloods will be checked frequently.

Thanks for your reply. My OB has contacted Endocrinology to ask whether to repeat the bloods, medicate or do nothing. So I am awaiting that answer!

I also realised he tested my TSH and it is suppressed <0.01 which I believe may indicate Graves?

 

[TwooTwooTwitTwitTwoo]

I had postpartum thyroiditis that eventually settled.

Last few months ive been shattered/run down/mega stressed and my hair started falling out. More bloods done, vitamin D very low, b12 borderline low and iron borderline low. But also 'strange' thyroid levels. Showing its overactive (never lose weight tho! Lol). I need another blood test.

Ive had the palpitations etc. I had some very scary 'turns' recently. I googled and it sounded exactly like a focal seizure, i diagnosed myself as dying but seems it could be the thyroid!?

Yep the stuff your experiencing now does sound thyroidy.

Mine went spectacularly wonky after my pregnancies. I lost so much hair at the front and although it has come back it's still quite thin in those areas.

I can also remember feeling so exhausted that I could just lie on the floor but that I'd sink right through it, as if I had no resistance. That probably sounds really odd. It was odd!

I had awful palpitations and dripped with sweat constantly. I also developed weakness in my arms and legs. Bloody awful time.

Mine settled after I had half removed but now the remaining half is a major problem. I've started losing weight again. I was due to see the Endo last month but they cancelled the appointment and haven't had a new date. I just want the rest removed at this point. It's absolutely huge.

I really hope they get you sorted quickly.

 

[mcfeez]

They only refer you if you're hyper as there's more indepth investigations take place my mums had it for years and has never once been referred to endo .

I do think hyperthyroidism seems more complex - it can affect your eyes and stuff too can't it? I think it was my mums optician who originally suspected thats what she had. It also seems harder to control - hers has gone underactive a couple of times due to the meds.

 

[DownBelow21]

Have any of you guys had myxedema?
I’m hypothyroid been about two years or so now, the pst few weeks my legs and feet have been swelling at first I thought ah it’s the heatwave it’ll pass but it’s got progressively worse. It’s not pitting. I know I need to see the doc shaepish fighting at 8am for an appointment isn’t an art I’ve conquered yet.

I've noticed slight swelling in my ankles but nothing really bad! Getting through to the doctors is ridiculous isn't it. The other day I was number 33 in the queue at 8am! Mental.




Has anyone struggled to lose weight/put weight on thyroid related?

 

[Happytobedivorced]

Yeah definitely running a bit high, classic symptoms. Your GP should’ve already referred you to hospital it’s the endo clinic deals with that.you’ll just get regular appointments with blood work they’ll start you on meds to regulate it they usually do diagnostics like an ultrasound and MRI to see what’s going on with the thyroid itself and give them more info on what treatment to offer. You’ll feel a lot better once you start on meds.

Thank you so much, that’s really helpful. I’ve felt dreadful tbh for months now and the fatigue is debilitating. I’ll speak to my GP after the next tests and be more ‘assertive’

 

[shadowcat5]

I had considerable shortness of breath with an overactive (hyper) thyroid. It can also be an symptom of an enlarged thyroid (goiter). Not sure about underactive (hypo) though, sorry.

thank you. I am really struggling. My salbutamol inhaler is not working at all. I’m tempted to phone 111 but I’m not sure what they’ll do

 

[Milliemoo99]

I have hypothyroidism.....and I am coeliac and I have had both of these for years, I take levothyroxine daily.

The hypothyroidism /coeliac disease may be connected? There is a lot of anecdotal evidence...but this is one of my biggest issues around these conditions...so little is actually known or researched properly that it is hard to be confident what is and what isnt connected!

My current issues, even though I am on what the doctor says is the correct dose of levothyroxine....is that I am still tired....and have nothing in reserve for days when I am extra busy, So if I have a busy day....it can take a week to recover properly, and stop the feeling of sheer exhaustion! so I have to plan my life around working part time and getting enough sleep and rest! And i find it ridiculously difficult to lose weight, and I suffer from low mood...especially at the moment!

I also think my coeliac disease was undiagnosed for years...........despite years of being told whilst pregnant etc that my iron levels were way too low... and a history of irritable bowel symptoms from my teens! .my teeth are also awful maybe a family history of low calcium levels hasnt helped with this!

