Re: memory problems -has anyone been tested? what if it is just all thyroid related?

[Guest guest]

> Sheila, from what you have previously written to me on this forum, I > know that you relate to how thyroid problems can cause problems with > memory. I was wondering whether you or whether others on this forum > (hello to you all out there!) have ever been referred to a 'memory > specialist' to look at memory problems. The reason I ask is because > I've been referred to a 'memory consultant' (I think he is a > geriatrician who specialises in dementia etc, but the doc didn't > really say so I feel a bit in the dark). I'm in my 40's, but I've > been told that it is quite normal to be referred to a geriatrician > to have a diagnosis given re memory, regardless of age.

To be quite blunt (and I am entitled 'cos I is Yorkshire) you don't need to see a geriatrician because you have memory problems. I would bet my bottom teeth on it that you have memory problems and probably short term memory because you are not getting sufficient T3.> > The background to this is as follows...... My usual GP always lets > me tape our sessions because otherwise I forget a lot of what is > discussed. The doc that I've seen 3 times isn't keen on being > taped, but is happy for me to write notes but unfortunately my notes > are usually half written and most of it makes no sense when I re-> read them. Well, to cut a long story short... I went and saw her > and then forgot just about everything that she told me so I was > lucky enough to see her again the next week (was offered an appt > that someone else cancelled). I took my partner with me this time > (the interesting thing was that even he said it was a bit difficult > to follow and he couldn't remember it all!!!) The 'new' doc seemed > a bit shocked that I couldn't hardly remember anything from the > previous appt the week before and immediately suggested that I go to > see someone to have my memory assessed. I told her that I knew that > thyroid problems can cause hassles with memory, but she seemed to > think that thyroid stuff could cause a bit of 'foggy thinking' or > that someone might forget a name here and there but that my memory > problems were beyond the 'normal' thyroid memory problems. The one > thing that makes me doubt her words is the info that you gave me > Sheila, where you said that you had A LOT of troubles with your > memory and the problems lessened? / went away? once you had found > the thyroid hormone replacement levels that suited you.

I can relate 500% to your problem and what your doctor thinks. I look back now and it really frightens me remembering (yes, i can now remember) just how bad I was at that particular time. Does anybody know what it's like to be driving somewhere, and suddenly, you have no idea what you are doing sat in the car never mind where you are supposed to be going. I have actually pulled up in a road to try to get my mind together - it is quite terrifying. I used to come back home and not remember where I had just been. I could write a book about that part of my life - and this was while taking levothyroxine only.

It was a hormone specialist who found I wasn't converting the T4 into the active hormone T3. It is the T3 that HAS to get through your brain barrier (and some T4) to make it function. He put me on Armour Thyroid, and my brain was the FIRST thing to come back to me. It is one of the most wonderful things that ever happened because I was becoming very frightened that I would suffer Altzheimers.> > Now I'm scared that I may be misdiagnosed as having dementia, or > worse still that I won't be misdiagnosed at all and I am actually > starting to have dementia, even though I'm only in my early 40's

If you are not going to be given combinaiton therapy (or better still Armour) then if this was me personally, and knowing what I know now and what I went through, I would fight tooth and nail to get a trial BEFORE visiting a geriatrician to see if you have a problem with your memory or not. It makes sense to me.> > I feel worried and overwhelmed about having to have my memory > tested, even though it is probably a good thing to have done. Has > anyone else out there had to go and see someone about their memory? > If so, would you mind sharing?

This was never even suggested to me, even though my GP was aware of how badly I was complaining about my lack of a brain. I think you really need combination therapy and if your memory problems are still there, then take further action.> > Any info about anything related to this, no matter how big or small > would be SO greatly appreciated.

