entrenching hypothyroidism?
Posted , 8 users are following.
I was recently diagnosed, through two blood tests as having an under-active thyroid. I had none of the usual symptoms, but I was prescribed Levothyroxine 50 micrograms and told to take it for the rest of life. I guess in all likelihood the dosage will need to be increased in the future, depending on blood test results.
But I have a question. Perhaps the under-active thyroid is only a temporary imbalance – a response to some environmental or psychological factor.. And what if those factors change or end after a while? In the absence of medication I can imagine that the thyroid swings back into normal operation.
But as I AM taking medication, the thyroid hormone levels in my body are normal, are they not? So the brain does not know there is a problem. So it does not act (assuming this is possible) to adjust hormone production in the thyroid gland. So the gland stays in under-production. It has no chance of functioning normally again. And the condition becomes entrenched
The same sort of argument is applied to the wearing of glasses. The refractive error produced by the eye may be a temporary imbalance, as a result of stress, environmental factors, etc. If the glasses are prescribed, the eyes are in focus with those glasses even though they are producing a refractive error. And so the brain is fooled, it says to itself ''Everything is perfect, no need to adjust the eyes''. And so the refractive error becomes fixed, established.
I would welcome people's comments on this perspective.
Clive
1 like, 33 replies
Sketchy clive86761
Posted
Why did your doctor decide to do a thyroid function test in the first place especially as you had none of the symptoms of thyroid disease? Thyroid medication can be a tricky thing to get right and can take years of observance on 'your part' (not your doctor's) to work towards elimination of symptoms. The more you can research about the thyroid the better off you will be because then you will be armed with the necessary knowledge to make decisions for 'yourself' when it comes to taking the medication. You will quickly learn that doctors mostly rely on TSH ranges and this can be dangerous. The normal tsh reading for me is 0.08 which falls 'below the range' and makes doctors jump out of their skin and want to lower my meds which they have done in the past. This raises the TSH to levels that 'they' are happy with but I am almost dead at their levels. So I will not allow them to adjust my meds ever again. It is up to me to be aware of my bodily symptoms. Doctors should 'listen' to their patients symptoms and the patient must speak up for themselves. The tsh is an outdated and irrelevant measure of thyroid function. When they do a thyroid function test they must also test for free t4 and free t3 - these are the only relevant results needed to start a basic thyroid investigation, other tests may follow.
In my opinion if you have no thyroid symptoms you should not have been put on the medication. No on should be taking the medication unless there is good reason for it as it can be tricky to get the right dose and detrimental to the gland if it is not needed. If your thyroid is working well then you should look after it and keep it going in it's natural state and just keep in mind that you could need thyroid medication sometime in the future.
I believe your assumption about the 'thyroid condition becoming entrenched' is correct if you had continued to take the medication - and that the medication would be increased over time until you were fully on the medication and your own thyroid gland would have 'gone to sleep' forever. Which is exactly what happened to me after a thyroid lobectomy 28 years ago. I was told to take 100mcg of Oroxine and the remainder of my thyroid would 'go to sleep' and I would be on the tablet for life. From what I understand at the time I weighed about 60kg and 100mcg was the dose for a female of that weight. I'm still that weight. I have been happy on my dose of 100mcg until last year when a doctor insisted on dropping the medication to 75mcg due to tsh readings - I became very, very ill and slid into hypothyroidism with very low body temperature and all the other symptoms - now I'm back to my normal dose and doing fine once again.
I think you have made the right decision at this time but keep an eye on your health and learn all you can about thyroid symptoms because it's up to 'you' - it's your body. As you only took the medication for 11 days there will probably not be much of a dip in your natural thyroid function.
Sketchy
clive86761 Sketchy
Posted
The blood test was done in the first place because I requested to have the standard tests, which I do every couple of years.
