Hypothyroid, weight gain, no periods, chest pain, etc

[ChristaMarie03]

I have been diagnosed with hypothyroid 1 year, my grandma on my fathers side had it too. I take 50mcg Synthroid. I was having the symptoms for a year before being diagnosed. My Doctor tested me for diabetes he said I do not have that. I have gained a total of 80lbs & still & I eat well. I'm up to 205lbs vs 125lbs I was in 4/2007 I'm only 5'2''. My numbers at last check were fine, but I'm still gaining weight. I have been nauseated constantly, a sick feeling like too much acid in my stomach, its only if I have to get up in the morning & it goes away after I take a nap. I have pain in my chest, it starts in my chest near my sternum & radiates to my back shoulder & feels like I have something stuck in my throat that I cant swallow, with jaw pain& the pain comes on randomly & has been going on before I started taking Synthroid. I have been on Prevacid & Metoclopramide 10mg they gave me diarrhea & made me tired. Then Aciphex.20mg been on that a month, & its working on the nausea, but does nothing for the pain. Now my periods have stopped its been 4 months now, & I'm not pregnant, my Gyno tested me. I'm also getting acne & I have little black course hairs growing in random places, like on my nose, upper lip, cheek & belly button. So I have been plucking & waxing like a mad woman. My Gyno had some blood work done to check my hormones I (no results yet) & then wants to do an ultrasound on my ovaries. When I went in for my appointment my blood pressure was higher than usual, it actually has been higher the last 2 visits which is odd. She also is having me write down everything I eat because she does not believe me that I am not overeating. Since I have been writing down what I eat I have noticed that I only consume 1200 calories per day & I have been taking into consideration the amount that is fat cal & not much of it is except from peanut butter. I just have not been hungry lately, but I have been keeping hydrated. I don't drink sodas, I'm a Milk, water & hot green tea person. I like coffie if its black, but lately it makes my muscles hurt so I have not been drinking it. I have had & EDG & everything was normal, the GI doctor said I just have a lazy stomach. I've had an ultrasound done on my upper right quad to check my gull bladder. I have had lots of blood testsover the last year. I've also been on medication for panic attacks & I still had the pain. Do you know what the pain is & why my periods have stopped?

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Would make sure thyroid levels are normal -- sounds like the GI evaluation is the most appropriate.  there may be some other meds they will suggest.  This is not likely all thyroid - but with all that is happening, it is important to keep a close eye on the thyroid during this time.

You could ask about PCOS and if the prolactin is high from the metachlopramide (reglan) -- both may cause hair growths and menstrual irregularity.

[Pat317]

Christa, I have the same symptons as you, except I' m old enough to be your mom.  Eight years ago, I had normal thyroid functions and was average to thin weight. Then I became hyperthyroid - became really thin, very active and got a lot done, and had extreme periods.  Vitamins & herbs helped, but need additional thyroid medication. Doctors did radio active iodine (RAI) - killed the thyroid and did a hysterectomy.  For almost 2 years, I felt great and thyroid functions normal.  

Do these sound familiar?: For the last 4 years, I have been hypothyroid - weight gain 30 pounds+, listless and fatigued, mood swings -  tendency towards depression, joints swollen and stiff, sleepless nights, lower mental awareness and speech, hair loss, and wild hair growth - random, mostly facial and neck.  Take synthroid (L-Thyroxin) was 100mg now 75mg which makes me nausated and dizzy - go back to bed or have to sit down. Did eat 1,200 or less calories a day of low-fat, low-sodium diet, and very little red meat and very little sugar. Metabolism slow and still fatigued. Increased calories to 1,500 or less a day.  

Have you gotten any responses on how to resolve these hypothyroid problems, e.g.,  Has any one responded on how to increase slow metabolism?;What about the wild hair growth?; What about fatigue?; and etc. --Pat317

[sue3708]

I have had some of the same issues, without the weight gain.  My periods have lightened and now stopped.  I have had an extensive GI and endo workup.  I do have a diagnosis of gastroparesis and have been on reglan, as needed, for years.  Apparently it made my prolactin level go WAY up which has caused the problems in my mentrual cycle.  I also have chest pain which radiates and nausea with lack of appetite.  The tests I have had recently are Upper GI endoscopy, CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis followed by MRI of the abdomen as an abnormality was found on CT scan (they think it is a liver hemangioma)  MRI of the brain (to rule out pituitary tumor/lesion)  EKG, 2 chest xrays, bloodwork up the wazoo and now I have 2 different 24 hour urines pending and a prolactin level along with a stress test.....good luck to you  in finding some answers....but the reglan may be part of it.

[snoopytwo54]

im hypo.also,you just being on t4 only meds is probly ur problem,you may not be a good converter test your free t3 not total when you get tested you should get free t3 frret4 and tsh t3 is wut makes us tick and if we dont have enough ,,its not good.also you should get your adrenal glands tested via 4x saliva test nasuea ,dizzy,and others symptoms sounds like low cortisol witch you feel sick ect.,,,i too had that problem and now on armour thyroid(t4/t3 med) and adrenal support ....im very knowledgeable about this subject if u need o talk email ***@****,since im rarly on here.yahoo messenger cuteasmee1,same with aol

[ChristaMarie03]

I did get another response from another poster suggesting that the nausia my be caused by hypo adrenia (low cortisol reserves) and that synthroid is t4 which later converts to t3. They said that if I were to have adrenia problems it tales longer to convert to t3 which would cause nausia. Could this also be a factor?
I was also looking at PCOS, and I do have all the symptoms, I'm going to ask my doctor on Tuesday to test for that. About the chest pains, I have noticed that a lot of people with thyroid problems have the same chest pains as I and I looked at this website called stopthethyroidmadness and it explains that as well. So you have any ideas why people with thyroid problems would have GI problems?

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Work with your doctor on this -- there is a lot of information out there - but only your doctor can determine what applies to your unique situation.  Your post does not sound like low adrenal, but you can ask your endocrinologist about this as well.

[ChristaMarie03]

Thank you!