Have a look at the following Pen: http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/thyroid/overview.php

Effects of Thyroid Hormone (TH) Imbalance: Hypothyroidism

Some of the most profound effects of TH imbalance are in the mental arena. Hypothyroid people sleep easily and do not get full refreshment from their sleep. During waking hours, they experience fatigue, apathy, and "brain fog" (short-term memory problems and attention deficits). These problems may affect their daily functioning and cause increased stress and depression.

TH acts as a neurotransmitter. TH imbalance can mimic psychiatric disease because T3 influences levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter integral to moods and behavior. Low levels of T3 can cause depression. Some anti-depressants make hypothyroid patients feel even worse because the medications depress T3 levels. Paradoxically, some substances labelled depressants such as alcohol or opiates can increase T3 levels by impairing the breakdown of T3 in the brain, thus lifting mood. This may be one reason why these substances are so addictive.

Severe hypothyroidism can cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease: memory loss, confusion, slowness, paranoid depression, and in extreme stages, hallucinations. Thyroid disease is one of the many treatable diseases that must be ruled out before arriving at the diagnosis of Alzheimer's, which is incurable and cannot be definitely diagnosed until after death. Risk of hypothyroidism increases with age; by age 60, 17% of women and 9% of men have symptoms of thyroid disease> > P>

[Guest guest]

HI SHEILA, YES, I WAS THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO GIVE MY

CURRENT T3 SUPPLEMENTATION (THAT I STARTED TO TAKE LATE LAST WEEK AT A

LOW DOSE) A GO BEFORE SEEING ANYONE ABOUT MY MEMORY, BECAUSE IF IT IS

RELATED TO THE THYROID, IT SHOULD IMPROVE WHEN THYROID LEVELS ARE OK

AND MY T3 AND REVERSE T3 LEVELS GET BACK TO WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. IF

THE T3 SUPPLEMENTATION DOESN'T IMPROVE MY MEMORY, THEN A VISIT IS

WARRANTED. I THINK I WAS JUST IN A BIT OF SHOCK ABOUT BEING REFERRED.

I'VE BEEN QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT THE REFERRAL TO THE 'MEMORY

CONSULTANT' (GERIATRICIAN) AND HAD A BAD GUT FEELING ABOUT IT.

I CAN'T USE T3 ON ITS OWN BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS, SO SHE HAS GIVEN ME

A BIO-IDENTICAL FORM OF T3 (I CHECKED AND IT IS DEFINITELY BIO-

IDENTICAL RATHER THAN SYNTHETIC) TO USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH MY

THYROXINE. SHE WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION (AFTER SPEAKING TO A

PHARMACIST) THAT THYROXINE IS BIO-IDENTICAL. I THOUGHT THAT THYROXINE

WAS SYNTHETIC.

DO YOU MIND IF I BRING UP A COUPLE OF YOUR EXPERIENCES (WITHOUT

MENTIONING ANY NAMES) TO MY DOCTOR, SO SHE REALISES THAT SOMEONE

ACTUALLY REGAINED THEIR MEMORY ONCE THEIR THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT

WAS SORTED OUT PROPERLY? I WOULD APPRECIATE THIS IF YOU DIDN'T MIND.

THIS MEMORY STUFF IS SO SCARY. I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT

IT FEELS LIKE (I'M NOT GLAD THAT YOU EXPERIENCED IT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT

I MEAN).

P

[Guest guest]

Hi Patersonia,

I have recently undergone 2 sets of cognitive function tests, not for

thyroid purposes but to investigate whether I had been left with long

term brain impairment following years of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Check out my post from a couple of days ago " I'm not brain damaged

after all " .

To cut a long story short, the first lot of tests were carried out a

week or so after I'd finally started on 50mcg of thyroxine. I felt

that I was functioning at maximum capacity that day and yet the

results indicated I had severe problems with memory function,

comprehension and speed of response. The cognitive psychologist was so

concerned that he called me back this week. In the meantime I have

gone up to taking 100mcg thyroxine (without the GP's approval) and,

presumably, the medication is now fully in my system.

