General Medicine

» cybee - Mixed Up

In response to Mixed Up posted by cowlover614:

Hi, Shirl. I will just add that ...recall we joked about coffee before. I hate to say that indeed I have switched to defaf. Thought that would NEVER happen..but the anxiety...well,just did cut out the caffeine as likely caffeine could only exacerbate anxiety (or so I think). Anyway...never thought I would see the day..but I pretend it is caffeinated and really can't tell the difference and apparently I don't need caffeine to wake up anymore! ha...or rather...oh, dear!
OH, well, as to Witch Hazel (main ingredient in Tucks)...the first time I heard about that was I read something about Tucks being a "model'secret to reducing bags under the eye". That is how I thought of that and so am glad to hear that Five Breaths finds some help from using it! B^)

-- posted by cybee

» cowlover614 - Mixed Up

In response to Mixed Up posted by daisyelaine:

Thanks Elaine, I never had a B/P problem before but I guess that could explain some of what has been going on. This is scary stuff I thought I was gonna die! I think cybee could be right about the Ophthalmic Migraine. Although I've had migraines most of my life, first time that ever happened. It's almost midnight here and I still have this stupid headache.I've had them so bad over the years,all I could do was sleep them off. Wonder what other surprizes I have in store. I sure could have passed all this up! The only thing that really helps is to know I'm not alone with this. I'll check out that diet. Besides everyone tells me to be careful about what I'm eating because of the thyroid so do I still avoid iodine? Ok this is off subject! Just to let you know you live in my favorite State of all! Colorado I lived in the Springs for about three yrs. I miss it and one of these days I want to move back! Nothing better then the mountains! Pure Gods country! I pull up the cam for Pikes Peak quite often.The day I rode the tram up it was warm, had shorts on got to the top and froze! Shirl

-- posted by cowlover614

» cowlover614 - colors

In response to colors posted by cybee:

Hey glad to know your still hangin in there! I've been so ready to give up! This has been the worst! I just had the zigzag lines colored blue,red,and yellow. It was weird and lasted about 15 minutes. I've had migraines but never that. I tried covering my eyes which didn't help. It scared me glad to know it could be that! My eyes aren't gritty either just still have alot of swelling and tearing. This is the pitts for sure. I cried yesterday stress here is still bad. But I just was depressed thinking I'm never gonna get better. I am so really tired of feeling so bad! So you went to decaf I went back to reg. I need to cut way back on the caffine. Just been hitting the pop to much also! I've been trying to drink more iced tea. I have to be careful my ankles have been swelling. I'm starting to gain a few pds. Lord knows I don't want to end up looking like a twinkie on top of everything else! take care Shirl

-- posted by cowlover614

» cybee - colors

In response to colors posted by cowlover614:

I know...don't we take health fro granted..until we don't have it???? Well, I have regular migraines too unfortunately (hormonal based generally). Ocular migraines are not painful, but you just see those weird zigzag lines! You may have them again. I get them from time to time, and yes , about 15 minutes is a usual span of time for them to last. Don't worry about them at all. I call them my "jazzy guys" ha!
I know stress reduction is HARD! That is one reason I thought I would try decaf coffee...to try to help reduce those anxious feelings! Had to have plenty of motivation to go that route!
Take care!!!

-- posted by cybee

» Elaine Moore - Mixed Up

In response to Mixed Up posted by cowlover614:
Hi Shirl,
Yes, hypertension can cause some amazing symptoms. I had some of the worst headaches because of it before I was diagnosed. And the day I started treatment for it the headache was worse then ever, which I heard wasn't unusual. By the second day on meds I was fine and was eventually able to lower my dose of meds.
We lived in the Springs for 22 years. Now we live in the mountains and I commute to the Springs. It's even prettier away from town. Hope you're feeling better soon, Elaine

» u25000 - Elaine ?s

Its time for me to order a new thryoid test; but I wanted to order a special panel, which automatically includes t7,t3uptake,total t4; yet I've read previously that these are outdated tests and I think that if you are on supplements or preg some of these tests can be inadvertently altered. Do I absolutely need the free's to get accuracy on my current standing.

Also I want to see an integrationist, or order a nutrition panel, right away. I am concerned of any vitamin deficiencies. When it comes to hair and nails what are the main deficiencies to be concerned with?

Also when I was preg 1.5mths, 10/01, I found that my ob did in fact do a total t4 (thanks to my selfeducation), it was clearly elevated, and I even remember that they said the lab did the wrong test, but no recall if they ordered a new lab anyway I was 30.5 w/range of 4.5-12. Should this have signaled by OB at the time regardless if it was the wrong test. What would they have prescribed? Miscarried 1/02 to infection.

I am "finally" on 100mcg (i think I should've been on that since atleast 1/05 when my tsh finally started rising). I feel fine other than easy,lasting numbness in extremities, any more info on this?

