Dry eyes etc

[Achilles_Pain]

I've read a few posts recently all referring to being "dry", referencing dry eyes, dry skin, affected digestion and so on. Has anyone come across anything that helps alleviate these symptoms? I thought I'd try drinking more water and increased my intake about a month ago, but all that it does is make me go to the loo more often. However, this increase in liquid intake just happened to coincide with a return of some of my other symptoms following a change of brand in levo, which my body doesn't appear to like, so who knows, maybe it would have worked otherwise....?

Although I was first diagnosed as hypo just over a decade ago, and had been suffering for almost a decade before, it's only in the last 12-18 months I've had dry eyes, and only slightly longer for the dry skin. These issues only arose when I wasn't on any medication and I haven't had much luck resolving them yet. Changing GP and being put back on levothyroxine (my previous GP took me off it as I was cured, apparently!) has resolved all my other symptoms, pretty much, just the dry eyes and forehead to sort out.

Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks and Merry Christmas everyone.

[Chriskisby]

For dry eyes I have been prescribed Viscotears liquid gel. It soothes so much more than just ordinary dry eye drops. I think one of my first symptoms of hypo was the dry eyes.

For digestive problems I am carbohydrate free, avoid gluten wherever possible and drink lactose free milk. I also use cider vinegar capsules a couple of times a day and that helps, alongside drinking lime juice.

My dry skin is a pain. I just use creams or lotions to ease it, my shins are particularly dry. I have got quite wrinkly too, especially on my arms (I am only 62 and have always looked younger until this dreaded hypo hit!). I was diagnosed 6 months ago and take 125mg of levo.

Hope you feel better soon. Have a good Christmas.

[Treepie in reply to Chriskisby]

I could not get viscotears in my eyes without great difficulty .It usually went all over the cheeks.Find Gel Tears easier to use.

[Hidden in reply to Chriskisby]

I bought a lovely card the other day.....I must share it with you .

" She knew she was growing older when she tried to straighten the wrinkles in her tights and found she wasn't wearing any!!😱😱

A Very Happy Christmas to you all 🎄🎄

[Chriskisby in reply to Hidden]

How true!

[clairegdevans]

I have found a 'cure' & I'm now 84+. It started in my teens, & got excessively worse, making it embarrassingly important to visit my GP when I married. Back then, there was no help/hope if you had a severe problem, & I was not diagnosed until 1985 (with chronic SLE, lupus, Sjogrens. osteoarthritis, scoliosis, spondylytis, spinal stenosis, severe dehydration, skin/joint problems, & also coeliac disease, but perhaps worst, with unheard-of thyrotoxicosis from being told to take 600mcg, yes, 6x100mcg daily) for 22 years. In spite of this, I managed to have 3 healthy children in under 3 years, admittedly with help of Caesarians & many bewildered consultants.

I do not know or remember what it might be like to feel well for a day, or even an hour, but I was given a brain, which works a but better these days than it did, since my dear Graham Hughes saved my life, put me on steroids etc in 1985 & we basically agreed it was up to me. So, my mantra is "today was not too good, but tomorrow has got to be better" & with a rather dented but determined sense of humour, I will go on fighting.

I can only feel sad for those who cannot see the beauty of life around them & help those who may be are not so strong. All of us have the ability to love others & give what we have if ourselves, however little that may me. I will never be rich or be able to help others with money, but I can always find something to give, & I will always be able to give hope to people who fear pain & discomfort - I must be queen if those, but am still laughing & loving & making the best of what little I have. and what a target I still have - to have just one day feeling well! I'm determined to carry on until I feel it - then I'm ready to go!

I wish everyone peace & happiness & the chance if seeing one more butterfly, a beautiful sunrise, a flower opening or maybe an egg hatching into a fluffy chick. That is pure delight. My name is Claire, I may soon be 85, & one day will have maybe one whole day feeling what most of you take for granted, one good day without pain. x

[MarsBar12]

I think everyone is different and there's a lot of trial and error involved, but I've found that the only thing that helps my dry skin is Aveeno.

[busterboy in reply to MarsBar12]

Only thing that worked for me also. Tried all the proprietary brand, E45 from GP - might just as well have used water. Followed all the advice re vits etc and slowly started to see a huge improvement, hair beginning to grow (or so my hairdresser says). Wrinkles - any one want some?

[SueHG]

I was hypothyroid and had huge problems with a dry mouth plus dry skin etc etc. It wasn't until I started taking T3 that things began to improve and now the dry mouth has almost disappeared. Good luck

[CarolineC57 in reply to SueHG]

Yes, Sue, I'm the same as you. Dry skin, internal bits, eyes, etc. I've only been trying T3 for a few months and already I'm seeing a difference in the skin problem at least. I'm sure, once the T3 works a bit better (I've been ill and untreated for a very long time), the other aspects will improve too.

[Achilles_Pain]

Thanks all for your comments - sorry for the delayed response, I spent Christmas at my parents' and they refuse to have a computer or wifi and reading all your replies on a small smart phone wasn't going to happen!

So, your suggestions are pretty much what I'm already doing except the avoidance of carbs. I have noticed in the past bread causes issues so I tend to not eat much anyway. Other carbs, like pasta and spuds, appear to have no impact as I've tried cutting them out in the past with no improvement, and no deterioration when I started back eating them. I'm a bloke, so some of your comments can't affect me

After reading a couple of other posts I'm going to increase my intake of nuts as it's been mentioned selenium etc are needed to convert the T4/T3, all of which are found in nuts, especially Brasil nuts. I already eat nuts, but maybe not in sufficient quantities?

I'm also going to visit the chemist before my next prescription is due and tell the pharmacist about the return of my symptoms since the change in brand, see if they can give me an different one for a month or two to see if I recover before going to the GP for another blood test. Maybe it's not just Wockardt that makes me ill, but Almus too - perhaps they both use a common filler that my body doesn't like? Clutching at straws here, obviously, but I was in less pain a few weeks ago than I have been for over 20 years, with my only symptoms being slightly dry skin on my forehead and occasional insomnia, then they all came back over the course of a month or so.