Re: old age and treatment

[Guest guest]

Your

Mum would first need to have a thyroid function test to see if her results are

outside the reference interval. Would she consider going for a 'general' blood

test and testing these so she wouldn't worry that they were trying to find

something else wrong with her. Can you have a word with her GP. If she is hypothyroid,

and not being treated, it is possible untreated hypothyroidism can cause heart

problems.

Luv -

Sheila

Hi

I have been wondering about the health of my mother, who is 82, and would like

some

advice about whether to mention the hypothyroid thing or to just keep quiet.

The thing is

she looks to me like she probably has got it, but she also has heart failure

and lots and lots of

other things, like arthritis and is in a wheelchair.

_

[Guest guest]

Hello,

My father started on thyroid meds at the age of 79. He has congestive

heart failure and diabetes. I would think one would do more harm by

not addressing a thryoid issue because the thyroid is very important

where the heart is concerned. Same for cholesterol.

Venizia

>

> Hi

>

>

>

> I would like to know if it is wise to start any treatment at such a

great age or if it will do more

> harm than good considering her heart is bad already. She has had

bad reactions to blood

> pressure medicine (ended up in hospital for a week after passing

out) and may not be

> interested to look into it anyway, but I feel I should say something

if it might help her to feel

> better. I don't want to upset her by bringing up the subject only

to have the doctor refuse

> treatment anyway, and I certainly don't want to take on any

responsibility myself for fear it

> may go wrong.

>

> Has anybody any experience of this problem, and what did you decide

to do?

>

[Guest guest]

Hi - yes I have with my Mother - she also has heart failure and many

other issues all due I know to a low thyroid condition all her life.

She is now 88 - however her health did improve when at 80 she was

diagnosed with low thyroid - she was given 25 mcg and the difference

was so noticeable - her breathing was relieved and chest infections

got fewer - more energy and even the loss of her excess pounds she had

put on over the years. However.................even though I can see

so many issues manifesting themselves once again on a daily basis that

I know are to do with her medication being too low - on research I

have undertaken - I believe it would be too dangerous to give her more

medication because the heart and vascular system would be too weak now

to take the extra strain that speeding up the metabolism would cause.

I find it so distressing that my poor Mother has spent most of her

life having naps throughout the day to keep going - never fully

enjoying life because she was always so tired and ill - now with heart

failure and the subsequent chest infections etc. etc. - yes she is

still going at 88 but until she took that 25 mcg of thyroxine she did

not know what it was like to feel normal. It is for patients like her

and so many others out there that I continue to fight on with this cause.

God bless them all and the medical profession should hang their heads

in shame.

regards

M

[Guest guest]

It is for patients like her

and so many others out there that I continue to fight on with this cause.

God bless them all and the medical profession should hang their heads

in shame.

I couldn't agree with you more. When I look back at how my poor mum suffered until she could fight no more at 82, the signs were there but the professionals ignored them. Take care and I hope you get the advice and help you need-linda