Year help: Any ideas on how to deal with sub-clinical hypothyroidism besides taking prescriptions? - Help.com

Thanks, this thyroid condition is very difficult to diagnose and treat because it doesn’t show up on the normal blood tests that they do so you have to really find a specialist who will work with you and treat symptoms but I learned that there are hundreds of thousands of people who have this and it goes untreated. When I am feeling better and came come back, I can share some of the symptoms if people are interested. I just am tired of feeling so sick.

Shie - I’m glad you are getting help and hope the adjustment to meds will greatly help. Mine doesn’t show up on lab work. They show me this range and I’m at the bottom edge so they say well that is okay but I went in with 11 severe symptoms. Keep me posted and I hope the best!

Thank you Marylou! I will check that website. I have had a problem with food allergies and medication allergies so I’m willing to try what helps. Thanks for sharing your story.

Diane

Felicity-{KIMKRISS} wrote:
My Grandmother,daughter and I have Hypo-thyroid.Just a reminder, have you tried alternative meds accupuncture, any alternatives? Beliefnet is a good site for this type of thing.I think I give you that already :P, I’m going to bed.Nite.

ThankS Felicity. I tried acupuncture for something else and it worked well. I haven’t had time to lookat Beliefnet yet but it is on my list. Just don’t have a lot of energy but I am trying. =)

Rico wrote:
You all will hate me for saying this because its super condescending. But here it goes. Doctors know more then me you or anyone on this site without an MD. They get paid so well because of the INTENSE knowledge that they have. If you are unsure about your doctor then by all means get a second opinion. But for the love of god…Before you attempt to fix your own problems please talk to them.

They shouldn’t just be a pill prescriber. If they do then get another doctor…or maybe that pill they prescribe is actually what you need. I totally understand not having insurance (been there), try to get on basic health through the state, or get a job with insurance.

Thyroid problems are dangerous and trying to do this on your own is unfathomable. Please stay in touch with your doctor when you go on your experiment.

Rico - I do not hate you for expressing your opinion and while I do not have a lot of energy I will explain my situation and experience with you. Hopefully you will understand.

My current situation is that I am disabled and unable to work (excuse typos and thinkos and mistakes because I don’t have the energy to review what I type). This is going to be a long post and I may have to break it up due to word count but I will attempt to explain this all.

I lost my job on my last medical leave, unprofessionally, unethically and illegally and I am dealing with that. SLowly but as best as I can. So you know, a physician was involved with this situation, hired by my ex-employer and he is currently being investigated by the state medical board because I reported it. The investigator awas even here for a while yesterday working with me on this complaint and he agreed there were issues involved that need to be addresses. My opinion on this one physician is that he abused his power to do a favor for someone and he caused a great deal of harm to my life. My health and all the stress since that has been overhwleming and my health is extremely poor. So suggesting I just go get a job with benefits is hurtful but I am not angry with you because you haven’t read the story of my life and what I have been through just in the last six years. You do not know how much I wish I was healthy and I could work or how much I worked when I was healthy. I worked MANY hours and I even helped others with their jobs and volunteered to help and I helped other financially too. I am not a deadbeat, I am sick and I did not do anything to deserve that.

My history with doctors - Starting with birth - my Mom’s doctor allowed her to go six weeks past due date and my birth is documented as something rare and my Mom almost died. My Mom had to have major surgery and I spent the first 2 weeks of life separated from my family in a nursery. My Mom could not have children after me and she was left with a disease from the care the doctor gave.

I was molested from the age of 3 through my teens, not by one person and there are periods of my youth I can’t remember. My first gyn visit was at the age of 11 and I suffered with problems resulting from the abuse, I lost a baby at 25 and I couldn’t have the children I wanted more than anything else. I started seeing specialists at the age of 11 yet I was discounted and suffered. I had a couple of surgeries but it was 30 years later before I finally had the big surgery - a hysterectomy. Unfortunately it left a couple of complications which the doctor made jokes and smart alec comments about.

At 24 I started having problems with my stomach. I kept telling the doctors that gallbladder disease ran in my family but it was 12 years of not being able to keep any food (or even water) down before they discovered I had the most dangerous form of gallstones and I had to have immediate surgery. Then a few years ago when I went to get some information from the hospital, I learned that the doctor had lied to me. I woke up with an extra incision across the middle of my stomach and he said that was because I waa too fat for them to get the gallbladder out the normal way but the surgery report said that he nicked the gallbladder during surgery, spilling the contents in my abdominal cavity and they had to make the extra incision to clean up his mess. It also said the gallbladder was removed through the belly button as it was suposed to be. I had complications for a year and a half.

At 29, I got very sick while travling to Seattle where the air was very damp. I went to the doctor for a year and a half and it was the flu, a virus, some new bug, and I was on antibiotics so long that I can barely take them now. I had a 101 fever every day and felt miserable. Then I went to a specialist who took a look and said I had adult tonsilitis and had to have my tonsils removed. They were so scared by that point that it was a difficult surgery and I was in recovery for 3 months.

Rico - are you getting an idea of my experience wiht medicine yet?

