HypoThyroid Disease (I have it)

Rebel,

Don't over worry with this thyroid stuff, k. After period of time you will have the correct dose of thyroxine titrated with help of MD and follow up lab tests to verify serum level of T4 and TSH. Yes it is true Hypothyroidism can cause serious life-threatning condition called a myxedema coma. This is in cases that are severe, left untreated and also occurring concurrently with other diseases. Thyroid gland is responsible in assisting with many metabolic functions of body. People with an overactive thyroid gland (also called Graves disease) have own side effects, most seriously being a "thyroid storm" which can be life threatning and cause circulatory system collapse. There are multiple therapies to treat Graves disease, whereas with hypothyroid (aka cushings syndrome I believe) only needs thyroid hormone supplementation.

Good luck with this Rebel and hope your bronchitis resolves as well.
 
RebelGirl -- u are not alone -- I too have hypothyroidism and Ive been taking med (levothyroxine) for 10+ years -- there is no cure sad and have to take the med for it for life -- I normally do not take anything else -- I dont like taking anything (Rx or OTC) for every little thing, but this one I HAVE to :(

Easy for me to remember cuz the minute I wake up I take it while I am waiting for my morning coffee to be brewed and have an already empty stomach to take the med and get it to work effectively and I eat something usually 3 hours later after I wake up (even tho it says can eat after 1 hour) and be sure to have TSH checkup annually (sometimes more often if the TSH levels are going haywire)

u will be fine once ur body adjusts to the levothyroxine levels and stabilizes
 
I am on underactive thyroid too :) .. I have to take pills rest of my life :) .. mine is green pills. Wish I have no thyroid but it got me last March 2002. My dad's side family had underactive thyroid that got me too it gene family. My mom's side family doesnt have underactive thyroid lucky them :) so your not only one :)
 
WHOA! I am sorry Rebel. My best friend had Thyroid cancer few years ago and she had them removed. And taking medication for rest of her life. She said if one miss, her body messed up! So she said CANNOT miss it PERIOD. I'll ask her what medication she is taking. Some medication like OTC cannot be taken due to conflict. She is very careful what she is taking.

I will go see OB/GYN and I'll request a blood test for Thyroid level to make sure that I am OK.
 
I'm sorry to hear that you have a hypothyroid disease and is currently taking several medications. I hope things will look up better for you in the nearest future. Get well soon. :hug:
 
Oh my dear :hug:

You are not alone. I had hypothyroidism, too (thyriod hormones). I had been through the similar as you at few years later after birth of my 2nd son. I took thyriod pill 30 minutes before breakfast since 2001 for rest of my life. Unfortunlately there´re no cure... I have to stick to take pill rest of my life. I am using it.

See my experience story at Angel´s thread.
http://www.alldeaf.com/general-health/13375-dieting-4.html

and Catmanda´s thread http://www.alldeaf.com/general-health/23725-thyroid-disorders.html

I hope those 2 threads helps.
 
yea u told me in emails.. i am sowwy abt that.. i hope everything smooth for u.. sigh! :hug:
 
RebelGirl - I am sorry that you had gone thru the crazy thing going on.

I learned that Dr. Oz on Oprah's TV show a few weeks ago talked about a thyroid problem. He said that this medicine is not going to help you. I cannot remember the whole story - he said that they lack of exercise and overweight due poor nutrients and other medicine side effects. I don't believe this until he showed us a proof that his patients got all better by following his instructions. It was a huge successful. They throw all the stupid medicines in the trash. I am not making up this story. I am very impressed because he knows that medicine industrials want to make money. I didn't want to talk about the money issue. Please go on line and read the Oprah show. You will find some info on Google about Dr. Oz (Dr. Hehmet Oz). He and his partner are so wonderful and told us the truth.

I am cutting down my thyroid medicine's dose slowly and do eat proper and exercise...

Here are two links:

About Oprah & Friends Host Dr. Mehmet Oz (He will talk many issue every Tuesday or once a month - unsure.)

Dr. Oz : Discovery Health
 
Aww I'm so sorry to hear that RebelGirl :hug: I hope you feel better soon :(
 
webexplorer said:
RebelGirl - I am sorry that you had gone thru the crazy thing going on.

I learned that Dr. Oz on Oprah's TV show a few weeks ago talked about a thyroid problem. He said that this medicine is not going to help you. I cannot remember the whole story - he said that they lack of exercise and overweight due poor nutrients and other medicine side effects. I don't believe this until he showed us a proof that his patients got all better by following his instructions. It was a huge successful. They throw all the stupid medicines in the trash. I am not making up this story. I am very impressed because he knows that medicine industrials want to make money. I didn't want to talk about the money issue. Please go on line and read the Oprah show. You will find some info on Google about Dr. Oz (Dr. Hehmet Oz). He and his partner are so wonderful and told us the truth.

I am cutting down my thyroid medicine's dose slowly and do eat proper and exercise...

Here are two links:

About Oprah & Friends Host Dr. Mehmet Oz (He will talk many issue every Tuesday or once a month - unsure.)

Dr. Oz : Discovery Health
Click to expand...


Ummmm......healthy diet/ living practices will NOT replace this vital regulatory hormone for the body...just thought you might want to know.
 
Thank you all for the compliments and advices! They are awesome to read as well. I have calmed down some and knowing that I'm not alone anymore. I just want to thank you all for the comfort you've given me. It was a wreck for me cuz I have asthma already and is on medication for that. I also have to take B-12 injection every once a month. Now with the bronchitis affecting my asthma just makes it really really difficult for me to breathe. I'm just so frustrated that I can't do activities or work due to shortness of breath and wheezing. So with that said, I'm on alot of medications.. say 6 different ones. I guess I just don't like the fact that I've got "health" problems and its slowing down my activities. I love doing stuff, outdoors, sports, etc. I can't do any of it now. but I have calmed down and realized I've got to take care of myself and to live longer by doing what the dr says for me to do.