I'd had a brain scan back in 2002/3 (when I mysteriously suddenly went

deaf in my left ear. I'm still deaf, no cause was ever found) and the

psychologist got a brain expert to examine those scan records to see

if there was any physical damage to my brain which could have caused

the bad results. There was no damage, so they were all puzzled why my

cognitive function tests appeared to hint otherwise.

Anyway, the latest tests indicated that my brain was functioning much

more efficiently. My memory capability is now above average whereas

the previous tests were indicative of someone with early brain

damage/alzheimery type stuff. Also my reponse time has doubled and my

alertness has measurably improved. It is scary to realise how slow I

must have seemed last time while my own perception was that I was on

the ball - that could go a long way to explain why I've still not got

a job in spite of thinking that all the interviews went well {

The psychiatrist, psychologist and toxicologist noted that my brain

impairment had mostly reversed between the 2 tests. Also the scale of

the improvement was too major to be a mere fluke or a glitch in the

test. As this corresponds precisely with the period that I have been

taking thyroid medication, it screams out that all my brain and memory

issues were simply due to lack of thyroid treatment all these years.

From experience I can say that yes, thyroid problems do cause major

problems with memory. The entire thought process slows down and, by

the time you get to the end of something you were thinking about you

can well have forgotten what you were thinking about in the first

place! That is why I cannot do mental arithmetic any more. In my case,

treatment is reversing the malfunction and I'm getting my mental

agility back. However, I feel I am probably still not on the correct

dose as I still have many other symptoms plus some new ones, possibly

caused by side-effects to the fillers.

I don't know what sort of tests an actual memory specialist would get

you to do. They probably would be similar to the ones I did. I went 10

years undiagnosed and untreated and yet my declining brain has started

to work properly again within 3 months on a lower than optimum dose. I

don't know if this will begin to fail at some stage. If you are on

optimum medication and are still getting memory problems, I don't know

what that indicates. Hopefully your memory specialist will be clued in

about thyroid function and how it affects the brain.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Tracey

>

> Hi Sheila and all, (shocking grammar - sorry about that)

>

> Sheila, from what you have previously written to me on this forum, I

> know that you relate to how thyroid problems can cause problems with

> memory. I was wondering whether you or whether others on this forum

> (hello to you all out there!) have ever been referred to a 'memory

> specialist' to look at memory problems.

[Guest guest]

Hi Patersonia,

You posted this while I was typing out my original reply. You are

welcome to quote my experiences. I am absolutely certain that my brain

improvement is as a result of the thyroid medication. It was such a

huge measurable change in such a short period of time for starters!

I've gone from early dementia function back up to university graduate

function again!

Tracey

DO YOU MIND IF I BRING UP A COUPLE OF YOUR EXPERIENCES (WITHOUT

MENTIONING ANY NAMES) TO MY DOCTOR, SO SHE REALISES THAT SOMEONE

ACTUALLY REGAINED THEIR MEMORY ONCE THEIR THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT

WAS SORTED OUT PROPERLY? I WOULD APPRECIATE THIS IF YOU DIDN'T MIND.

[Guest guest]

> THIS MEMORY STUFF IS SO SCARY. I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU UNDERSTAND

WHAT

> IT FEELS LIKE (I'M NOT GLAD THAT YOU EXPERIENCED IT, BUT YOU KNOW

WHAT

> I MEAN).

Hi P

You're so right about the memory stuff being scary. It plays on my

mind too. My mum had Alzheimers and it's inevitable that on bad days

I wonder if I'm going the same way. It sounds quite melodramatic to

say that and I do reason with myself that once I get myself sorted

it'll all be ok but there's always that little nagging doubt.

And with me the memory thing is definitely getting worse. When I

tried T3 the first time I had such hopes that it would kickstart my

brain but I couldn't tolerate it. I'm working on my adrenals and am

going to try it again in the near future all being well. I have

heard such good things about its effects on the brain.

