I was falling asleep at 2pm, my hair was falling out, I

Hormones
1

I was falling asleep at 2pm, my hair was falling out, I had piled on several stone literally overnight, and I DIDN'T CARE. Pretty classic symptoms, you'd think. (There were many others, like the bags under the eyes, the husky voice, you all probably know them too).

After begging for help for so long, I finally got a diagnosis in 1999, because I changed doctors. He told me the blood test was "normal". I asked him to compare it to previous tests done over the last 2 years, and he saw that there was a clear trend, the numbers were moving, and maybe, just maybe, I had a point. I've been on Thyroxin ever since.

What horrifies me is how ignorant the medical profession is, how badly behaved, how arrogant, how rude, how dismissive of people like me. I put on 4 stone in one year (how I wish it had remained "just" four stone!) but the medical profession claims that people are only fat because they eat too much. End of. So, presumably I'm having blackouts where I'm scoffing a bag of donuts but am in denial?

Now I'm reading that there is far more to the treatment than I thought, and my doctor has done nothing about my condition except keep writing the prescriptions. Should I demand to see an endocrynoligist? After reading some of these comments, I guess it's pot luck whether waiting an age will result in my seeing an enlightened and capable one. Should I ask for different tests? Should I try different pills? Where am I supposed to find out what is best for me, because my doctor sure isn't going to help me find out!

At first, when diagnosed, you think, hey, it really IS my glands! But nobody believes you. You cut down and cut down on your food, try different supplements, eating less but far more healthily. The weight still goes on. Try eating one biscuit, just once in a year, and watch people sneer at you for being a greedy fat pig!

Eventually you aren't fit enough to exersise, even walking hurts. My feet hurt as soon as I get out of bed. I hate the way I look, but I hate the medical profession even more for doing so little so badly to help people like me. If my doctor really thinks it's my fault I have doubled in size, why is my cholesterol and blood sugar levels so good?

Sorry to rant on, but I've wanted to get this off my chest for an age. I am furious that our medical profession is so incompetent on this subject, and arrogantly happy to remain so.

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Hi,

How I sympathise with you, the medcal profession don't appear to know how to handle thyroid problems. I have myxodoema A type of underactive thyroid my doctor who is areally nice chap told me I had it and to find out more 'look on the web' this I did and was horrified it mentioned dementia, appearance taking on a horsey look hair loss and death. I was so worried I couldn't stop shaking and phoned the surgery eventually my doctor phoned me back and told me that the medication should keep the problems under control, I have been given no information no referrals and no advice about the depression, weight gain, hair loss, panic attacks, weakness or anything else. If it hadn't been for this site I would feel so alone but others do suffer the nasty things I do.

You must keep on to your doctor to get you sorted I have been on medication (levothyroxine) for 1 year now I have good days and bad. just started exercising again but feel sick, exhausted and have irregular fast heartbeats afterwards. I really is a vicious circle. I hope they start getting you sorted out very soon. So be well be happy.

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Thank you Denise, I really appreciate your reply.

I am wondering, having read so many posts on this site, just what is the medical profession doing? Where is the research to truly help us? The internet can be a wonderful thing, but all I find, when trying to research, is horror stories and snake-oil cures. I want the medical profession to take it seriously, so people like us don't have to spend the next 30-50 years suffering. It won't be the hypothyroidism that kills me, it'll be a heart attack brought on by excess weight, and I am powerless to prevent that.

I really hate feeling so angry and negative about it, but reading how women are still suffering and still not being helped properly just makes my blood boil!

It seems to be women who are mainly affected by hypothyroidism, and a lot of the time it's middle aged (or approaching middle age). Women like this are very easy to write off as unimportant, and I think that is what the medical profession has done. We don't count, even though there are so many of us.

I hope that your medication prevents all the symptoms and results of your illness, and that you feel better and healthier as time goes on. For me, I didn't even know that there were different types of hypothyroidism, and so I will go back to my doctor and try and get some more help.

Best wishes to you!

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4

I suppose I should say that I am glad to feel almost well everyday but it is now well over 10 years since I first started the battle of getting well. My secret has been not to give up, days I did, but belief in myself, and the fact that I knew instinctively I didn't need medication for depression, although I was depressed has got me to where I am to-day. Finally being medicated with a combination of T4(100mcgms) and T3(10mcgms) most days I cope with pretty satisfactorily. The test certainly has been deciding to move house from a home we have been in for 30 years, I am now 66, have brought up a family with my husband here, and although it is very stressful, I have remained upright and sane. This time last year, I don't think I could have contemplated it. I do think it is important to try and keep determined and learn all you can. This web site has been an eyeopener to me in that there are so many people feeling left to suffer. Incidentally, when you are correctly medicated, you will go for days on end not thinking about being a person with Thyroid problems, something which obsessed me for years. Good luck, keep searching for your cure. M. Waugh :D:D

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