Men and Hypothyroidism

[Boristhespider]

Is it terribly uncommon for a man to be hypo? I am a male who had a TSH of 16.96. I went and had more blood work done monday and still have not received a call from my doctor. I am just nervous and feel bad. I was just talking with guys at work and they never heard of men having thyroid problems, and then I check on line and it is rare. I was just wondering if anyone here knows of any men who have thyroid problems?
And if my 16.96 TSH is something to be concerned about.
THANKS!

[MiLady1941]

Hi.  Yes men do have hypothyroidism....my husband does and he blames me as I am hypo too...and my favorite brother-in-law also has hypothyroidism. Your doctor will get you regulated on thyroid medicine.  Keep posting here as there are so many helpful people.

[thyroid man]

here i am... a man with hypothyroidism. I have never met a man with the condition but i know there out there... somewhere.
Been on thyroxine for 10 years. Was diagnosed right before i turned 23 but had symptoms way way before that.

[HumphreyB]

Hi,

I used the nickname of Humphrey because my wife says that I do things so slowly!!
My thyroid level came back at 15.1 recently. I have started on a course of thyroxine (with little effect over the first week). I just wanted to know how you feel after taking this medication for 10 years? And if you remember how long berfore you noticed any results?

From all the symptoms I have read about regarding Hyppothyroidism I appear to have approx 75% of them.

Regards,

[AR-10]

Another guy chiming in.

I think the statistic is one man for every nine women.

Think of the forum as a harem. :)

JUST KIDDING LADIES!!

[rohit_786]

Another guy in your boat !!. Have you doctor run Antibody test for thyroid to confirm the reason . Do you have any symtoms ?. Can you share your symptoms also , How old are you ?.

[stella5349]

I am sorry for your Dx. I am a female but also now hypo.Since the beginning of my illness everything I read regarding the disease, when I stumbled across the stats of men getting it,  I read through it.  Dx is rare. specially on sub clinical Hypo or Hyper thyroidism in men. I believe this b/c men are less likely to see a doctor when they have symptoms. and if they do go and get Dx'd -  most do not have the patience and stay on top of it.   Also most men are willing to accept the "clean bill of health" status when doctors say everyting "is in normal range" and say OK I'm fixed, but still feel ill.

Usually the heart palps get them to see a doctor because they believe they are "having the big one".

It could be more common -  if men routinely went to an annual exam like the majority of women do.

Be patient. Getting "fixed" is a long process for most.

I commend you for at least getting your Dx and following up here on the forum for more information. Truely, I admire a man who is willing to "take charge" of his health before it gets into a situation they no longer can deal with.

I also think a man has more pull with the medical society than women. We are looked at as complainers and "hormone" cases. You on the other hand are looked at in a different light.

Regardless, woman or man, find as much information as you can about your condition and stay on top of your visits and tests. Educate yourself regarding your blood tests and where your numbers are. And by far (may I repeat) be patient to get regulated. To start your search you can view over many sites. You may find About.com and click thyroid or go directly to thyroid.org -- it's a start.

You got testosterone in your corner!  That's a good thing!! LOL

Keep posting and if you are comfortable get all your panel numbers on your blood work and post them. Stay in touch. Good Luck!

[stella5349]

I don't think anyone answered for last posted question - "Yes" be concerned on the TSH 16.96 you ARE hypo.

[AR-10]

Stella's right.
I was too busy making jokes to give you any info, but she covered it very well.

The way she described most men's attitude regarding health in general fits me perfectly.

The info and advice she gave is right on.

Interestingly enough, since I have developed thyroid problems, I have had several men in the community tell me they have had thyroid problems for years.

It is more common in women, but plenty of men have thyroid disease, too.

Good luck, and welcome.

[kitty9309]

I like the Harem joke! It's a good way for the guys (and some gals) to think of it!
Funny, AR.

Stella is right- you do need to treat it.

Also spread the word that men can, indeed, have thyroid disease.

Wishing you good health....

[frootbar]

a Who fan?
anyway, i am male, hypo for 14 yrs.  they used to say that women outgunned us
so to speak, 50 to 1 in dx's of hashimoto's, but now they say they just may be missing
alot of men they never suspected.  when i was dx'd, i had complained for four years or
so of problems, my doc (woman) never suspected, and the day she ordered the test
told me it would be negative...ha ha, not so fast!  so, i got the dx when they finally
found the test result months later.  they lost it.  brilliant.  no family history of autoimmune
disease either.  we are out here, and it's not fun having it as far as i'm concerned.
all my hormones are all over the map sometimes.
fb

[stella5349]

Sorry guys.

At least this nasty topic can bring our genders together in undersatanding. From our treatments, to our doctors and in our discussions.

Finally a topic both men and women can associated with.

Men R from mars and women from venus??? not with thyroid issues. we are all on earth together. :)

[stella5349]

I moved this post up for reference .

