To ask for your thyroid issue stories and help?

[Snowflakes1122]

I’m desperately looking for advice from anyone who has been in my shoes.

I’m convinced I have a thyroid issue.

I have

Hair loss, foggy memory, feel miserable and have no motivation, heavy periods, I’m exhausted all the time, I feel like my brain is running slowly too. I get painful numb arms when I’m sat down or in bed too. The hair loss is the one I’m struggling with the most
I need to pluck up the courage to go to the doctor, and just wondered what others experiences were with this? Were your doctors sympathetic or dismissive? What did they do?
I’m so fed up of feeling rubbish. I want my life back

[lavenderbongo]

Hi. I was diagnosed around two years ago. My Mum was diagnosed about 15 years ago. I was exhausted all the time and just wanted to sleep. Also felt incredibly depressed and down, constantly teary. Everything just felt overwhelming. My ankle joints were also weirdly stiff! It was a huge relief when I was diagnosed and I’ve been pretty much fine since being on thyroxine.

[burntdinner]

When my under active thyroid was first diagnosed 12 years ago my main symptoms were
Weight gain
Exhaustion
Itchy dry skin esp shins
Feeling cold all the time

Luckily my dr was very helpful and got my blood tests back the same day and started on my medication

[julensaor]

I had cancer when I was younger and the radiation treatment fried my thyroid as it tends to, when concentrated in the neck area, so I have been hypothyroid for a long time. I agree with other posters, the dry skin, hair loss or hair quality (as dry as a desert), everything is just dry, dry dry!! . If on the right medication levels, weight loss or gain should not be an issue. The dryness stays though. But after cancer I never saw it as a big deal.

I had an escalation a couple of years ago, heart palpitations and some night sweats, fuzziness in the head, memory gone, eyesight weak, a sense of detachment - don't know how else to describe it, like a mottled pane of glass between me and the rest of the world. Fear creeps in like WTF but I felt like an ass going to the doctor because the symptoms to me were abstract and being a good doctor she spotted an issue straightaway. Thyroid was where it was considering medication, but vitamin D was negligible and calcium levels were out of upper limits which is rare. This with a further PTH (parathyroid hormone) blood test suggested one of the lesser diagnosed conditions of hyperparathyroidism. Ask for tests on calcium and vitamin D. I had 2 large tumours removed and the difference is unbelievable (benign tumours may I add).

[INeedToGetHealthy]

My DM was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in her early 40s, just like her DM, Dbro and Dsis, so I knew that there was a risk that I would have similar problems. DS2 was diagnosed at the age of 2 with having a non-functioning thyroid gland, even though it was present. So he started on 25mcg Levothyroxine daily. He is now in his teens and takes 50mcg daily.
I had been "borderline" for a few years but as my symptoms were not easing up my GP started me on Levothyroxine and monitored me. After that my thyroid gland just gave up. I now take 200mcg Levothyroxine daily.
I had also been nagging a friend to get her thyroid levels checked as she was really struggling with most of the symptoms. Her test results came back as underactive too.

It is so easy to think that they thyroid is nothing really but in truth it controls your whole endocrine system. Best to get it checked.

[Riv]

My dad had all the symptoms. He was depressed and really cold and his skin was quite an odd yellow colour. His voice had changed too. The GP said he was depressed because he couldn’t work. He saw a newly qualified GP when his own was on holiday. Young GP immediately insisted on tests. DD had Hashimotos. Two weeks on levothyroxin and he was virtually his old self, thinking of returning to work, feeling warm, skin and voice back to normal. The most amazing thing was his hair grew back, even on his arms. He had very thick dark roots and thin wispy ends!
The young gp said all of DDs children should be tested for hashimotos. I was told I had it when I was 21, and was given a blood test (thyroid function test) every year since. Only just started needing levothyroxin (I’m going through the menopause) I can feel the difference, although I am only on 25mg at the moment, and haven’t really had many obvious symptoms . But I think I have a wonderful, on the ball GP ( although she is not so young anymore 😂)

[Purpleartichoke]

My doctor’s dismissed my concerns again and again. My thyroid was obviously diseased so we were doing regular biopsies, but they wouldn’t treat me for being hypothyroid. Finally one of the biopsies showed cancer. The endocrinologist referred me for a partial thyroidectomy. I went to the surgeon with a plan to demand he take the whole thing. He walked in the room, took one look at my neck and said, “well this is going to be easy. We have a long appointment booked so we can explain the iterative process of testing your thyroid to decide how much to
Extract, but you clearly need a complete thyroidectomy and I won’t do any less.”

Did the surgery and radiation. Now I take a few pills and get bloodwork periodically. Much easier.

[averystrangeweek]

Every time I read one of these threads, I recognise all the symptoms,, including the eyebrow thing. Can anyone tell me the names of the blood tests the GP should be doing? My doctor has tested me for underactive thyroid, but they said the result was within the normal range so they wouldn't be doing other tests. Which other tests?
I feel like I have to go back and pester them again, and need to know what to ask them for. Thanks.

