The Hypothyroid gardener

[julesapple]

These posts are all so familiar......the tiredness, the struggle with day to day life and the struggle to get your doctor to take some notice of you.

I fought tooth & nail with my doctors for 7 years, even changed surgery twice before I even got a blood test! When I got the results the doctor said 'You know, you really are very ill....) Well, No sh*t Sherlock! I felt like Spike Milligan, who has "I told you I was ill..." on his headstone.

One year on and I have hair now. I'm not quite as tired as I used to be, my joints aren't screaming with pain when I move, my skin has stopped falling off and my libido has returned. My weight has dropped from 13st to a healthier 10st for my 5'2" height. I still feel very cold and can go from being warm in the house to feeling like a naked Eskimo after just seconds outside and getting warm again takes forever.

Being undiagnosed for so long caused problems when I finally got the LevoThyroxine. I had severe heart palpitations and had to be admitted to hospital twice. As I come from a family with a history of heart problems, my thyroxine dose is carefully monitored and I won't be on the full dosage I need for some time as it needs to be introduced very slowly to avoid heart problems.

It's been a long long drag, but I am so relieved to have finally been diagnosed officially and to get treatment. It's such a common condition that I'm surprised at just how many doctors ignore it.

Jules

[ladylottie]

Ha ha - do I battle body temp?! Too right I do. With Hypothyroidism you suffer from the cold - I am sat with six layers on typing this, in a centraly heated house, on a mild day and I'm still cold! What meds is she on?

Hi. I too have an underactive thyroid and have been diagnosed now for about 7 years. I had my dosage increased to 125mg just before last Christmas. Unlike you though, I am nearly always hot! My heating bills are non-existent. I know most people with it feel the cold but not me! My doctor says that symptoms between hyper and hypo thyroidism can overlap. As long as my tablets are balanced then I am ok and have loads of energy but am always hot. Every now and then though it has a "blip" and I do get very tired.

I also find that if I've had something happen to stress me out or upset me, then I know that seven days later I will have a thyroid "blip" and will feel quite ill.

The way I deal with it all is to just keep going, if I stop and give in to it then I just get even more tired. It does take a massive amount of effort.

The worst thing for me though is the battle to keep weight off. I'm a hillwalker and walk two or three times a week. The other days I do at least half an hour Rosemary Conley exercises but it's still an uphill struggle. Oh yes and I eat less than 30 grams of fat a day too.

It's no consolation but there are thousands of people like us. Even four of my friends have underactive thyroids. They seem to sail along with no symptoms unlike me.

[petal]

I have under active thryroid, its hard to lose weight,(I need to try harder) i feel the cold, my nails are a mess still and I have been on meds for a good 5 years now. I have more energy but not enough to cope with sustained exercise for long- which is really bothering me. Which is why i have joined the gym to try to get fitter? one can only try!

[piskieinboots]

Have any of you considered (or have you already) given up wheat? I've taken to reading far too much about just how bad wheat is for most of us - and hypowhatsit is in there being mentioned.

Just a thought

[Finedon.Dandy]

I wouldnt wish it on anyone but it is just so nice to be in touch with others. There are alot more of "us" than people realise. I have been trying to reduce my wheat intake Piskie as I do find it makes me even more sluggish than normal. Have you a link to what you have been reading please?

Ladylottie - my Mother-in-law really annoys me as she has a 90 year old friend who is hypothyroid and just because she doesnt suffer with any of the symptoms/blips that I do and is nice and slim she cant understand why I am overweight (getting there but must try harder seems to be my motto) and I really feel as if she doesnt believe me when I try and explain how I am feeling during a blip period. Its also interesting how you say stress has an adverse affect so far later - that must be why I am always tired lol - its stress all the time here - 4 kids can do that you know!

Hoping everyone is gathering their energy together ready to start sowing seeds next month. Please do let me know how you are getting on. Much love.

Tired Tammy

xxxx

[piskieinboots]

There is much to read - but I would start with this book**

**warning
You may never want to eat bagels, bread, pasta again!!

[Helgalush]

I have often thought of starting a little thread on here for those of us who garden with chronic health problems. Although, I dont have thyroid issues, I have ME, and the symptoms and effects of it are just like you described your condition in the opening post, Tammy. I've made some very small steps with my recovery, and it is ongoing, but just like you it is a daily transaction between the energy I have "banked" and how much I can afford to "spend". Sometimes though, no matter how careful I am with my energy expenditure, I get a huge worsening of symptoms and and have a crash. I dont know if you have read the Spoon Theory, at all? It explains this pretty well.