[ozzy1000]

i'm a 30yr old hashimoto man!! i quite enjoy my diagnosis; i live in a little village in south west england, i'm like a celebrity in my village gp surgery, 'the only man to exisit under 50 with thyroid issues' :) i think men tend to grin and bear it (or moan thier poor wives ears off) and never get around to getting checked out. I'd been having head aches everyday for years, i would catch a cold that would dragg me down for weeks, i got depressed, lost all my hair (would have happened anyway, but i like to think it was due to my thyroid) got a beer gut, just generally felt very poo. i was over the moon when they told me i was actually ill and didn't just have man flu.. my levothyroxine hasn't been with out teething prob's but it is generally massively helping. i have subsequently managed to drag my dad to the dr's (he hasn't seen a dr in years) low a behold = hypo... i strongly suspect my brother is, he totally fits the autoimmune hypo picture, he is going for bloods this week.....
men you are not alone!! we're just to bloody stubborn,
all the best,
owain

[stella5349]

Welll............ a beer gut. uh?? Glad you find humor and I am happy you posted. If more men ..............here it comes fella's: "Step out of the closet with their thyroid issues" and deal with it in it's entirely getting your dad and brother checked out. Maybe the men population would get these doctors to look at the thyroid issues more.

20 years ago, it was "the big one" that killed men. (Even though women died from it more then a male did!  One reason was there WERE more women alive  then men and this is the case still.

Face it guys ........ we need you to help get this Thyroid stuff out there.

Thanks for your post from England. Hope your family does well.

[hypomale]

I am hypo as well and am 36 do any of the men have ed as well and did thyroid treatment help with this.

[rmatt21]

Anyone have info (such as statistics) on hyperthyroidism? My mom and sister have hypo...so do my aunts and female cousins...i'm the only guy with hyper in my family.

I have all the symptoms of hypo, minus the weight gain, and still do occassionally. Recently, the symptoms have been getting worse, and I find that the slightest changes in eating/sleepin habits mess with how I feel emotionally and physically the next day.  I was diagnosed about 3 1/2 yrs ago.

-matt

[sreekanthsilex]

me another hypo guy....I am Sreekanth from India, i also suffer from Thyroiditis...im  28 yrs old..
doctor prescribed me tablets for 2 months and then to check the TSH again.....

[pcoach4u]

Hi community, I am known as pcoach4u. 52 year old male just recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I think I have had it for years, but recently the symptoms got real bad.  My symptoms have been: tightness in knees, especially behind knee, joint pains, arthritis, loss of muscle mass, neck pain and tension, muscle weakness, edema in feet and ankles, dry skin.  My doctor is starting me on 1/2 dosage strength of Synthroid and building it up in dosage over the next 21 days to finally arrive at .1 MG RX.  Then we will retest from there. My life has been a nightmare with this. The main control I had been using was light doses of Ibuprofien. Much pain, much discomfort and restriction of movement.

[pcoach4u]

Stella,  This is pcoach4u. Got some good news. After being on Synthroid 100mg for 3 weeks, we have been able to get my TSH down from 190 to 7 .  I know will be a couple more weeks to see what the dose is fully doing, but definitely moving in the right direction. Still do not feel any different, I know cannot have it all right away.

[Maybe_Me]

My symptoms:  Sluggish, headaches, sporadically not motivated, weight gain, difficult to lost weight even after running up to 5 miles three times a week, not happy, anxious, tired but difficult to go to sleep (high level of axiety, i think), etc..  I don't have the energy to get exicted over things anymore.  Basically lots of the symptoms that I have found online for hypothyroidism.  I am 35 in a couple weeks and I just attributed most of the way I feel to just getting older.  My wife was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and is taking Levoxyl 100 MCG.  I am really begining to think that maybe I have the same issue as her.  I recently went in for a physical and the Doctor didn't say anything about my bloodwork, but I dont know if they tested for hypothyroidism.  At the time, I didn't even consider that to be my problem.  Now, I am not so sure.  I know this may be a dumb question, but what effect, if any, would I have if my thyroid is normal and I took a a few doses of my wifes medication to see if there was any positive effects.  When I went to my physical, the doctor threw some medication at me that made me even more blah (Zoloft & a stopped taking that), so i figure what would it hurt to try this other medication.  I know i will get the response tht you shouldn't take meds that havent been prescribed, but I a curious, if you can throw Zoloft at me for the same symptoms, then why not Levoxyl.  Anyone know what the risk might be, if any?

[mags59]

Unless you ask your doc to do tests for your thyroid function, they usually won't (at least in my experience).  I think that it's especially true because you're male.  It seems that it's a bit more uncommon for men to have thyroid problems, but they definitely can.  My boss has hypothyroidism and takes synthroid for it.  A lot of docs seem to want to tell everyone that they're just depressed, hence the Zoloft.  If I were you, I'd go back and demand thyroid screening (TSH, free T4, free T3, etc.).  However, I wouldn't take your wife's meds, it may throw you into hyperthyroid, if only temporarily.  Believe me, you don't want that (that's what I have). You'll get heart palps, tachycardia, your blood pressure can spike, etc.  

[AR-10]

If you are hypothyroid, taking Levoxyl for a week will not tell you anything, and it will run your wife short on meds.

If you are NOT Hypo, taking the Levoxyl may mess you up.

Get your thyroid hormones checked. My first MD dinked me around for six months (started with antidepressants, too) before checking my thyroid levels. He figured men rarely get it, so why bother testing. He was wrong.

[PeteB123]

Another guy here checking in.  In March at my Physical my TSH was 4.5.  I wasn't treated because it was considered normal.  I'm 40 and kept asking myself why don't I feel like I used too, where is the energy I had, why did I feel depressed and there was no reason to.  Then in June the sleep disturbances started, and the 'brain fog', and the fatigue.  After 2 1/2 weeks of insomnia every other night and suffering the other symptoms I went to my DR.  The next day my results came back and my TSH was 16.5, I like my dad and my sister am HYPO and was put on Synthroid.  

