HELP!

[Guest guest]

Mel,

I would suggest planning ahead and of course banking points for those days

you go out with your father. I agree with you that some activity points are

good too. I of course suggest my all time favorite of drinking extra water

and maybe even eating before you go out, so your not so hungry when you get

to the restaurants. Congratulations for making wiser choices this past week

with your friends. It always amazes me what kind of choices I would of made

before program and the difference of what the choices I make now are.

Hope these suggestions help.

Shanda

>

>Reply-To: Serious-Weight-Watchers

>To: Serious-Weight-Watchers

>Subject: Help!

>Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 17:40:25 -0000

>

>You can tell the holidays are here because this week I gained .8! I

>had friends in town from Chicago (I'm in Seattle) and of course we

>had to eat out and paint the town. I made better choices than I

>would have before WW, but I still indulged a bit. This upcoming

>weekend and part of next week, my Dad will be in town and he wants to

>go to all the restaurants he loves. Then the following weekend is

>the long Christmas weekend where it's going to be so hard to follow

>plan! HELP! I hope to schedule in some gym time, but there is so

>much to do before my Dad gets here and before Christmas Day! Sorry

>to vent, but I need advice!

>

>Thanks for listening/reading!

>

>Mel

>

>

_________________________________________________________________

Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

[Guest guest]

You are doin just fine dear - it probably will leave a not so nice scar but -

healing from the inside out is much much better than healing on the outside and

keepin the icky stuff in... Hang in there - Deb in Nebraska

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue and Welcome

Forget the TSH, other than the fact that those lab reference ranges are

entirely outdated and outmoded. The new " normal " TSH lab reference ranges

according to the AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists)

are .3-3.0. Some labs still run normal ranges at anywhere from .3-5.5, but

that's as high as it gets for so-called normals. Your Free T4 is in the

very low-normal range, and could probably stand to come up. Also, I see

that you need a Free T3 done because that's the other important reference.

It should probably be in the high normal range or so. The Total T4 just

doesn't really show what's going on with your thyroid. If you've been

listening and watching us, you've probably seen that most of our true " feel

good " thyroid profiles just don't fit with the ranges on these tests. What

makes you feel good clinically speaking is what counts the most. I have a

feeling that your gut feeling is right, but, of course, there can be other

things. The fact that your iron level is low, combined with some of the

other symptoms, and the fact that they settled on fibromyalgia puts a pretty

good picture together, along with that goiter you have. The ignorant doctor

doesn't know that goiter represents a misbehaving thyroid? You need a good

thyroid doctor, not necessarily an endocrinologist, but possibly. Some

general care physicians make excellent thyroid doctors, some

rheumatologists, and other doctors with other titles. Could you tell us

what some of your other symptoms are? Did he run thyroid antibodies tests

on you?

Help!

> Hi. I've been having problems with my health for quite a few years

> now. I've had all sorts of tests done. For Lupus, arthritis, thyroid,

> early menopause, (I'm 37) Lyme disease and some I'm sure I'm

> forgetting. I won't go into a list of symptoms since threes too many

> to mention, so I'll just say there's very few I don't have on the

> lists of fibro, thyroid, hypo, and menopause, I have most of 'em

> unfortunately. So after these tests the doctors settled on

> fibromyalgia. Still things seemed to point to more than that for me.

> I found later that I was Hypoglycemic and iron anemic. I found I was

> hypo through the help of a friend who recognized the symptoms. I went

> on a hypo diet and yet I still feel sick and nervous a lot. Due the

> fact that I have a large thyroid gland (doctors have pointed this out

> to me before having thyroid tests done), and it seems that so many of

> the autoimmune disease symptoms run around in circles all leading

> from one to another it seemed to connect to the thyroid. So I found

> out about thyroid scans and asked the doctor to have this done for

> me. Tests came back and she says there's definitely something going

> on with the thyroid and to see the Endocrinologist. Problem is I

> can't see him until next month and I don't know what the hell is

> going on with me. Plus I have a few small lumps in the back of my

> neck which doctors say after testes are lumps on the lymph node that

> I shouldn't worry about. Also have a slight swelling in the back of

> my skull on the same side as the lumps and generally have pain and

> tenderness in the whole area. My own instincts know something's going

> on but so far all I get is it's in your mind, or your depressed, or

> it's stress. Etc. The results of my last thyroid blood test say;

> TSH- 0.71 norm - 5.6 - 13.7

> Free t4- 1.0 norm - 0.8-2.7

> Total t4- 6.6 norm - 5.6 - 13.7

> I went down and picked up the results of the thyroid scans I had done.

