Survey - Fatigue in People who have an Underactive Thyroid

[lynmynott]

Dr Nikki Coghill, Researcher, University of Bristol has asked for our help in looking at whether a piece of research is feasible. I think the results will be very interesting so please support her team by completing the survey.

Here is some information about the team and the research they want to do:

Who are we: We are a team of researchers who are interested in helping people who have an under active thyroid. We work at the University of Bristol, in The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC). CAPCE is involved in sourcing funding, conducting research and publishing the results of this, in order to contribute towards helping patients receive better care and treatment on a day-to-day basis.

What are we interested in?: We are interested in the role of physical activity in addressing fatigue in people who have an underactive thyroid.

Why are we interested in this?: Fatigue and weight gain were the main complaints voiced by members of a local thyroid support group who have an underactive thyroid. So, it got us thinking about the role of physical activity in addressing at least the fatigue part. Physical activity has been shown to help with fatigue in people who have other conditions such as cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis (Schmitz et al, 2005, Rongen-van Dartel et al, 2014). However, it would be extremely valuable to know whether this is the case in people who have an underactive thyroid and if it is, how much and what type of physical activity would be most beneficial.

What do we need to do?:These days getting money to conduct research is not an easy business. It’s never been easy but is certainly seems to have become harder since the recession! To support our case for attracting funding to investigate this we want to carry out a survey of fatigue and physical activity levels in people who have been diagnosed with an under active thyroid.

The survey is completed anonymously on-line and your time to complete them will be very much appreciated. Please enter or click on the link below

survey.bris.ac.uk/meded/fat...

References

Schmitz KHO, Holtzman J, KS, Mâsse LC, Duval S, Kane R. (2005) Controlled Physical Activity Trials in Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 14;1588.

Rongen-van Dartel SAA, Repping-Wuts H, van Hoogmoed D, Knopp H, Bleijenberg G, van Riel PLCM, Fransen J. (2014). Relationship Between Objectively Assessed Physical Activity and Fatigue in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Inverse Correlation of Activity and Fatigue. Arthritis Care & Research. 66, 852.

[nightingale-56]

Filled this in. It makes me feel really lazy, but I know I'm not really.

[donna8077]

Tried to fill this in but it doesn't provide context at all. That if you exercise you are washed out for several days after... Probably down to using up all your T3 reserves. Might try again but finding it very hard to concentrate today.

[Marz]

I have written to Nikki and explained that had I completed the questionnaire in 2005 my responses would have been completely different. So it will depend where we are on our journey - optimal treatment or not - and other factors I cannot think of at the moment

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK in reply to Marz]

Great! I was hoping that some people would write to her as I think researchers need to know more about the problem

[Lizzy1606]

Have filled this in

[nickiboop]

Also filled it in, also feel completely lazy

[Hypopotamus]

Struck me as a survey trying to prove that most of our problems are psychosomatic!

[Marz in reply to Hypopotamus]

Have exchanged a couple of e-mails as I was keen to put my concerns over. Her last mail explained that the survey was to support their bid for financing so they could then do a more in depth survey....there were so many gaps in the questioning that it did concern me and yes I can see where you are coming from Am off to cut back the lavender - hope that counts

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK in reply to Marz]

You've got lavender? How lovely! I love lavender! Keeps me calm!

[Marz in reply to lynmynott]

It grows like a weed here. Looks good - smells good too

[Hypopotamus in reply to Marz]

Call me skeptical but so much money goes on research of this sort (I suppose we have to find jobs for all the university graduates) and if you look at the picture as a whole, very comparatively little good ever comes out of it.

[Marz in reply to Hypopotamus]

beta.nihr.ac.uk/research/re...

You may like to check out the above link which I posted recently on Rod's thread about metformin.....

Can't se much thyroid research going on ! Huge sums of money going out......

[greygoose]

The problem with most of these surveys is that the people concerned don't know how to write a Survey. They appear to be unable to see it from the perspective of the person filling it in. Sometimes, they don't even see it from the point of the person having to collect the data from these questionnaires. I know, I was one of those people once. And I found that those that wrote the questionnaire were the worst at filling it in! If that makes sense. lol

[humanbean in reply to greygoose]

I had to do a critique of survey and questionnaire design as part of a course at university. It was one of the easiest things I ever had to do at uni! Good questionnaires and surveys on any subject are very, very thin on the ground!

[greygoose in reply to humanbean]

Absolutely! No Wonder there's so much confussion around!

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK in reply to humanbean]

Hi Humanbean,

We are planning a big survey next year. I wondered if you would be interested in helping us with it? Your expertise would be an asset! Lyn

[humanbean in reply to lynmynott]

Ooh! My university years were 30 years ago, so I wonder how much of the fine detail I can remember after all this time!

I'd be happy to do what I could. But I hope you have plenty of other people with fresher memories on board as well!

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK in reply to humanbean]

Hi Humanbean,

All the best people were in University 30 years ago! We do have another lady who is good at surveys but it's always good to have more than one person helping. I'll contact you when we make a start. thanks! Lyn x

[claudiasmum]

It seems very odd not to link it to your treatment or your current state of thyroid health. I can be very energetic when optimally medicated and do nothing at all when not.