Re: Sleep Problems (Emma UK)

[Guest guest]

Hi Emma

You could have sleep apnoea, which i have. sounds likely to me, and should be

investigated urgently . it can be fatal if not treated (it killed Candy,

the US actor), or cause slow erosion of health (obesity, diabetes, heart

disease, stroke). i don't wish to alarm you but....do not be fobbed off by gp

- this is a very severe condition and can be easily treated (with cpap

treatment), or if it's not sleep apnea, your condition needs to be identified

and treated.

i have severe sleep apnoea, and wihtout treatment, i stop breathing 90 times an

hour and blood oxygen levels go down to 83% breifly. having treatment makes the

difference between coping and not coping.

Please I implore you to raise the possiblity - without delay - of sleep apneoa

with your gp - you mention the same symptoms as i had - waking up gasping for

breath or not being able to breath. do you ahve frequent nightmares or need the

toilet several times a night too?do you ever get the taste of stomach acid in

your mouth/throat?

if the gp takes no notice, put in a complaint, and find another gp without

delay. this is very serious. inform him that if you find you have sleep apnoea

afetr he has refused to have you tested for this, that you will pursue

negligence complaints against him. the gp would need to refer you to a special

clinic - i go to one which is associated to a lung function unit

sleep apnoea can be related to hypothyroid but it is a serious condition on it's

own.

>In the past 3 years I have been unable to sleep in my own bed and can only get

some little sleep on the sofa with lots of pillows to sleep upright.

i have the exact same symptom. it has got better lately after taking dhea,

pregnenolone and a few other thigns. dhea is linked by at least one researcher

to sleep apnoea/cot death. I also put on 70lbs.

what helped me slightly - until i could get nhs treatment - was using those

breathe right strips. i also know somewhere you can rent a private cpap

machine from, for about 50 a month, but really you need to get examined on the

nhs first and without delay.

chris

>

> Hi I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism for 7 years and I am currently on

525mcg a day of thyroxine.

> In this time I have gained over 5 stones (70 lbs) in weight despite a very low

calorie diet and exercise plan.

> In the past 3 years I have been unable to sleep in my own bed and can only get

some little sleep on the sofa with lots of pillows to sleep upright. I am

gasping for breath and waking up feeling as though I have stopped breathing or

can not breath.

> Are these issues due to being so overweight, hypothyroid or both?.

> Its got so bad as I am so fatigued anyway and now falling asleep during the

day. Its affecting all the family now. I have been to to GP but they didn't do

anything about it.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

I would so appreciate it if you could send it to me too. Thank you!

Love

Jacquie

-

there was a brilliant letter written some time ago... I'll have a look for it

on my computer, I'm sure i saved it and I'll send it to you......

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Emma, list all of your symptoms you still have (and your signs).

Check these against those in our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk

under hypothyroidism).

List your basal temperatures before you get out of bed in a

morning for 4 or 5 days if they are 36.6 degrees C (97.8 degrees F (or less)

which shows your metabolism is not functioning as it should.

List the FULL thyroid function tests you need, e.g. TSH, free

T4, free T3 and tests to see whether you have antibodies to your thyroid, these

are TPO Ab and Tg Ab. Tell the doctor that you would like a copy of these

results together with the reference range for each test done. Doctors cannot

withhold these results from you under the Data Protection Act.

List the following mineral and vitamin blood tests you need to

be done to find out whether any of these are low in the reference range. These

are ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D3, magnesium, folate, copper and zinc.

These are very important because if any ARE low, you will need to supplement

whatever is low so thyroid hormone can be fully utilised at the cellular level.

If your GP tries to tell you that there is no connection between these specific

minerals/vitamins and hypothyroidism, then copy off the attached document to

enclose with your letter.

I would also tell the GP that you are aware that thyroxine is a

mainly INACTIVE thyroid hormone and that it has to convert through the kidneys,

liver, brain, skin and other thyroid hormone receptors throughout the body into

the ACTIVE thyroid hormone T3, and that there is a very large minority of

sufferers of hypothyroidism who are unable to convert for many and various

reasons. Tell him here, that if he has any doubts, that you happily produce

references to the scientific evidence to show this. This is why you are asking

for a trial of the ACTIVE   thyroid hormone T3.

Tell the Doctor you are not prepared to carry on suffering and will

now do whatever is possible to find out the cause and that you now wish to be

referred for a second opinion to an endocrinologist of your choice. I will send

you a list of doctors that will prescribe T3, either synthetic or natural. You

can be referred outside of your area if necessary.

Send this letter to your GP with a copy to the Head of Practice,

and finally, ask the Doctor to place your letter of requests into your medical

notes. You may be quite surprised what a difference the written word might

make.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Luv - Sheila

Hi

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2005. My GP will not

consider any thing else like T3 or any supplements etc. I have been forwards

and backwards a lot of times and got nowhere.

I am today typing out a letter to the practice manager as

I can not carry on like this, and its not fair on my husband and 3 children

or my self!.

Any ideas what would make a good point in the letters?

Kind Regards

Emma

>

> Hi I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism for 7 years and I am

currently on 525mcg a day of thyroxine.

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LOW MINERALS AND VITAMINS AND THE THYROID CONNECTION.doc