Hypo/Hyper Thyroid problems- when did they start, how do we women and men, know we have a problem?

[SAMBS]

Hi All - I've been looking through some of the much older posts this morning - there is always something new to learn from experiences of those who've gone before us - age before beauty and with age comes wisdom, we hope so

1. how relevant is maintaining temperature to Thyroid treatment , given that even having a cold or infection can make the temperature fluctuate, and may have nothing to with the thyroid.

2. Given even older, as well as current, statistics say more females (young/old?) have thyroid problems than males, don't you think it would be good if all children had a TFT - thing is though, what age would be a good age to do a check? I don't know! Perhaps school starting age?

musing now........... - given my own known history with a neck '?Gland' op as a baby, either the diseas or the op the could have interfered with my Adrenal axis.

I'm assuming that could have been why at various baby/childhood stages, old photos show I was always inclined to be chubby and a little overweight. There is of course also the genetic factor for thyroid and other health issues/problems!

From 5-12 I was mostly at boarding schools/convents, so didn't have the opportunity to overeat or pig out on snacks, sweets, biscuits etc. We had a strict mealtime regime in those days in the 1950's.

My weight increases started in 3 stages, possibly earlier - 1 late puberty - 2 - after having 2 babies in 2 years in my early 20's and 3 when I started the menopause in my mid 40's All 3 also involved hormones whether for males or females - Oestrogen/testosterone - oestrogen mentioned on this community before by 'a doctor'. It all bears thinking about.

We ladies have our menopause - some men have a mid-life crisis, as its termed!

In between those times, especially the latter, I tried and failed with several diets - because their successes were always short lived! As we know and learn from others , managing our thyroid conditions starts off very often in a trial and error way - till we all find our own optimal doses for managing our Thyroids'.

An extremely complex health subject, that certainly could do with more research by the medical profession!

[alangardner]

hi there SAMBS, don't know about the temp thing [ my lady didn't need to go down that route -- super doc,super endo , super eye man ] , but some have to go through that route , as far as the ' male mid-life crisis ' is .... I think mine was when I was about 23ish .... the female ' change of life ' can and does happen at vastly different times and ages [ my ladies mother had hers at about 63 , my lady had hers at about 50ish , my view is its all about the individual person/body /lifestyle or whatever helps or hinders your individual situation ..... but with perseverance ,knowledge , help and above all empathy [ when something goes pear shaped ] ....YOU CAN GET THERE .....alan xx

[Angel_of_the_North]

Looking back, I was probably "not right" back in my teens and early 20s, or even earlier. I used to "run out of steam" half way through every school term and have to spend a few days in bed sleeping. Then, on starting work, I used to have to spend most of Saturday sleeping to recover from the week. Then it was sleeping as soon as I got home a few days a week and so on.

[Hidden]

I believe that everyone should be totally involved in their health so that means including relevant and appropriate health education within the school curriculum.

Upon reaching adulthood our medical records should be available to us at any time without paying for access or paying for copies. We should be in partnership with the medical profession rather than being beholden.

I bitterly regret not trusting my instincts and discovering some 17 years later that a bunch of incompetent GPs had failed to recognise hypothyroidism. To end up with a second permanent health condition due to their failings is unforgivable.

[SAMBS]

On BBC Daily Politics today there was an interesting discussion about the NHS and this digital recording of our health info, so all relevant medics can access it as and when necessary only at time of treatment! You can set up your own health records online now within the NHS or .gov websites. I know from discussions on here that some are opposed.

But imagine, you go on holiday from N to S England, Scotland, Wales or which every NHS country you are in - you have a health serious condition - then you are involved in an accident, you may be allergic to some types of treatment - if the paras or AEU docs can access your health record, they'll know what they are dealing with immediately in terms of immediate treatment!

Here in France, we all carry an individualised plastic Health Card - present it to the medic or pharmacy treating us, pharmas know what we are taking drug wise, and if a new drug conflicts they know immediately.

I don't know all the detail about the rest of the health info shown here when card has been inserted into a special machine (the doc and nurses machines looks like a credit card payment machine) but it still connects to the French health Computer system. The pharmacy one is like a small computer on the counter I think.

Yes I can see one day it even see it forming part of European health info, all in our own interests. Today there was talk by the MP involved, of there being a yes or no option for the patients on the card, depending on the circumstances in which a UK one would be used. But for now I certainly see the benefits of it here and how it would be a v useful system.

The medical personnel are no more interested personally in OUR health problems or conditions - than we are in theirs. We just need/want treatment - they just want/need to treat us!

I agree with you cinnamon girl - one reason I started all my own health research!

[SAMBS]

In answer to myself and the others - in an effort to find exactly why I have an autoimmune condition - I just had my TB blood test result back today, I know from earlier research there are different methods that can be used for testing for TB.

I already know I didn't need the TB vaccination aged 14, having had tb as a baby. It can be latent in the body and reactivate years later, as it did with my dad.

I had an interferon gold method test last week, after blood sample taken and sent to the same specialist laboratory In Lyon where my Bone Marrow biopsy went in 2012 when I lived 600kms from where I do now! That result told my then Haemotologist I had a blood disorder, which he said could eventually lead to leukaemia in about 30/40 years - ha ha if I live that long! All connected with my platelet count! I had expected it to be testing for m.mycobacterium last week so and I've still yet to check out above method, with Labtestsonline.

The test came back NEGATIVE for latent/active TB using the Gold method - that's great - but with conditional comments I don't fully understand, all in French! So my enquiries go on into the growing list of health conditions!

Of one I'm certain though, it's less my thyroid than the blood disorder causing them. Based on my general few thyroid symptoms, I'm more confident that my thyroid is almost responding virtually properly to amount of Levo I'm on of 112.5 mcg.

Last 3 blood tests went from 17+ After I'd stopped taking any Levo - then down to 10 on 100mcg in december so doc increased to 112.5mcg and TSH dropped to 0.38 on last weeks TSH test. None of those 3 tests included T3/T4 so I'm going to ask for that at next test in 3 months, but will see doc now I have TB result also and see what happens next! I think I need to go back to the Haemo! My platelets keep dropping so that is where the major problem lies with me.

This theory of whole health applies equally to men with problems that include the Thyroid also!

[greygoose in reply to SAMBS]

SAMBS, the thyroid doesn't 'respond' to Levo. Levo is just replacing what the gland can no-longer make. It doesn't make your thyroid work again.

As to when people should be tested for thyroid, why not a screening programme, such as they have for certain cancers. Or, ideally, I believe that people should be tested for thyroid every time they go to the doctor for some ailment - be it migrains or ingrowing toenails - the first action should be to test for thyroid. Because anything and everything can - and often is - caused by low T3. That would be my ideal world.