Another Thyroid Thread.... (Redux)

[indysteel]

How are you feeling these days, Red? You mentioned that your bloodwork showed a low TSH. Are you feeling hyper at all or have you sensed a worsening of any of your hypo symptoms.

I feel for you. I've done some reading on Hashi's thyroiditis and Hashi's toxicosis, but I have to be honest that I found much of it confusing. I hope your case has a rather straightforward presentment and that it's easy to manage.

[redrhodie]

I feel good, but I do feel slightly more anxious than usual in the morning, and I have been retaining water. Oh, and maybe brain fog. I just drove 30 miles to Providence and realized when I got to Whole Foods that I forgot my wallet. So yeah, things like that have been happening more than normal. I left my phone at work last week, and the only other time I did that was right before I was diagnosed.

You know what's really weird? I worked for 12 years at a very small company in NY, and I know 4 of us have Hashi's. It makes me wonder if this is environmental or viral. Of course it could be shear coincidence, but it seems like a cluster to me.

Oh, and I'm not even going to look up Hashi's toxicosis! I don't need another hobby!

[Catrin]

Red, I hope they are able to help you quickly and the Hashi's will calm down with no surprises! Thyroid problems are not fun...

[redrhodie]

Thanks, Catrin. Compared to how I used to feel, this is still pretty great. At least I'm not fatigued! That and the hair loss were the worst.

[OakLeaf]

I haven't followed this thread since thank goodness I don't have any thyroid issues, but thought you might be interested in this:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...sj_share_tweet

Hope you're all doing well.

[thekarens]

I haven't followed this thread since thank goodness I don't have any thyroid issues, but thought you might be interested in this:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...sj_share_tweet

Hope you're all doing well.

Interesting article and I live in Houston so it made it doubly interesting!

[redrhodie]

I haven't followed this thread since thank goodness I don't have any thyroid issues, but thought you might be interested in this:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...sj_share_tweet

Hope you're all doing well.

That is interesting. So far from my experience there hasn't been a performance enhancement from levothyroxine. I wish! I am still a slug.

[Grits]

"A spokesman for the IOC said that the organization's belief, based on existing evidence, is that thyroid hormone used to excess "might have an anorexic or stimulant effect," but that it's more likely to inhibit than enhance performance."

Yes, 100%. I can tell you from experience that medicating with thyroid hormone to excess does NOT enhance performance. I was on 50 mcg of levothyroxin and TSH levels were good and then went off BCP. I knew that I should get my levels retested since BCP can interfere with the absorption of the medication, but procrastinated. I started experiencing muscle fatigue and soreness. My legs would just give out on rides so I could not exert any effort and would just have to spin in. I also had rapid and irregular heart beat at times. When I finally did get tested, I was well into the hyperactive range as I had been being overmedicated since going off the BCP. Now 4 weeks since starting the lower dose, I can tell a huge difference in my stamina and lack of muscle soreness and fatigue. Maybe they mean enhance performance by playing around with levels within the "normal" range, which is broad, but if you get outside of it to either extreme, which I now have done, it definitely is not beneficial in any way.

[indysteel]

That's my experience, too, Grits. If I'm even just a little bit off in either direction, I don't perform at my best.

[OakLeaf]

I thought it was interesting not so much for the insinuations of doping, but for the hypothesis that endurance sports can induce hypothyroidism.

[redrhodie]

I thought it was interesting not so much for the insinuations of doping, but for the hypothesis that endurance sports can induce hypothyroidism.

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if cycling had a part in this for me. As much as I consider myself a slacker, I was pretty married to my 100 mile per week year round goal. I was suffering some symptoms that should have kept me off the bike to recover. I just ignored them; rode through them.