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bubba
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overweight

Postby bubba » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:08 pm

for those of you who are overweight, tried lots of diets but nothing works get your thyroid checked out. I was always a size 10 and full of energy. in the last couple of years I have put on quite a bit of weight, had no energy
and many other things. had a blood test recently after 11 years of not going to the doctor. have got a underactive thyroid. in america many women have got a thyroid problem, nearly an epidemic and no on knows why. If you eat loads of rubbish then you probably dont have a thyroid problem. but if you eat well, get very tired and other things have a look on a thyroid website, get a blood test and see if you have a problem.
I have just started my drugs and hope that I shall lose my weight and start running around full of energy. I shall update if any change.

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Postby Jool » Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:34 pm

Sorry to disillusion you but you will need to be careful with what you eat and exercise a lot too - I´ve had this for years and take 100mcg thyroxine....never lost all the weight and doctors told me many women don´t....also its important to remember that underactive thyroid often starts post hysterectomy or during natural or surgical menopause with hormone changes etc

Eutirox has a different effect on the body to levothroid - don´t ask me why so stick to the make that works best for you - for me its Eutirox.......

bubba
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Postby bubba » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:05 pm

I have been prescribed 50mcgs of levothroid today was my first pill, had them a week and was too scared to take them after reading on the internet about side effects. my appetite seems to be supressed or is it mind over matter also felt hyperactive for a few hours. shall see what happens over the next few weeks.

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El Cercardo
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Postby El Cercardo » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:28 pm

Hello both...I'm glad you brought this subject up as my OH has thyroid problems and takes the same as you, Jool.

What is the situation out in Spain...here in the UK, she gets an exemption certificate so that she does not pay for her prescriptions. When she gets the script prescribed it is for a whole year and she just collects from the chemist when needed. Is it the same in Spain? What do you do for the blood tests?

Thanks in advance 8)

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Postby bubba » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:27 am

you have to pay for your prescriptions here, and blood tests are done by your clinic, I have sanitas private health so go to the hospital where they do all the tests, if on social security you would have it done by your local clinic.

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Postby Cassandra » Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:30 am

I don't know what the situation is if your entitled to state health care here but if not you can buy thyroxine from the chemists and it is very cheap. This is what I do and have simply continued with the same dose as I was on in the UK. In my opinion it's dangerous to sell them over the counter as thyroxine can be dangerous for those who don't need it; it was used in the UK by private doctors prescribing it as a slimming aid at one time!

Bubba, it takes 4 to 6 weeks to get the full benefit as it's an accumulative effect and you will need at least one more blood test to check if you are on the correct dosage. Please persevere, it's worth it and most of the side effects are from incorrect dosages. I'm afraid Jool is correct about the weight though :(

Jool, I wasn't aware there was another type of thyroxine available, other than herbal remedies, so will discuss with my doctor back in the UK. I take the levothroid type but have never really been well although previous blood tests (in UK) showed I was on the correct dosage. Thank you for the info.

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Postby bubba » Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:50 pm

I was extra worried because I am also aneamic, and have a large hiatus hernia which I am getting sorted out soon. apart from that I am OK :lol:
The internet says you should not take thyroid tablets I f you have aneamia, I am not a tablet person, only taken headache tablets in my lifetime. So I checked with 2 chemists and another doctor they all said its ok. But I still dont beleive them. this is my second day and dont feel hungry and looking at food makes me feel sick.
Had a gammagraph done to dignose my thyroid which is nuclear, and had to avoid children and pregnant women for 6 hours after as I would still be emitting rays. very strange.

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Postby Cassandra » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:21 pm

Seems very strange, unless they were looking for something else and found that? A simple blood test can diagnose an underactive thyroid, in fact I thought it was the only way to diagnose it for certain as it's a hormone level they test for, can't remember which one though :? Now is that my thyroid at fault or the menopause setting in :lol:

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Postby Jool » Wed Jun 04, 2008 2:41 pm

I have been on thyroxine for 10 years and for last few years was anaemic too, now no longer so after 2 major operations. There is a lot of inaccurate info on the internet so don´t just take it at face value Bubba. Are you taking iron supplements too? If so they are likely to make you feel as you describe. You can get a source of iron here in liquid form called Ferplex 40, that does not upset your stomach the way pills do and is far easier absorbed by the body. Taking thyroxine should not have any side effects that you notice other than things like heart rate increasing and palpitations if you take too much. Take it in the morning after breakfast with a large glass of water. 50mcg is a low dose but Casandra is correct, it takes weeks to get you re-balanced and you must persevere as its dangerous for you to have underactive thyroid for a long period of time.

I think your lack of appetite etc is most likely to be connected to your hiatus hernia and not the thyroxine.........but if you are sure its that go to the chemist and ask for Eutirox 50.......I definitely feel different on the levothroid and when in hospital last I was specifically asked which kind I take so I assume there must be a composition difference between the two even though both deliver same amount of the hormone.

Cercado - Your local GP here in Spain can arrange regular blood tests and once living here you can arrange a repeat prescription, these only last for a year as they like to review you yearly for everything as a minimum.

