Aa
Frustrated with Endo
I used to inline skate 14 miles, 3 times a week and belly dance 2-3 times a week, (sometimes more if we were performing.) I could never lose those proverbial 10 pounds and docs just told me I had hit my plateau. When I stopped doing this much, within 6 months, I had gained 40 pounds. Docs then just told me I was getting older and, 'nesting.'
Last year, I was finally diagnosed with Hashi's first, then cancer, and I had my thyroid removed in Nov of last year. After the surgery, I gained another 25 pounds. My current endo only testes my T4 and TSH. She has me on 200mcg of levothyroxin. Since she only wants to see me every 3 months and she didn't bump up my dose last visit, because my TSH was at 4.33 and my T4 is at 1.1. I have bumped myself up to 300mcg, without feeling any better. I have read in books and online that Hashi's antibodies also attack the pituitary gland. Even without my thyroid, I still have the antibodies in my blood. I also had a severe head injury, almost 2 year ago, that I understand can also cause havoc on the pituitary.
I have also read that my adrenals should be checked, along with a slew of other tests.
I have an appointment on Monday with my endo. How can I gently request these tests? I know if she refuses this, I should find another doc. I do have insurance, but with a 40 dollar co-pay, each visit. I live in the central Florida area. I know a lot of you have had similar frustrations with your docs. How do you find out if am endo doctor is educated enough about thyroid and not just diabetes? I have looked online for other endo's, but all the patient reviews have been for diabetes. I guess I just rambled on for a basic question of; Where can I find an endo that is educated enough in thyroid problems? Well, I don't have a thyroid anymore.
Last year, I was finally diagnosed with Hashi's first, then cancer, and I had my thyroid removed in Nov of last year. After the surgery, I gained another 25 pounds. My current endo only testes my T4 and TSH. She has me on 200mcg of levothyroxin. Since she only wants to see me every 3 months and she didn't bump up my dose last visit, because my TSH was at 4.33 and my T4 is at 1.1. I have bumped myself up to 300mcg, without feeling any better. I have read in books and online that Hashi's antibodies also attack the pituitary gland. Even without my thyroid, I still have the antibodies in my blood. I also had a severe head injury, almost 2 year ago, that I understand can also cause havoc on the pituitary.
I have also read that my adrenals should be checked, along with a slew of other tests.
I have an appointment on Monday with my endo. How can I gently request these tests? I know if she refuses this, I should find another doc. I do have insurance, but with a 40 dollar co-pay, each visit. I live in the central Florida area. I know a lot of you have had similar frustrations with your docs. How do you find out if am endo doctor is educated enough about thyroid and not just diabetes? I have looked online for other endo's, but all the patient reviews have been for diabetes. I guess I just rambled on for a basic question of; Where can I find an endo that is educated enough in thyroid problems? Well, I don't have a thyroid anymore.
I noticed that you are posting this recommendation on lots of other Forums as well.
Respiratory Disorders
Neurology
Ear, Nose, Throat
Anxiety
Asthma & Allergy
Alternative Medicine
Diabetes
General Health
Mood Disorders
Digestive
Do you really believe, along with Swami Ramdev that it "cures all diseases of world". Please give us some scientific study data, not just anecdotal information or personal belief, to justify your recommendations to our members.
If there were any possible benefit anywhere, I think such widespread hype only serves to deter any serious consideration.
Respiratory Disorders
Neurology
Ear, Nose, Throat
Anxiety
Asthma & Allergy
Alternative Medicine
Diabetes
General Health
Mood Disorders
Digestive
Do you really believe, along with Swami Ramdev that it "cures all diseases of world". Please give us some scientific study data, not just anecdotal information or personal belief, to justify your recommendations to our members.
If there were any possible benefit anywhere, I think such widespread hype only serves to deter any serious consideration.
It is your choice and the posting is for you. If you are sitting and worrying, you might as well try the pranayam for as many days as you like.
Very skeptical. I posted this previously.
Avatar_m_tn
gimel
Blank
Sep 16, 2011
To: hava
Sorry hava. Yoga may be good for some things, but when I read something like this about Kapalbhati pranayam, it loses all credibility with me.
Kapal Bhati Pranayam
Procedure : Push air forcefully out. Stomach will itself go in.
Duration : Start with 30 times or 1 min. increase upto 5 mins min. upto 10 mins max.
Benefits : aabha, tej, obesity, constipation, gastric, acidity, Croesus(liver), hepatitis B, uterus, diabetes, stomach problems, cholesterol, allergic problems, asthma, snoring, concentration, and even cancer and AIDS.