I have a dr.s appt tomorrow and will know more. I'm sure I'll find out where my TSH stands, I just hope I can get back to "normal" and do my daily thing again! I know I will but when???? lol


thank you for all the comments!
 
hohDougRN said:
Rebel,

Don't over worry with this thyroid stuff, k. After period of time you will have the correct dose of thyroxine titrated with help of MD and follow up lab tests to verify serum level of T4 and TSH. Yes it is true Hypothyroidism can cause serious life-threatning condition called a myxedema coma. This is in cases that are severe, left untreated and also occurring concurrently with other diseases. Thyroid gland is responsible in assisting with many metabolic functions of body. People with an overactive thyroid gland (also called Graves disease) have own side effects, most seriously being a "thyroid storm" which can be life threatning and cause circulatory system collapse. There are multiple therapies to treat Graves disease, whereas with hypothyroid (aka cushings syndrome I believe) only needs thyroid hormone supplementation.

Good luck with this Rebel and hope your bronchitis resolves as well.
Click to expand...
How serious can underactive be?
 
Wow! Those 2 threads were awesome. I didn't get to read it all but Its given me a lot of thoughts on how to change my eating habits and exercises. I'm going to do my very best to lose weight and exercise. No promises but I'm here to do the best I can to make myself healthier.
 
How did you get Hypothyroid disease ? From your family's genetic or hereditary ?

I am sorry that you have it. You are in my thoughts and prayers for your health to get well. :)
 
Hi, RebelGirl: I'm sorry about so scary a time. My mom has hypothyroid for years and she is great. She works full-time, runs, and always busy, busy, busy. Before she received thyroid medication she was tired and felt bad. Then she was normal with only one time she needed increase in her medication.

Maybe you read this website?

From EndocrineWeb.Com: Hypothyroidism - Too little hormone

This is part about how serious underactive can be:

Potential Dangers of Hypothyroidism

Because the body is expecting a certain amount of thyroid hormone the pituitary will make additional thyroid-stimulating-hormone (TSH) in an attempt to entice the thyroid to produce more hormone. This constant bombardment with high levels of TSH may cause the thyroid gland to become enlarged and form a goiter (termed a "compensatory goiter"). Our goiter page goes into this topic in detail, and outlines that a deficiency of thyroid hormone is a common cause of goiter formation. Left untreated, the symptoms of hypothyroidism will usually progress. Rarely, complications can result in severe life-threatening depression, heart failure or coma.

AND

From MayoClinic.Com: Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland)

Complications

Untreated hypothyroidism can lead to a number of health problems:

* Goiter. Constant stimulation of your thyroid to release more hormones may cause the gland to become larger — a condition known as goiter. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is one of the most common causes of a goiter. Although generally not uncomfortable, a large goiter can affect your appearance and may interfere with swallowing or breathing.
* Heart problems. Hypothyroidism may also be associated with an increased risk of heart disease, primarily because high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol — can occur in people with an underactive thyroid. Even subclinical hypothyroidism, a more benign condition than true hypothyroidism, can cause an increase in total cholesterol levels and impair the pumping ability of your heart. Hypothyroidism can also lead to an enlarged heart and heart failure.
* Mental health issues. Depression may occur early in hypothyroidism and may become more severe over time. Hypothyroidism can also cause slowed mental functioning.
* Myxedema. This rare, life-threatening condition is the result of long-term, undiagnosed hypothyroidism. Its symptoms include intense cold intolerance and drowsiness followed by profound lethargy and unconsciousness. A myxedema coma may be triggered by sedatives, infection or other stress on your body. If you have symptoms of myxedema, you need immediate emergency medical treatment.
* Birth defects. Babies born to women with untreated thyroid disease may have a higher risk of birth defects than do babies born to healthy mothers. These children are more prone to serious intellectual and developmental problems.
Infants with untreated hypothyroidism present at birth are also at risk of serious problems with both physical and mental development. But if the condition is diagnosed within the first few months of life, the chances of normal development are excellent.

BUT please read this part: The good news is that accurate thyroid function tests are available to diagnose hypothyroidism, and treatment of hypothyroidism with synthetic thyroid hormone is usually simple and effective once the proper dosage is established.

I hope these articles aren't so scary for you but I wanted to answer your question "How serious can underactive be?". :)

P.S. I love your avatar - it is my favorite!
 
That must be a shock to recieve such diagnosis, but thankfully, it's not worse. And you can manage this condition. Better than recieving news that you have cancer etc. Hope you'll feel better after the body adjusts to the medicine.
Rest well and keep your chin up.

Wondering if it's a good idea to have your daughter tested for the condition as she gets older?

It struck me odd that many of Aders who have this condition are women.
 
Maria said:
How did you get Hypothyroid disease ? From your family's genetic or hereditary ?

I am sorry that you have it. You are in my thoughts and prayers for your health to get well. :)
Click to expand...
well, i actually thought to myself that none of my family has it or that i didn't know if they did. my sister just told me that my mom had hypothyroid disease and had to have her right gland taken out of her neck. I asked how old was she.. she said she was in her early 30's. well, i was thinking... great... i'm in my early 30's and i have it.. so i must have gotten it after my mom. but not sure about the rest of my family. I got a dr's appt, I'll know more.
 
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