[camjen1]

I was wondering what kind of symptoms people who have been diagnosed showed? I believe I have hypothyroidism but my DR says that I don't and doesn't test me. I just looked at some signs and symptoms and I have 5 of the mentioned which are

Weight gain
Abdominal bloating
Dry or thinning hair
Cold intolerance
Cold hands or feet
Depression

I'm gaining weight at a steady rate. My eating habits are weird but I do watch what I eat and I hardly ever indulge myself. When I went on vacation I came back 7 pounds heavier even though I didn't eat alot. I did eat lunch and dinner and occasionally a sweet item but I did eat far less then if I was at home. You would think also with all the walking I did my weight wouldn't have been affected.

Now this is where depression falls in. I'm getting a bit depressed because I'm VERY concious about my weight and the slightest increase sends me into the blues.

Lately, I have been getting cold and I always have a coat, jacket or blanket on.

The abdominal bloating is the next to worst symptom. It gradually inceases throughout the day and by night time I can barely bend over. I have tried water pills and bloating pills (also know as gas pills ) but nothing helps and the only time I get relief is in the mornings.

Now my hair! I'm still wondering why Im not bald considering the amount I lose in a day.

As some of you may know I actually diagnosed myself with diabetes and I feel as though I'm right about this situation. DR's in my area are hard to come by and I'm so confused right now.

[duck]

This pisses me off...Sandi, if you agree with me that MANY docs don't have a great grasp on diabetes, trust me that even more docs have less understanding of HYPO and HYPER thyroidism. And here's what kills me about docs like yours who don't think you have hypothyroidism:

IT'S A CHEAP F_&^ing TEST. With REAL thresholds. It doesn't cost them a ****ed thing to order the test and send you to take it. Double-u-tee-eff?

Get another doc. Also, there are "at home" test kits that are accurate; you can find them on eBay and any larger pharmacy chain.

[camjen1]

What is it that you have Duck? Hypo, Hyper?

Also what about the home test, do you know the name or which chains to get one from? I'm very tempted to go get me one.

[camjen1]

I found one by Biosafe but you have to order them and ughhhhh I hate waiting.

[duck]

I am hypo, and I was just telling my wife the other day about my ordeal getting properly diagnosed waaaaaay back in 1987. Long-story-short, basically there was about three doctors debating if I could be hypo because my symptoms were a bit weird, and what had them confused was that children with hypo basically present with inability to reason, are 'poor' students, etc., because of the lack of thyroid hormone(s). I, however, was head of my class. FINALLY, the head of Pediatrics comes in for a consult, and (since this was the US ARMY) she chewed out these other docs when she found out that not a single blood test had been run on me, and here they were openly debating whether or not they were right or wrong with their diagnosis. She sent me for labs right away.

My TSH was 19.5. The standard at the time was anything about 5.0 was hypo.

I felt better within weeks of starting the pills, but it took months to get the dosage right, and to be honest, I don't think we have ever gotten the dosage 'perfect'.

The Biosafe is the one I have seen at CVS. Whether you use that or convince your doc to test you, you'll have to wait.

Good luck with it; Dealing with hypothyroid isn't as life-threatening as dealing with T1, but at times it can be just as aggravating. It kinda becomes 'just one more thing' to deal with, but at least it can be handled with pills versus shots...and missing a pill isn't nearly the drama missing a shot can be.

[mwalt2]

My endo does a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) blood test everytime I see him (every 3-4 months). I've never had a problem and always wondered why he order's the lab. He said that diabetics are more prone to have thyroid problems than non-diabetics. Your doctor should at least test you, especially if you ask for it

http://journal.diabetes.org/clinical...12000/Pg38.htm

[gettingby]

Sandi,
I'm gonna chime in here. I have hypothyroidism. My symptoms were as follows:
Intolerence to cold.
Brittle/dry hair
Fatigue
Get checked out soon. You will definitely feel better once you know.

[Dewey]

The symptoms I experienced were that I was often tired, had some weight gain & issues with feeling off (i.e. sometimes cold/sometimes hot). Although I haven't experienced dry or thinning hair (cause the only dryness I get is from bleaching or coloring the he** out of it, lol), I do find that it's harder to grow than it used to be.

[am1977]

I say it doesn't hurt to get tested...at least you will know what the case is. I've also heard that Diabetics are more prone to thyroid issues too , as it's an autoimmune issue as well(I believe ).