I am completely with you about taking responsibility for one's own health, one's own body. Of course that does not mean refusing all medical advice and technology. But then if one gets it wrong at least one has no one else to blame :-). And we are all unique individuals, a fact that an undifferentiated approach, that seems to be common in the health services, does not fully take into account.
Thank you for your advice about free T4 a T3, I will look into that.
Nice to know someone agrees with my reasoning :-)
Regards
Clive
clive86761 Sketchy
Posted
I have done a little research along the lines that you suggested, just enough to appreciate the complexity of the thyroid system, and its connection with the other systems of the body. I am rather amazed how my doctor could prescribe life-long medication on such scanty evidence as the blood tests he ordered, the mere measurement of T4 and TSH levels. I am feeling it is time to find a new doctor.
Thanks again
Clive
Sketchy clive86761
Posted
Rosalie
jenny87401 clive86761
Posted
i have just now signed on to this forum and picked up your discussion with great interest. I am afraid I cannt give any advice at this stage, rather I wonder if either of you or others may be able to help me!. iI am writing from Spain where I will be for the next 5 weeks. I left the Uk a couple of days ago having received the news over the phone the night before That my blood tests indicated low thyroid. I am now searching the web for ways of looking after myself before I return to the UK for more blood tests etc. I am a great believer in doing my utmost to improve health by good diet etc (I have lived with diverticulitis successfully for a number of years now and put a lot of this down to diet). I wonder if you have found specific information and sensible advice in diet helpful and do you have any thoughts on the best way to try to improve my low thyroid in the absence of medicine? Any thoughts very welcome. It is good to know that there are others out there who believe in self help as much as possible anyway! Good luck and good health to you!
clive86761 jenny87401
Posted
Well, it sounds like you are acquainted with the fundamentals of good diet. In general I feel good food will nourish the whole body, taking in all its parts, and especially keeping the immune system in good shape. The immune system in the end is main defence against illness and disease.
For me good diet means fresh food rather than processed or preserved, organic rather than non-organic, whole food rather than refined food. Plenty of raw food, no artificial chemicals. A good variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. A diet based in nuts, seeds, legumes, perhaps whole grains.
As a response to my recent diagnosis, I have cut out caffeine and dairy products. I was already vegetarian, except I eat eggs and supplement with cod liver oil and green-lipped mussel extract. I will also give coconut oil a mention.
I am aware that some people would challenge the above list, in various ways, and I am open to discussion. One puzzle is that I gather that behind hypothyroidism may lie an autoimmune condition. This might mean that strengthening the immune system might have negative implications. Not at all sure about this.
Also I have read that foods to avoid with thyroid problems are soy based products, and the cabbage family of vegetables – cabbage, brocolli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, turnips etc. If this is the case, this would be quite a loss, as these vegetables are highly nutritious. I am going to research this further. Does anyone have more information?
Of course adequate exercise is important for overall health. Although this can be overdone.
Jenny, you raise a very important question, one I intended to bring up today. What can we do to strengthen the thyroid gland? Strengthen it without bringing about the dependence that has been discussed. Like one might exercise a weak muscle to strengthen it.
I will stop for now, and see if any has any suggestions in this area.
Regards
Clive
clive86761 jenny87401
Posted
Like all diet/health issues, the more one studies this issue, the more complex it appears (which I find interesting in itself). Here is a link to a very comprehensive article. It is long, but it is very definitely significant to hypothyroidism:
http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-diseases/the-great-iodine-debate/
Here is a single quote:
''Based on an iodine/iodide loading test developed by the author to assess whole body sufficiency for iodine, the amounts of iodine needed for whole body sufficiency and optimal physical and mental health are 250-1,000 times higher that the amount of iodine needed to control cretinism, hypothyroidism and endemic goiter.”''
jenny87401 clive86761
Posted
clive86761 jenny87401
Posted
Clive
clive86761
Posted
I received some unexpected support for the idea of ''entrenching hypothyroidism, or at least entrenching dysfunction of the body by aiding its functions with artificially. And this was from a doctor.
