Hi
It is a no for any thyroid meds.
But I have been taking a multivitamins every day for as long as I can remember even at high school I carried a bottle in my bag and only used them when I needed to.
I currently take berocca performace every day.
I live in Australia in Northern NSW
And I hope you start to get better to tkd4u2
And thank you for the help I do appreciate it Gimel

And I haven’t been tested for thyroid antibodies will request it at my next appointment in 2 weeks

Please make sure you get the other tests as well.  When you have test results if you will posts results and reference ranges members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.  

Best to you.

Guys hello. I am male , 29 years medical student and I was diagnosed with Hashimoto Disease. It is annoying to know that your own body attacks your thyroid gland but fortunately if one finds his T4 dosage he will have a normal life. Even better when the thyroid is eventually fully destroyed by your own body then you will finally settle in a stable dosage of T4 and your visits to your endocrinologist will almost fully diminished..Hashimoto is not a pleasent situation BUT thanx God it is not HIV it is not cancer. Since I got T4 , I lost the extra gain I had gained, and my blood tests were better than the average male of my age. Do not loose hope.Medication T4 is cheap and i think a visit to an endocrinologist every 6 month is not a big deal..My love to all off you..

whoever reported me please tell me the reason especially if he is also a medical student or a doctor..

Well, since you are a medical student it is a good time for you to learn that T4 does not work in all cases.  Many hypo patients being medicated with T4 only find that their body does not adequately convert the T4 to T3 and they end up still being hypo because their Free T3 level is too low in the range.  I was like that for over 25 years while taking 200 mcg of Synthroid daily.

In spite of the dosage, I still had lingering hypo symptoms until learning about the importance of free T3, and the scientific data showing that Free T3 correlates best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH does not correlate. Got my Free T3 level tested and confirmed low in the range and my meds were revised to a desiccated type med with both T4 and T3.  Now after some tweaking, my Free T3 is 3.9 (range is 2.3 - 4.2), my Free T4 is .84 ( range of .60 - 1.50), and I feel best ever.  

Lest you think this is an isolated case, it is absolutely not.  In addition there are biological reasons why T4 is frequently not adequately converted to T3.  There are also valid reasons why the reference ranges for Free T3 and Free T4 are too broad.  Similarly, TSH is totally inadequate as the sole diagnostic for medicating a hypo patient.  

Forum members here don't just rely on anecdotal information.  We have much scientific study data that we have all gleaned from endless searching for answers to our hypo problems.  You would be welcome to share in that data with us, if you are open minded.  If, however, you are totally convinced of the usual dogma from medical schools and thus have the "Immaculate TSH Belief" and only plan to use "Reference range Endocrinology, then don't waste our time.

nope not that rare

Rofl         (Rolling On Floor Laughing)
I think it is time we get the boxing gloves out and let these 2 slog it out.

29 Yr old male here in the military,.. Been struggling for several years but certain symptoms like constipation and fatigue have gotten un-ignorable over the last couple of years. I finally saw a doctor in August of this past year, and finally, after EGD, colonoscopy, ultrasounds, MRI, finally I think im getting close. I got the following lab results today
t3 91     (80-220)
FT3 1.3 (2.0-4.4)
FT4 0.93 (0.81-1.58)
TSH 1.67  (0.465-4.68)

I called my Doctor to ask for him to take a look at my lab results, he was not inclined to look into thyroid labs.. I started looking online and just went into the lab and asked them to draw the blood.

Thanks for any info and I appreciate all the support in this forum.

From those labs it is no wonder that you have hypothyroid symptoms.  In addition, the ranges are far too broad and many members, myself included, find that symptom relief requires that Free T3 needs to be in the upper third of the range and free T4 around the midpoint.  

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.  You can confirm what I am telling you in this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance.  The letter is sent to the PCP of the patient to help guide treatment.  

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

In the letter please note this statement.  "The ultimate criterion for dose
adjustment must always be the clinical response. I have prescribed natural dessicated thyroid for your patient (Armour or Nature-Throid). These contain T4 and T3 (40mcg and 9mcg respectively per 60mg). They are more effective than T4 therapy for most patients. Since they provide more
T3 than the thyroid gland produces, the well-replaced patient’s free T4 will be around the middle of its range or lower, and the FT3 will be high-“normal” or slightly high before the AM dose."