[Evilspiritgin]

I know this sounds stupid but if you take your medication in the morning don’t take it the day of your blood test (my blood tests are always in the morning so the blood goes off to be checked rather that sitting overnight) as it caused an artificial high

My go ordered my test without my knowledge (within another blood test)a few years ago I am now on 200mg, I had the thin eyebrows plus the tiredness plus if my thyroid is playing up the first symptom I start getting is the 3 o’clock snooze

With the help of sw I did lose 4 stone, so you can lose weight

[happyhillock]

I had some of your symptons, loosing a lot of hair when washing it, palpatations , feeling overly tired and cold, went to doctor's was diagnosed with underactive thyriod

[MaryBoBary]

Also your other post made me chuckle - I found my table salt in the fridge door the other day - had a very bland beef casserole the night before because I could not find the sodding thing anywhere!

[MaryBoBary]

OP what were your results? I have been to the doctor today and ended up in tears because I am so fed up of feeling shit all the time. I’m waking up every day with a splitting headache that lasts 3-4 hours, and then starts up again at about 6pm. I’m constantly exhausted despite at least 8 hours sleep per night and only working 18 hours per week. I was diagnosed as B12 deficient in January and really hoped the injections for that would solve all my problems, but 4 weeks later I felt just as tired again. I’ve had 2 miscarriages in the last 12 months and had extremely heavy periods for the last 7 months. I have been feeling cold for a couple of months and had to have a hot water bottle most nights, despite usually being a very hot person. My eyebrows have become virtually non existent despite the fact I don’t pluck them, and the skin on my face has become really dry, itchy and bumpy. I suffer with anxiety and depression that I was on medication for for 2 years but decided to wean myself off when we tried to have another baby. These were put down to post natal but I’m not so sure now. And my mum has under active thyroid.

I went armed with this list to the dr today and he has agreed to test my thyroid next week. I am praying that this is the answer, because if it comes back as normal I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m only 28 but feel about 68 and can not bear the thought of feeling like this for the rest of my life. It sounds so dramatic over symptoms that, individually, don’t seem much. But all of them combined are really getting me down.

I hope you got some answers?

[alltoomuchrightnow]

Yes, icy feet cool down hot water very quickly. When I've had hot water bottles in rare warmer moments, they have stayed hot.

[thenightsky]

ImBattlingOn Yes... I'm another one who can freeze a hot water bottle with my icy feet. I even needed a hot water bottle purely for my feet in bed throughout the last incredibly hot summer!

[ImBattlingOn]

@sollyfromsurrey How does that work when my feet are actually icy?

If I put my icy feet on a hot water bottle, then they cool the hot water down quickly.

I’m not the previous poster but I have the same issue.

[TheFirstRuleOfFightClub]

thenightsky I'm glad I've helped someone.

Oh yes, your vitamin levels, especially vitamin D will be affected as pp has stated. Again, they may try to fob you off, don't let them, you will need a huge initial dose that you can only get via prescription (I think) but you can buy a maintenance dose from health shops. I would again direct you to online support groups (mine are all on fb).

[EggysMom]

My GP picked up my hypothyroidism when I hadn't shifted a bad cold (as in, an unable-to-work cold) after three weeks. Other than that, I had no symptoms - and I've on the lookout for years because it runs in my family, I was the only one not on thyroxine at that point!

[OhTheRoses]

I wonder if some of the issues are the thyroid?

[Littlepond]

I’ve been trying to get my thyroid sorted for years and it’s still not right. It’s hard going 😞

[sollyfromsurrey]

alltoomuchrightnow
She just shrugged and said, 'more hot water bottles?" I already have three (and turn them cold within half an hour) you won't be 'turning' hot water bottles colder any faster than anyone else. With an underactive thyroid you FEEL cold but your body's actual temperature is still within normal range.

[OhTheRoses]

No snowflakes been diagnosed since 1990. Never ever an issue.

Have none of you sat in the gp's office and said "I'm sorry, I don't agree, my research says. I have a right to be at my best and make maximum contributions to me, my family and society and if I can't the NHS pays more or loses funds".

[KellyMarieTunstall2]

It could be hypothyroidism, and with that you could have low vitamin levels and low ferritin. Get yourself a blood test kit from Medi checks and test yourself. Then you can visit your go forearmed.
I have hypo, and everything was low and felt rubbish for a very long time. I hope you get some answers.

[Snowflakes1122]

Just had a thought. If I do get diagnosed, will it affect my life insurance policy/make it invalid? Anyone know?

[Member984815]

I was diagnosed in June too , was just so tired and felt crappy , I thought it was iron the GP immediately started me on meds and I feel so much better now . You won't be dismissed my mother has now also been diagnosed after a full well woman check . We have both noticed massive changes in our skin and hair and her tingling arms have stopped

[Snowflakes1122]

I also think my mother has a thyroid issue, as her hair is thin, and the outer eyebrows are gone.

Thank you so much for all the help

[Snowflakes1122]

Yes, I am also losing my outer eyebrows.

I’m unbelievably forgetful and absent minded. I put the milk in the cupboard the other day, not the fridge