Re: How to help someone that doesnt believe they are hypothyroid ?

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve,

Oh dear I'm really sorry to hear yur mum isnt well and further that she perhaps is in denial. I have a similar situation with my daughter. It is a really difficult one.

If you can sit and talk to her about what Dr P said and why she seems unwilling to carry out his suggestions. She may have some worries that she hasnt voiced. Ask if she is happy with her situation as it is. Maybe you could give her some concise information relating specifically to her situation e.g. depression and thyroid dysfunctnio. and leave that with her. She may just decide to read it when your not about. It may be that you can ask what it is she would like to do to improve her health...etc. Its like coaxing an animal into a dark place, you may have to do it calmly, gently and a little at a time reassuring them as you go.

Ask perhaps if she would trial the treatment and do it properly for 2-3months and then review how she is feeling after that time.

You could also say that mothers pass on the disorder to their kids and that since you have it, then she also has it, to have passed it on to you. Without frightening her you may like to discuss how the thyroid affects each aspect of the body and the most common problems hypos get such as heart disease mental health etc....I dont know your mum so you would have to use your own discretion as to what she would be willing to discuss.

I am I suppose not the best person to tell you since I am still trying with my daughter. I understand how worrying this can be...my daughter is 32years of age no kids yet but longing to have them and yet she too has depression, high cholesterol, hair falling out, fatigue etc etc...but adamantly refuses to believe its her thyroid and now wants to see a tricologist so sort her hair problem...if she took the NDT etc then the problem would resolve!!

As if its not bad enough dealing with our own myriad of problems eh?!

Best of luck do let me know if you find a magic bullet? oops I dont mean bullet in that sense but hopefully you understand what I do mean; I'm begining to wonder myself!!! tehe

Sally xx

Hi all im 99% sure my mum has thyroid problems (massive weight gain, depression, easily upset ect ect) she has also been on anti depressants for the last year most probably screwing up her adrenals also. I have had her done some blood work which showed low iron, her basal temp is of 36.1.Thanks for any inputSteve

[Ed]

[Guest guest]

Steve

i am in a similar position to you, my mother is not well , on all kinds of meds

for depression

i have suggested to her that it might be thyroid but she won't even consider it

, won't get tested etc.

My sister is very unwell with CFS, and lives not all that far from Sheila, and i

have told her about Dr Peatfield, but she is not interested.

I think " prove me wrong, or just get a test " but no neither are interestd.

that is *their* choice, and now ijust back off from it all, spinning my wheels

trying to help when they don't want help is sould destroying.

i spoke to dr P about my sister and he said " you can take ahorse to water... " .

so i have resigned myself that this is their choice, there is nothing

furthermore that i can do. it is of course tragic to see people suffering, when

it's possible they don't have to, but it's their choice.

for my own piece of mind, i leave my family alone with their health issues. they

think i'm over the top, when all i've done is just worked to sort out my healht

issues...

>> What can i do more than i have to help her get better?

Nothing, it's not for you to do anything, it's for her. You have taken the

horse to water. you have done all you can. perhaps there is stuff going on

that you don't know about.

Sometimes i wonder if people woudl sooner suffer because it's the life they

know, it's comfortable, but on the other hand that makes little sense

chris

>

>

> After all this its like she doesnt not believe ANY of her problems are thyroid

related, and just carrys on to take anti depressants and her stomach tablets to

help her cope with IBS.

> What can i do more than i have to help her get better?

[Guest guest]

Steve, sorry, you must be worried about your Mum. Its a similar thing as I have

family members who have raging symptoms , but won't do a thing about it and have

even said to me that 'what do I know ,I am not a doctor'. What I have done to

help my diabetic husband who was falling asleep, is depressed (is on

anti-depressents) is, I have persuaded him to take the supplements (minus the

thyroid meds) that I take. Adrenals, magnesiun, B vits , vit d and C, selenium

Co q10 and milk thistle. Its only been a few weeks, but he has improved, he is

awake and doesn't seem as depressed. Its going good so far. I did write down a

list of blood tests to ask for at the gp. He didn't take it and the

receptionists refused to give him his results. So I havnt a clue what's going on

really thyroid or iron wise. Good luck. Jan x

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve, Hi Sally,

Oooh this problem will drive you crazy.... I have the same sorts of problems

with my mum, and I've been moaning at her for several years. What i did a few

months ago, was I wrote down all that I wanted her to say to the doc, about her

sisters, brothers, mother and me having problems and which tests to ask for as

low B12 is also rife in the family. I left the letter with her and forgot

about it, but mum suprised me last week, apparantly she took the letter to the

doctor and the doctor was really helpful. The doc didn't realise that mums

sister was, her sister although she's been treating both of them for over 10

years. (different married names).