I trust it works well for you P and you have a dramatic improvement

and don't need that memory test. Meanwhile take heart from Sheila's

story and just think that soon that will be your story too. Hope is

a great thing. Hold onto it.

x

[Guest guest]

Tracey,

Thanks for allowing me to quote your experiences. I think that it

will help.

P

>

.............You are welcome to quote my experiences. I am absolutely

certain that my brain improvement is as a result of the thyroid

medication. It was such a huge measurable change in such a short

period of time for starters! I've gone from early dementia function

back up to university graduate function again!

Tracey

[Guest guest]

Tracey,

what was the length of time between having the two lots of testing

done? (terrible sentence but i've tried to write it 3 times and it

still isn't right, so this will have to do). It is really

interesting to note the difference between the first result and the

second result. It is pretty scary that the first tests that you had

were indicative of someone with early brain damage/alzheimers and

great that the second lot of testing came out just fine. What

concerns me is that I might get a diagnosis of dementia when it

might be all related to the thyroid. I have to go and see a

toxicologist in about two months(long waiting time) and forgot to

mention in my previous message (as i forget just about everything)

that from birth until my late teens I lived near a factory that

spewed out toxic fumes.

You mentioned that you cannot do mental arithmetic anymore. Neither

can I. I get so confused. Today my ex-boss asked me how long I had

worked at a particular place and I couldn't work it out. I just

sent her the various dates so that she could work it out for me.

How embarrassing. Lucky that we know eachother well and that she

knows this isn't the usual 'me'.

I'm not on an optimum dose of thyroid replacement hormones yet, but

am hoping the addition of T3 will help things along. Thyroxine on

its own hasn't helped me very much at all. I still have low T3 and

high Reverse T3 levels so I hope that the addition of T3 will help

my brain to work again.

I still feel like I want to give it a bit longer before I go and see

anyone about my memory, just to give the altered medication regime,

including T3, a good chance to work. If it doesn't work, then I

think it is time to go down that track and get an assessment.

I've decided that I might change my appointment to a later date to

give the medication a chance to work. Perhaps I'm clinging to a

false hope, but I really hope that my cognitive function improves

soon.

You wrote:

Hopefully your memory specialist will be clued in about thyroid

function and how it affects the brain.

Gee, I hope they are clued in Tracey. Will be pointless going to

them otherwise. Guess I just have to judge the specialist's

knowledge and if it seems like they are clueless, I'll seek the

services of a different specialist.

Thanks very much for posting your message Tracey. It is very

helpful to read your message and read other people's point of view

and then be able to come to my own decisions about my own health

care. I sort of felt 'trapped' into going to my appointment, but I

just had to remember that I have choices regarding my health... and

choices about when I attend appointments.

P

[Guest guest]

Hi P,

What we call hypo brain fog affects each of us in slightly different

ways, but mine was typical dementia- CRAFT- can't remember a flippin' thing!

Would walk into a room at home- why am I here? What did I want? Couldn't

remember to pay bills, couldn't remember what someone had said to me, would

ask the same questions repeatedly not knowing I had done it yesterday. I'm

no memory (wo)man now, but I can function and remember appointments without

continually checking the calendar and clock. Lack of T3 starves the brain.

Have a look and see if Dr, Lowe has something to say- he's a T3 expert

http://www/drlowe.com

Subject: memory problems -has anyone been tested?

what if it is just all thyroid related?

The one

thing that makes me doubt her words is the info that you gave me

Sheila, where you said that you had A LOT of troubles with your

memory and the problems lessened? / went away? once you had found

the thyroid hormone replacement levels that suited you.

Now I'm scared that I may be misdiagnosed as having dementia, or

worse still that I won't be misdiagnosed at all and I am actually

starting to have dementia, even though I'm only in my early 40's.

P

------------------------------------

Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always

consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing

medication.

[Guest guest]

Hi P,

Welcome to use what I said.

