Anybody here have hypothyroid?

[Faux pas]

I was diagnosed about 6 yrs ago. Even though I suspected there was a problem years (my mom had low thyroid and my daughter also has it), the test always came back 'low normal', so I gave up on the testing for about 15 yrs. I started thyroid meds after the diagnosis and over time the dosage just got higher. I started eating for my thyroid instead of against it and lost 45 pounds and the dosage is much lower now.

Did you know that the foods you eat can word against your thyroid? I didn't know until I started researching. Here's a great article that can help you too. http://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/articles/goitrogens-thyroid-inhibiting-foods-you-should-avoid/

Good luck!

[dhill926]

1. thanks for this...

low normal here (no meds), and also a vegetarian. Pretty rough, since the list is most of my favorite foods...

[Faux pas]

2. You're welcome dhill926

I know what you mean, those are some of my favorites too. I have a friend with diabetes and she changed her body and her chemistry by diet. That inspired me to try the same thing for my thyroid. I did the big search and found this book The Protein Boost Diet by Dr Ridha Arem, he's an endocrinologist. I will confess that I just went to the lists of foods that I could eat, and was surprised that there were many that I do like. Plenty of fruits and veggies.

Hope this helps

[LynneSin]

3. Hypothyroid here

Another thing is are foods that do not work well with the medicines. Biggest one is Soy Protein. I was a big drinking of Soy Milk after I was diagnosed and started to take Synthoid. But didn't really notice a change. Then I read about the issues between the meds and Soy Protien so I switched to Hemp Milk and it made a huge difference.

Correcting Hypothyroidism can help with weight but it is not automatic. I was still such a junk food junkie that I only lost about 15lbs at first. I had to make some other serious changes until I could finally lose the other 90lbs.

[Faux pas]

5. I knew about the soy/thyroid

connection. I do whey protein smoothies with added vegetable protein. I eat a lot of yogurt and cottage cheese. I'm a pastaholic so I use whole wheat or brown rice pastas. I've found that if I eat enough good stuff, I don't have a lot of cravings.

I've got about 40 more lbs to lose, the first 45 were easier lol.

[PassingFair]

4. I'm scheduled for a needle biopsy on a "nodule" on my thyroid....

I have had no symptoms, hyper or hypo...

[Faux pas]

6. I have a goiter myself,

is that what they say you have? Good luck with the biopsy PassingFair.

[PassingFair]

7. Technically, ANY swelling of or on the thyroid gland is called a "goiter".

...I was surprised to see the word on my ultrasound write-up, because I have
no visible swelling.

The ENT that I went to for an unrelated issue could FEEL it though, which is why
I had the ultrasound.

[PassingFair]

8. Got the results of my biopsy this morning...all good.

Benign.

But BOY HOWDY, did that "needle aspiration" hurt like a BITCH!

The doctor told me that it would just be "4 jabs", and that I shouldn't
need lidocaine...

Well, the "4 jabs" meant multiple "packings" with 4 different needles!
Like liposuction of my thyroid nodule. It hurt like HELL. After the first
set of jabs, I started to get up because I though it was over. NOPE.
I ended up having to have 4 more sets. I started crying after round 2,
and she finally gave me the lidocaine... the last three didn't hurt as much
because of it.

Left me with a swollen neck and I still have bruises 7 days later.

Oh well, all's well that ends well. They say that I have to have another biopsy
in a year.... hope that I can just have an ultra sound, but at least I know to
ask for the painkiller shot BEFORE they start jabbing!

My blood levels showed "borderline" HYPOthyroid, which has been the case for
me for as long as I can remember. No drugs prescribed.

[Faux pas]

9. Whoa PassingFair!

Glad you made it through, sorry for the pain . Glad to know all is good though . Best to you .

[PassingFair]

10. Thanks Faux Pas....

It should be mentioned that I am a wimp when it
comes to anticipated pain, and a needle-phobe because of it!

Luckily, my husband was there to hold my hand!

[Lars39]

13. Xanax or Valium is the way to go

when somebody's coming at your neck with a needle. It's just easier on everybody involved.
I would not have made it through mine without screaming or something if I hadn't had Xanax.

[PassingFair]

14. A lesson that is seared into my nervous system!

I will definitely not attempt another one without major pharmaceutical ingestion!

[Lars39]

15. these tests are something else aren't they.

Between these and MRIs?...

[PassingFair]

16. And the insult to actual injury....

getting the bill!

Almost made me wish I was SICK! At least I would have considered it money well spent.

[Lars39]

17. Gah! And then there's wrestling with providers over who is going to get your deductible up front...

A pox on both their houses.

[PassingFair]

18. Goiters upon them all!

No, scratch that. I wouldn't wish that aspiration crap on my worst enemy.

[Lars39]

19. Truly!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

11. Yes for decades.

Diagnosed at age 11. Autoimmune diseases run in my mom's family. She had the exact same condition I had, got it at the same age. I've taken Armour thyroid even though the doctors do a song and dance about how bad it is compared to synthroid. Some people do much better on Armour because it has T3 and T4 both. It's cheap because it's a byproduct of a slaughterhouse, pig or sheep glands.

Useful sources of information for women who are sick of being told they're just depressed, even when they're tired, sleep a lot, are overweight, and generally grumpy:

www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

http://thyroid.about.com (Mary Shomon's site, who is a top patient advocate)

[Faux pas]

12. Where and how do you get the Armour thyroid?

I found the stop the madness site when they finally diagnosed me. That's where I learned about Armour. I hate prescriptions, in fact, thyroid it the only one I take.