CFS & Thyroid Function: Seeking Appropriate Treatment

I highly recommend reading this article and/or printing it to discuss with your physician. This I think also applies to people with fibromyalgia, because both CFS & fibro patients have thryoid problems... usually undiagnosed and the standard blood tests do not pick this up.

What I like about this article is that they point out that people who have autoimmune thyroid disease may present with ME/CFS-like symptoms. And this article discusses the on-going debate about whether or not the people can have a dysfunctioning thyroid, but normal thyroid blood tests (CFS & FM patients apparently do).

http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=4903&t=CFIDS_FM

[selmaS]

HI....saw this post in the thyroid forum as well...I do have both fibro and a thyroid issue...with normal labs!!

I was dx with Hashimoto's thyroiditis because a US showed nodules....because of the labs being "normal" by ENDO will not rx meds.This is frustrating because it is affecting my cholesterol, weight...and many other symptoms being ignored.

Thanks for posting this!!

"selma"

[PlateletGal]

I lost 7 lbs. after I started my thyroid treatment. Although my labs were within normal range, I had all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

[selmaS]

.....I wish I could lose 1 lb....I've gained  60lbs over the past 8 months....thisis the heaviest I have ever been!! It is diff to get the drs to listen .My PC wantedme to have my heart checked to take meds for cholesterol...I refused and said I wanted my thyroid labs redone and have them consider thyroid meds b4 I will take the other meds....crestor I believe....not 4 me.
If I have symptoms and the nodules and they have increased in size too, but to small for FNA .....so here I sit and wait...and weight!!

[aka290]

My naturopathic doctor recommended a thyroid boosting all natural supplement.  My numbers kept testing fine, but I was sluggish, gainingweight, etc.  It's been 3 days and I have lost 3 pounds already.  I would just look in a healthfood store or vitamin shoppe.

Be careful not to get anything with black licorice in it if you have high blood pressure and don't have a professional to ask as it can affect your bloodpressure.

[PlateletGal]

You're right about black licorice. I was actually taking it because I had (getting better now) very low blood pressure and adrenal dysfunction.

Supplments have been a God send to many of us with CFS (I'm sure some people with fibro here also agree). My Endo actually prescribes certain supplements for me and they are the same ones recommended by the CFS experts.

But always check with your physician first before you want to try taking any new supplement. In a way, they are just like medications.

[VaBreeze]

This article is informative.  Most of them just won't run tests that they feel are unnecessary and it's hard to convince them otherwise (when they feel that they know best).  I've always heard that the specific thyroid testing should be done anytime someone has symptoms of FMS or CFS (or any other type of disorders that appear as autoimmune).