So this is the type of treatment you need.  If you give a copy of this letter to your doctor it might have some influence on him and change his mind about treating you.  If not, then you need to find a good thyroid doctor that will treat you clinically as described.

It would also be a good idea to get tested for the thyroid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab, to see if Hashimoto's Thyroiditis is the cause for your hypothyroidism.  Other tests that would be advisable some time in the near future would be Vitamin D, B12, RBC magnesium, zinc, and selenium.

Hi
I just wanted to now does this affect your teeth
Because I do have to have 6 extractions 12 fillings/restorations  

All I can tell you is that hypothyroidism is often associated with gingivitis, which frequently turns into periodontal disease, gum recession and bone loss.  

Ok I got the result for uptake scan and it may be hashitoxicosis or early graves.
I still need to get the antibody tests.

Is it normal to be a 16 year old with hypothyroid that is slowly increasing. Doctors just tell me your thyroid might be inflamed and is autoimmune. I feel rather confused about what this mean. I am still young and all but should I be greatly concerned. They keep giving me pills that are never helping because my numbers continue to increase or decrease idk....

No need to be over concerned.  Successful treatment of hypothyroidism is primarily a matter of finding a good thyroid doctor, which I'll explain later.  First I'd like to explain a bit about your situation.  From your descriptions of being hypothyroid and autoimmune, I assume you have been diagnosed as having Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  The purpose of your autoimmune system is to protect you from anything foreign to your body, by producing antibodies to attack and kill the foreign substance.  Unfortunately, with Hashi's the autoimmune system sees your thyroid gland as foreign and produces antibodies that start attacking the gland and continue over an extended period until the gland is eventually destroyed.

Along the way, you will need to gradually replace the loss of natural thyroid hormone with thyroid medication.  The whole purpose of the thyroid medication is to keep you from having symptoms caused by inadequate thyroid hormone.  The reason you don't feel better now is because you are either not being given the right medication, or the right amount, and your thyroid hormone levels are still too low.  

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.  You can get some good info from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with from a distance.  The letter is sent to the Primary Doctor to help guide treatment.

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

If you are being medicated based on the TSH test only, that doesn't work.  TSH is a pituitary hormone that is supposed to reflect levels of the thyroid hormones, but in actuality it does not correlate well at all.  The most important consideration in treating a hypo patient is symptoms, followed by the levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, which are Free T3 and Free T4.  In the link I gave you above, you can note this statement, "TSH-based thyroidology is an unjustified faith in the infallibility of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. One must instead base the diagnosis and dosing on symptoms first, and on the free T4 and free T3 levels second."

So the first thing I recommend is that you make a copy of the letter above and discuss it and all this info with your parents.  Then it would be a good idea to go back and get tested for Free T3 and Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and Total T4).  If the doctor resists, then you should insist on it and don't take no for an answer.  Maybe even give the doctor a copy of the letter as well.  It would also be a good idea to get tested for Vitamin D, and B12.

When test results are available, please get a copy of the lab report and post test results and their reference ranges shown on the report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.  

Please don't be dismayed by all this info at once.  To be successful in getting properly treated it is always a good idea for you to learn as much as possible about hypothyroidism and become your own best advocate.  

If you will hang with us, you will find many experienced and knowledgeable members who will be very happy to answer your questions and make suggestions that will help you.  

One last thing is that sometime soon you are going to need to find out if your doctor is willing to treat you clinically, for symptoms, as described in the letter.  Also you need to know if your doctor will prescribe T3 type meds if necessary to raise your Free T3 level.  If the answer to either is no, then you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.  And by the way, that does not automatically mean an Endocrinologist.  

Thank you for your concern. My doc says TSH is all I need to worry about, and that FT3 doesn't matter, my thyroid is fine. I asked if he could test for Hashi's, but says he will add more labs if I chose to request so in about 6 weeks. Im now on wellbutrin 150mg twice daily after my referrel to mental health. Ive read several articles on how to interpret my lab results and basically I fall into that Euthryoid Sick Syndrome, but what about FT3? Is free t3 really that important? If you have a similar experience I would love to share with you. Thanks again.

Well, being a military man you will understand when I say that your doctor needs to go through "basic training" on thyroid.  I hope you took the time to read the link I gave you on the letter written by a good thyroid doctor.   That pretty well spells out what a good thyroid doctor would do for you, and it certainly would not be to ignore everything but TSH.  