I am SEVERELY allergic to penicillin and yet that is what the HMOs want prescribed and I was taught if the medicine ended in “cillin” not to take it so a doctor prescribed cephlasporins when I needed an antibiotic. I had a severe reaction to this medicine and I had my first MRI as they thought I had a brain tumor and I went through all this hard stuff only to learn that I had the severest allergy to the antibiotic which by the way is the grandson of pencillin which I trusted the doctor to know and not prescribe. I could continue sharing stories but I will share one more.

I had a little back pain so I went to the doctor. I explained it all and he poked my back once and said fibromyalgia. Gave me exercises and sent me on my way. It bothered me more over time until January 2002 when I woke up in pain so severe that I could barely move and tears automatically flowed. It was a different doctor, trust me I have seen many doctors over the years. So I got there for help and my pain was off the charts. I couldn’t bend, sit, stand, lay down. I had no reflexes in my legs or feet. No pulse in my feet and I had footdrop. I could not dorsiflex or evert my feet. The doctor asked me to rock up on my toes and back on my heels. I could not rock back on my heels. i went for an xray whic showed an abnormal growth at t12 and the radiologist said I needed a bone scan test which was normal so the doctor I trusted diagnosed me with mild arthritis in the lumbar spine and gave me anti inflammatory and some other medication to relax muscles. He treated me for that for the next several months even though it only got worse. I was numb from teh waist down, couldn’t feel my feet. I started having a falls within a month or two and my legs grew weaker and weaker until I could no long get up off the floor from my falls without help.

So someone suggested I see a chiropractor and he found my malignant spinal tumor. I had cancer. I had to call and tell my doctor that and I faxed him the test result that basically said I was dying. The next day I was admitted to the hospital and I will not talk here about what I went through physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. I also won’t listen again because a lot of this in my profile or at www.myspace.com/diane_stacey where you can read more about it if you want to - no pressure.

I will share that the team of doctors (specailists) assembled at the hospital and I had a rare bone cancer and paraplegia. They said if the tumor hadn’t been found, I probably had two weeks left to live. I have white coats disorder, I suffered from thyroid disease for many years as well and I talked to doctors (yes more than one) about this problem and they don’t care. My primary care doctor told me to figure it out and supplement myself and then when I lost my health insurnace, she kindly offered to forward my medical file to the indigent clinic at a local hospital. She refused to fill out the paperwork she received from the disability office because I didn’t hav the money to pay her.

So Rico, while I respect your right to decide what is best and even share your perspective, please understand when you are doing that it can be important to know someone’s story. I know you do not know me and you probbaly have no idea exactly how many physical limitations I have. I can only lift up to 20 lbs. I can’t walk through the grocery story or do normal things like other people wihtout experiencing pain so bad that it feels I was cut in half. The doctors had to replace part of my spine and I was told I would never regain movement in my legs and I would never walk. But I had strength then and faith and I got my feet working and then my legs. Then I went back to work even though I can’t tell you how hard it was or what that did to me. I went to the pool and worked on strengthening my back and legs. The doctors had to detach the muscles in my back to get to the spinal cord so my body was left weak. I try to respect versus resent my physical limitations and be grateful that I am still alive. I know my coping skills are low but your message wasn’t condescending. It hurt.

What I have learned is this -

A doctor saved my life after another almost cost it. Most doctors wnat to make money above caring about people. There are wonderful doctors, there are terrible doctors. I’ve given them a chance and they have left me with a fear of doctos nd white coat syndrome.

I also became insignificant when I lost my health insurance. My primary care physician dropped me because I had no money. My neurosurgeon even wouldn’t order my year 5 MRI post surgery to check my spine to see if I was still okay.

I think there is a great value to medicine please don’t take what I am saying as I think medicine is worthless but I also think doctors have power and we put our trust, our lives in their hands nad if you do that blindlly because of their trainingand expertise and all those things well then I hope truly your experience is better than mine. I always did my preventtive care and appointments. I got sick anyway and none of these doctors care about my thyroid problem. As mentiond, I was even told to figure it out and supplement.

So I am not going to be angry for your comment but I hope you read all this so you understand versus judge. I tried medicine and I trusted doctors. I was sent away, I almost died, and I was todl to figure out the thyroid thing myself.

Thanks for sharing your perspective, I expected at some point in the post that would happen.

Marylou wrote:
Kneady, I understand how horrible it feels to be as tired as you are because of those health problems of yours. Trust me, I know what it’s like!

Your story really touches me on a personal level. I am keeping you in mind. If I find anything that could possibly help you in the coming weeks, I will get back to you. I know there has got to be an answer!

Please let us know about any developments. Just keep us posted on how you’re doing, Ok?

I hope something comes up real soon to bring you some relief.
In fact, I’ll be praying for it!

