Hi
I am Anne I have an underachieve thyroid apparently. Have been lethargic so Doc upped meds Levothyroxine. Since then have had cough sent for X-ray I have COPD
Stopped smoking 30 years ago was born and bred in public house many years ago work it out i am now (71). Put on a lot of weight much to my annoyance. Due to under active thyroid gland. Read today under active might be caused by amalgam in teeth.
Anyone heard of this I would love to, know.
Thank you
hildenborough Hello Anne 
I could have written some of your post. I am just 3 years younger than you, stopped smoking over 30 years ago (but no brought up in a public house) and was diagnosed with COPD three years ago. I was diagnosed hypo over 40 years ago and I think childbirth may have been the trigger for mine.
I remember reading, many years ago, about amalgam fillings affecting thyroid function, and some people were seeking out specialist dentists to remove them with all the precautions required such as rubber dams, suction, etc., so no 'dust' (wrong word but brain not working that well!) could enter via respiratory system, special chelation programme, etc. I haven't heard much about it lately so I don't know the latest thinking. There is a short article on ThyroidUK's news page here thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/news_a... (scroll down to Amalgam Fillings Face Ban). There are probably more articles available somewhere if it's searched for on Google. I have a lot of amalgam fillings but I think removal now (at my age) would do more harm than good, I'm leaving well alone.
If you want to share you latest thyroid function test results with the forum, members can suggest whether you're on the right dose of meds. Also, for meds to work correctly then vitamins and minerals need to be at optimal levels, not just 'in range'. If you want to ask your GP to test
B12
Vit D
Ferritin
Folate
(and maybe thyroid antibodies)
then you could post the results in a new thread and members can see if you have any deficiencies that may be affecting you and suggest supplements to help.
If you don't already have your thyroid test results, pop along to your surgery and ask for a print out and make sure the reference ranges are included. You are legally entitled to have your results under the Data Protection Act although your surgery may make a small charge for printing.
hildenborough SeasideSusie
I would encourage anyone with COPD or chronic bronchitis or a smoker's cough to do some research into N-Acetyl-Cysteine. There are various spellings :
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acety...
Read the reviews on Amazon - loads of them say how much easier it is to cough up mucus when taking NAC.
amazon.co.uk/product-review...
I take the Swanson product I've linked. I'm an ex-smoker who has COPD to look forward to - I'm not diagnosed yet, but I'm 100% sure I will be at some point. 
I use the NAC to help keep my lungs clear.
I find that I do best taking it for about 3 or 4 days then I have a few days off, then I repeat the cycle until my lungs are clear. Then stop taking it until I need it again. It doesn't work immediately, it is a slow acting thing. But unlike so many decongestants it does actually work, albeit slowly, by thinning mucus and making it easier to cough up.
Edit: I should point out that NAC is an acronym used for other supplements not just N-Acetyl-Cysteine. So be careful that you are looking at the right substance.
Hi humanbean I do have some Swanson NAC (the correct one), someone told me about it (can't remember who, maybe it was you) but I rarely have mucous and only a bit when I have an infection. I have an infection at the moment, following pleurisy, pneumonia, a viral infection all together in February it triggered a flare up of my pseudomonas which my GP wouldn't treat at first but eventually got the antibiotic. However it never cleared properly and it's flared up again and again he won't give me anything because the samples I have managed haven't come from the right place in my lungs and keep coming back clear. I am quite poorly with it but he won't give me anything until I get a positive sample and I don't have the mucous to get one up. This GP looking after my lung condition is as much of a useless b*****d as all these useless thyroid doctors we keep reading about
I sincerely hope you don't develop it, or if you do that you have good doctors and nurses to support you.
Anne,
Welcome to our forum.
I had all my amalgam out last year as have a thick gooey saliva problem, elevated thyroid antibodies and couldn't get thyroid meds to work properly.
Toxicity is not just about the amount we have in our bodies but also our bodies response to the toxicity which depends on the strength of our detoxification system. I completed the Genomic Detoxification Profile and every result was awful .. .. showing I have absolutely dreadful detoxification of these toxic metals.
Mercury is always bound to other molecules (usually the ones that have good things you need like zinc.) I was deficient in zinc and have an absent glutathione gene which is responsible for the main detoxification system, binding to heavy metals with enzymes, antioxidants, and transport proteins..
I completed the Toxic Element Clearance Profile by Genova which showed elevated levels of both mercury and lead, so it seemed a sensible decision to remove mercury as I had quite a lot of fillings form childhood. There are set protocols that need to be understood and followed religiously. I chelated for 6 months afterwards with DMSA and numerous binding and antioxidant supplements and have only felt better and better.
I am pleased the mercury has all been removed and my meds are now working well but the mouth problem remains and antibodies are still elevated. I have yet to complete another Toxic Element Clearance Profile.
If you can afford to do it, I would recommend but not everyone will have the detoxification issues I have and their bodies will be able to excrete mercury just fine. Thyroid meds can be intolerant of inadequate levels of nutrients, iron and compromised adrenal health. These considerations may be worth addressing first to see if the working of thyroid meds is improved any with optimised levels.
If you post any test results complete with ranges (numbers in brackets) members will comment. If you haven't had tests conducted for a while, ask your GP to test Vit B12, folate, ferritin, Vit D .
.
Detoxifying Mercury
I've heard of it - and others have given you good replies already, so I won't add to them as I have no personal experience of that.
But was wondering - how much levo are you on now? You do indeed look very hypothyroid - people with hypothyroidism have a very distinctive "look" that those of us in the know recognise a mile away! Just wondering if your doctor is prescribing enough to help, or just enough to keep you upright (ish). 
Borderline under active Thyroid
Loosing weight with under active thyroid 
Under active thyroid ,and hypoclycemia 
Arthritis and under active thyroid
