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Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

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    Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

    I don't know if anyone else on here has thyroid issues, but I know Thal does, so I'm directing this at her.

    Today, from two different sources, I had people ask me if I've ever had my thyroid checked.

    Here's the scoop:

    Since having my son, my periods have gotten worse. Like, first 24 hours I will have pain in my back and shooting down my legs, which hasn't ever happened before. That was thing number 1.

    Thing number two was the issues I've been having with my hair. It's always been super-fine, but since his birth it's been getting thinner and thinner...my hairdresser keeps commenting on how there's very little to work with, I use a ton of product just to get it to look normal, and lately if I run my fingers through my hair, I come away with strands all over my fingers. This happened once before, shortly after I had Allie, but then stopped again.

    I'm tired all the time. I go to sleep an hour or two before my husband, and wake up after he leaves for work and I'm still tired. I thought it was just because I'm the one who gets up with my kids in the night, but it's on the list I found.

    All the issues with depression and anxiety I've had over the past six months...I'm managing it better now, but it's still not great.

    My skin is very dry and papery, and I seem to constantly need to fill in my eyebrows with pencil.

    My attention has always been horrible, so I'm not sure that's an accurate measure.

    I've been cooking from home almost entirely for the past two months, cutting out white sugar(using a little honey now and then) and white flour, and cutting back on salt (for my husband) and fat. Eating lots of fresh or lightly cooked fruits and veggies. I've also been doing my best to walk or run in the morning at least three times a week when I'm not horribly exhausted getting up. My weight hasn't changed...I've even gained a couple of pounds, even though getting rid of white flour seems to help with how I'm feeling and some digestive issues I've been having.

    I'm thinking I should get my thyroid checked...would that be an accurate assessment?
    Last edited by Dez; 02 Sep 2011, 18:30.
    Great Grandmother's Kitchen

    #2
    Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

    Yes it would, get your thyroid checked! The symptoms vary and are pretty general (so it could be something else), but what you've described is pretty much the common symptoms. (a better symptom list)

    They need to check your TSH, T3 and T4 (or free T3 and T4)levels at a minimum and MAKE SURE THEY USE THE "NEW" GUIDELINES !!!!!!! (also, if you do have hypothyroidism, make sure you find an OB that is familiar with endocrinology if you decide to have more munchkins because its tricky to keep your meds in the right spot for baby). Once they do that, if they find anything, there are other tests (linky also explains the TSH, T3 and T4 tests)they can do which may help them determine the *why*--my hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune disorder (I also have vitiligo, which it occurs with fairly often...and I'm pretty sure I am in the beginning stages of Rheumatoid arthritis, which is another common AI that it occurs with)--its common to get after pregnancy, though *they* aren't sure why (but I've actually had mine since I was a kid).

    Its really not a big deal to take care of once you are dx'd, they put you on meds (synthroid or levothyroxine--the generic...levo costs me about $20 for a 3 month supply WITHOUT using my insurance, so that part is at least affordable replace T4 and Thyrolar which replaces T3 and T4), you get regular blood tests til they get you on the right dosage, and then you have follow ups to make sure you dosages are right. It can take a while to get on the right dose, because its not an instant process to get your thyroid levels up, or for them to drop...its about 6 weeks for them to adjust and build up (or drop) in your system. I would highly recommend taking note (if you are dx'd) of how you feel and how you are reacting to things and what you notice right now, because getting back to that point will be an indication that you need your meds adjusted (have the hubby pay attention too)...it took me a few times of having that happen and *not* realizing at first to recognize it (I don't know if you remember this, but a few months after having Collin I went off the deep end at Scott and accused him of cheating on me for no reason, and then started crying in this weird out of body experience that freaked him out to no end...the pedi made me see my doc since she suspected PPD, but my doc make me have my levels checked, because they hadn't adjusted my meds after delivery. ...I've honestly found (for me) the psychological changes come before the physical ones as an indicator that *something* is up.
    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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      #3
      Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

      A big indicator is eyebrow shortness (weird but true)...let me see if I can take a pic (ignore that I haven't gone to wax in a while)...

      See how the fullness really ends at the arch, and they sort of taper out *right* at the end of my eyes?
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      Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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        #4
        Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

        That's exactly what I wanted to know...thank you!

        I remembered you talking before about how strange things have gotten when your meds were off before, and so I'd hoped I remembered right. I talked to L about this on his break, and he was insistent that on Tuesday we make me an appointment.
        Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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          #5
          Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

          Yeah...I had my hair dresser wax my eyebrows last time, and she was saying that past the middle it was tough because there wasn't really anything to wax! When I do makeup, except for a few long hairs I draw the "tail" half of my eyebrows on.
          Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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            #6
            Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

            I don't even bother, lol. I wax to give them a bit more shape, so its not so *off*, but thats pretty much it.

            I think out of everything, the biggest thing for me to accept was the "suggestion" from my endocrinologist (and it wasn't so much of a suggestion as a threat/demand) that I *not* have anymore kids...he pretty much said, "with as bad as your thyroid has gotten and as many pregnancies you've had to get your two kids, you are damned lucky they came out perfectly healthy".

            ...I mean really, once you are on meds, its life as normal...its not like diabetes where you need to watch your diet constantly or anything.

            Though, I have noticed, even on meds...I am VERY cold sensitive.
            Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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              #7
              Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

              Well...we're already at a place where we're waiting, and planning on adoption if we have the two more we wanted. Pregnancy is just too insanely expensive and risky for me(yeah...when adoption is the less expensive option...). That would probably be a tough decision to be trying to make in addition to this, if it's the case, so I'm glad we already have that end figured out.
              Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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                #8
                Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

                Just got back from the doctor.

                Sooo.....first of all, I like this guy. That is definitely going to make this easier. Yes, something is bizarre, yes, I'm losing hair, no I'm not crazy.

                He says there are three possible options:

                1) Hormone imbalance. This would more likely cause male pattern baldness, though, and that's not what's happening.

                2) Thyroid. Easy fix, so hoping that's the case.

                3) Tellogen effluvium, i.e., stress related hair loss. This one wouldn't explain my other issues. If it's the case, though, no real treatment, and it could go on for up to six mo months before my hair starts growing back. Given how horrible the first chunk of my year was though, it's a possibility.

                So blood work tomorrow, ought to know by next week!
                Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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                  #9
                  Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

                  Oh good! Its nice when you like your doc, lol. We just met our new one, and she seems cool. She's a D.O., rather than a M.D., which is my preference b/c of my carpal tunnel and whatnot. Its like having a conventional doc and a chiropractor all in one...
                  Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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                    #10
                    Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

                    Nice!

                    He's a doctor of internal medicine, which is good because of the crazy stuff with my clotting disorder.
                    Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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                      #11
                      Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

                      Still waiting for blood tests to come back...I will let you guys know when I know something.
                      Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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                        #12
                        Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

                        Waiting effing sucks...
                        Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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                          #13
                          Re: Hey Thal, Thyroid question!

                          Yeah...it does.

                          I mostly feel bad for L, since he's the one who has to deal with me fretting. The initial boost of "I'm going to get this fixed" that gave me some more energy for a bit has worn off, too...
                          Great Grandmother's Kitchen

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