Write a letter listing everything and perhaps your relatives might surprise you

by going to the doc.

I just have to get mum to get the results now (with reference ranges )

xx

>

>

> Oh dear I'm really sorry to hear yur mum isnt well and further that she

perhaps

> is in denial.  I have a similar situation with my daughter.  It is a really

> difficult one. 

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve, Hi Sally,

Oooh this problem will drive you crazy.... I have the same sorts of problems

with my mum, and I've been moaning at her for several years. What i did a few

months ago, was I wrote down all that I wanted her to say to the doc, about her

sisters, brothers, mother and me having problems and which tests to ask for as

low B12 is also rife in the family. I left the letter with her and forgot

about it, but mum suprised me last week, apparantly she took the letter to the

doctor and the doctor was really helpful. The doc didn't realise that mums

sister was, her sister although she's been treating both of them for over 10

years. (different married names).

Write a letter listing everything and perhaps your relatives might surprise you

by going to the doc.

I just have to get mum to get the results now (with reference ranges )

xx

>

>

> Oh dear I'm really sorry to hear yur mum isnt well and further that she

perhaps

> is in denial.  I have a similar situation with my daughter.  It is a really

> difficult one. 

>

[Guest guest]

Hi amanda,

Worth a try. thanx. sally xx

Oooh this problem will drive you crazy.... I have the same sorts of problems with my mum, and I've been moaning at her for several years. What i did a few months ago, was I wrote down all that I wanted her to say to the doc, about her sisters, brothers, mother and me having problems and which tests to ask for as low B12 is also rife in the family. I left the letter with her and forgot about it, but mum suprised me last week, apparantly she took the letter to the doctor and the doctor was really helpful. The doc didn't realise that mums sister was, her sister although she's been treating both of them for over 10 years. (different married names).Write a letter listing everything and perhaps your relatives might surprise you by going to the doc.I just have to get mum to get the results now (with reference ranges )

[Guest guest]

Three other members of my family have what you might call raging symptoms too,

but I arranged for them all to have the 24-hours urine test for thyroid and none

of them are hypothyroid.

Two of them have adrenal fatigue, which in itself would lead to hypothyroid

symptoms, and the third one has vitamin D deficiency and is anaemic. So, I

wouldn't go assuming that family members are hypothyroid. If they have problems

with some of the cofactors of hypothyroidism, symptoms might look the same, but

causes would be different. I would suggest getting a few lab tests to see what

is going on.

Miriam

> I have family members who have raging symptoms , but won't do a thing about it

and have even said to me that 'what do I know ,I am not a doctor'.

[Guest guest]

Thank you all for the replies i will give some of the ideas a try.

Steve

>

> Hi Steve,

> Oh dear I'm really sorry to hear yur mum isnt well and further that she

perhaps

> is in denial.  I have a similar situation with my daughter.  It is a really

> difficult one. 

[Guest guest]

>

> for my own piece of mind, i leave my family alone with their health issues.

they think i'm over the top, when all i've done is just worked to sort out my

healht issues...

>

> >> What can i do more than i have to help her get better?

>

>

> Nothing, it's not for you to do anything, it's for her. You have taken the

horse to water. you have done all you can. perhaps there is stuff going on

that you don't know about.

>

>

> Sometimes i wonder if people woudl sooner suffer because it's the life they

know, it's comfortable, but on the other hand that makes little sense

>

> chris

This is kind of were i am up to aswell i just thought i would give maybe

a last few trys to help her out. Also regarding your last point this has crossed

my mind a few times also, my mum has had ibs for now the last 24 years of her

life, she has learned how to cope with it and put up with it each day thats its

become normal life. And maybe the thought of that clearing up or changing she

doesnt like the idea of and would prefer to " suffer " but be able to cope with

it. Crazy but its crossed my mind a few times.

Steve

[Guest guest]

I have had the same with my aunt, she 'had' hypothyroid but the doctor gave her

tablets and when her blood tests returned to 'normal' announced that she was

cured and did not need thyroxine any more.

She complained about putting on weight, and symptoms but flatly refuses to

believe its hypo. My uncle has cancer now, he's in remission but I would not

want to put any more pressure on her.