The trouble is most of these are symptoms that could be such a wide variety of different causes..........I just wish there was better knowledge and research into how they all link, and whether they could be better balanced, with more comprehensive blood tests?

And being coeliac......food intolerances do link massively into things, but there is also a lot of rubbish written as well!!
For me, and for a lot of coeliacs, wheat proteins interferes with the absorbtion of vital minerals into my gut and then into my blood stream, things like iron, and probably things like B vitamins....so my lifetime borderline anemia.....kinda fits.... and anemia in its turn also explains tiredness.......but....has never been acknowledged or treated by my doctor!

 

[monga]

Hi everyone, bit of a long winded message but hope I can get advice. I have had underactive thyroid since 2012, always been between 50mg-75mg for my thyroxine. Since December I have dropped from 56kg to 49.5kg , my bloods were taking in January and shown I needed to up my medication from 75mg to 100mg, anyway I'll be complety transparent here as I feel I can't be to family, but I'm scared of taking my tablets incase I gain weight, is this what will happen, I have never always taken my tablets religiously - silly I know but I hate taking tablets and I always forget....since getting the results back I found if my readings required me to " up" my dosage , then why am I losing weight as opposed to gaining which is a symptom of underactive... I've always struggled with weight and become fixated on it and to not gain and lose, even though my BMI is now underweight. I have now found my throat has the " lump" and I struggle to swallow or feels like my throat is closing up which has been on and off for years with the swallowing but the lump is new, I went to the GP and I am being referred for an US, so I'm waiting for that, in the mean time can anyone advise if I was to take my Thyroxine would that bring my weight down or make me put it on... sorry for the post and please no judgement over I'm being silly for not taking it but I do struggle with body image. Thank you xx

If they’re looking to up your thyroxine it means your thyroid levels are too low so it should be that you’re gaining weight, if you’re losing weight and they’ve upped your dose it will mean you’ll drop even more weight , but it’s still important to keep levels as near normal as possible for other functions besides weight.Hopefully you’ll get your scan soon and they’ll be able to advise you better.

 

[GetOffMyLawn]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism just over a year ago. Symptoms were pretty much as others but weight gain is the hardest for me. Also going through menopause so it’s a double blow. I’m currently prescribed 100mcg of levothyroxin but this will be increased Wednesday after a blood test last week (apparently I’m still low, alongside being anaemic)!

 

[monga]

Thanks should I be telling someone given I’ve just had an operation?

I’d contact your GP and enquire .I don’t think it would make much difference tbh but saying you’ve just had surgery it may affect the healing slightly x

 

[Bidscavan]

Thank you so much. That's not too dissimilar to what I'm dealing with although without the liver issue (that I'm aware of anyway, bloods were all ok). Ended up at A and E with a high resting heart rate, palpitations and chest pain. I can't take betablockers so they've given me a short course of Verapamil to trial. I've got my echo next week then a 7 day Holter at some point to either rule in or out AFib. SVT was mentioned but then I googled and discovered that there were loads of things that come under that umbrella term so Dr Google is leaving me none the wiser. I have watched and read a selection interesting sources of interpretation of ECG's along the way though .

I don't even notice the Afib to be honest except tiredness wise as I say and of course the tabs . If anything the thyroid gives me more probs with weight gain etc. Im in outpatients every six months and get ECG. Always fun to see the poor nurses faces when they look at what's coming out of machine oh Dr Google is my enemy

 

[monga]

I'm having thyroid completion surgery in a few days can anyone share their experiences of starting medication or what to expect in the first few weeks please?

I had the first half out nearly a decade ago which was straightforward and I didn't need any medication because I still had the other half.

How long does it take to titrate doses and stabilise your levels? Did your consultant listen to you if you said you felt unwell or was it just a case of you're in range so off you go?

I'm really worried that my body is used to running with borderline over activity and that I'll suddenly feel really unwell when that changes.

Do I need to warn my employer it could difficult or will I be ok? How quickly will I feel unwell if that's going to happen? Is it days or weeks?

I think I'm quite anxious. My thyroid has made me quite unwell in the past and although I'm glad the stupid big thing will be removed, I still have concerns about the future and my ability to function.

I haven’t had surgery but I’ve been on block and replace therapy it wasn’t pleasant having having no thyroid hormones, it takes about 6 weeks for medication to build up according to my consultant…Good luck for your surgery x