Regarding the importance of Free T3, here is a link to a scientific study that shows conclusively that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate.

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/cjne/2000/00000010/00000002/art00002

You appear to have secondary hypothyroidism, which means that your pituitary is not producing enough TSH to cause your thyroid glands to provide adequate thyroid hormone.  This is evident in your very low-in-the-range Free T3 and Free T4 levels.

I was on a full daily replacement dosage of T4 med for over 30 years, and still had lingering hypo symptoms.  Then I found this Forum and learned about the importance of Free T3.  Got mine tested and confirmed as low in the range.  Doctor switched me to a T4/T3 combo type med and after some tweaking I now feel best ever.  My Free T3 is near the high end of the range and free T4 is a bit below the middle of its range.

Do you think there is any chance that you might be able to show scientific data to the doctor and get him to change his mind about treating you?  If so we can give you plenty of links to good information.

How important is Free T3?

Well Free T3 is the ONLY thing your body's cells ACTUALLY uses.  TSH is produced by the Pituitary gland.  So from a very rudimentary perspective ask yourself why you would test and rely 100% upon a Pituitary hormone to determine your THYROID health rather than the ACTUAL and ONLY Hormone your body's cells actually use????

TSH is nothing more than a hormone to turn your thyroid gland on to produce Thyroid.  Similar to a thermostat on your home furnace.  hence it's name Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH.

When everything is running perfectly, the TSH "signal" hormone is sent out by your PITUITARY gland in your brain.  And then it turns on the Thyroid gland to produce Thyroid hormone.  The gland itself produces BOTH T4 and T3 but mostly T4.  The T4 hormone is a storage hormone that remains in your blood and when the body sense need for Thyroid it converts the T4 into T3.  And the T3 that does not get attached to a protein thus known as "free T3" because it is unattached is actually used by your body.  When the body is happy the TSH signal hormone is reduced and turns down your Thyroid gland to produce Thyroid.

If the world was perfect than reliance upon TSH would be reasonable.  But since we all know the world is FAR from perfect several problems can occur.

One is that your Pituitary that produces TSH doesn't work right.  Thus TSH would not be produced correctly or in the correct amount to regulate Thyroid.

Another is that the Thyroid doesn't work right and either over or under produces regardless of TSH.

Another is that they thyroid produces some but just enough to trick the TSH from being elevated enough to get a Dr to believe you have a problem.

So in order to TRULY get at the performance of your Thyroid. It is best to test the Thyroid hormone levels in your blood.  These being Free T4 and Free T3.  Only then can a determination be made if there is enough for your body.

If you only Get Free T4 measured. That is better than just TSH alone, but it does NOT tell the whole story.  Remember that your body ONLY uses the Free T3 hormone.  There are a couple of things that can happen if you only test for FT4.

You see it is possible for enough FT4 to be in your blood.  But if your body is not efficient in the conversion process of converting the T4 into usable FT3, then it does little good.  This is like a car with a full tank of gas, but if the engine is not getting enough gas it will run like crap and not give you full power etc.  This is exactly what happens when a person has good (meaning mid range or above) FT4 levels but still feels like crap.  Or is at least one cause.

Another cause that can go undiscovered with FT4 testing only is again the levels are good but still feel like crap may be a different kind of conversion problem.  This conversion problem occurs when during the conversion process the FT4 converts too many of hormone into what is known as REVERSE T3 or RT3.  This is an exact replica of the T3 hormone but the molecule is exactly a mirror image of the true T3 molecule.  The trick here is that the body's cells will accept the RT3 but it is biologically inactive and doesn't do anything.  Other than plug up your body's cells for other Free T3 to properly get to. This is analogous to a plugged fuel filter.  You can have as much gas going through the fuel lines as you want but if the filter is plugged, your engine won't run correctly.  Everyone has some RT3 made when converting but some people although a bit more rare have a condition maybe even temporarily that they produce way too much RT3 and the "plugging" situation results.

Testing BOTH FT4 AND FT3 is the only way that allows some ability to diagnose these conversion problems.

The goal for most is that most people get symptom relief when you have TWO conditions met.

1) your FT4 is in the MIDDLE of the range if not slightly above

AND

2) Your FT3 levels are in the UPPER 1/3 of the range.

Understand that simply being "somewhere within the range" as being normal or good enough is SIMPLY FALSE.  Dr's who only medicate you until you get them into some portion of the range is doing a HUGE disservice and you will never feel completely well.  We here on this forum call those Dr's "reference range endocrinology".  