Starting dose was 50mcg.  I saw an initial improvement in the first week.  I slept for 6 nights in a row and the brain fog broke after 4 days.  The insomnia returned for a few nights after a week but then another good 6 nights.  The fatigue remained. Now after 5 weeks my dose was moved up to 75mcg as my TSH was still high at 4.6, and I continue to see and improvement.  Energy level is better but still have fatigue at times throught the day, sleeping is better, no brain fog and I am not on the new dose a week yet.

Hang in there...I now I am.  My dad's been on 100mcg for at least 8 years. His TSH is 2.2 at last test and feels good.  At my next test I will insist on getting mine BELOW 3.0 at the very least.  I will campaing for a higher dose if needed.

[Nikki1987]

Are there any men that were born without a Thyroid ??   I was born with out one , just curious if its common with men??

[makal]

I am another hypo male. I am so glad to see there are other men who sharethe same woes as i have. I am 31 and have showing symptoms for at least 4 years. I was worrying and treating symptoms with no success. I changed my diet completely to get my cholesterhol down. I had abnormal liver function and couldn't use medicine for my high chol. I had to stop drinking because I had no idea what was wrong with my liver. I thought I was developing that disease that Muhumed Ali has because I talk and move so slowly. My hair started falling out. I had long locks, but I went ahead and cut all my hair off. I wear a bald head now. I attributed the tiredness and weakness to getting older. I don't have the excitement and passion of emotions anymore. I stay to myself becasue I don't enjoy others company like I used to. I am very irritable and have mood swings. It has just been terrible.

My last bloodwork resualts came back from my chol. test   The Dr just happend to check my tsh and found that it was 76.  I don't know what made her do it, but I'm glad she did. I am just starting meds and scheduled to see a endocrinologist next month. I hope to be feeling much better soon.

[makal]

By the way, have many of you had a tonsellectomy? I think that's when my problems started.

[whynot273]

I just think that hypo is underdiagnosed, why should it be uncommon in men than women?  But aside from that, any bi-polars out there should be getting their thyroids checked because LITHIUM, destroys the thyroid!!  Funny how the doctor doesn't mention that....

[Ravare]

Im a 25 Year old male, but im "Hyper", really ***** especially being a father and husband. Have to make sure I can take care of everyone else while making sure I can take care of myself

[gimel]

Add me to the total column for men.  Been hypo t and on T4 meds. for over 30 years.  Learned a lot from this forum including the need to check free T3, to assure the  body is converting T4 adequately ( which mine was not). Seems like I have read somewhere that over 20 % of the population has thyroid problems, with women being substantially higher, especially over the age of 35.  It was interesting that when the range for TSH was revised downward from .5-5.0 to .3-3.0, someone estimated that change meant that approx 18 million people in the U. S. had been added to the group of people with hypothyroidism.  I am also surprised that more people are not aware of using body temperature to identify potential thyroid problems.  I know it is not a perfect test, but from the experience of myself and numerous others I know, it is a good indicator, and it is something that can be done easily at home, without having to bother going to the doctor, unless the results indicate more evaluation is needed.  FWIW

[all_messed_up]

hi, just found this group i was dxd with hypo 8 yrs ago. along with diabetes and live disease, with elevated iron levels> i have a sister who just happens to be a doctor and she had me get checked for hemochromatosis . apparently this a disorder which affects the thyroid, liver, and the pancreas and while uncurable it can be treated by essentially giving blood. also women with this disorder arent normally diagnosed until after menopause as thier menstrual cycle normally keeps thier iron levels low . if this is thecause of your hypo then trating it may reduce or eliminate your hypo. but it requires genetic testing and isnt cheap

[makal]

So hemochromatosis affects the thyroid and the liver? I may have that. My liver is creating excessive enzymes, and my Drs can't tell me why. When I see the endocrinoligist I'll make sure to ask him about it.

[mudkme83]

Add me to the bad thyroid list. Im a 24 year old male. I just got DX 6 months ago and think i have been hypo since i was like 15 or so. Im going to hell and back trying to get on the right meds and getting optimal. The doctors have switched my meds and dosages like 20 times in the past 6 months, no joke. I have like 10 bottles of thyroid meds at different doasges, im like a in home pharmacy.lol.I I just try to saty positve through the madness knowing that soon i will feel better again. Good luck.

[fishking]

add me to the list i am 17 and have hypo. dr. found i had it 2 months ago. and been on a pill sence then but still have the symptoms. is it common for someone my age to have it?

[stella5349]

You are young. Usually it is found in many later in life - but I think testing for thyroid issues have increased and that is why so many people including men are being diagnosed.

It was thought in the past it was more of a "later in life" disease a few decades ago - but seeing this forum - there are more people my age and younger talking about it.

I hope you have great success getting your condition under control and if you need to pop back for anything - many here - including men can help you understand this disease.

[fishking]

also ment to ask is it normal to lose weight i have lost about 10-12 pounds and no matter what i eat i can not get it back up. ?? and the thing is i dint lose the weight over time i lost the weight in a matter of 2 weeks.

[makal]

I'm not sure, but I lost weight too. I do know that the thyroid affects a lot of other functions in your body. You may need to keep up with your cholesterhol and liver also. I had problems with this, but I was unDXed for a while before I knew what was going on.

