I am looking forward to gaining more knowledge copd and hypothyroid

[SlasJ]

I am approaching 48 and found out coming up to 2yr ago i was hypothyroid which wasca fluke I thought I was menopausal then to find out and still getting over the shock of being informed by the nurse I have copd. I work out 4 times a week doing cyclecise and aquafit but i had a month of not being able to breath about a year and half ago where I wasn't given a diagnosis at the time. Diagnosis thiscway left me thinking the worst and I am only now vomingvto terms with this so any advice on either conditions and how to manage these conditions will be greatly recieved. I think my good is borderline but I have been given no information on anything and I currently don't take medication other than for thyroid.

[diesel12]

Hi and welcome, you sound as thought you are doing the right things for COPD, exercise and eating healthily. It is a bit of a shock to be told you have it (Feb for me) but there is life after diagnosis. I'm moderate, I still work full time and get out and about to see bands. I'm nowhere near as fit as you but just keep doing what you're doing, eat all your veg lol! Vitamins might help multi vits and vitamin D perhaps (someone will steer you in the right direction). You don't sound too bad if you're not on medication so keep having fun with your life.

Shelagh xxx

[SeasideSusie]

Hello SlasJ I am also hypothyroid (40+ years) and was diagnosed with COPD in 2013.

Health Unlocked has a thyroid forum too, pop over there and ask any questions, I am on there a lot healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk

[scorpiolass]

Hi, welcome to the forum I have both Copd & asthma, plus an underactive thyroid. Like you I take medication for the thyroid but also meds for the copd & asthma. As you don't need any meds for the copd, I assume you are borderline or very mild. Not smoking and exercise are the best things you could be doing.an underactive thyroid can make you breathless; maybe you could do a Spirometry test again now you are having treatment for thyroid. Take care, Margaret

[SlasJ in reply to scorpiolass]

Thank you Margaret. I am borderrline and have my yearly thyroid check on Wednesday morning and just learnt via this site not to take medication before I go which I have taken before my first yearly check last year. I have also just recieved a letter to go and have my 1st copd review. Should I be asking any specific questions or recording any of these results?

I am fortunate to have never smoked but always exercised which I admit has made the diagnosis harder to accept for both these conditions.

[SeasideSusie in reply to SlasJ]

SlasJ I have more knowledge of thyroid than COPD and can confirm that you should not take your thyroid meds for 24 hours before a thyroid function test. Also, get earliest possible appointment (the first one of the day), fast as in don't have breakfast but eat when you get home, but you can have water.

Keep a record of your thyroid tests - date, test, result, reference range, dose of meds, how you feel. All this will be useful if ever your GP wants to alter your dose and you still have symptoms.

And in case you don't already know, take your thyroid meds on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after food, with a glass of water only (no cup of tea, coffee, milk), and keep any supplements away from your thyroid meds by 2 hours, if you take iron then leave four hours. This is all to do with absorption of your thyroid meds.

And optimal levels of vitamins and minerals are essential for thyroid hormone to work properly, not just 'in range' or I'm doctor speak 'normal' but optimal. Those vits and mins are Vit C, B12, ferritin and folate.

Lots of useful information and help over on the thyroid forum.

[SlasJ in reply to SeasideSusie]

Wow I don't know any of this. I have been taking mine with coffee and sometime just before or after food. Shall I tell the nurse I didn't take for 24hrs prior to test which fortunately is at 8.30 am on Wednesday or shall I not say anything. I take mine early morning.

[SeasideSusie in reply to SlasJ]

SlasJ Say nothing. Just leave your Levo and breakfast until you get home. When your results are back, usually only a few days, ask the surgery for a print out (and get any old ones as well if you can for comparison). They may make a small charge for printing (mine doesn't) but they can't refuse, you are legally entitled to them (Date Protection Act). If you're not feeling as good as you should be, or just want opinions, post your results with the reference ranges over on the TUK forum. Ask any questions you want.

There are currently over 41,000 members of the ThyroidUK forum here on Health Unlocked. Obviously not all of them post, but almost every day there are new members coming with sorry tales of how their GPs are keeping them ill and what can they do. Do pop over and have a browse, there are many members with expertise in different aspects of thyroid health, you will learn lots that you didn't know

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Dessicated Thyroid from Armour is a natural supplement made from pig thyroid. Some people tolerate it better and have better results on it. I have done a lot of reading about the thyroid as I am always tired. My TSH is always 3.9, which is approaching the higher end of normal. My grandmother had Hashimoto's and I also have other automimmune disorders, so I keep a close eye on my thyroid. I was going to start taking dessicated thyroid, but it interferes with Warfarin (it potientiates the effects) and it also reduces the effectiveness of insulin shots, which I have to take for type 2 diabetes. So, I had to scrap that thought until it gets really bad. Please forgive my spelling of dessicated.

J

[SeasideSusie in reply to Hidden]

Hidden What about synthetic thyroid hormone? There must be a way of hypothyroid patients being able to take thyroid medication even if it means extra testing for certain things.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

They won't treat me until my numbers go higher. My TSH has to go over 5.0. I would have to re-adjust my Warfarin meds and also have trouble using Insulin. I guess the Thyroid hormone makes you more resistant to Insulin. It also makes your body metabolize blood thinners faster. I was looking into using dessicated thyroid from Armour to self-treat my thyroid. But after I read about all of the other contraindications, I decided against it. You can get it from Armour UK without a prescription I read. I also have sleep apnea and other issues causing tiredness, so I have to treat those issues first and see how it goes.

[SeasideSusie in reply to Hidden]

Hidden I don't have any knowledge of Warfarin and insulin and thyroid meds, but Armour is prescription only, also it is the most expensive of the natural desiccated thyroid meds. There are some excellent NDT brands available without prescription at a much more reasonable price but they have to come from overseas.

I know that there are some doctors who won't treat until the TSH reaches 10. I believe that, when a TSH shows it is rising it means the thyroid is struggling and, when the patient is symptomatic, then a doctor is negligent by not trialling treatment, but they tend to stick to guidelines, don't seem to be able to think outside of the box, and are worried about getting their wrists slapped.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

My doctor was going to diagnose me with fibro and chronic fatigue syndrome just to shut me up. He sent me for an overnight sleep study and they found out that I have moderate obstructive sleep apnea. So they are chalking up my sluggishness to OSA and type 2 diabetes. I know my thyroid has been the same number for 2 years now. It could be struggling, or it could just be normally high. Who knows. I'm glad I'm not a medical doctor. There is just too much bad stuff that can happen to the body lol.