Although I was hyper, RAI, then hypo, I conceived once each time. Which makes sense as many doc's say that you "can" conceive while either; that sustaining preg w/either is the real problem. Yet I'm also aware "infertility" IS blamed on HYPO THYROIDISM. So, from 2003 m/c to late 2005 m/c (lost preg 2002,age 34), I considered the losses to be thyroid related, and I sadly thought (w/no obvious help from all the obs,pcp,endo's) that the problem was the neg tsh -.01, as if that was indicator of being hyper (as one ob had put it, I was "slightly hyper", and "my problem is not the thyroid", then suggesting clomid-which I feared clomid as my neg tsh was not resolved still believed the thyroid had been my only problem). But now I'm aware that the ft3,ft4 are the "truth" and though I was "in-range" all those years a/Rai, I can't help but strongly believe those levels ft3 avg 2.5, ft4 avg 1.4 may have actually been too low thereby affecting my essential reproductive hormones (fsh,lh specifically). After all that, AGE has become my primary factor in infertility. Do you have any insight to add to this?

Now I did have a T3 uptake 41 (26-37) in 3/04 which was 6mths after RAI does seem sadly HI, but is that possibly not good reflection of ft3, it was cycle day 1 of my menses. Also I did get a TT3 120 (60-181) on 2/05 which seems normal.

Also, In May, you were going to do an article on autoimmune infertility; was that the one on NK cells, I thought it would be something different? I got one from 5/8 and 5/15 i think.

-- posted by u25000

» colorfulcolo_50 - RAI Ablation

Hi, I am researching the pro's and con's for this procedure and any feedback would be greatly appreciated. My Son was diagnosed with Grave's Disease three years ago. He also has Down Syndrome. His primary Dr., as well as his Endocrinologist are recommending this procedure and I am a little reluctant to have this done as I have read some pretty disturbing things about it. I was also told that thyroidectomies are no longer done. I live in Colorado and would be grateful for any feedback from others regarding this RAI Ablation. Thank You.

-- posted by colorfulcolo_50

» Elaine Moore - RAI Ablation

In response to RAI Ablation posted by colorfulcolo_50:
Hi,
Thyroidectomies are done often, although they are more expensive than radioiodine ablation. A partial thyroidectomy is usually done, and this leaves some remaining thyroid tissue. Even if your son became hypothyroid after a thyroidectomy, he wouldn't be completely dependent on thyroid replacement hormone.
I've had RAI and wouldn't recommend it. Hypothyroidism after RAI can be very difficult to regulate, and the increase in thyroid antibodies caused by RAI increases the risk of thyroid eye disease and the development of other autoimmune disorders. The incidence of adenomas and nodules is also high after RAI and increases over time. Best, Elaine

» colorfulcolo_50 - RAI Ablation

In response to RAI Ablation posted by daisyelaine:

Thank You Elaine for replying to my question. This was very helpful, I appreciate it.

-- posted by colorfulcolo_50

» Elaine Moore - Elaine ?s

In response to Elaine ?s posted by u25000:
Hi,
The NK article was the one I ended up writing on autoimmune causes of infertility to supplement an earlier article I'd written on autoimmune causes of infertility. I found more info on IVIG for infertility and I can write an article on that in July.

The T7 really doesn't tell much. I have an article from Clinical Chemistry Today's February 2007 issue that talks about how inaccurate this test is. The T3 uptake doesn't measure T3 at all. In this old test we add T3 reagent to your blood to see how well binding proteins react with the reagent. This gives an idea if total T4 is elevated or low because of low or high binding proteing levels. Long before we had tests for FT4 and FT3 we used the uptake to help get an idea of how much hormone was free. This was a pretty crude measurement, which is why it's no longer recommended.

Because binding proteins rise in pregnancy your doctor may have assumed your elevated T4 of 30 was just a false elevation. And TSH often falls in pregnancy because the hormone HCG secreted in pregnancy is very similar to TSH. It can cause a rise in thyroid hormone levels, and this causes a fall in TSH. Usually, unless TSH is less than .01 in pregnancy, it's not looked at much. In your case with a 30 T4, more tests should have been done. If FT4 was elevated, you could have been treated during pregnancy with PTU to help lower your levels.

Because I work in a hospital lab where blood tests are the rule, I don't have much faith in hair analyses. I also was once involved with hair testing for drugs and heavy metals, and the results were so discordant we had to abandon the tests.

You can get blood levels of calcium and magnesium, and adequate levels of these minerals are essential for reproductive health. You may also want to read the article on selenium for lowering thyroid antibody production. Selenium supplements can also help with fertility by lowering thyroid antibody levels. That was another article I wrote while researching infertility.

Let me know if you have more questions. best, Elaine