[EPY]

Hi all, I'm 18 and going to have my thyroid checked out tomorrow after the doctors found a problem. I've dropped out of college because I'm suffering from depression and anxiety. I sit at home all day unmotivated, lethargic and feeling pathetic. I'm unable to get a job because I'm scared I'll get panic attacks! I'm putting on a lot of weight also.

Not sure why I'm posting here, but it was nice to see other men suffering from this  Is it really rare in men then? I read somewhere on the internet it was 1 in 1000 of us that have this?

Anyway, I'll post here with developments if anyone is interested.

[Swordfish7773]

Tired lethargic, anxiety, sweaty palms, high energy then worn out.  It's like a cycle  Seems like everyday now I have a panic attack whether at work or not.  Insomnia, headaches, itchy skin mainly my legs, foggy thinking, and lack of concentration.  I have lived with most of these symptoms for about 10 years except the anxiety which has finally told me that I need help.  I found out that I have a family history of hypo and that on my mom's side 4 of her siblings have it, my sister and my brother have it.  Told my doctor, and I'm going for the blood test tomorrow.  I'm a 25 year old male.  If I'm diagnosed that will make 3 males diagnosed and 4 females.  I know what the stats tell us, but in my family it seems to run a lot different, almost 50/50.  I just think as guys we fight through the symptoms until they are unbearable, and because it is believed that mostly women get this they chose not to test males, therefore making the statistics unreliable.  EPY go back to school.  Don't let it run your life.  I know it's hard trust me I worry about losing my job because of the attacks but the schooling is worth it.  I think I just drank so much through school that I could not see the symptoms.    

[oldie]

after 18 months on amiodarone for arrytmia a thyroid test  showed a TSH of 38. I am now on my second month of Levo and the usual symptoms persist. would be very grateful if you would post what dosis  you take . I am on 150 once a day which is far below what most forum members take. My cardio assures me that it's enough. I'm 80 and feel only half alive . nb. the cardio last week took me off amio for propafenenone becaseu the though 18 months was far too long to take amio.
oldie

[ccm6gt]

Hello everyone  i am a 16 year old male on levothyroixine. i hate it to say the least, but it could be worse. i have been on it for about a year and now and it seems like before i was introduced i have more symptoms of hypo then i did before i started. but if anyone would like to talk that has hypothyroidism i would love to.

AIM-ccm6gt

[edra]

Another male here with hypothyroidism.  You may know that Hashimoto's is the leading cause of hypo.  You may be interested in how I got mine:

Gluten.  I got sick in 1991 and none of the dumb docs could figure out why.  It took 6 years to get a thyroid diagnosis, and 12 years to find out that gluten was the causative factor.  In susceptible people, gluten causes gluten enteropathy.  Gluten fragments then get in the bloodstream and set off various autoimmune conditions.  In my case, the condition was Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis.

I'm still trying to get back to optimal health.  Just found out my body temp is well below normal, signaling the possibility of Wilson's Temperature Syndrome (see wilsonstemperaturesyndrome.com).  Am about to wean off T4 and start sustained-release T3 therapy to see if I can get my body temp up to normal, and feel consistently well.

Hopefully that wasn't more than you wanted to hear.  :)

[AR-10]

Good luck with your search for an answer.

Wilson's Syndrome has been debunked as charlatinism, and Dr. Wilson no longer practices medicine.

http://www.thyroid.org/professionals/publications/statements/99_11_16_wilsons.html

Welcome to the forum, and best of luck with whatever course of treatment you take.

[Hashimoto_Kid]

New to the forum (Thank God I found it), Thyroid sufferer for the last 16 years (I am 46). New symptoms developing or old ones that are coming back with a vengeance, either way, it's a battle just thinking positive never mind actually doing something constuctive. I am the only male in my extended family known to suffer from thyroid disease, the females (Mother, Aunt & Cousin) all have it too. Couldn't hold a job and no insurance means I try to treat this on my own or with the help of my D.O that knows little about thyroids. Good luck, knowledge is power, every person is different even when the test results say the same.

[makal]

Fellows, I have been taking medication for almost two months now. I feel so much better. I have a lot more energy now; my hair is growing back; I'm not freezing all the time; and I don't feel as detached from the world anymore. I have to go in to get another blood test to see how my levels are today. I am really excited. I hope my cholesterhol is down, too. I know my TSH has to be much lower than the 76 it was when I was DXed. I just wanted to let y'all know that the medicine has done wonders for me. Hopefully the test result will prove the same and it's not just a water pill effect. lol

[N8tvtexan]

FYI-I'm a 60 year old male with Hypothyroidism. I've been on med's for approx. 5 years.
My Mother and sister also have this condition. I believe it's probably inherited.
I have my blood tested 3/4 times a year and med's adjusted as needed.
I too am on 150/day.

[hypohippie]

Just read some of the posts here. I'm a 46 y/o male who was diagnosed hypo about 6 yrs ago. A good lady friend advised staying away from synthroid/levithroid and instead, opt for Armour theyroid. After a while, I found it made my testicles 'tender' or sensitive. I eventually fell off the daily routine and instead have concentrated on a good diet, taking a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and supplements.

I've found that humans have a RIGHT to be depressed many times, but taking drugs to alleviate deppression is crazy. It becomes a vicious cycle that ropes innocent victims in. Weight gain, also. Watching what I eat and making myself exercise releases the endorphins that combat depression, and helps considerably to keep the weight down.

