The Hypothyroid gardener

[Finedon.Dandy]

This thread has really made me start thinking. (Rare I know). Because up until a couple of years ago and certainly after I was first diagnosed, the doctor used to tell me what my T3's & T4's were but he hasn't for ages. Why? And more to the point, why haven't I asked for the results?

Here are my results and you can see that until I was pregnant they only test T4 if your TSH is outside the normal range. I used to keep a record of all my results but have got slack in recent years. I was mainly interested when I was first diagnosed July 2006 as it was all new a scarey. Then I was concerned if it would affect my fertility and yep I had three miscarriages and you can clearly see that although "normal" I wasnt at probaly the best for me and when I got nearer then I conceived twins!


TSH s/be 0.35 - 5.50 T4 s/be 12 - 22
06/07/2006 53.75 7.2
03/08/2006 15.07 13.4
07/09/2006 8.36 14.2
26/10/2006 6.92 14.1
18/12/2006 4.24 n/k
22/06/2007 3.15 n/k - first miscarriage September 2007
16/01/2008 2.16 n/k
13/03/2008 8.74 13.6 7/40 - 7th week of pregnancy
28/03/2008 4.75 n/k 9/40 - baby had died by now, at 8 1/2 weeks but I didnt know till week 12 - missed misciage at week 12
10/09/2008 7.82 14.3 6/40 - 3rd miscarriage - lost at week 8
07/11/2008 2.03 18.1 -test req by gynae consultant
05/01/2009 3.04 n/k
13/02/2009 3.74 n/k 5/40 - Pea n Pod conceived
24/02/2009 1.56 18.7 7/40


I will ring my doctors surgery when I get a mo to see if they will give me the results of all tests since. Hope this information is useful.

[VirginVegGrower]

Hi all, doctor called tonight and I have severely depleted Iron and B12. Not menopausal and not hypothyroid, although with family history on my side, he wants six monthly blood tests. If I end up over 2, I am currently 1.96, which is slap bang in the middle of the range, then I will be monitored more closely and a trial dose of thyroxine under their guidance.
So tonight I'm on the steak, chips, spinach and watercress diet with vitamin C drink, ferrous sulphate and B complex for afters.

[julesapple]

VVG, hate to say it, but been there , done that. Keep pestering them.

I've been mildly anaemic since my teens, and it's gotten worse with subsequent pregnancies because my periods are horrendous (now, at nearly 46, I'm praying for the menopause) and symptoms of the anaemia mostly hid the HT symptoms. An iron-rich diet did nothing relieve the tiredness etc etc even though it makes me slightly less anaemic. Hypothyroidism and anaemia make for a very vicious cycle.

I guess you'll have to play their game for a while, take iron tonic etc and then they might listen if that doesn't work.

Jules

[VirginVegGrower]

I am convinced that I am sub clinical hypothyroid and I think he's coming around. I intend paying for a private test on TSH antibodies and if there are any present then the results get slapped on his desk. I haven't given up by a long chalk, but at least now he is taking my family history into account. He also acknowledged that menorrhagia is very often yet another sign of hypothyroid. They know so little about thyroid disease in our surgeries, it's shocking.
Thanks Julesapple forgot to say - 44, only two years behind you girl!

[Finedon.Dandy]

Thanks Julesapple forgot to say - 44, only two years behind you girl!

lol - I'm ONLY 40

[julesapple]

They know so little about thyroid disease in our surgeries, it's shocking.
Thanks Julesapple forgot to say - 44, only two years behind you girl!

That's it exactly; they know so little. Pity they can't be honest and admit it, instead of acting like know-it-alls!

And, thanks girls, I feel sooooo old now

Jules

[VirginVegGrower]

Julesapple and FD - age is but a number! When you're hypo or nearly hypo, as I suspect, I think we all agree you feel a lot older some days than forty or forty something.

[Finedon.Dandy]

Oooooh I'm struggling today! I havent seen my parents or middle sister since end of November. My sister said we would meet halfway this Friday of half term with all the kids but has now decided to sell her car so cant and wanted me to go down to her. I had been dreading a 3/4 hour drive there and back and really couldnt face a full 1 1/2 drive so asked my parents if they could bring her half way as it would be nice to see them too. However Dad then decided it would be much easier to just come up for the day and thats just what I DIDnt want cos the house is in a terrible state.

As you know I have been struggling since the end of last year and what with having to go and sort out Bashfull Bill at school every few days, everything just seems to have disintergrated into chaos. Pea n pod went into beds last week so there are stile piles of evicted stuff everywhere and I dont have the energy to deal with it whilst the kids are at home. I have stashed most in my bedroom and will just shut the door on it but the washing is in there too - BB isnt dry at night still and girls need to change clothes after playing out in our bog of a garden so I am doing 2 or 3 loads a day minimum.