If your FT4 is middle or more and your FT3 is below mid range if not in the upper part of the range, it suggests a conversion problem of converting from T4 to T3.

If on the other hand both the FT4 & FT3 are middle and upper 1/3 respectively and you are still symptomatic.  This suggests a possible RT3 problem.  And RT3 CAN be tested for but I understand it is a bit expensive so really only done when it is suspected.  Also a condition like both levels proper may be reason to suspect adrenal fatigue as well and tests can be done for that as well.

Furthermore, if you do start on a Thyroid medication.  It is ENTIRELY possible that the medication itself will suppress the pituitary TSH response.  That is essentially the blast of the medication into your bloodstream will be sensed by the Pituitary and it will "see" that no additional Thyroid is needed.  Kind of like it "goes to sleep" once it has check the level. So it won't produce to stimulate TSH production and thus you may still have inadequate Thyroid in your body for the day, and is ths "suppressed.  But since little or no TSH was produced.  And if your Dr ONLY uses TSH.  The Dr. will be getting a false indication that you have enough Thyroid otherwise your TSH would be higher.

Frequently what will happen is that the patient will have a elevated TSH.  The Dr prescribes Thyroid medication.  the medication suppresses TSH.  And the patient truly still is lacking T4 and T3.  But in 6 weeks when you get your TSH tested again. The TSH will so LOW.  That the Dr will reduce or remove the prescription for thyroid believing that the patient is now HYPER by his medication giving too much Thyroid.  But in reality the TSH is only suppressed and the patient is still actually Hypo (low thyroid). The patient may even be telling the Dr. that they are starting to feel better and have NO symptoms what so ever of Hyper.  By reducing or canceling the prescription.  The Dr is actually making the EXACT WRONG decision.

However had this Dr also tested FT4 and FT3.  He would then be able to determine that the levels of the ACTUAL hormones are still low in the range and thus understand that the TSH has been suppressed and thus is of little value.

Also understand that I am NOT a Dr.  But this is what I have learned through my own research primarily here on this forum.

Reliance upon "immaculate TSH belief" is one of the most negligent things in the medical industry in my opinion.  Followed closely behind are those Dr's who believe in reference range endocrinology.  The first will almost assuredly keep you sick or on a roller coaster.  The latter is better in that they will generally medicate you so that you feel a little better, but you'll likely never feel completely well either.

I hope this long winded response helps you understand why using TSH ALONE is almost completely useless other than a screening tool at best.  Relying on it solely will almost certainly guarantee that you will NOT be treated properly.  Or it will result in a roller coaster ride by using an improper test to try to adjust your medication.  And why testing of the two Free hormones FT4 and FT3 is essential in being able to properly treat Thyroid problems.

Has anyone heard of a connection of hypothyroidism to trigeminal neuralgia?
I seemed to get diagnosed with both ailments around the same time. I have just started to take thyroxin and it may not be the correct dose. If I find that the neuralgia eases off as treatment progresses, I will re-post in case others are affected also. Thanks in advance

Can anyone explain the link between Hypothroid-Obesity-BP-SUGAR

im 15 and i found out i was hypo after about 2 months of feeling horrible symptoms and i was wondering if any other men went through a period of really terrible sickness and depression before finding out as i did

so basically i started feeling odd and i didnt know what was wrong with my body i experienced loss of appetite, constipation, sensitivity to cold, the slowed down feeling, weird pains, "brain fog" i guess, increased need for sleep, a huge decrease in libido, and what i believed was rectal swelling which made it really hard even begin to try to go to the bathroom combined with the constipation.

i can easily describe it as the worst and scariest two months of my life the depression and physical symptoms were overwhelming. i cant even begin to describe how difficult it was to think clearly or enjoy anything what so ever.

i would never wish what i went through upon anyone

i first started taking levothyroxine in late November and have stayed steady at 88mc so far