In the end, I find that a ramped up consciousness of better eating habits combined with exercise, is the best way to deal with my hypo.

[hypohippie]

Also, since changing certain 'less than healthy' habits, I am no longer experiencing hair loss, and I no longer have that 'beer belly'. My slurred speach that I once had, has largely disappeared, as well as feelings of fatigue and the accompanying 'lazy gait' (stumbling/dragging feet/unsteady balance).

I know that some people might say I'm crazy for not taking any kind of meds for my hypo, but I'd rather find optimal good heath thru diet, exercise, and natural supplements, than to be enslaved to doctors and drugs (and the costs thereof).

[makal]

I gotta say i understand not wanting to pay all the fees for blood tests, office visits, and medicine...It's a drain on my pockets too. But since I've been on sinthroid, my hair has grown back, my cholesterhol isn't high anymore, I talk and move faster, I think clearer, my ankles don't swell anymore, my liver is healthy, my skin is better, I have more energy.....life is so much better! The purpose of money is to enjoy a higher quality of life. I tried excercise and diet to get my cholesterhol down before I knew anything about my thyroid. It didn't work. My TSH was 76. Sinthroid has been my savior and worth every penny.

[ttmoni9]

wow can't believe how many men there are with thyroid issues too.

I had my thyroid removed because of being hyperthyroid and all the endos I saw said that I HAD to have my thyroid removed because the meds for hyperthyroidism were dangerous in the long term..and if I wanted to have kids one day I had to remove my thyroid.....bla blah blah..  I wish I never listened to them and I wish I'd discovered this forum before....

anyway, now I have no thyroid so i'm hypo.  My uncle also had thyroidectomy..but he is doing better than me.. he feels good and has no problems with the meds.

[rohit_786]

I am another man in this community , I am wondering , anyone of you having issues with low sex drive and libido . Anyone of you have issues with pituitary gland problem and low testosterone level.

[makal]

Yeah, my sex drive was hurting too. I'm still trying to fully recover in that area. But, it is a lot better now. I don't have a problems with testosterone level though, I don't think.

[rohit_786]

Have you tested your testosterone level ?.I didn't know either as i was in the impression that low sex drive is thyroid which it does but after my level came back normal for like 3 months of more it should not be. I do have some muscles aches /pain /burning eyes some times and fatigue/tiredness. Do you have any one of those symptoms ?. It is good to have it test.

[chris_dude]

hey guys, I am 23 year old male and I was born without a thyroid. The docs realised this about 2-3 weeks after i was born.  I have been on thyroxine ever since then, now i take .200 every day.  

I consider myself to be healthy, I was one of the smartest kids in class all through primary school and the beginning of high school (before i got over it haha) I graduated from highschool with average results in the end.  I was also one of the tallest kids in my class throughout primary school, but by year 7, the rest of the class had caught up to me.  Im not 6 foot 2. 81kg's.  I have a great shape, having 20% body fat, apparently that is perfect for a male my age and height.!!  I go to the gym and have no problem bulking up quickly(over 2 months), surprising my male friends who have been trying to bulk up for a year taking expensive supplements and vitamins).  I take no supplements to stimulate my muscle growth except an 'up and go' protien drink after gym which has 20grams of protien in it.

I have noticed in the last year that i am losing more hair than usual, noticably more hairs left on the pillow when i wake up, but this might be the cause of neglecting to eat healthy for about 3-4 years.  Suprisingly I have maintained a healthy weight range my entire life, although i think i was slightly underweight 3 years ago, not my much but.

I was a very fussy eater growing up, the only vegies i would head was potatos, carrots and pumpkin, and only eating beans when mum forced me to eat them. I ate lots of fruit but.

Now I take vitamins every mornign, including fish oil, vitamin b and e.  I have no problems with sleep, usually falling asleep within 5 mins of going to bed, and I have only every experienced 2 or 3 headaches. (very lucky).  Makes me feel great.  so when I wake up i take 4 tablets :).

[zed72]

I am 36 years old male to recently get diagnosed with hypo. However, I have absolutely no symptoms what so ever. Hypo was diagnosed when I gave my blood sample to check my cholestrol level. My thyroid level is 5.5.

Question: Do you think that I do not have the symptoms yet because it's in its very early stages and pretty soon I'll start seeing the symptoms? Or is there anyone else out there who was diagnosed with hypo but didn't really have the symptoms?

Please let me know what you all think.

[Autumn1103]

I was diagnosed at 30 while doing a regular physical.  I had no symptoms whatsoever at the time and refused treatment.  A year later the symptoms had manifested enough that I could tell something was wrong and I went to my Dr. and started treatment.  I can't tell you that you will definitely manifest symptoms at some point, but that is what happened with me.

[Autumn1103]

I probably should have added that I am a female given the topic of this post.

[guessagain]

Add another male to the list, another one who's not sure what's really going on yet. A couple of days ago my doctor read the number and simply said, "your thyroid is pooping out", and I started on medication. From things I've read, I'm guessing it's been a problem for a long time. Sort of like I've had symptoms that have been misdiagnosed for years. One article stating that on a one to one basis 5% of individuals could be considered hypo with TSH numbers as low as 5. I welcome anyone's opinion. There are people on this site that know far more than me.

