are any of you classical musicians?

[Eebus]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism ( Hashimoto's ) a couple of years ago.  I am a cellist, and I noticed a very dramatic change in my hearing, where I had 'ringing' in my ears as well as loss of hearing.  Even my previously perfect pitch was impaired.  I also had reduced muscle control in my arms, hands and fingers, and so  was very worried about my playing.  

I now take 100mcg thyroxine, and it has improved a great deal, but I wonder if I can expect my hearing to be as good as before my diagnosis?  I am 43

[Eebus]

Nat_16-Was going to say that's one of the things you can't eat anyway!  Being half Chinese, I ate LOADS of tofu.  I don't touch it at all now.  I also started suffering from hay fever which got progressively worse over the years.  I only realised recently that it was related to thyroid.

[Nat_16]

I often joke and say the soy allergy was sent to me as to prepare me for thyroid LOL...the allergy came about 12 years before thyroid.  

[MANmom]

By the way, Soy is not good for thyroid patients.

[Nat_16]

Of course you can ask!!  Ok, here goes...
- ALL soy products make me extremely ill (including the soy based preservatives in bread and chocolate)
- A few different preservatives in food (the ones with numbers - mainly those in the 280's) make me sick
- Any green food colouring (yes, a weird one I know...I can't even eat green candy!)

That's about it!!  

[MANmom]

No, I haven't changed my diet.  I find that my GERD is better when I am on the correct dose, but that is the only thing that bothers me sometimes.

[Eebus]

Hi there,

Mind if I ask what you're allergic to?

[Nat_16]

As for diet changes, me personally, I've changed nothing in my diet because of thyroid.  I already have multiple food allergies (diagnosed 10 years or more before thyroid) and so am already quite restricted on what I can eat.  I really don't have the room to change my diet anymore...I'd be down to eating barely anything!!!!!!

[Eebus]

Thank you so much for your post.  It must have been hard for you as a singer, and it's great to hear that you overcame so much, and that you're doing even better than before.  I suspect I was under-performing for years before I was diagnosed, and I hope that I will play better than before too!  

This is to you and Nat 16- have you changed your diet in any way?  I have been reading about foods to avoid, and I'm astounded that none of my doctors or consultants have ever mentioned diet.  I only discovered I should avoid certain things when I googled it after getting severe headaches with coleslaw ( raw cabbage )

Many thanks, and good luck!

[MANmom]

I am a singer, I had the same, Hashi's as well as nodules that affected my singing, in fact I credit the fact that I was a singer with finding my thyroid cancer.  I was getting hoarse and I knew that was not right.  When I had to go through hypo hell after thyroidectomy leading up to RAI, my ears were ringing constantly and my hearing was aweful.  I also have perfect pitch, so that was extremely annoying.  After proper medication that all went away, I am singing better now than ever, and my pitch is back.  You just have to find the right dose, and don't be afraid to tell your doctor if you are still not right.  I had to push for more medication despite their recommendations.  I am now on the right dose for me and doing well.

[Nat_16]

No worries...once your thyroid levels are good you should be able to trust your hearing and it shouldn't affect your cello playing!!!!!

Enjoy the music!! :)

[Eebus]

Thanks so much!  That is such a relief, as I sometimes don't know whether I can trust my hearing entirely.   There were always so many questions that I wanted to ask my doctors or consultants, and somehow, that one never came up.  Thanks again, and good luck with your music-making!

[Nat_16]

I'm 20 and a flautist (and pianist and saxophonist) and also have hashimoto's.  

Your hearing should go back to extremely close to what it was before.  With me, when my levels are low I get a bit of the ringing in the ears but once the dosage of thyroxine is adjusted to bring my thyroid levels up it disappears and my hearing goes back to normal.  

Your perfect pitch should be ok!!

Good luck!