Thought you'd like to hear about Georgina

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila and all, I've been holding out in not mentioning my wife

Georgina's thyroid problem before this, I don't think Georgina was

ready for me to do so until she was sure in her own mind about what

she is suffering from. Our enlightenment about thyroid disease

started the end of January, when my GP gave me my blood test result

to give to the consultant who was trying to find the reason for my

bouts of hemoptysis (mainly after exercise) which is still

unresolved. One of the results that stood out was the high TSH. So

it was straight on the internet to find out what this was all about.

As with most people who don't realize their suffering from a thyroid

problem once you do cotton on everything starts falling into place.

Now we realize Georgina's probably been hypothyroid for many years.

Ten years ago Georgina went to our GP complaining of fatigue and

weight gain, she had blood test done and our GP told her nothing was

wrong. As her mother and sister have hypothyroidism she asked if she

could be hypothyroid, our GP replied that she may just be border

line and it was nothing to worry about, unfortunately she took his

word for it. How I wish we had the internet and TPAuk then.

Eight years ago she had to have a hysterectomy due to a fibroid that

weighed 7lb. Over the next four years she struggled to keep her

weight under control and eventually managing to loose the 31lb she

had gained by going to weight watchers and eventually became a

leader.

She gave up weight watchers after about 3 years due to pressure of

her day job and over the past few years has put most of the weight

back on despite sticking to the same diet.

Two years ago Georgina started to get patches of dry rough skin over

her body and arms that itched like mad, eczema according to our GP.

Eventually after all the failed treatments in March of this year she

was sent to see a Dermatologist and then had to go for a skin biopsy.

In April she asked to have her thyroid tested. Our GP tested TSH

only, the result came back as 5.42 (ref 0.4- 5.5) so everything was

ok according to the GP. In June she had the test done privately.

Results

T4 98.5 (58-150)

TSH 3.90 (0.4-4)

FT4 15.1 (10-22)

FT3 4.04 (2.8-6.5)

TPO 68.6 (0-35)

After seeing the problem I'm having getting a diagnosis she decided

to take matters in her own hands and try Armour. After 4 weeks on

Armour (1grain) her results on the 23rd September were---

T4 110 (58-150)

TSH 1.29 (0.4-4)

FT4 13.5 (10-22)

FT3 5.44 (2.8-6.5)

TPO 35.7 (0-35)

I'm pleased to say I'm getting my old wife back. She has more energy

and is no longer fighting to keep her eyes open until 9 o'clock then

going to bed, she's starting to loose weight, the skin on her arms

has completely healed and improving rapidly on her body. She is now

on two grains with no ill effect and hopefully we can find a doctor

who is willing to work with her.

Last week she had her appointment with the Dermatologist for the

result of her skin biopsy. Having a good idea of what was about to

come she waited for the Dr to explain what she had wrong. The Dr

said she had fibrous skin and that there was no known cure and that

they do not know what causes it but it could be controlled with

steroid cream and that she would give her details of a support

group, this is when my wife told the Dermatologist that she was

taking Armour and her skin was healing (silence), the Dr said, " you

mean Armour for your thyroid " my wife told her that she was being

treated privately (little white lie) as she had no hope of getting

treated by the NHS.

When the Dermatologist examined her she said that there was great

improvement as the last time it was fibrous all the way through the

epidermis of the skin. My wife has been asked to go back in April

just so they can see if her skin continues to improve.

We have a photo of her back before she started on the armour and she

is happy for it to be posted on the site along with an after photo

in the near future.

Thank you Sheila and TPAuk sometimes you're helping people without

even knowing.

Georgina and