I did find last summer that I was able to sit at the garden table in the sunshine and potter (or rather pot-up). I did pretty much everything by container gardening as it means I can work in small amounts at a time and at a higher level (ie at the table) while sitting. Besides this I did have a little flower bed that I sowed some pretty annuals in, in small amounts.

I found doing this was so good for the soul - therapeutic. Its so lovely to see the rewards of your little efforts, and have all this lovely produce and flowers in the garden. Last summer my garden was alive with bees, ladybirds and hoverflies, it was lovely being out in it. I've got all my fingers and toes crossed for an allotment this year, and my husband thankfully is keen to do all the labour-intensive bits like digging and weeding which is great as some of this is still very much beyond me, but what I lack in stamina I make up for with enthusiasm and the desire to grow as much as I can.

I'd like to check in on any health-related thread, if I may be allowed, even though I dont have the same condition. Would that be ok?

[ladylottie]

Have any of you considered (or have you already) given up wheat? I've taken to reading far too much about just how bad wheat is for most of us - and hypowhatsit is in there being mentioned.

Just a thought

Now this is something I had never considered before - I had a quick skim through the article you posted called Wheatbelly. What an eye-opener!

I do love home-made bread and have just gone back to baking my own recently. (don't eat loads of it though). But I'm going to have to test this wheat free idea for myself and see if it works.
Is anyone else going to try is as well?
Thanks for posting about this Piskie.

[ladylottie]

I'd like to check in on any health-related thread, if I may be allowed, even though I dont have the same condition. Would that be ok?

Ok with me - and who knows we all might pick up some ideas from one another that would help with our different conditions

[piskieinboots]

I do love home-made bread

Me too - but something had to give!

I went cold turkey on wheat and all processed products that may contain wheat almost three weeks ago - the first four days were pretty rough, the withdrawal symptoms were quite strong.

So, three weeks down the line, I have eaten tons of food but not once felt bloated, I have much more energy (although actually less energy during the withdrawal stage!) and wheat belly is visibly shrinking, my sinus (after years of being yuk!) have cleared up and several other issues too.

Some will poo poo this as a fad - that is fine - it is working for me thus far and that's enough endorsement for me

[Glutton4...]

What an interesting thread. I had my Thyroid tested a couple of years ago, as I suffer from lack of energy, but they told me that it's normal, so I'm obviously just lazy, I guess. I do really sympathise with sufferers, and know two people with removed or partially removed thyroids, and both swear by Thyroxine.

I am about to read the article in Piskie's link, as I know I have a wheat intolerance, as does my Mum, and also her Mum did, too. I'm currently going through wheat withdrawal, and it's been driving me so crazy I actually went and bought some 'free from' rolls the other day.

[Finedon.Dandy]

What an interesting thread. I had my Thyroid tested a couple of years ago, as I suffer from lack of energy, but they told me that it's normal, so I'm obviously just lazy, I guess.

I bet you are within normal range but, like me, still are suffering from it. Why not get tested again and ask what the levels are - we can soon tell you what is what

[Finedon.Dandy]

I can message the mods and get the name of this thread changed and amend my first post to state its for all. I agree we can all probaly learn alot from others with varying and different conditions and perhaps this thread should be more all encompassing. Any suggestions as to a better title?

Glad you all like the idea and I hope people find it useful and supportive. Im off to read Piskies link - I may be some time

[Helgalush]

Dont feel you have to change the title of the thread just for me, I just hoped you didnt mind if I "tagged along".

Its a very good idea for a thread.

PS sorry if my post above was very long, sometimes I cant explain what I want to say in a concise way!

[Finedon.Dandy]

Dont feel you have to change the title of the thread just for me, I just hoped you didnt mind if I "tagged along".

Its a very good idea for a thread.

PS sorry if my post above was very long, sometimes I cant explain what I want to say in a concise way!

Of course we dont mind if you tag along. However I am now wondering if the very title of this thread could put off someone, with some other debhilitating condition, from reading it just because of the title?