BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Thyroid Health I sure could use some HELP

short and to the point I had tyroid cancer and had my cancer removed 8 years agomy weight has being a yo-yo I did much better when my weight was 120 lbs now I am alomst 200 lns and growing..I use to have energy and loved life now I do nothing and am still tired. my meds have changed over and over ..I no longer can afford to go to a doc and I need to start taking care of myself..To day I feel like giving up can some one help...if I am gaining weight like mad do I need to up my meds? or lower them? Also my eye sight is getting really bad even my eye doc can't believe it ...any ideas? I have many health problems now....any help wouldbe gret .thanks..emmie

Actually, with your difficulty losing weight and having eye trouble - it makes me wonder if maybe you have started down the road of a diabetic.

Having diabetes can make weight loss extrememly difficult, and can sometimes follow on the heels of another endocrine problem (like thyroid).

But trying to fix it by yourself w/out a Dr's help could be very dangerous.

However if you just want to test the theory, you might be able to go to the local health dept and have them check your blood sugar level. Or if you have a close relative that's diabetic, you can check your level on their monitor (I don't recommend doing this with just a friend - you really shouldn't anyway, but there's a realistic option.)

I also thought of diabetic when I read this... DON"T let it go. Untreated, if this is what it is, can lead to conditions worsening. If you don't like the Dr. you are seeing , change. If it is financial, find a clinic. but, don't let it go. My grandma had failing eyesight and thought it would get better... She went blind. The doctor said if she had come in, she'd had her sight. She's passed on now, but rushed it due to not taking proper care of herself..

I am hypothyroid and bad about taking meds. I am suffering now as my levels are out of whack and I am always tired. also anemic. I did see a dr. because my weight was going up and so tired. Adjusted med, did lab and got to go back in 2 months... We have to take care of ourselves because no one else is...

I have been hypothyroid for decades and on meds since I was 14...my Mom has been on synthroid since it became available back in the 50s...you cannot take care of this yourself...if you have no thyroid you HAVE TO TAKE IT...the repercussions of not doing so are legion...the depression and weight gain are just the beginning; Please go to a doctor and get back on your thyroid meds.

Emmie
With thyroid cancer you should be medicated with a tsh below .3. That's because they like thyroid cancer patients to be over medicated to make sure that the cancer can't grow again.
What is your TSH?
If you were below .3 you'd most likely be losing weight, but that's not 100%. Some people on to much thyroid medication gain weight.
Eye sight getting worse is usually a sign of hypothyroid.
Not always but most times it is. <img src="/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />
Find out your numbers and email me.
Let me know what state you live in I'll give you a support group that can help you find a good doctor. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />
You need to take your thyroid every day as your doctor wants you to. If you don't your levels well be mixed up.
If you are in synthroid you need to make sure you take it daily. It has a half life and it you miss to much it take a long time to get it built back in your system.

Also take you medication on a empty stomach and wait 1 hour before you eat!! This is a must!! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Also make sure you take your thyroid at least 4 hours away from iron, calcium and female hormone pills.

YOu sound like you know what your talking about..I live in Alliance ohio and I will call my doctor on monday and see if he will order me some test can you tell me which ones I should ask for? thankas may be if I knew which ones to ask for and got some numbers we would have a good starting point..thanks emmie

Emmie
Have them do a tsh, free t3 and free t4 make sure they do a t3. Most doctors won't. If you really want the whole picture ask for a whole thyroid panel, with antibodies too.
Read this article for more information on your labs.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art31686.asp

Also do you take iron, calcium or female hormones.
These need to be taken 4 hours after thyroid pills.

Come over to the Natural Thyroid Hormone gorup on Yahoo. There will be someone that can help you there. They have "been ther,done that".

What does it mean when your Dr. days that half of your thyroid is working, yes you have a 'Gouter'(?, but i have had blood test normal ones for yrs. Nothing seems to ehow up. If half your throid is working will being put on thyroid meds make the other side work.?
I live around Chicago untill I was 10yrs old, then back & forth untill I was 18yrs. I ask my GP & he just seems not to care. Guess I should see a thyroid Dr. as long as I can afford Ins. Thanks, [email]Pegi..yellmouth@adelphia.net[/email]