Tips : heart and high BP patients, and weak people do it slowly.
Swamiji says "dharti ki sanjivini hai kapal-bhati pranayam" and that it "cures all diseases of world".
View Video of Kapal Bhati Pranayam being performed by Swami Ramdev ji
Blank Reply
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Avatar_m_tn
gimel
Blank
Sep 16, 2011
To: hava
Sorry hava. Yoga may be good for some things, but when I read something like this about Kapalbhati pranayam, it loses all credibility with me.
Kapal Bhati Pranayam
Procedure : Push air forcefully out. Stomach will itself go in.
Duration : Start with 30 times or 1 min. increase upto 5 mins min. upto 10 mins max.
Benefits : aabha, tej, obesity, constipation, gastric, acidity, Croesus(liver), hepatitis B, uterus, diabetes, stomach problems, cholesterol, allergic problems, asthma, snoring, concentration, and even cancer and AIDS.
Tips : heart and high BP patients, and weak people do it slowly.
Swamiji says "dharti ki sanjivini hai kapal-bhati pranayam" and that it "cures all diseases of world".
View Video of Kapal Bhati Pranayam being performed by Swami Ramdev ji
Blank Reply
Blank
Something to help your body to get over the fatigue. Do this pranayam twice a day, everyday and improve your quality of life.Your feedback when you notice the benefit will help. Allow weeks, as the benefit is gradual.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Kapalbhati pranayam -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Anulom Vilom pranayam –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30 minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
September 16 ,2011
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Kapalbhati pranayam -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 20 to 30 minutes twice a day. Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Anulom Vilom pranayam –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30 minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
September 16 ,2011
Just an update. The appointment went better than I thought, but in the long run, I'm still seeking out a new doctor. She did put me on 5mcg of cytomel, but brought down my levothyroxin to 200mcg. I pleaded with her for more tests and she did order a bunch of labs for me, yet, doesn't want to see me for 3 more months. Last, as she was about to leave the room, I asked her about possible pituitary and adrenal problems. She stated, 'Those things have nothing to do with thyroid function.' That was the end all. I knew then, she would never be able to really help me.
Thank you so much for your informative answer. I'm printing out the letter and giving it to my endo, at my appointment today. My doc doesn't even test the T3 and she is supposedly, one of the best endos in my area. I was under the impression that I HAD to go to an endo for my hypothyroid. I will look into other doctors now. Thanks again.
A majority of hypo patients taking large doses of T4 med do not adequately convert the T4 to T3. This results in a Free T3 level in the lower end of the range or below. Doctors that practice "Reference Range Endocrinology will tell you that any FT3 and FT4 test result that falls within even the very low end of the range is in the so-called "normal" range and adequate for you. This is incorrect. the ranges are too broad, since they have never been corrected as was done for TSH over 8 years ago. If the FT3 and FT4 ranges were purged of suspect hypo patient data, as was done for TSH, and the ranges recalculated, the new ranges would be more like the upper half of the current ranges.
That is why we hear from so many members with FT3 and FT4 in the lower end of the range and they still have hypo symptoms. Many of our members report that symptom relief for them require that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper third of the range and free T4 adjusted to around the midpoint of the range.
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 don't necessarily need an Endo, just a good thyroid doctor. In fact Endos seem to be more rigid about using TSH as a diagnostic and using "Reference Range Endocrinology" than others.
You can get more insight into clinical treatment from this link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he 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, 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."
That is why we hear from so many members with FT3 and FT4 in the lower end of the range and they still have hypo symptoms. Many of our members report that symptom relief for them require that Free T3 was adjusted into the upper third of the range and free T4 adjusted to around the midpoint of the range.
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 don't necessarily need an Endo, just a good thyroid doctor. In fact Endos seem to be more rigid about using TSH as a diagnostic and using "Reference Range Endocrinology" than others.
You can get more insight into clinical treatment from this link to a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he 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, 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."
After looking over some other posts, I guess I should state some of my symptoms. Long list, but most annoying-fatigue, as in going to a friends house for a bbq and couldn't make it through the afternoon without napping, painful, swollen legs and feet (kankles.) Sluggish GI, which I take myralax everyday, plus magnesium and fiber, feeling like I have pms all the time, social isolation, anxiety, which I'm on pamelor, Loss of sex drive, lose words/fuzzy thinking, times of unusually high energy, migraines, double vision, (which I have prism 3 in my glasses.) List could go on. I also take a multi, vita b, vita c, biotion (thinning hair,) vita e and a probiotic.
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