Thanks again Gimel and Flying Fool. I really, really appreciate the feedback and all the things you have done for the community here. I have read a bunch of your other posts on the forum and including one about the clinical presentation of hypo symptoms and resulting lab findings, Connection between low ft3 and symptoms.
My current doctor is a GP and it is highly unlikely he has the skillset to begin treating based on symptoms alone, also, bear in mind this is military medical coverage and treatment is "overly cautious" to the point of people getting turned away with Motrin for life-threatening conditions.
Having said that, I am close to the 6 week mark for requesting more treatment now that I have been getting CBT and wellbutrin for the past month. Having said that my options are to
1) request more labs,
2) get  referred to internal medicine to a different (probably just as against treating thyroid) Dr, or
3)just waiting until I get back to the US (roughly one year away.) to $$$ pay for and locate my own treatment

Also, there is a very unique complication with my hypo symptoms. I was Dx with Gastric Diverticulum in the upper fundus (kind of like a Hiatal Hernia) that is definately aggravated when I am constipated. So you can imagine the cycle here hypo symptoms which seem to flare up like low stomach acid / metabolism and resulting constipation causes additional pain in stomach and chest. I declined to get 4 port laproscopic surgery to fix it, its just too much going on I dont think I could handle the stress of having an operation while still trying to salvage my military career through these times.

So, having said all of this, I am really just need some help with a game plan. I can show all the peer review medical articles in the world but I doubt it is going to suddenly enlighten my GP and starting any trial of medication (and especially not armour thyroid). He has referenced studies that show that in chronically ill patients administering t3 has had mixed or conflicting results and is inconclusive whether to treat.

If I go for more labs, so what, they will probably be ""Normal"" anyways right? Please help, and thanks again, I cannot thank you enough for the support.

I have found fish oil capsuls to be beneficial and less symptomatic than any other treatment I have tried for myself for constipation. Rectal swelling sounds like hemrroids and can be extremely painful to the point of not being able to walk.

If you can get your hands on any high quality fish oil cap, (I use Optimum Nutrition), you may experience they won't give you that nasty fish oil burp like some of the more generic brands I have tried. I take 2 capsules every night right after dinner and although I am still constipated frequently it has helped reduce inflammation, and swelling related to passing hard and or compacted stools.

Also, IMO best way to hinder constipation is through proper eating and limiting intake of certain foods that tend to stick to the intestines like glue and slow things down. I myself do not tolerate supplements like Psyllium Husk, and I have heard that long term use can actually be harmful.
So, to sum it up I would try the best you can to mitigate those things through diet rather than a drug that simple tries to cheat the system by relieving it of performing its duty rather than actually assisting the system work. Hope that makes sense for you...

Also, the other supplement I have found somewhat relief from has been L-Glutamine. Typically body builder's use this, but I have learned it is an amino acid that specifically your intestines feed on. So, although Im not making a scientific claim about L-Glutamine here, I definately have gotten a bit of relief from it too.

i am 17 years old and i also have a hypo thyroid i've been diagnosed with it for a year now but felt symptons from in for some time now.

i always thought i was just a teenager that really didnt keep up with all the other boys i mean i am physically capable but i do find myself getting drained of energy extreamley fast.

Also if i stand up to fast some times with out remembering to take my medicine that day i tend to feel extreamley dizzy and some times tend to faint.

if anyone has the same types of feeling please feel me in i'd like to learn as much as i can therefore me being so young and all.

I'm 17 guy and have hypothroidism, and have found it to be challenging to say the least, I've been on synthroid for about 2 months and haven't really noticed much difference, is this normal? And emotionally its rough but the worst part is my hair won't stop falling out. This is obviously very distressing and I was wondering if I can expect this to stop any time soon and if anyone has the same problem. Thanks!

This is a duplicate post.  See thread under marky_mark's own name.

I personally do not believe that there is a ratio of women to men getting hypothyroidism of 10:1.

Genetically speaking hypothyroidism isn't passed down through gender specific genes, so we can rule out hypothyroidism being exclusively female or exclusively male.

I believe the reason why more women then men are diagnosed is 1) within the medical fraternity they believe very few men have the disorder and therefore do not run the proper tests; (2) men who do have hypothyroidism are being treated for other disorders such as ADHD, depression, high cholesterol problems, heart issues which could simply be symptoms of hypothyroidism; and (3) the fact is males are not as proactive as women with their health and are much less likely to go to the doctor and instead tough out the symptoms until these symptoms manifest as other disorders as stated above.

I believe there should be research done into this because the ratio simply doesn't make any sense. When a man sees a doctor due to high cholesterol, depression, ADHD and so forth, perhaps the first tests which should be run are thyroid function tests.