Cassandra - have you ttried the natural form of thyroid supplementation - its called Armour THyroid, available from USA or from good naturopaths in UK, dosage is different to thyroxine as it works differently so you´d need to see a doctor there. Sadly it didn´t work for me........but it does for a lot of people

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Postby Cassandra » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:06 pm

I think it's been about 14 years for me and only ever tried the type prescribed by my doctor, which I assume was levothroid as when I first arrived in Spain I took the packet to the chemist and asked for the equivalent.

I certainly don't feel any worse than when I was on UK prescribed thyroxine, but not great either. The only time I did feel as if I was on the correct dose was when I managed to convince a student GP that the lower dose was insufficient but as she was determined that the higher was too much (100 & 150) we compromised on 125. My GP reversed that decision a year when a blood test showed I was slightly over and wouldn't listen to my protests :( Have suffered mild symptoms ever since but he was so insistent that even a small overdose could be potentially dangerous I've stuck to 100mcgs.

There's a school of thought that the blood tests should only be used as a guideline as no-one knows what your base level is before becoming under-active but I think doctors are too scared of being sued these days and would rather trust blood tests than clinical symptoms.

I will have a new GP on return so will try to find out more information about alternatives and discuss it with him/her and see what happens.

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Postby bubba » Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:43 pm

I had a blood test originally, then a scan on my throat, then the gammagraph which gives detailed pictures of what exactly you have on your thyroid, mine is not that bad but not right.
Have had a scan and a barium for the hiatas hernia, man who done it said its not a hiatus hernia, doctor said it was but did not even look, so am going to a specialist in malaga soon. so I am all scanned out and completly muddled up with regard to my hernia.
Have to make appt with gyny next, god knows what that will throw up.
The gammagraph is not that common only two places to have it done, one in marbella and one in malaga. I have all the pictures and the doctor never even looked at them, he only read the letter.
With regard to the anaemia I have been give vitimin B12, folic acid and fizzy dissolvable iron tablets, have stopped them to take thyroid tabs.
Blimey I sound like a hyperchondriac who rattles.

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Postby Jool » Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:56 pm

For what its worth my advice is try the Ferplex 40 instead of the iron tablets, you´ll be fine on that with the thyroxine....if you need it then you must take it or you will start to deteriorate!! There is a thyroid action group on the internet, they may be able to help you..........and give accurate advice re anaemia and hypothyroidism....by the way I never had a scan or anything for mine i the UK, just the blood tests and pills............

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Postby bubba » Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:12 pm

Thanks for all the advice, will see how I go.

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El Cercardo
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Postby El Cercardo » Wed Jun 04, 2008 11:30 pm

Jool wrote: Cercado - Your local GP here in Spain can arrange regular blood tests and once living here you can arrange a repeat prescription, these only last for a year as they like to review you yearly for everything as a minimum.
Thanks Jool...seems pretty much the same process as back in the UK then, apart from the exemption certificate side of things.

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Postby Babby » Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:05 am

Bubba I sympathise with you. I must be at the start of the menopause and recently went to the doctors and had a blood test and discovered that I was severely anaemic. The doctor gave me iron tablets and he said you must have been feeling really tired all the time, I was but I didn´t realise it was because I was anaemic, just thought it was part of getting old.

a month later I feel much better, I have more energy and instead of waking up in the morning feeling tired I feel refreshed. It is well worth having blood tests done - it was quite a comprehensive one that tested for various things.
I used to be indecisive but now I´m not so sure.

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Postby bubba » Sat Jun 07, 2008 12:56 pm

Babby I am also premenopausal I am 48 or 49 cant remember, another symptom of thyroid. I am not taking anything at the moment cos of the thyroid tablet hopefully the thyroid may have caused the aneamia, its amazing how many symptoms thyroid actually has. am feeling a bit better already but its early days. getting your energy back and feeling better makes you realise how ill you actually felt. Hubby does quite a few things around the house so I am not telling him when my energy comes back lol
its my little secret.
Jool... I am off to the uk for a couple of days and would like to drink a little alcohol is it ok , or will I be really ill or embarassing.

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Postby Cassandra » Sat Jun 07, 2008 4:06 pm

Hi Bubba, I know you asked Jool but since I'm here ... As far as I know the only ill effects you'll suffer from alcohol are the usual ones if you drink too much of the stuff Image

My doctor certainly never told me of any contra-indications and depending on what your tipple is it a moderate amount might even do you some good. Guinness is apparently loaded with iron!!

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Postby bubba » Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:03 pm

just the odd glass of wine or vodka and tonic, not too much. just dont want to end up on the table waving me knickers in the air, its a 5 star hotel. or throwing up on the carpets. I know its quite normal behaviour in the uk, but not for me : :lol:

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Postby Cassandra » Sun Jun 08, 2008 10:51 am

You'll be fine, enjoy your holiday Image

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Postby Jool » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:26 am

Sorry Bubba, didn´t see your post but Cassandra is correct, apart from fattening effects no problem with drinking alcohol.....and guinness or stout could do you the world of good!!


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