[mrshypo]

My husband was just diagnosed as hypo-.  We were amazed to read the symptomology - he's been suffering with most of the symptoms for years, but no doc ever thought to look at his thyroid function.  He was told to eat healthier... stop drinking...take anti-depressants, and all the other modern-day "cures".  To the guys who complained about ED & reduced (or no) libido: those were the symptoms that finally drove my 57 year-old husband to the doctor.  After ump-teen blood tests (including all the testosterone levels) showed no problems, the doc tried the thyroid test.  BINGO!  He started treatment yesterday.  With any luck he'll be his old self (not the new, bald, pot-bellied, pale, irritable, tired, unmotivated, anti-social, asexual, limp self)  again soon!  I hope all y'all are, too!!

[Joey1991]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum and have enjoyed the comments.  They have all been helpful.  I have undergone synthroid therapy now for about a year.  My health has pretty much returned to normal.  My only problem now is that the very week I started synthroid(25 micrograms) I began to lose strength and muscle mass.  Even months into my therapy I began to lose more and more strength even though my other symptoms improved.  Even almost a year after I began synthroid I still cannot regain all of my strength I had before taking synthroid.  Besides that my lab numbers are normal and I feel fine.  Has anyone else had this problem?

[prolife]

Hi Everyone,

A male 34 yr old from India. Just got diagnosed 10 days back after my maternal aunt (TSH - 140), my mom (TSh 14), my maternal uncle (TSH -10) got diagnosed. Thanks to my maternal aunt, we all got the good sense to get ourselves tested and diagnosed. It is really crazy. With more than 90% of the symptoms there, no doctor ever mentioned it. i must have had for quite some time now. it is only regular exercise that kept me going (without any weight problems also).

Just started with dosage of 50mg-1week, 75mg-1 week and then 100mg-4 weeks before the next round of tests.

I hope this is ok. How much times does it take for the hormonal levels to stabilize? Any ideas?

nice to have this forum to discuss our "Real Laziness". God, I must have gone crazy listening to all those barbs on being slow,lazy,disinterested,lack of energy...and ofcourse last few years - balding!

The last one was presumed to be after my grandfather who was bald as an egg.

Keep posting! Best wishes to everyone.

[txhippiechick]

i was able to bring my thyroid levels back within the normal range with a six-week acupuncture and chinese herb regimen, dietary changes, a kelp supplement (for iodine) and staying away from tap water (both chlorine & flouride inhibit the uptake of iodine by the pituitary gland which is essential to healthy thyroid function).

there is a Wealth of information out there on how to treat the condition without having to take medication for the rest of your life.

my boyfriend has just been diagnosed with slight hypo as well and we will try the above referenced treatments and see how the results come back in six-to-eight weeks.

best wishes & health,
txhippiechick

[FTB4]

Another Hashi man here, Good Luck FTB4

[Matthype]

Anyone still posting in this forum?

[Lorenzoid]

Is there is good list out there somewhere of hypothyroid symptoms that MEN are likely to experience, as opposed to women?  A quick search reveals many similar lists, with symptoms such as "hair loss," "weight gain," and "abnormal menstrual cycles."  The first two of these are things that I would guess the vast majority of men experience later in life, and the third is meaningless.

Now in my mid-40s, I have started to feel sluggish and want to sleep more.  I still run every morning and go to the gym as I always have, though it's difficult to pump as much iron as I used to.  Despite the running, and having recently cut down on the beer, I can't seem to shed the bit of a beer belly that's slowly been developing.  This concerns me.  But is it hypothyroidism or simply the symptoms of growing older?!

I just began looking into this and may take the step of going for a test, but unfortunately my health insurance is pretty bad (high deductible), and I have incentive to minimize my use of health care.  A trip to the doc for this will mean at least a couple of hundred dollars out of pocket.

Anyway, the question is:  Is there a list of symptoms to which you can refer me that focuses on those most useful in diagnosing hypothyroidism in MEN?

[helgih88]

Well, I'm in the middle of testing now but what I can tell you is that you are supposed to sleep less as you age. This is something you cannot ignore so please look into it even if it has nothing to do with the thyroid.

One of the symptoms of hypothyroid that I know of is that your digestion slows down, this means you get more constipated and more time passes between bowel movements (which can lead to all sorts of problems by itself). 3 times a day to 3 times a week is supposedly the norm for bowel movements (even if you're within this range it is still possible you're constipated). You can also measure your body temperature when you wake up. Have a thermometer ready by the bed and don't even stand up when you wake up. Take a reading and if your body temperature is abnormally low then that is a indication of hypothyroid (our temperature drops in our sleep but for people with a hypothyroid this number should be noticeably low).

[gimel]

As mentioned by helgih88, I've also found basal body temperature below 97.6 to be a good indicator of hypothyroidism.  Temperatures significantly below this level are worth more evaluation with blood testing.  If you do that, insist on tests  for free T3 and free T4, along with TSH, as a start.  Other symptoms that I know affect men specifically are low metabolism and weight gain, difficulty in losing weight, fatigue, extra sleep is necessary, hard to wake up and get going, difficulty in concentrating at times, dry skin, hair loss,  puffy around eyes and face, hoarse voice, frequent upper respiratory infections,  eyes feel gritty and dry, and acid reflux.

This is by no means a complete list, but I'm sure you will find yourself in there somewhere.