I gave up saying anything to her, she just got upset.

[Guest guest]

That is also another problem especially with my mum, her TSH and FT4 were both

in range so how can she have thyroid problems is her thinking.

For me my thyroid results were also in range, but once i started thyroid

treatment my symptoms started to go away, so i guess we cant always rely on the

tests, but if someone only wants a diagnosis from thyroid tests then we get in a

tricky situation!

Steve

> > I have family members who have raging symptoms , but won't do a thing about

it and have even said to me that 'what do I know ,I am not a doctor'.

>

[Guest guest]

Best of luck. xx

Thank you all for the replies i will give some of the ideas a try.Steve>> Hi Steve,> Oh dear I'm really sorry to hear yur mum isnt well and further that she perhaps> is in denial. I have a similar situation with my daughter. It is a really> difficult one.Â

[Guest guest]

Steve,

Try to get your mum to use HCL (Betaine). It can help IBS...I know you may have difficulty with even this but its a commmon problem for hypo to have low HCL (Stomach acid) and this and other hypo probs cause IBS.

Sally xx > for my own piece of mind, i leave my family alone with their health issues. they think i'm over the top, when all i've done is just worked to sort out my healht issues...> > >> What can i do more than i have to help her get better?> > > Nothing, it's not for you to do anything, it's for her. You have taken the horse to water. you have done all you can. perhaps there is stuff going on that you don't know about.> > > Sometimes i wonder if people woudl sooner suffer because it's the life they know, it's comfortable, but on the other hand that makes little sense> > chrisThis is kind of were i am up to aswell i just thought i would give maybe a last few trys to help her out. Also regarding your last point this has crossed my mind a few times also, my mum has had ibs for now the last 24 years of her life, she has

learned how to cope with it and put up with it each day thats its become normal life. And maybe the thought of that clearing up or changing she doesnt like the idea of and would prefer to "suffer" but be able to cope with it. Crazy but its crossed my mind a few times.Steve

[Guest guest]

Miriam,Is a 24-hour urine test for hypothyroidism considered over there in the U.K. to be a good thyroid test? Over here in the U.S., most of us on the thyroid forums here would definitely not consider these tests which were performed on your family members to be accurate. We use only the FT3, FT4, and TSH. So, we wouldn't assume that your family members are " good to go " simply on the basis of the testing that has already been done. Cherwyn

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve, your mum needs to take some supplements for the adrenals- this is maybe why she is in denial. then she will be more receptive to your concern about her possible thyroid issues.the adrenals are needed to be strong before she trys to take any thyroid medicines. do you have Dr P`s book about the thyroid and adrenals.?? if not look in our library to see if you can borrow it.also look in the files to gain more understanding of the adrenal/thyroid connection. Angel.

[Guest guest]

If you have any evidence that the 24-hour urinary thyroid test is unreliable, it

would be helpful if you could send references. Dr Peatfield considers the

24-hour urinary test to be the most accurate diagnostic test, and Dr Hertoghe

(4th generation endocrinologist from Belgium) also thinks highly of it. The

National Health System doesn't seem aware of this test, so wouldn't take its

results into consideration.

The 24-hour urinary thyroid test is considered more useful than the TSH, Free T4

and Free T3 tests because it shows what thyroid hormone has actually been used

over a 24-hour period. In other words, it also takes into consideration

possible cellular resistance, and doesn't just measure levels of thyroid hormone

that might be floating around in the blood stream.

That issue apart, there is still the point I made about co-factors. If you

don't address all these side issues, how can whatever thyroid hormone you have

be utilised properly?

If you are deficient in any of the following, you might exhibit low thyroid

symptoms when in fact you have sufficient thyroid hormone: ferritin (stored

iron), vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D3, magnesium, copper, selenium and zinc.

Other conditions which can interfere with thyroid hormone utilisation are

adrenal fatigue, systemic candidiasis or mercury poisoning.

So I would repeat that it is not safe to assume that someone exhibiting low

thyroid symptoms necessarily has hypothyroidism. Some lab tests are called for

in order to shed more light on the situation.

Miriam

> Is a 24-hour urine test for hypothyroidism considered over there in the U.K.

to be a good thyroid test? Over here in the U.S., most of us on the thyroid

forums here would definitely not consider these tests which were performed on

your family members to be accurate. We use only the FT3, FT4, and TSH.