In the past, I've wondered this about myself,, but every test I've had has come back negative. However, some of those symptoms really do apply to me, so I often wonder about if there's something else really going on. I guess it doesn't necessarily mean that it's thyroid, I'm sure a lot of those symptoms could be associated with other things too.

As far as the weight issue...I notice my own weight fluctuates A LOT. One week I can put on what seems to be several pounds and the next I drop it...and it seems to be an ongoing thing . I assume it has to do with hydration and the effects of having your blood sugar swing from hi to low(and back again) like ours tend to do.I don't know if anyone else experiences that, but it can be aggravating .

Good luck with your testing and let us know what you find out

[duck]

Originally Posted by am1977

I say it doesn't hurt to get tested...at least you will know what the case is. I've also heard that Diabetics are more prone to thyroid issues too , as it's an autoimmune issue as well(I believe ).

You are correct, which is why what Sandi's doctor says makes me .

[Dewey]

Yeah, I agree with both of you. Am is absolutely right in that it wouldn't hurt to get the test, and it is indeed an accompanied auto-immune disease (almost a side-effect, if you will) of Diabetes (or, at least that's what I was taught).

I think some doctors' biggest problems lie within. They can't admit they might be wrong, and all too often want to treat the patient as a text-book case.

[KickStart101]

Okay, I'm just stating my story. I was dxd. with Hypothyroidism
in 1996, I had 17 symptoms. My Endo put me on meds for it after
testing(he showed me the test results). I was on it for 1 1/2 yrs.,
(found a small difference in symptoms).
I had dropped that Endo. Meanwhile I was off the meds. since they
had run out. I had been on a web site for RA for a while and one of
the Lads(he was over-weight) said he was jealous that I had had Hypo
and now didn't have it.(I had no symptoms of it at that time, so I figured
I was over it). I was tested a couple times since then and they said I
wasn't Hypo. (maybe I was in remission, which I never heard of
until I came upon a site saying Hypos go into remission, no one told
me that, if it's true). But about a yr. ago I was dxd. with it again so
there you go. I only gained about 10 lbs. and went back to normal
weight after being on the meds. My hands and feet are still cold in
our warm house, and I actually can't stand the cold even on the drugs.

[KickStart101]

Originally Posted by KickStart101

Okay, I'm just stating my story. I was dxd. with Hypothyroidism
in 1996, I had 17 symptoms. My Endo put me on meds for it after
testing(he showed me the test results). I was on it for 1 1/2 yrs.,
(found a small difference in symptoms).
I had dropped that Endo. Meanwhile I was off the meds. since they
had run out. I had been on a web site for RA for a while and one of
the Lads(he was over-weight) said he was jealous that I had had Hypo
and now didn't have it.(I had no symptoms of it at that time, so I figured
I was over it). I was tested a couple times since then and they said I
wasn't Hypo. (maybe I was in remission, which I never heard of
until I came upon a site saying Hypos go into remission, no one told
me that, if it's true). But about a yr. ago I was dxd. with it again so
there you go. I only gained about 10 lbs. and went back to normal
weight after being on the meds. My hands and feet are still cold in
our warm house, and I actually can't stand the cold even on the drugs.

I have to add here that perhaps the drugs for Hypothyroid I am on
are working as they should, but I also have RA which also causes an
intolerance to cold, which RA drugs don't get rid of.

[camjen1]

Originally Posted by Dewey

I think some doctors' biggest problems lie within. They can't admit they might be wrong, and all too often want to treat the patient as a text-book case.

In my DR's situation I think it all stemmed from me telling him that I thought I had it which was a big mistake. Instead of me coming right out and saying I think I had it I should have thrown all the symptoms at him and let him guess what I had. My DR HATES it when you tell him what you think you might or might not have. Also what Am says he associated my symptoms with other things. I don't see why if my insurance pays for almost everything he would be so greedy.

This is also the same DR that diagnosed my son as having a rash from being in hot water all the time but in fact I knew it was chicken pox. I took him back a couple days later to show how he developed more outbreak and at that time he decided that the condition was chicken pox and it had nothing to do with what he had a couple days before. Yeah right just a coincidence! He couldn't admit he was wrong of course.

[gettingby]

but there are quite a few doctors out there who will never admit they made a mistake. One doctor's mistake almost killed me and he would never admit that he was in the wrong.
Ok, rant off !!!!!!!
I have to say that the doc I have now will send me for a second opinion just to see if he may have been wrong about something. I'm gonna keep this one. LOL