Hey man!  I am 42 male, doc just took blood tests last week and my tsh was 5.7 and he said I was hypo but going back in to get propermeds etc.  but yeah, as with you, I have only symptoms such as low libido, weight gain, high cholesterol, anxiousness, lethargy sleeping all the time. Yet I wrk out constantly 4-5 times a week lifting and Cardio. Wish me luck. Hopefully I can get the meds and loose these symptoms and loose some weight and get a good attitude in the process. I know you it's been a while since you wrote in this community forum but what's your prognosis. How are u? Update please?  Thanks!

This is a very old thread and many of the previous posters are no longer active on the forum, so it's unlikely that zed72 will answer you.

I notice that you've posted your own thread, so hopefully, we can help out, there.

I am female and have Hashimoto. 2 books I recommend reading, Stop The Thyroid Madness and Living Well with Hypothyroidism by Mary Shomon. Synthroid is not the all of meds. Read about dessicrated thyroid meds.

Most of us are aware of desiccated meds and they aren't the "all" of meds either.

I am not a male, but I come from a family with history of Hashimotos thyroiditis. I was googling males and low thyroids because I suspect because of some blood work of my 15yr old son that he might also have it. I am not sure its just his T4 Thyroxine that is low. All the rest came back as normal. my son also has aspergers. I wonder, see I suspect my thyroid started going out while I was pregnant with him. I wonder if that could have had an affect on his own thyroid developement. I would love to hear from any of you.
My son is pretty tall but a little over weight, he doesn't eat a whole lot but exercises very little. I became worried because he started getting stretch marks on him, quite a bit. However the just didn't seem like normal ones. He isn't really fat, maybe just grew fast. The doctors suspects maybe hormone problems. How many of you guys might have had problems as teenagers?

I am male of Indian Origin age around 35...I have done my blood test and my TSH has come upto 6.51 uIU/ml and my FT4 is 1 ng/dl. Am i "HYPO" . Please guide me.

Yes, it appears that you could be hypo. What is the reference range for the FT4?  Was there an FT3 test done?  If so, what was the result and range?

Are you currently on thyroid medication?  If, what medication/dosage?

What symptoms do you  have?

Do you know if you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?

the thread that never dies....  

It comes up on google searches and apparently, people don't read how old it is, so just keep posting on it.  A thread with this  many comments has to be good, right?  

I guess its a good source of information, but wish people would start with thier own posts.  Its hard to keep up with this much stuff and that many people.

I am finding that for every 5 women i know with thyroid disease that are in the same situation as us, i know one man.   There arent as many of us as women .  I think i personally know all of them LOL

It's proven that hypo is much more common in women and the older we get, the more likely it is.  Most guys are lucky.  

It is a good source of information...... would be nice if MH would make threads like this "read only" so people have to post their own new thread....I'd like to stop posting on it, but I can't take a chance on someone's issues not being addressed.

So we travel on.........

yea but there are more men out there  its not uncommon as people say I personnally know 5 men with thyroid problems so how uncommon is that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How many men are "macho" and refuse to get tested, even though they have symptoms?

I was told about 8 months ago by my 1st sgt to go to the doctors and get checked for something causing me to gain or retain weight. When I was 16 I was told I have sports enduced asthma, I no longer use an inhaler. In Aug of 2008 I had a knee injury the doctors could not explain why I lost all muscle strength in my left knee. In Feb of 2011, I was diagnosed with grade 1 spondylolythesis in the last vertebrae of my lumbar region. I find it hard with these conditions to exercise as it is. Shortness of breath(asthma) muscle weakness in the leg (knee injury) and hard to exercise (back). I noticed an article on yahoo talking about signs the fingers can tell you and everyone always says I have fat fingers, have had them for years. The article said fat fingers can be a sign of hypothyroidism and at first I didnt think anything but looking into the illness and how I was told 8 months ago I should get tested for something causing me to gain/retain weight, I found in interesting. Wondering if I should get tested. In 2007, I graduated Basic at 180, weighing 200 before I went, I am 22 now and have a hard time dropping below 225. When I had severe pain in my back before getting diagnosed with grade 1 spondylolithesis, I went from 200 to about 260. I changed my eating since I was on profile, and I dropped to about 230-235. I run everyone now and then because of pain in my legs, but I am stable around 225-230. I need to lose another 50 lbs and wondering if this is causing me to retain weight. When I run I lose weight in my neck thighs and arms, but cant hardly anthing from my waist. Any ideas or advice?