[kevkevkev]

AFTER YEARS OF FEELING LIKE **** I HAVE JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED  WITH A COMPLEATLY NACKERED THYROID GLAN  FIRST WENT IN FOR BREATHING PROBLEMS JUST CARNT GET NO AIR THEN HAIRING PROBLEMS DEPRESION PUT ME ON TABLETS HAD NO AFFECT SO STOPED TAKING ACHES AND PAINS IN JOINTS I PUT DOWN TO GETTING OLD BEFORE TIME  IM 43 PUT ON 2 STONE EYES ITCHING THEY GAVE ME DROPS HAD NO AFFECT FINALLY WENT IN TELLING THE DOC FEELING NACKERED LIFELESS AND WANT TO SLEEP ALL THE TIME LUCKALLY THEY SENT ME FOR BLOD TEST WITH THE THYROID TEST WICH THEY NEED TO SPECIFY SO TELL THEM TO TEST FOR IT AND GOT CALLED BACK TO HERE IT WAS NACKERED IT WAS A RELEAF TO FINALLY HAVE A ANSWER TO LOTS OF THINGS STILL HAVING ALL TESTS BUT PUT ME ON 100 NICROGRAMS LEVOTHYROXINE STILL TO GET THE DOSE RIGHT BUT  A START PLEASE GO GET CHECKED AND MAKE THEM CHECK FOR IT ITS YOUR BODY WISH I HAD DONE YEARS A GO.

[mstep]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 8 months ago. My TSH was 146. I believe I have the record at my doctors office for the highest number he has ever seen. One of my major symptoms has been muscle weakness and joint pain (along with brain fog and overall fatigue). My most recent TSH level was 14 so my doctor increased my dosage of Synthroid to 150mcg. I still suffer with muscle weakness. Does this go away when your TSH level reaches a normal level??

[gimel]

Is your doctor treating you based primarily on TSH level?  If so, you might be interested in a post I just made to another member.



When a doctor treats a patient strictly by TSH level,  it frequently leaves the patient still suffering from hypo symptoms.  This is because TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by many variables, so that it has only a fair correlation with T4 and T3 levels in the blood, and  a very poor correlation with thyroid symptoms.  Much of the biological activity in the body is dependent on free T3 and free T4 (free meaning not bound up by protein).  Free T3 is the most important because it is four times as potent as free T4, and correlates best with hypo symptoms.

If I were in your shoes, I would try to get the doctor to treat you by testing and adjusting free T3 and free T4 levels as required to alleviate symptoms and get you into what I call the "sweet spot", by which I mean neither hypo nor hyper symptoms.  Sometimes, this will mean that the TSH is suppressed to the very low end of the reference range or even below, even though  free T3 and free T4 are still well within their ranges.  A TSH suppressed below the reference range doesn't automatically mean you are hyperthyroid. In my opinion, a patient's hyper or hypo status should only be defined by symptoms, not TSH level.  

[bawb28]

I have Hypo as well, along with many others listed in this forum. I went into the Dr. complaining of being somewhat tired and getting extremely bad headaches. The headaches at that time I attributed to being dehydrated. I probably would not have went in except for my wife saying I need to get checked out. When I was diagnosed, I didn't believe it and skipped taking the pills most of the time. That just made it more difficult for the Dr. to see how I was progressing on Levo. That was about 4 years ago. After taking the Levo regularly, my TSH lowered which I'm told also affects my triglycerides because that number went down as well. (I'm still tired, but I have a 3yr old daughter who keeps me going all of the time!) Recenty, my med level was upped from 100 to 112. Also, I was recently diagnosed with a nodule on my thyroid, although it is not significant, I still need to get an ultrasound yearly to make sure it is not growing.

[iambellaluna]

Speaking of being put on Zoloft...when I went in Sept of '08 for some of the symptoms I was expeiriencing (hair loss and I'm a woman, she said it was "stress"), they did the same thing to me. The GP gave me some Zoloft and called it a day. That stuff SUCKED. I hacked it out for about a month and quit completely but things gradually got worse & then the exteme debilitating fatigue set in...along with new symptoms like muscle weakness and joint pain.

I finally went in—after researching my symptoms, putting two and two together, and talking to my grandmother (she had hashis and cancerous nodules resulting in a TT)—again for blood work. I demanded a thyroid test because I was done, I was miserable. The results came back & here I am. I just started on Levo this week & following up with an endo in July.

I recommend getting your thyroid tested ASAP. I've never gotten a doctor to do a full thyroid pannel...the most they've tested was FT4 and TSH. I'm curious to know what my T3's are up to...

[S_Omaha]

I am a 43 year old male that was recently diagnosed with Hypo.  Like many professional males, I thought all of my mode swings, fatigue, anxiety were a result of having a stressful job.   I changed careers about 5 years ago and stepped away from exec management as my family means more to me than the money I was making.  Even though I had far less stress and nearly no supervisory responsibilities, I still had the same symptoms as before.  I found a family medical doctor (Most intellectually honest men will tell you, most of us don't have a regular doctor until it is something catastrophic). I described my symptoms and without running a blood test she determined that I was a classic case of manic depression disorder.  Like most guys, I just kind of went with it even though there is no family Hx.  After a little research I  seemed to not have the entire package of what those that suffer with this disease typically do.  So I took the Lithium for about 3 months and began to feel more anxiety and a deeper sense of depression.