> Thyroid ultrasonicography-

> It says Bilateral lobe enlargement with generalized inhomogeneity.

> Rule out the presence of occult lesions.

> It also recommends a thyroid uptake scan, which was done. Results of

> that are;

> Thyroid uptake scan-

> Theyromegaly with no nodule with normal uptake of the radioactive

> iodine ( 19.4%) (normal value 10%-30%).

> I was hoping someone might have some feed back on all this that might

> give me a clue. I know that the thyroid gland is enlarged but I don't

> know what that means. I'm worried about cancer of course but since

> they didn't call me about that I'm hoping that isn't a concern at

> this point. Also I just want to know what is going on, and what I can

> do about it to feel better. I know it's all connected somehow, I know

> I'm not imagining this ..I can't even work part-time have no social

> life, and am tired of being sick.

> Sue

[Guest guest]

INSIST on a Free T4 and ESPECIALLY the FREE T3!!

I did, and the last time I had blood work the Dr ordered them.Insist on them.....

Shirl

----- Original Message -----

From: redtop321@...

Help!

Hi, all...I take it no one saw my message from a few days ago. I need some brainstorming ideas, like ASAP.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Yahoo... I think I responded to your post...... and it never got

through!!!! arrraggghhhhhh

Ask for the tests.. you want a bare minimum of T4, T3 and TSH.... The

TSH is only gonna tell you how low the pituitary is hollerin' beyond that

it's worthless.... but it still will let you know how loud it's yellin'.

The T4 should be in the middle of the lab ranges and the T3 should be in

the upper part.. if they are lower than that you need more hormone... if

they are over that and you still are symptomatic you may have other

issues, a common one is adrenal fatigue. I understand that most docs

won't test for that because of the expense and their idea that it's not

that big a deal.. but fatigued adrenals mean that even with thyroid meds

you're not going to be doing well.

Thyroid enlarging and going back to normal that quickly tends to make me

think more along the lines of Hashi's.. which would mean getting an

anti-body test... someone more UP on this please jump in.... A tumor or

anything like that would increase and then decrease like that and an

iodine deficiency or something, I don't think, would cycle that quickly.

Remember when you are there, with the doc. He is working for you. You are

the customer. He is NOT a god and you know your body a heck of a lot

better than he ever will. You live with it 24/7/365. Don't give in if

he's says it's nothing to be concerned about, it you are not feeling

well, you are paying him to find out why, he should do the job that you

have hired him to do.. not blow you off and move in the next one.

Ask him for copies of the lab results, not just a phone call to say you

are 'normal' you want the numbers and the ranges. You can post them here

when they come and we'll help you make sense of them.....

.... Yahoo misses messages every once in a while.. A reminder to

everyone... especially if you have a doc appointment coming up and you're

prepping for it.... if you don't get an answer in the first 24 hours of

your post.. it may very well have not gone through... post again...

We won't get mad if it's a duplicate... we are just as concerned as you

are.. that's why and I started this group, so that we can help each

other....

Topper () proud co-owner

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Thyroid_Support_Group/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TTSG_Cafe/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Overcoming_TD_Metabolism/

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 15:07:49 +0000 redtop321@... writes:

> Hi, all...

>

> I take it no one saw my message from a few days ago. I need some

> brainstorming ideas, like ASAP.

> I made an appointment to see my endo, which is for tommorow. I need

> some ideas of questions to ask him. My thyroid was enlarged the

> other day (starting on Monday), and by Wednesday, it went back down

> to normal again. I was doing everything " right " this time.

> My last thyroid scan/ultrasound was 2 years ago. Should I ask for

> another one? What is the purpose of those? My endo will only run

> my TSH levels, and nothing else. Can I ask him to run ALL the

> tests?

> HELP ME! I know it's last minute, but I did make a post on Monday

> asking for help, so this is my second request.

>

> Thanks.

