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General health

Thyroid overactivated itself, anyone with this?

42 replies

PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 22:53

Just been diagnosed with a very overactive thyroid gland. I know the treatments are quite rough, and if no treatment is done you could eventually die of a heart failure or storke. Anyway, what`s the good side in this? I have lost almost a stone, but have another to lose. Bit worried because my dd is 1 in 4 days, and cant really face a radioactive treatment... Has anyone gone through this??? Aparently pregnancy is involved and inheritance...

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Xena · 24/02/2005 22:56

Yes pregnancy can trigger it and I inherited my under active thyriod from my Dad

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PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 22:57

did u get any treatment?

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toomanypushchairs · 24/02/2005 22:58

My sister has this, she posts on here aswell. She is Xena, I think she's gone for the night but will alert her to this thread in the morning. She has to take medication everyday for the rest of her life(she is 25) has to have her levels checked regularly, but is otherwise well. I think hers started after her 1st or 2nd pregnancy(sorry can't remember) also our Dad has it, so your thoughts about pregnancy and inheritance are certainly true here.(It does get you free prescriptions for life!)

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toomanypushchairs · 24/02/2005 22:59

oops she is still here and she beat me to posting! Zena am sending you an instant message!

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KBear · 24/02/2005 23:00

I have. I was diagnosed at age 9 which is very rare. My aunt and great-aunt both had it too so I agree about the genetic inheritance bit. I took carbimazole from age 9 to 18 when my thyroid strangely corrected it's overactivity. It came back again when I was 25 and a short course of carbimazole corrected it and I am now 37 and so far so good, and two pregnancies with no change to thyroid function.

I have also had a benign thyroid tumour which was removed last year which apparently is unconnected to thyroid activity.

So that's me. Happy to chat about it.

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PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 23:00

free prescriptions for life??? My mum just hed her therapy done, and my garnddad has it. i only went to do the test as I have so much of it in the family. im 33 and not keen on drugs, never take a painkiller. Wondering if alternativ therapy like acupuncture help? Maybe im too optimistic

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toomanypushchairs · 24/02/2005 23:00

meant Xena, its the wine!

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suzywong · 24/02/2005 23:01

welcome to the thyroid club, my hereditary underactive one was triggered by pregnancy too

Thank the lord for thyroxene though, don't worry about rough treatments pebblelilly here is a link that could be useful. It is highly unlikely that you will receive no treatment - what makes you think that?

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KBear · 24/02/2005 23:01

Prescriptions are free for treatment for under-active thyroid but I had to pay for my treatment for over-active thyroid. I complained many times but rules is rules apparently.

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toomanypushchairs · 24/02/2005 23:04

that doesn't sound fair!

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Xena · 24/02/2005 23:04

Yes as my sister pointed out I have to take thyroxine everyday forever (but I get a medical excemption certificate which means free perscriptions) But mine is underactive so yours is likely to be diffrent being overactive what have you been told
I think that you can have surgery to correct over active thyroids

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PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 23:04

OK, NHS... You know what, maybe now I know the answer why I constantly argue with dh... Overactivity!! Actually I am more relaxed since they told me this. No need to spend on Relate

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Linnet · 24/02/2005 23:05

My granny had an overactive thyroid, she had the radioactive iodine and that made the thyroid go underactive, which I think might be easier to control? don't quote me on that though I may be wrong.

My mum developed an underactive thyroid after my brother was born.

I've been told that I may suffer from this in the future as well since it's hereditary.

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PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 23:07

Thanks for the link suzywong! I wasnt told anything yet. I only had the blood results, will consult Monday. So what are cost for the overactive treatment on drugs? I have heard it is not cheap

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Xena · 24/02/2005 23:07

The reason it is free for underactive is because if we didn't take our thyroxine we WOULD die and if overactive's don't take there medication then it only MIGHT kill them.

But hey I don't make the rules I think I should only be entitled to the thyroxine free not everything

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KBear · 24/02/2005 23:08

It's because carbimazole is a drug and thyroxine is a hormone replacement and the regulation was made in the 1950's and they have never changed it. How ridiculous is that?

I remember as a child my behaviour was awful - moody, tearful, over-dramatic, hungry all the time (used to steal from the cupboards at night - really!), couldn't sleep, shallow breathing, racing heart. Your thyroid controls your metabolism so everything is speeding up when its over-active. Great for weightloss but not for anything else.

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PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 23:08

Xena, dont worry about free medicatio. Millions of £££ of profit is made every year by them. It wont kill them if you get some med for free.

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Xena · 24/02/2005 23:10

Ahh intresting Kbear my GP told me what I just posted maybe she was pulling my leg
Trying to make me remember to take my pills
I am much better at remembering now. Was diagonosed about 6 years ago

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PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 23:11

Yes, I went up 2-3 dress sizes, and sold most of my nice clothes on ebay, but now I regret it. My only fera is radioactive iodine, as my baby is still breastfeeding. So they cant actually test me properly, unless with scan, if its done at all.

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toomanypushchairs · 24/02/2005 23:11

kbear, started to read... as a child behaviour was awful, moody, tearful, over-dramatic, thought it was my sister talking! then realised you have overactive, not under

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Xena · 24/02/2005 23:12

Makes me feel bad sometimes my friend who has terrible asthma has to pay for her medication and it costs her a fortune

Wish she could have it for free.
Those medications should be like the pill (which nobody pays for)

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Xena · 24/02/2005 23:13

oh toomany you are soooooooo funny.

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PebbleLilly · 24/02/2005 23:13

I pick on everyone around me. its a bad thing, and I love them. I also keep telling them its because I love them. But now I understand. I had completely sleepless night in the past at a rate of 2 a year. Just could not go to sleep at all. Was up for 48h. Completly insane.

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KBear · 24/02/2005 23:15

Xena - what your GP said might be true but surely such regulations aren't made on who might die quickest - or are they???? I don't know which is most dangerous to be honest - over or under-active. Both equally hard to treat I would imagine.

Pebbles - I don't think radio-active iodine is always the first course of treatment, depends on how severe I suppose. If you're breast-feeding they can't do it so they might explore other options first.

At least you can save your marriage now you have a diagnosis - my husband said I was a living hell when I was over-active! I am now completely well-balanced and calm - NOT.

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suzywong · 24/02/2005 23:16

Are you Hashimoto's too Xena?

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