Subject: Re: memory problems -has anyone been

tested? what if it is just all thyroid related?

DO YOU MIND IF I BRING UP A COUPLE OF YOUR EXPERIENCES (WITHOUT

MENTIONING ANY NAMES) TO MY DOCTOR, SO SHE REALISES THAT SOMEONE

ACTUALLY REGAINED THEIR MEMORY ONCE THEIR THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT

WAS SORTED OUT PROPERLY? I WOULD APPRECIATE THIS IF YOU DIDN'T MIND.

THIS MEMORY STUFF IS SO SCARY. I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT

IT FEELS LIKE (I'M NOT GLAD THAT YOU EXPERIENCED IT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT

I MEAN).

P

------------------------------------

Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always

consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing

medication.

[Guest guest]

, I relate to everything that you have written. I find it

especially frustrating because I used to successfully do work that

required high level organisational skills. ha ha. what a joke. i

simply couldn't do my 'old' job now. I have done everything that you

wrote in your message. I'm not at the stage where I can exist without

my diary, but good on you for being able to. Thanks for the website

link.

P

What we call hypo brain fog affects each of us in slightly different

> ways, but mine was typical dementia- CRAFT- can't remember a

flippin' thing!Would walk into a room at home- why am I here? What did

I want? Couldn'tremember to pay bills, couldn't remember what someone

had said to me, would ask the same questions repeatedly not knowing I

had done it yesterday.

[Guest guest]

Thanks very much . (o:

Hi P, Welcome to use what I said.

[Guest guest]

Hi P - yes, of course you can use whatever I have written. I am glad you

are giving the T3 a chancve first. What is your bio-identical T3 called

and is this manufacturered by dales. Where about did you get the

prescription filled.

Thyroxine is a natural hormone produced by the thyroid gland, it has to

convert to the active T3 to make everything (including your brain)

function as it should. synthetic thyroxine is called Levothyroxine and

synthetic T3 is called Lyothyronine. You get ALL the natural hormones in

Armour - nothing synthetic whatsoever, so you really would do well on

Armour. The only additions to Armour are the fillers.

Luv - Sheila

> DO YOU MIND IF I BRING UP A COUPLE OF YOUR EXPERIENCES (WITHOUT

> MENTIONING ANY NAMES) TO MY DOCTOR, SO SHE REALISES THAT SOMEONE

> ACTUALLY REGAINED THEIR MEMORY ONCE THEIR THYROID HORMONE REPLACEMENT

> WAS SORTED OUT PROPERLY? I WOULD APPRECIATE THIS IF YOU DIDN'T MIND.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila,

Thanks for saying that I can refer to the things that you have

written about your memory. I appreciate it.

Yes, I will give the T3 a chance. I've decided that I will my appt

to a much later date, and if the T3 helps, that is great. If the

memory problems persist I'll keep the appt. I think that is the

best way to go.

I am one of your 'off shore' members. I'm actually one of

your 'other hemisphere' members and I live in Australia. My T3

doesn't have a brand name as such. It is made up by a compounding

pharmacy. The compounding pharmacist has told me the origin of the

T3 but I can't remember (funny about that?!?!?) I get a lot of my

stuff made up in a compounding pharmacy over here as things can be

custom made to order. I also get my DHEA, progesterone and

melatonin from the compounding pharmacy. The pharmacy is very

busy. Over here, melatonin is available from the doctor on

prescription. Funny how things are different in different

countries.

P

[Guest guest]

If it's any help I lost the plot completely, to the point where I just

couldn't do my job properly, forgot the names of lifelong friends,

couldn't find " words " , forgot what I was trying to say, had to write

everything down and basically lived in a fog! Problem was, I felt so

grotty and wiped out I think I stopped caring.

Since starting the Armour and the NAE things are definitely improving

and my confidence is definitely coming back.

I'd agree it would be worth considering a trial...