Take care. xx

Thanks so much Marylou! Every time someone cares like this, it boosts my spirits! The local news actually did a story on me last week, they are interested in following my story and it started with back pain and screening. They posted a link to the Chordoma Foundation - I asked them to do that because they finally started doing research on this rare cancer last year. They told me I had a 5 year life expectancy when I was diagnosed and now they say 7 but I try not to look at it that way. I have to lately though wiht the disability process. I was denied and am in appeal and I just wish I had energy soI want to see if I can do something about this thyroid issue so maybe I will have more energy. I’m so fatigued and have all these other symptoms. I am tired of feeling so bad all the time. I will read all the links tonight. I have to take a break, I can’t do any activity very long and I have probably been on line a little too long here. Be back later.

Thanks Marylou - You are right! I have already written about my stuff so people can either read that or I could choose to ignore a reply and focus on positive stuff!

Be back later,
Diane

I didn’t say all doctors were bad, I said one actually saved my life but I can’t afford to leave my life solely in their hands and I have learned that the hard way. I wish you the best and I hope you are never let down by the doctors you place your trust in. Please understand that mine has been violated.

I appreciate your advice, really. I won’t explain the list of things I have to deal with and my health is more important to me than anyone. I have just learned for myself that I have to take responsibility for making sure I get what I need. In the work that I used to do, I sometimes made mistakes too but I wasn’t in a job where mistakes could cost a life. I studied human anatomy & physiology indepthly (not as much as a a doctor) and the things I researched outside on my own I always took to my doctors to discuss.

I can only do so much at a time and I don’t have help trying to take care of all these things but I need relief now. I think if I ask as a user for advice on what other people are doing besides the medication which stopped working for me and beyond medical professionals who told me to figure it out myself then I should be allowed to do.

I can respect that some might not agree but I can’t put any additional energy against this so for those who want to offer advice addressing my question, I am open. I have studied a lot of holistic and alternate medicine and I would like to feel better. For those who disagree, the argument has been heard and acknowledged and I would prefer you please leave my post. I respect our differences, so please accept mine. I need help not criticism. I wish you the best in placing your faith in doctors. Yes there are good doctors out there and I am dealing with the ones who have failed me and taking responsibility for myself. No hard feelings, I would just like to move past this point and return to suggestions as I continue my research.

I am definitely going to look into the gluten thing because I have had a lot of allergies, including to many foods and that makes sense for my medical history. When the time comes that I have insurance and can see a doctor, I will do as I always do, discuss what I have learned but I think some times the one thing that can get discounted is that I’ve had this body for 48 years and I know it better than anyone.

Good night all, Diane

Sorry you had trouble with the link. I try to point people toward the profile so they can read more about me there and select which blogs they may want to read. I hope you didn’t waste too much time on my spot there.

It takes me days to write the blogs so if you see weird formatting things it is becuaseI typed in word and pasted then I have to clean up format code. Anyway, I know there is a lot to read so just ready what you wnat. I’m tryingto tell my story as much as I can and raise awareness about Chordoma. Before I had it, I had never heard of it either.

I changed my name this morning (trying to get away from the “knead” energy becuse it sounds too much like ‘need’!). I may not be on much today or tomorrow just because I have a lot of things to get done and am not feeling well today so I shoudl spend what energy I do have on that stuff. I think I might start feeling a little better if I had less stress.

Take care and a have a golden day,
Diane

Marylou wrote:
I’m happy you changed your name. I agree with the reason why you did, too. I thought of suggesting it. But you came up with a beautiful one.

Take care Brighter!
:)

It is funny that one day it occurred to me - things started having that weren’t so great about the time I graduated from massage school and set up an email account for massage and the nickname with “knead” in them. It is just a technique and everyone thought it was funny but then it occurred to me - am I sending a wrong message of “need” so the universe is sending me all this stuff. That week I had three separate sources ask me about the name so I figured it was confirmation! Thanks for more confirmation!!

That would be great, thanks. You’re right, reminders never hurt. You know I studied french many years ago in school and used to be very good with it but then I had to learn spanish for my job and it was confusing but I would like to work on my french again one day.

I had to go to Latin America for work to do training and it was a good test of my spanish skills. Do you know half way through it, I had such a headache from translating in my head so long? I look back and laugh now. I just got an email from one of the guys I used to work with who lives in Chile this week and I didn’t have time to really read the spanish so I should probably go back and do that now. Have a nice weekend and thanks for the information!

Just checking email and saw a reply was here so I’m checking in. Thanks for translating that for me! You’re wonderful!!

I give access to emailing me to all my friends here so if you go to my profile you should see a link that says something like you have permission to email and can see my e-addy. You can send it that way if you want. Or though Myspace, whatever is easier.

Gotta go. Feeling worse today. But I looked at thet website last night and emailed them a question and they responded already so I have to go back and sign up to read more. I have dealt with a lot of food allergies so I am anxious to read more. I was also looking for a book last night so I could look something up for a friend and I found a book I’d purchased at some point on the thyroid and another on foods that heal, etc. So I have to look at those later.

I’ll be crazy the next few days getting my taxes done. I am looking for missing paperwork and that may take me all of tomorow to find and finish my taxes. I have to look up a question or two for that so I won’t be on much until that is done. but I will be back! thanks for your help. I read the oatmeal box after eating breakfast this morning - I’ve been eating a fiber blend - oatmeal, wheat and barley. Hmmm. Interesting huh?

Hugs,
Diane