[Guest guest]

,

I have been diagnosed with Hashi's... About a year and a half ago (I've had

thyroid problems for 2 years now). They did those antibody tests, and it came

back positive (or whatever).

But, it's still frustrating that my thyroid gets enlarged, and then goes back

again. Sometimes, when my thyroid gets enlarged, it's quite uncomfortable.

That's the frustrating thing with my endo. I don't really care for him, but I

haven't had the time to research a new doctor. If this appointment goes bad, I

will definately take the time to research another one. Main reason: 6 month

check-up and I need refills on my meds.

Thanks for all your advice! I appreciate it.

Tara

[Guest guest]

Thanks Shirley...

*shy smile*

Topper ()

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 08:29:09 -0600 "Shirley White" writes:

YOU GUY'S ARE THE BEST!!!

Re: Help!We won't get mad if it's a duplicate... we are just as concerned as youare.. that's why and I started this group, so that we can help each other....

[Guest guest]

Hashi's sucks, from what I've heard..... because it will continue to

cycle until the thyroid finally gives up.....

Anybody here that has dealt with Hashi's that has any tips for dealing

with the cycling when it involves goiter coming and going?

Topper ()

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 16:53:11 +0000 redtop321@... writes:

> ,

>

> I have been diagnosed with Hashi's... About a year and a half ago

> (I've had thyroid problems for 2 years now). They did those

> antibody tests, and it came back positive (or whatever).

>

> But, it's still frustrating that my thyroid gets enlarged, and then

> goes back again. Sometimes, when my thyroid gets enlarged, it's

> quite uncomfortable.

>

> That's the frustrating thing with my endo. I don't really care for

> him, but I haven't had the time to research a new doctor. If this

> appointment goes bad, I will definately take the time to research

> another one. Main reason: 6 month check-up and I need refills on my

> meds.

>

> Thanks for all your advice! I appreciate it.

>

> Tara

[Guest guest]

Tara,

It may well be time for you to sit the doctor down and tell him

that he is not the only one who can learn anything about how to live in a

healthy way. Tell him that you have been doing your own research because

he won't explain anything to you other than to do what his limited training

and approach allow. He has two choices: he can either let you be an active

participant in your care, or he can continue to keep his head buried in the

sand. The choice is his. You can find a different doctor...

ly, if my doctor started acting that stupidly toward me, I

would fire him on his first refusal to perform the other tests. All he

would see of me after his refusal would be my back and I would not pay for

the visit either. Next I would report him to the insurance company for

taking their money under false pretenses.

He took an oath! " First do no harm. " is the biggest part of that

oath. When he refused to educate himself and provide you with the best

level of care, then he is doing harm.

Let him run the TSH, but tell him that you want the antibodies

checked, plus the FREE T3 and FREE T4. If he won't run all of those, then

leave his office and find a different doctor. He may be too far down the

Synthroid road and beyond redemption....

Dianne

At 03:07 PM 10/16/03 +0000, you wrote:

>Hi, all...

>

>I take it no one saw my message from a few days ago. I need some

>brainstorming ideas, like ASAP.

>

>HELP ME! I know it's last minute, but I did make a post on Monday asking

>for help, so this is my second request.

>

>Thanks.

>

>Tara

[Guest guest]

If the doctor were prescribing, he/she would probably prescribe 600-800 mgs.

The labels on all OTC iburophen say start with 400 mgs (2), if you must, but

to maintain on 200mgs. I take it only twice a day, to try to keep from

saturating with it because it can cause stomach problems in particular

people with reflux, ulcers, etc...I only take 1 tab (200 mgs), but the first

dose I started with 400. It does allow for more than that per day, but I

only take the 2 doses right now, keeping in mind that, when the inflammation

is resolved (thyroid problem under control), I'm going to stop taking it

altogether. The less drugs the better, and the sooner we can get off of

them the better. Obviously, if you have a huge goiter sitting in your neck,

and the choice is to get the inflammation out or be in pain and choking all

the time, it's the lesser of two evils. There are many herbs that help to

reduce inflammation, but they've got to be taken on a regular basis to work,

and their onset of action may be as much as 30 days. You really don't have

that much time to waste when it comes to this.

Re: Help!

> , you seem to be very informed in a vast number of areas that

> concern us all, so having mentioned the ibuprofen, I wanted to ask

> you if you know how much one can safely take to reduce inflammation?