Good luck, whatever you do.

Pen x

[Guest guest]

Dear Pen, Thanks for letting me know what happened to you re your

memory. I relate to everything you have written, except for

forgetting the names of lifelong friends. I can still do that, thank

goodness. It is really helpful for me to know what other people have

experienced, so thanks so much for responding to my message. I'm

finding that everyone's responses to my post are really valuable and

make me think that it might be possible to 'get my brain back'.

P

.............

If it's any help I lost the plot completely, to the point where I just

couldn't do my job properly, forgot the names of lifelong friends,

couldn't find " words " , forgot what I was trying to say, had to write

everything down and basically lived in a fog!.....Since starting the

Armour and the NAE things are definitely improving and my confidence

is definitely coming back.

[Guest guest]

Here is the timetable of events in context:

Feb 1998 to March 2008 - classic underactive thyroid symptoms, TSHs

all between 3.8 to 7.8, constant GP visits BUT no diagnosis.

Starting ometime after 1997, ending May 2006 - faulty boiler flue

leaking Carbon Monoxide. This was subsequently blamed for all my

thyroid symptoms, which are extremely similar to CO poisoning.

Physical and mental improvement from June 2006 but symptoms returned

with a vengeance August 2006, so back to pestering the GP again.

11/1/2008 - TSH=6.18 Ferritin=52

2/3/2008 - 25 mcg thyroxine started

8/3/2008 - 50 mcg thyroxine started

18/3/2008 - 1st Cognitive function test

11/4/2008 - TSH=4.88 Ferritin=187 (really!!)

15/5/2008 - 75 mcg thyroxine started

23/05/2008 - 100 mcg thyroxine started

10/6/2008 - 2nd Cognitive function test

Hope that helps.

Tracey

>

> Tracey,

> what was the length of time between having the two lots of testing

> done?

[Guest guest]

Hi Tracey, Thanks for listing all the dates and doses etc. Gee....so

there was a vast improvement within the 3 month period between tests.

That is great. It isn't good that you were exposed to Carbon monoxide

for all those years.

P

[Guest guest]

Hi Tracey,

That ferritin whizzng up again indicates that carbon monoxide may

have had a role in suppressing your ferritin.

It would not be surprising since carbon monoxide is actually released

when haemoglobin is chopped up and it also causes a reaction with the

hameoglobin (CARBOXY-HAEMOGLOBIN) that I suspect is part of a control

mechanism to stop too much hameoglobin being chopped up.

Smokers will suffer from a similar reaction and, likewise, it (CO)

does affect thyroid function in smokers too.

I'll have to see if I can find the reports on CO effects in thyroid

function.

It'd be very surprising if your example shows that low ferritin is

induced by carbon monoxide and it's that which causes the lowered

thyroid function (as has been observed on this and other forums for

quite sometime, wrt to low ferritin).

Leaking boilers may indeed be having a far more serious effect than

has been publicly admitted.

best wishes

Bob

>

> Here is the timetable of events in context:

>

> Feb 1998 to March 2008 - classic underactive thyroid symptoms, TSHs

> all between 3.8 to 7.8, constant GP visits BUT no diagnosis.

>

> Starting ometime after 1997, ending May 2006 - faulty boiler flue

> leaking Carbon Monoxide. This was subsequently blamed for all my

> thyroid symptoms, which are extremely similar to CO poisoning.

>

> Physical and mental improvement from June 2006 but symptoms

returned

> with a vengeance August 2006, so back to pestering the GP again.

>

> 11/1/2008 - TSH=6.18 Ferritin=52

> 2/3/2008 - 25 mcg thyroxine started

> 8/3/2008 - 50 mcg thyroxine started

> 18/3/2008 - 1st Cognitive function test

> 11/4/2008 - TSH=4.88 Ferritin=187 (really!!)

