Hydro and hypothyroid??

[LIZARD]

Okay...I know hypothyroid is very common, especially in women my age, but I'm also curious about how much hydro might have influenced these symptoms I have experienced for the past 2 years or so.

1) All winter I was unbearably cold, even in a 70-degree house. My feet were always like ice, even when I wore shoes and socks.
2) My skin--particularly my hands--is severely dry, to the point of needing lotion even this time of year. My hands look like my 62 1/2 yo mom's! :eek:
3) I sleep like $h!t--waking up very easily, rarely feel refreshed, even after 9-10 hours
4) I'm much more mentally foggy than I used to be, and I'm not on much med at all, just a low dose of phenoabr at night.
5) I am ravenously hungry, especially when I get less than 7 hours of sleep.
6) My awesome weight loss has slowed drastically on acct of all of this
7) I expected to feel a lot better than this after losing 94 lbs
8) Years ago, when I was tested, I was found to have a goiter (enlarged thyroid), but my levels were all "within normal."

No; no dx yet, but I'm being yelled at to get checked. I'm curious, too...any higher likelihood with hydro that anyone knows about? It wouldn't shock me, but I don't know of any yet.

TIA for any insight!

LIZARD :)

[Braindrain]

I Googled hypothyroid and hydrocephalus and came up with this link:

http://www.edgarcayce.org/health/database/health_resources/hypothyroidism.asp

They don't mention hydrocephalus specifically, but pay close attention to
the Causes section, where they mention spinal problems.

[Nick,Brian,andJon'sMom]

When was the last time you had your levels checked? It could be a simple case of needing a blood draw to check your thyroid levels. You also have had a significant weight loss and that would throw your levels off. Also when you lose so much weight it is common to feel colder because you don't have the weight to keep you warm.

When my DH's levels are off, I can tell because he has some of the same symptoms that you do. Off to the doc get a level and the med was adjusted and he felt much better.

Marcie

[Nat Hyland]

except for the feeling cold bit - I'm normally boiling actually, when most people are about the right temp. Although I must say my temperature is usually on the lower end of "normal" when I check it.

I think hydro has the potential to adversely affect ANY part of the brain.

Nat.

[Lauren88]

Hey Liz :)

No info on the hydro front, but was anything done about your goitre? Do you still have it? My mum had one when she was a child and she had to get it removed - is OK now though.

Good luck and I hope you can get it sorted soon!

Hugs

[LIZARD]

When was the last time you had your levels checked? It could be a simple case of needing a blood draw to check your thyroid levels. You also have had a significant weight loss and that would throw your levels off. Also when you lose so much weight it is common to feel colder because you don't have the weight to keep you warm.


Hey, Marcie. :)

Thanks for this. :) I thought the cold thing was due to the weight, too, but it was especially bad in the extremities; my hands, feet, and nose were always like ice, in spite of being covered. (Yeah, I tried to heat my nose up, too!) In light of the other symptoms--the suddenly dry scalp and brittle hair (my hair has always been an oil slick! :o ), the lousy sleep, the horrendous hunger (I have essentially stopped losing :( ), the debilitating fatigue and mental fog...it all fits, especially with the annoucement that I had a goiter when I was last tested.

I admit to being tested years ago--like, more than 10 :o--but since so many of the symptoms I gradually began to have could be easily blamed on hydro (crappy memory, lousy sleep, fatigue) and other things (dry eyes on allergies, cold on weight loss, etc), I blew it off. Now I think it needs to be revisited, especially since my hunger is really getting in the way, and with my blood sugar being low already, I can't afford to ignore it. :(


LIZARD :o

[LIZARD]

Hey Liz :)

No info on the hydro front, but was anything done about your goitre?

Nope; nada. :( I don't know if it's still enlarged, which is why I'm seriously considering getting re-tested. (I was 30-ish last time.) My symptoms--particularly the dryness of my skin and hair, and the cold susceptibility--are much more prominent now than they were then, especially since losing all the weight. (I still have about 60-65 to go, too! :( )


Thanks, hon'!

LIZARD :)

[monicad1974]

I believe I would see about having that thing removed. My mom's mom had one years ago. I hear stories about my mom growing up rough but my mom also tells that before she had it removed that she was "one mean woman"... I know your not at this point but it will make you feel terrible and will have issue with your loosing weight.

[LIZARD]

I believe I would see about having that thing removed. My mom's mom had one years ago. I hear stories about my mom growing up rough but my mom also tells that before she had it removed that she was "one mean woman"... I know your not at this point but it will make you feel terrible and will have issue with your loosing weight.

What are the effects of removal? Doesn't that cause problems, too?? :confused:


LIZARD :o

[monicad1974]

My Granny and a great Aunt has had then removed. I know they feel better and may have to take a med to balance it out. I don't know for sure I would talk to a DR. about it all...

