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??