This is a very old thread and your situation would get much more attention if you post your own new thread, rather than attaching your question to such an old one.  

You can start a new thread by going to the top of the page and clicking on the "Post a Question" button, then type your question and click the "Post a Comment" button.

You can access the home page of the thyroid forum via the following link:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Thyroid-Disorders/show/73?controller=forums&action=show&id=73&camp=msc

Truth

true dat.  I think kevin is "macho".   LOL

I think it might be tougher for a guy to treat this disease too.  I havent met a guy yet that says "oh yes i have hypothyroidism and take a pill and feel great"   but i know plenty of women that can say this.  

gimel takes his pills and says he feels best ever.

Gimel is very macho.  

I had a whole conversation with my wifes uncle about 6 months ago about what was going on with me.  I explained the whole thing like i would someone who had no clue.  I get done with my conversation and he looks at me and says "i take 125 synthroid and have for years".    I look at him and say "what???"   Hes like "yes for 15 years and sometimes ill forget to take it for a few days and i just get tired but i dont even think about it anymore.  I went in for a routine blood test and they said i needed some thyroid, never felt any symptoms, never had any side effects".     Unreal!

Hi Im a 53 year old male and I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism about 6 months ago after going clinic having palps and uncomfortableness, anxiety, stress. Would come and go still does. Im on 25 mcg of Levothyroxine. I need to get back to doc these heart palps are really scary and can't relax or sleep well. It stops and goes. Ugh.  Tim

38 yr old male with a 1.1cm single solid nodule on my left thyroid. I'm always tired. I just had an up-take that should on the high end of normal. However the  the scan didn't show the nodule. It is still there, but for some reason that scan show no 'hot' and 'cold' spot. What can case it to not show during an up-take?

Not showing would mean it's taking up the same amount of radio iodine as the rest of your thyroid.

Since the nodule isn't hot, I'd expect your doctor to order a biopsy, to rule out cancer. 95% chance it's not cancer, just a lump. For a 38 year old man in good health, the twenty year survival rate for thyroid cancer is 99%. So don't let the cancer word scare you.

Did your doctor test your TSH and T4 hormone levels?  Those are what are important for detecting hypothyroidism.  A thyroid antibody panel is also a reasonable test.

PS: Other endocrine disorders can cause symptoms very similar to hypothyroidism.  Checking the thyroid is a good start since it's the most common problem after diabetes. And it's much less tricky to diagnose than other problems. Also problems with libido in younger men is a big red flag for endocrine problems.

A year ago, I had a cervical CT conducted for a swollen mass on the back of my neck. Incidentally, multiple hypodensities were discovered in my thyroid. A few months later, my general practicioner, wanted me to have a follow-up ultrasound of my thyroid, which resulted in a diagnosis of NON-DIFFUSE MULTI-NODULAR GOITER. I had several small nodules both anechoic and a few solid, as well as two complex cysts in the right lobe that were close to 1 cm^3. I consulted an endocrinologist who put me on 50mcg Synthroid after I had bloodwork conducted. The bloodwork was relatively normal , except that the TSH was borderline low. I have been on the meds for 6 months now, and about a month and 1/2 ago, I began developing extreme tightness in my throat like a choking feeling, pill stuck-feeling, tightness in the back of my neck and sternum. My general practicioner had me see GI doctor, who found minor constriction in my esophagus by conducting an upper endoscopy. I had a followup ultrasound of my thyroid indicating the same findings as the previous except additional growth (+1mm) in some of the cysts. I have since been taking Prevacid, Sertraline, and Xanax with the Synthroid. I take the medications at least 4 hours after taking the Synthroid to avoid interactions among the medications. Since seeing the GI, I had minor relief from the symptoms in my neck, and they have since returned and are getting progressively worse (tightening in throat, choking, pill-like feelings; tightness in sternum and back behind lungs). I am also noticing some weight gain, and I lift weights and do cardio 4-5 days a week for at least an hour. I am 29, male, biracial (black & white), and I was in good health up until a year ago...

I am curious to see if these choking/tightness/pill-feelings are a side-effect of the Synthroid...? Also, I am concerned that this goiter may be causing these issues... I am really concerned that these nodules may be forming into thyroid cancer... Currently, the doctors feel that they are too small to biopsy, and they are pretty much playing The Waiting Game... Any pointers?