Thyroid

[Woo777]

Did anyone get hypo/ hyperthyroidism after their bi ? Mine went under active and I find that as hard to cope with as the bi . The insomnia and weight gain are awful x

[Kirk5w7]

Hi Woo,

Aren’t you getting treatment for this?

Janet

[Woo777 in reply to Kirk5w7]

Yes they put me on thyroxine 25 mg and now up to 100 mg but I feel yuk and don't sleep yet they say my numbers are up x

[Kirk5w7 in reply to Woo777]

Hi again Woo,

Have they said whether this is likely to improve for you.

I too thought my thyroid may have been affected because of my sleep issues and i too have put on weight, about 2 stone since my BI but i am told my thyroid tests are within the normal range!!!!!

I have asked for a referral to an endocrinologist but ive not got anywhere with that, perhaps its time to try again.

Janet x

[Woo777]

Hiya , I too put on 2 stone, they said my level had gone up and the weight would come off but I didn't lose an ounce. So you think it would help me if I went to see an endocrinologist? Xx

[RobHH]

Hi,

Sorry about the late reply, but I think my experience might be of interest, if not helpful. I had a TBI 40 years ago, struggled with tiredness and exhaustion for years, although I lived a fairly normal life.

25 years ago, I was diagnosed with M.E., which I think is a bit of a catch-all for everyone who struggles with tiredness.

About 5 years later, I met a thyroid specialist who believed that M.E. was often caused by low thyroid levels. Mine was at the lowest point it could be whilst still being considered in the "normal range", so a G.P. would have said I was fine. This specialist put me on thyroxine, and I seemed to feel a lot better. Then things went back to normal. I think we adjusted the dose, but I had another relapse.

In short, I felt it wasn't worth continuing if it wasn't making much difference because, in the end, my own thyroid gland would stop working and I'd be reliant on thyroxin for the rest of my life, just to make me feel unwell as opposed to very unwell. So I stopped taking it after about a year of trying it.

Ten years ago, I decided to stop taking the advice I'd been taking for 15 years of not doing anything when I felt tired, and to try and get a bit fitter. I can't say I haven't looked back since then, but things have been a lot better. As long as I keep active, I'm not too bad. I still have to sleep more than most people, I get ice-cold hands and feet in winter (my feet can often be cold all day even in the house with two pairs of socks on) and I put on weight just looking at food. The latter means I constantly have to diet to keep my weight down (I usually put on about 2 to 3 lbs a month).

It's a long time since I read up about it, but I seem to remember there's something about the thyroxin we're prescribed here that isn't complete (something to do with T1 and T2 or 3), which means it doesn't benefit everyone apparently.

I guess my point is, that if you aren't feeling any better, it might be worth coming off it and looking at other alternatives. I've been lucky in that I have never suffered from insomnia, so it's difficult for me to comment on that. It's more the opposite for me, in that I'm often constantly tired and could sleep all the time. Have you tried cutting out tea, coffee, cola and other caffeinated drinks? (I use tea and coffee to keep me awake.)

Obviously, if your thyroid level is well below normal, that may not be an option for you, and you may feel you want to continue with the thyroxin anyway. Whatever you do, I hope things work out well for you and you start to get some sleep again.

[Woo777 in reply to RobHH]

Thankyou for your reply , I think I'm going to ask to see an endocrinologist. Im usually such a fighter ( I survived a big rupture) but I hate this feeling and want to be back at work and normal x