> I read that 800 mgs 3 times a day for 5 days should be safe, but only

> for that amount of time. I would appreciate hearing what you have to

> say on this.

>

> Leanne

[Guest guest]

Everyone...

I cancelled my appointment with my quack. I didn't realize I had so much on my

list of things to do, so I had to cancel something. I figured that would be the

best thing to cancel. I probably would've just ended up getting frustrated. My

husband even told me that if he treats me like I'm a hypochondriac, I should see

someone else. Maybe I can do some researching on Monday and see if I can find

someone better. I had an endo recommended to me by my internest, maybe I

can find the number.

Anyone live in the Detroit, Michigan area? I'm actually in Wateford, but I'm

willing to travel to have a good endo.

Tara

[Guest guest]

,

What do you mean it continues in a cycle until it gives up? When it gives up,

what will happen to it? Will I have to have it removed?

Man, this is CONFUSING stuff... And, with me being confused all the time

from my thyroid, that doesn't help at ALL.

Tara

[Guest guest]

Dear Groupies,

I see that I have a LOT of research ahead of me (which could take a LONG time) I know almost nothing about any of this except that I WANT MY HORMONES BACK ASAP, so I really hope to benefit from all the experience of those of you who have gone before me!

Went to the gyn today for my second appointment. Last time he did a pelvic exam & sent me for bloodwork. This time, it was a vaginal ultrasound & a consult. I was a bit dismayed to hear that my body has already made a few tiny fibroids after several HUGE ones were removed via miomectomy about 4 years ago. My endometrium is also a bit thicker than normal.

Bloodwork shows:

Estradiol=7

FSH=85

Progesterone= 0.2

DHEA=70

Free testotesone=18

I like this doctor, because he is very willing to prescribe basically whatever I want, but on the other hand, I'm surprised that there is, basically, no established "protocol"- it seems to be every woman or every doc for him/her self.

This doc left it to me as to which hormones I want & which delivery methods, as well as whether I want to cycle or not. He says he has had no problems w/dozens of patients who have been taking estrogen AND progesterone constantly throughout the month. He says I can basically stop the progesterone if I choose to & give myself what he called a "fake" period every month, every three months, every 6 months- or if I choose to, NOT AT ALL. I am SOOO confused!

Since I had heard it was better to get separate estrogen & progesterone so as to be able to adjust the dosages, I opted for that, & walked out of the office w/samples of the "vivelle patch" in the 37.5 mg strength, a prescription for prometrium PILLS (100 mg to be taken 1x per day (at night) and instructions on where to purchase DHEA pills in the 25 mg strength, which he says should be taken 1x per day. The doc suggested that I could use the patch alone until the 1st of the month to, as he said "see what the estrogen feels like", and then start the other stuff on 1 August.

All of this was pure suggestion on his part- which on the one hand makes one feel empowered- but on the other hand this is all quite scary! Hormones are potent things- I am very reluctant to mess w/"mother nature" w/out knowing what outcome it might have.

When asked, doc stated that the levels he was giving me (above) would NOT restore my hormone balance to pre-menopausal levels, as he felt that too much estrogen would stimulate the breasts too much- whatever that means. This concerns me (heck, it ALL concerns me) b/c aside from the insomnia, vaginal dryness & night sweats, to be perfectly honest, a good part of the reason that I want hormones is to stop the downward spiral of aging skin, joints, hair, disappearing waistline, etc, etc, etc. & I am concerned that these levels may not achieve that.

Basically, I am scared to DO it, b/c there seems to be so little research, but more scared NOT to do it, b/c I do not like what is happening to my body and feel that if I do not get some WATER (ie, estrogen) soon, this little flower is going to be wilted beyond repair.

I would be so grateful for ANY input from you that are so much more experienced than I am at this:

Is the above plan appropriate?

Will it give me the results that I want?

Should I cycle or not?

Also, I realized after deciding on the patch that it will not work for me as I want to resume my daily swimming- BUT I am DESPERATE for estrogen asap. Is it ok to go ahead and put a patch on today and then switch to cream later in the week, or should I just wait for the cream?

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE FOUND THIS GROUP!!!!!

THANK YOU ALL so much in advance for your help!!

Elana

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