I know they should just take me how they find me and they do. They know I am crap at coping with the housework and just muck in when they come but I dont want that. I want my kids to have quality time with their grandparents not watch them sort out their Mums failings. Mum says just need to make sure the kitchen sides, sink, wash basins n loos are clean and they were till BB found two muddy golf balls in his pockets and decided to wash they in the cloakroom basin and do a number two in the loo while he was at it.

I have spent 2 hours this morning running around like a headless chicken, dont seem any further forward and just feel exhausted, dizzy and am craving a coffee like no-ones business! Moral support PLEASE

[julesapple]

Tammy...step away from the housework!! I'm sure your parents would rather see you and the children relaxed and happy rather than stressed to heck. Let your parents help you. It makes them feel helpful, and it's a good example to your children - it's not their grandparents trying to make up for your failing at all!! It's good for kids to see that you work hard and that nice people help out when help is needed.

Can you give the older two wee jobs, such as dusting or vacuuming? Ask BB to wipe out the sink and flush the loo when he's done. When I was BB's age, my mum was ill and off her feet for about two months, so my Dad made a rota of jobs for us to do (although my siblings were older than Bluebelle) and we thought it was great fun.

Just remember; your parents have come to see YOU. They won't hold an untidy house against you, they love you.

Jules

[Finedon.Dandy]

Thanks Jules.

Bluebelle has been fab - tidying her room. Mind you thats now her foot isnt hurting - the reason I have missed another weigh in at weight watchers! - dread to think how much I have put on these difficult few weeks. Bluebelle has now offered to clean the basins and is trying to lecture BB on why he should tidy his room. He is off out with his new friend this afternoon so hoping the girls will go down ok for their naps then I can try and at least tidy and vaccum lounge. I am finding it easiest to get on for 1/2 an hour then rest for 1/2 an hour. Have had a coffee and feel a little less stressed now.

Oh btw - are you doing a fair at Stanwick Lakes this year - even if I cant have a stall it would be nice to get together. Much love. xx

[julesapple]

At the moment, it's looks like we won't be doing any fairs anywhere for lots of tedious reasons and a couple of very important ones, like the BH's health and, to a lesser extent, my own. I want a break from organising too, as I'm not getting to sew anything because I'm too busy organising......but then I have nothing to sell as I can't get time to sew.....vicious cycle!

When we go up to my parents I think of you every time we pass the Finedon sign on the A45! Keep up with the frequent coffee breaks - I find myself getting less done because I lose the thread of what I want to achieve when stressed. Bluebelle sounds fab, bless her, and I expect you'll get a fair amount done when the Twincesses have a nap - write a list - but don't get stressed if you don't get it done. In the big picture, housework doesn't figure too highly - health & happiness are much more important.

I can remember, after #3 child was born 18 years ago, my mother arriving at my house to make sure I'd cleaned it top to bottom before the health visitor arrived (#3 was, like, two days old...) and getting in a real tizzy because, oddly, I hadn't done a complete Spring clean. She got me stressed out to hell and I ended up yelling at her, upsetting the DD who was only just four, and brand new #2 Son, in the process. Whilst we were still sulking at each other, my lovely Health Visitor arrived, picked up on the cause of the argument in an absolute flash and lectured (in the nicest possible way) my mother on the importance of being happy and relaxed with a new baby as much as you can be, housework not being important. My Ma hmmphed about it not being like that in her day, and was much mollified when the Health Visitor said how awful it must have been for Ma. My mum suddenly realised what the priorities should have been and she's been a huge help ever since. The Bh and I have dealt with some really, really, carp situations and times since then, but I always remember HV Bernice's advice about the housework and putting yourself and the children first.

Jules

[SimonSez]

Ironically I have been reading this topic with interest over the last few weeks as I have been feeling 'under the weather'. After being to the doctors I found out yesterday I have an underactive thyroid and I am now on thyroxene (sp!?). If I hadnt seen this thread I probably would not have got checked particularly as 24 is young and very rare for a male to be diagnosed!

[julesapple]

Welcome to the club, Simon!

Jules

[lottie dolly]

hello simon,been there,you are so lucky to get dyiognosed so quick,very good you have,although you a still young,1 of granddaughters is in the borderline as the gp says,she only 11,it can affect any age,and can be hereditory,my late dad also had it,

[ladylottie]

Yes you are young to have an underactive thyroid Simon, but at least you have been diagnosed and on medication. But as lottiedolly says, any age can get it. Has the doctor put you on a low dose of Thyroxine to see how you get on?

I saw the nurse today to have blood taken ready for my six monthly check up with the doctor. I asked her for my previous T3 & T4 results and guess what? - they haven't tested those for a very long time, so I will definitely be asking the doctor next week about this. Also it seems they only check my Foliate and B12 every two years.