Underactive thyroid, anyone had one??

[Emsman]

My other half has just been told that the blood tests show that she has an underactive thyroid gland.

Has anyone ever had one/taking medication for it?

She is back to the Dr on Thursday to sort it out, but stting it due to her mum having cancer of it which eventually killed her.

Any help/advice greatly aprreciated.

[ShadownINja]

Many people have it and they end up putting on weight. It governs your metabolism.

[longblackcoat]

Often happen to women post-childbirth, and underactive does NOT mean cancerous.

Mine went the other way, had to have it taken out, and now need a daily dose of thyroxine. Not the biggest problem in the world, if I'm honest. Hope it's as simple as that for your OH.

[humpbackmaniac]

ooh tough times mate, good luck. My lady has inactive thyroid, so does her mum. Doctor didnt want to know, so we had to get heavy with him for blood tests, now its confirmed she has had it for ages.

So not having known for long I can be no help at all, but keen to see others experiences on here.

[Jasandjules]

A friend of mine has it, actually his goes from underactive to overactive so his weight ballons up quickly some months and then drops rapidly other months. He does take something or other to try and control it and I don't think it affects him apart from that now (though he did have a week where he couldn't see anyone for more than a few minutes at a time due to some test he undertook).

[Skipppy]

Can lead to kidney stones if i am correct? Maybe i am wrong and she had an over active thyroid. Not much help am i!?

[MarkwG]

My missus has the same: her symptoms were generally feeling cr4p, & fading away, weight wise - but some people gain weight, apparently. She's on permanent medication now, with regular checks, but apart from that she's fine. Eventualy the dose will need to increase, as we understand it, as her thyroid is effectively having a strop, in which it works less because of the medication doing the work for it.

There's a whole hill of stuff on t'interweb, some or all of which may be cack, I'm afraid. She also has close family history of cancer, also her mum & terminal, as far as we know the two things are unrelated, so yours may not need to worry about that.
HTH & good luck.

Edited by MarkwG on Tuesday 10th March 13:57

[JazD]

I think it also has an impact on whether women are more likely to miscarry when pregnant but can't remember if its inactive or overactive

[Cara Van Man]

My Mrs had this recently.

She had several sets of blood tests as she was sleepy and had a lack of energy.

She now takes a pill every day, no hassles.....and feels a lot better.

No mention of cancer though.

[Digger]

Interesting this as someone I got to know recently, has a thyroid problem, what I assume is hypothyroidism (underactive). They also suffer from iron deficiency anaemia, and need topping up with iron. I assume this is linked to the hypothyroidism? I have just been doing a little googling to try and understand what it is like living with the "disease" day by day.

Seems like a fine balancing act, adjusting hormone levels, dietary requirements, plenty of exercise to avoid weight-gain etc etc.

I assume that once diagnosed with a thyroid problem, you have it for life?

[philmccann]

Hi there

Mrs has had it for years now. As another poster said, she has a daily pill called Thyroxine. AFAIK nothing to worry unduly about, although always make sure of a stock of pills, as they get a bit unstable otherwise. Unfortunately, again AFAIK, it's a lifelong affliction. Wifey has had no great problems, well not with thyroid anyway!!!!

HTH

Phil

[arebrec]

Emsman said:

Has anyone ever had one/taking medication for it?

I was diagnosed a few years ago with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)

I'd had my symptoms for years, tiredness, lack of concentration, always cold, but had put it down to working full time having 2 small children etc but when I couldn't even speak and hands become tingly and numb I went for a blood test and thyroid levels were almost non-exsistent.

I now take 125mcg thyroxine daily but have to have regular blood tests to keep a check on it, waiting for a result to come back now because it was low again last time.

I think once your levels become stable you should feel well, my nan was also diagnosed and has to take only 25mcg and she says she feels much better on it, less tired etc.



there are a few of us at work who suffer with this and take tablets, we call ourselves the thyroid gang and whenever we forget something we just blame the thyroid

[MiniLiz]

My Mum has an inactive thyroid, has done for the last 15 / 20 years. She has to take thyroxin daily but apart from that you wouldn't know she had it.

I have just been tested for thyroxin levels, waiting for the results. If I am diagnosed as having either in or overactive thyroid I am not in the least bit worried, neither are a problem if you take the meds.

My cat on the other hand, has the opposite, hyperthyroidism - and still has a tablet every day

[anonymous-user]

Emsman said:

My other half has just been told that the blood tests show that she has an underactive thyroid gland.

Has anyone ever had one/taking medication for it?

She is back to the Dr on Thursday to sort it out, but stting it due to her mum having cancer of it which eventually killed her.

Any help/advice greatly aprreciated.

My sis has had this for years. IIRC it's managed with drugs. She's a little heavy but no other side affects that I know of.

[Nobody You Know]

My mum has it as well, no major side effects except weight gain. It's not a sentence to be fat though, when she is careful and has the time she can lose weight.

[Simpo Two]

philmccann said:

Mrs has had it for years now. As another poster said, she has a daily pill called Thyroxine.

That's what I recall from O-level biology The thyroid normally makes the hormone thyroxine; when it doesn't, you have to take it separately.

[ARH]

My mum has had this for 15 years too, no side effects, except when she first started taking the pills she had so much new found energy my dad couldn't cope. Obviously I didn't really want to know that.

My cat was also diagnosed with this 2 years ago, she is now nearly 19 years old and still going strong, she takes the same pills as my mum, but being prescribed by a vet they are much more expensive.

Don't worry all will be well