Re: Good news Bad news : Sheila you can use this if you wish

[Guest guest]

Thanks Dawn - I had the diagnosis about 20 months ago after mentioning

numb hands and other 'vague' symptoms to my GP.

I'd had many of the 'signs' and symptoms for years but didn't do

anything about them, putting it down to age, lack of exercise,

menopause etc until my husband made me go to the GP because I kept

waking him up when trying to shake feeling back into my hands and arms.

GP put me on 75mcg thyroxine after initial blood tests showed low

thyroid funtion and the follow up showed thyroid antibodies. Thyroxine

didn't seem to do much for me and GP admitted that although it can be

a 'magic bullet' for some, others like me say they've not noticed any

improvement. Surely that in itself is cause for concern - why continue

prescribing something if its not making the patient FEEL any better!!.

I went back to GP showed him my swollen feet and hands and he put me

on water tablets. I started to lose some weight (around a stone)after

about 6 weeks but all the other symptoms remained (and still do)so he

referred me to an endo.

Since about last Christmas all the weight I lost (and more) has gone

back on and I'm the heaviest I've ever been in my life which is in

itself depressing and I believe is contributing to some of my health

issues.

Without boring everyone with the details I think I've had every blood

test, cardio and brain test going and all this has come up with is my

brain has shrunk (but apparently 'normally'. The endo just won't

listen to my lingering symptoms - prefering instead to try and give me

anti depressants or get a neurological diagnosis. GP admits he doesn't

know much about thyroid but after the fiasco with the endo is at least

prepared to accept I'm not making it up and has tried to get me an

appointment with a professor at Addenbrookes. Trouble is its now about

3 months since he started trying to arrange it and I'm no closer to

seeing anyone.

All in all its getting on for 3 years since I first had the numb hands

and I've still got them plus all the other 'signs' and symptoms and

they seem to be getting worse again.

Stress definitely makes the symptoms worse. If I'm put in a stressful

situation I find my cognitive functions,vocabulary and short term

memory virtually pack up completely! My boss asked me to take on a new

role in April which involves minuting a very busy and 'difficult'

customer meeting and turning stuff around for it over the intervening

week. After around 6 months he called me aside to say he'd noticed I

seemed 'unhappy'. I had to tearfully explain I was struggling to

remember stuff long enough to write/type it down!! He's tried to

change my role to get around this but work is always going to contain

stresses - you just swap one for another - he's now asked me to take

on 'Project Management'. The overall work situation is horrid at the

moment - won't bore you with all the details.

Its very difficult to get people to understand what is wrong with you

and that just because you have a diagnosis it doesn't necessarily mean

you feel any better!! I can hardly sit and explain it to everyone I

meet. If I had a broken leg or had gone blind for example it would be

imediately obvious - a brain which doesn't work properly isn't!!

Over the past few months new 'weird' symptoms have crept in which I

haven't even been to my GP about for fear he'll think I'm

hypochondriac not just hypo T!!! Intermittently I get a niggling pain

in my back/kidney region, nausea, feeling of needing the loo/pressure

all the time particularly when standing/walking, continuous ringing in

ears (tinnitus), nasal congestion, tiredness to the point of

exhaustion, plus all the previous hypo T stuff I mentioned.

So I guess its yet another phone call to the surgery to ask them to

'remind'(lol) GP to chase up the Addenbrooke's referral in the hope

they may listen where others have failed to. Work is a continual

struggle - I can hardly wear a sign which explains my problems. I'm

beginning to think the only solution is to try to find a job which is

more 'routine' or 'manual' which doesn't require use of a brain but

have yet to come up with one!!

> Oh that must have been so worrying for you hon. Glad it is all

> considered normal, now u know ur hypo, maybe you could get it treated.

> They are all hypo symptoms, we all get them I think, well I certainly

> do. They probably think I am senile too *wibble.

> Keep pushing ahead

>

> lotsa luv

> Dawnx

>

[Guest guest]

Well , you certainly do have the full kit n caboodle. With work

stresses on top.

Shiela as usual gave u great advice, if you are going to keep ticking

over you really need to do that whilst waiting for the professor gadgy

to contact you, who knows how long he will be eh? Sounds like a busy

place.

Hope you don't have stressed adrenals, as its not nice. Also hope you

get some relief soon hon. I forget everything, I think that is going

to be a while coming back, been like it for years.

God bless

Dawnx

[Guest guest]

Hi Dawn, while researching on NHS site to find autoimmune specialist. came across only one in London , did nor say which hospital he was working at, but it may be the only one that can help someone with autoimmune conditions. just a thought. angel.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Sheila has a list of docs and endos who have a more open mind to

the use of thyroid meds other than thyroxine only. Some are private and

would hopefully have a shorter waiting list- if you even got that far!

Thyroxine is not the answer for a sizeable majority of us though the right

treatment has have almost miraculous effects- Armour did it for me.

Stenning

Subject: Re: Good news Bad news : Sheila you can

use this if you wish

Thanks Dawn - I had the diagnosis about 20 months ago after mentioning

numb hands and other 'vague' symptoms to my GP. Thyroxine

didn't seem to do much for me and GP admitted that although it can be

a 'magic bullet' for some, others like me say they've not noticed any

improvement. Surely that in itself is cause for concern - why continue

prescribing something if its not making the patient FEEL any better!!.

I went back to GP showed him my swollen feet and hands and he put me

on water tablets. GP admits he doesn't

know much about thyroid but after the fiasco with the endo is at least

prepared to accept I'm not making it up and has tried to get me an

appointment with a professor at Addenbrookes. Trouble is its now about

3 months since he started trying to arrange it and I'm no closer to

seeing anyone.

> Oh that must have been so worrying for you hon. Glad it is all

> considered normal, now u know ur hypo, maybe you could get it treated.

> They are all hypo symptoms, we all get them I think, well I certainly

> do. They probably think I am senile too *wibble.

> Keep pushing ahead

>

> lotsa luv

> Dawnx

>

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

TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical

practitioner before changing medication.