[kalebsmom]

What are the effects of removal? Doesn't that cause problems, too?? :confused:


LIZARD :o
Hey Lizzard-
Nothing new to report on kaleb so- I have not posted in a while-but- I do peek in to see how everyone is doing :) Sorry to hear that you are not feeling well....My aunt had a bad thyroid...she did not actually have hers removed- they gave her some sort of low dose radiation over a period of time to "kill" it off so to speak-it shut the thyroid down without actually having to undergo surgery to have it removed...that was about 10 years ago...she felt better right away ans has done great every since- has not suffered any "side effects" I wish you the best of luck...keep us posted! Congrats on the weight loss- hang in there...get the thyroid straightened out..you will start to lose again...matter of fact...weight loss is prolly what caused thyroid to go haywire again ... happens to lots of people- Some cases can be medicated w/out removal i Believe :)

[kathleenandjoe]

Okay . . .lecture time, Liz. . . 10 years is way too long not to have this simple thing checked out especially if the word goiter was said in the past.

Truth is that if you had a goiter and it was bad (as in the kind that is not diet-related as in not enough iodine, etc) it would have likely gotten BIGGER over time.

I agree that anything brain-related can possibly be linked to anything else. . . but getting any doctor to say it's hydro-related is unlikely since thyroid troubles are so dang common with anyone.

So surgical removal of goiter is not done often at all. Only if the little hormone pill proves unsucessful and/or it grows and starts puching other stuff around. Also if there is gland stuff with it going on and a history. of cancer. . . they may yank it to check and see.

The radiation thing is a newer way. I actually lived next door to a girl (the youngest ever to have this done) who had hers zapped this way. She then was said to have no thyroid and has to take the pills for life. If cancer is suspected . . . they would likey go in and take it I think. Either way. . . the pill provides what the missing thyroid no longer can when gone.

Usually you can tell if there is a problem by a simple touch and feel exam - by a DOCTOR that is - and bloodwork. That is it! Based on levels . . . a simple little pill can level things out and I have seen this fix weightloss and other symptoms in others within weeks of finding the right dose of TSH (I think that is what the pill is called). The gioter usually goes down once this is acheived or at least never grows bigger.

I think though you must have levels taken every so often . . . especially with weight gain and loss. . . to make sure it's where it's suppose to be. It is a hormone that your body produces (only if you have hypo you likely do not produce enough anymore).

The cold problem I find funny as I have the same thing and it is worse when I am my skinny me versus right now a little heavier! My hubby hates that I am always cold (nose too so bad I tear up sometimes). I once had a doc tell me that it was related to diet and iron and sugar intake. So do you get enough iron and is your blood sugar being monitored? Ask for anemia check when they drow your blood to be sure. I was very anemic all through high school and college (also anorexic and when I did eat it was jelly beans and bread) and I was ALWAYS tired and very cold and did not think straight.

WW is wonderful. . . but even it does not make sure you eat the RIGHT points unless you do CORE. I am combining points with the ABS diet now and doing well! Maybe it's time for a gear switch for ya too girlie! YOu can do this.

So go to your doc this week please. And keep us posted!

Hugs,
Kathleen

[LIZARD]

Thanks for the kick, Mommy! :D ;)

In all seriousness, the symptoms I have noticed have only been bad for the past year or so, and I could easily blame them on other things, like my crappy sleeping from being the way my brain has always been, everybody else on the WW board who'd lost a lot telling me that they were having the same probs with body temp and extremities, dry and cold winter weather drying my skin up (along with all the hand washing from frequent potty trips :o ), etc, etc. The endo I went to way back when just shrugged. I should have grabbed her by the throat?? :o :D Okay, okay. :) I'll find a doc this week. Promise!


Thanks, darlin'!

LIZARD :)

[LIZARD]

Endo appt scheduled for Aug 6--if I don't hang myself before then...:( I'll try to get a sooner one this week.


LIZARD :rolleyes: :o

[CathyE]

I "think" I read somewhere a woman's blood tests came back normal but she demanded an ultrasound which proved a problem.
Gee I hope it was about thyroid.

Anyone know if they can ultrasound it?

Cathy

[LIZARD]

I "think" I read somewhere a woman's blood tests came back normal but she demanded an ultrasound which proved a problem.
Gee I hope it was about thyroid.

Anyone know if they can ultrasound it?

Cathy

Yep. :) http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/Thyroid-and-Parathyroid-Ultrasound


LIZARD :)

[Suecr]

Well, no advice really, just that Hayley has endocrine issues already at three due to intercrainal condition (i,e pituary land is damaged and she produces no growth hormone, so shot every night). So they keep a close eye on all else. So it seems to me it could be common (thyroid).