> 15/5/2008 - 75 mcg thyroxine started

> 23/05/2008 - 100 mcg thyroxine started

> 10/6/2008 - 2nd Cognitive function test

>

> Hope that helps.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tracey

J Clin Endocrin Metab. First published ahead of print October 31, 2006

as doi:10.1210/jc.2006-0762

http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-0762

this report shows what 23ppm carbon monoxide does ?

Bob

>

> Here is the timetable of events in context:

>

> Feb 1998 to March 2008 - classic underactive thyroid symptoms, TSHs

> all between 3.8 to 7.8, constant GP visits BUT no diagnosis.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi P,

J Clin Endocrin Metab

First published ahead of print May 1, 2007

as doi:10.1210/jc.2007-0011

Conclusions: We found mild decrements in health status and mood in

L-T4 treated hypothyroid subjects when subclinical hypothyroidism was

induced in a blinded, randomized fashion. More importantly, there were

independent decrements in working memory, which suggests that

subclinical hypothyroidism specifically impacts brain areas

responsible for working memory.

Bob

>

> Hi Tracey, Thanks for listing all the dates and doses etc. Gee....so

> there was a vast improvement within the 3 month period between

tests.

> That is great. It isn't good that you were exposed to Carbon

monoxide

> for all those years.

> P

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Bob. Small sample size, but regardless of sample size the

memory of people worsened when their thyroid function wasn't 'normal'

> J Clin Endocrin Metab

First published ahead of print May 1, 2007

as doi:10.1210/jc.2007-0011

Conclusions: We found mild decrements in health status and mood in

L-T4 treated hypothyroid subjects when subclinical hypothyroidism was

induced

[Guest guest]

I found yet another useful site which has interesting research and hypotheses on memory loss and cognitive function:= http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4870/MEDMemoryCognitive.htmlThinking of having some stickers/badges made with the following on to wear when I next see the endo or to shut up the idiots who tell me its all a 'normal part of the ageing process!! (hope the author excuses the plagiarism):="Effects of metabolic

and neurological disorders -Thyroid

dysfunction, anemia , and nutritional deficiencies, may also

contribute to loss of memory/cognitive function. Nutrient malabsorption

has a further negative impact on mental function. These problems

may go undetected in older people when symptoms are attributed

to "simply the aging process". Multiple sclerosis and

normal pressure hydrocephalus (increased fluid in the brain)

are also examples of two neurological conditions that affect

adversely mental function."RE the comment P made in previous posting about getting hormone levels checked - the following seems to back this up for both men and women.I think the endo checked mine - at least he definitely did testosterone as I saw that on one of the slips. His letter says all the tests were ' normal' but I cannot get hold of any info on what he tested or what the result are. Another letter needed I fear or if i actually go to see him I think I'll take along a friend with half a brain - he had a couple of his in the room (who he didn't introduce or ask me if I minded) so can't see why I shouldn't!!:-Hormonal changes -Only

recently, hormonal changes that accompany aging , have been clearly

identified. for example, a sudden drop in the hormones estradiol

and progesterone, for example, lead to menopause at about age

50 in women. In addition to symptoms such as hot flashes, decreased

bone density, & vaginal dryness, symptoms of altered mental

function such as mood swings, foggy thinking, and fatigue are

common. In men, testosterone levels decrease gradually over time,

leading to decreased muscle tissue & bone density, increased

abdominal fat & cholesterol, deteriorating heart function,

and psychological & sexual changes which can impact mental

function. In both sexes, the level of the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone

(DHEA-S) falls precipitously with age. Re: memory problems -has anyone been tested? what if it is just all thyroid related?Thanks Bob. Small sample size, but regardless of sample size the

memory of people worsened when their thyroid function wasn't 'normal'

> J Clin Endocrin Metab

First published ahead of print May 1, 2007

as doi:10.1210/ jc.2007-0011

Conclusions: We found mild decrements in health status and mood in

L-T4 treated hypothyroid subjects when subclinical hypothyroidism was

induced