I then reached out to my family and stated to them that something seemed very wrong and I am concerned that I am losing my mind.  I'll also admit that during these down times I self medicated with 6-10 drinks per day; sometimes more just too dull the anxiety and depression .  My wife stated that this was so out of character for me since most of the time I am more of a moderate social drinker with an occasional bender on the odd week-end with friends but certainly not every day.   She was very concerned as well and thought I was becoming an alcoholic so she reached out to a very good friend of ours who is an internist.  He ran a battery of test, and like most doctors, did not think that me being a male and in mostly good health (except my weight, slightly high BP and Cholesterol) he finally tested my thyroid levels.    I ended up with having nearly zero thyroid hormones on the initial test.  He immediately scheduled the T3, T4 and a CT scan.  To make a long storey short, I was diagnosed with severe Hypo and began treatment 3 weeks ago.  I’m not sure if I am feeling 100%  better at this point but certainly there is marked improvement.  I do not have the anxiety I had and my days are no longer centered around my next drink.   I had no idea that my storey is very similar to those men on this board.  Thanks for letting me chime in!

[jazon]

dude with hypo 4 16 years now,found out at the age of 13 when my doc noticed the front of my neck was swollen;a.e,a gouter.got sent to a specialist and the rest is history. im 6.3 and 190Lb if not for the meds i would prob. be like 5.7 300Lb. best advise i can give is find a GOOD DOCTOR and TAKE YOUR MEDS EVERY DAY!!!!

[stella5349]

I hope AR-10 gets back on this thread.

[teryu]

I am a 15 year old male and i think i have hypothyroidism because i have very dry skin, dry hair,constipation all the time, my cheeks are very puffy face,tinnitus,headaches everyday,i am lightheaded when i stand up and everything turns blurry and i fall over sometimes, i have difficulty losing weight even though i eat twice a day and run a mile a day, i have fatigue i have to push myself to do EVERYTHING my face is always red and hurts when i am in the sun i am getting tested tomorrow for hypothyroidism i really hope they come back positive so all this **** can go away -.-

[shrekson]

Hi 35 year old male South africa
Hypo and being treated with eltroxin hoping the meds will help have many of the problems related to this condition .

[stella5349]

Hi - are you new to the meds? it takes some time to regulate, whether male or female.

[HenryB19]

I am a 36 man and was recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism.  I originally went to the doctor with muscle, joint and general fatigue symptoms.  In addition to Lyme and a few others my doctor ran a TSH test.  My TSH came back at 4.58 and combined with my fatigue symptoms they decided I have hypothyroidism.  The doctor prescribed 25 MCG tabs of levothyroxine (generic) for 60 days and then they’d retest me.  Never being sick in my life I am having trouble dealing with the diagnosis.  

Is 4.58 alone enough to prescribe life long treatment?  I had a test ~10 years ago for a physical and it was 3.7.

Is 4.58 and generic symptoms (muscle/joint pain and fatigue) enough to make a definitive diagnosis, I am otherwise fit and active, with no symptoms?

What is short/long term effect of doing this 6 week trial?

Is the 25 mcg a proper prescription level, I have read under-treating can make me feel worse?

Do I need to see an endocrinologist or will they not bother with me since my TSH is only 4.58?

Do I need to be concerned with generic versus brand name levothyroxine?

[Gerry400]

Hi all, I'm a 40 yr old man who always worked out until 6 yrs ago, 2 yrs ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, endo prescribed Synthroid but I'm searching for a natural cure. Talked to my endo about it but for obvious reasons he said there's no such thing and to get back on Synthroid. I searched the web and found the leading cause of Hypo is Hashimoto's, now, there are natural teas and food to help with that. Just wondering how do I know what's causing my Hypo? Is it somewhere in the test results or what?

[LazyMoose]

Well you need the thyroid antibody test to see if you have Hoshimotos. Most docs do this after they find TSH out of range. While your at it, ask for free T3 and FreeT4 if you never got it. You cant regulate with TSH alone.

A note on Hoshimotos antibodies: natural supplements and herbs will not stop the antibodies, they only support the thyroid, wont reverse antibodies if you have them.

[LazyMoose]

One more guy to the list. I was Dx'ed ten years ago at age 32 with Hoshimotos after years of symptoms. Now that I no more about this disorder, I think I had it since my early teen years. I was always athletic and in good shape but always more sore than I should have been, not to mention the brain fog in school!. Then more health issues started surfacing for no reason. So I ate better and worked out more, but was not getting better. After many blood tests, Hoshimotos was D'xed.

Given T4 meds for ten years did almost nothing to relive the symptoms and was told it was something else but they did no know what. Well the last four years was living he//, with near crippling muscle spasms that left me limping, nightime acid reflux despite a decent diet, carple tunnel in hands, planter facitis in both feet, brain fog, insomnia and daytime lethargy. I decided to learn more about the thyroid late 2008, a lot from this forum, and changed doctors. Adding T3 in April in addition to suplements has changed my life for the better.

My old doctor is against T3 in any form, that why he's no longer my doctor. I cant believe that's what I needed all these years. So, I am really concerned about the future availability of dessicated meds in the USA!!

I feel ten years younger since April! 90% of my symptoms are relieved now from dessicated meds. Still have a little hand pain when typing long (maybe permanent?), and still a little more tired than normal. I can work out again with improving results, my body pain most good days is almost gone.