At present I am assisting in the home-care of my father, who is terminally ill with cancer. His lungs are affected, and he often has difficulty breathing, and so oxygen has been supplied. I asked the doctor if there was any reason to be sparing in its use. She said yes, because the breathing mechanism would tend to atrophy if it was not called upon to work as it used to, as a result of the lungs being supplied with oxygen.
Clive
doreen75627 clive86761
Posted
clive86761 doreen75627
Posted
Hi Doreen
I am not sure if you are referring to me or my father as a ''poor soul'', but no, I do not find my father's conditioning distressing. Neither do I find my own condition (including illnesses I have not mentioned) distressing, they do not bring stress or mental suffering. Neither is the prospect of death, for myself or my father, a fear-inducing matter. I add, this is not the result of any religious belief, it is not based on ''faith''.
I do not know if this is the place to go into this, but I felt some reply to your mail was called for.
Why should one resist what is? Why should one treat disease like an enemy to be battled with? (which does not mean that one does not take appropriate physical action). And does not such battle, such conflict have a negative effect on the body, and on others?
Of course sometimes sadness is felt. There may be empathy with the feelings of the other. It is not that one should not grieve, or should grieve. I am not telling other people how they should respond to the challenges of their lives. But for me, being free of the ideas of grieving, free of the necessity of conforming to the commonly accepted reality of what constitutes grieving, of what one ''should feel'', leaves the freedom of true feelings and action.
Surely it is insane not to accept 'what is'? To resist the truth of what is? This is most clear when it comes to death. Death is the one certainty of our life, the one inevitability. Why should it be resisted? Why should it be a cause of fear and suffering? Death is inseparable from life anyway. We know that all forms wither away, die, from the tiniest creature to great galaxies.
In acceptance of what is, there is great beauty and truth.
I am grateful for this learning that life has put in my way. And I welcome disease, illness as a honoured guest in my life.
Clive
jen00 clive86761
Posted
"Entrenching hypothyroidism" is a very interesting and topical point of view.
We all criticise the current mainstream medical treatment and diagnosis for the lack of personalised approach. We think each of us is unique and, although there might be some degree of "standard and general" approach, we should be treated individually.
Rosalie, your example of what should be a normal TSH reading for you is great! But why only few (if any!) practising doctors would agree with that?! Were they not tought genetics and biodiversity in the uni? Or is it some sort of "brainwashing" which comes with the profession?
Clive, as other forum members have already advised, I don't think you should go "on the pill" based on the results of a couple of tests and considering that you are asymptomatic. Have you had similar tests in the past to know what could be your "normal base line"? Maybe, as in the case with Rosalie, your current readings are normal for you despite the fact that they are outside of what is considered the norm. Yes, my advice would be as the others: just keep an eye on your health and have regular blood tests.
As to "entrenchment" theory, it works if your gland is temporarily out of the norm. Well, in my opinion. But when the decline in the performance is irreversible for many reasons, then we are facing dilemma: to try and slow down that decline by refusing hormonal replacement therapy, or expedite the matters by taking drugs but regaining the quality of everyday life.
I am currently facing this dilemma. Half of my thyroid was removed 2 years ago and immediately I felt very symptomatic. Still feeling hypothyroid. Yet doctors say "your thyroid values are within the range, therefore thyroid function is fine). And there's nothing I could do to convince them otherwise. Should I abandon the idea of getting any official treatment or should I self medicate and resign to the fact that it's going to be for life?
I decided to choose the latter. And I am very hopeful that it's going to be a supplement therapy (with natural dessicated thyroid) rather than replacement one. The difference is in the dose. I believe that if you are not severely hypothyroid, then there's no need in the full replacement dose in the midlle- to long-therm.
Many thanks for all your posts and comments - it's so important to know that you are not on your own. Good health to everyone!
Sketchy jen00
Posted
You mentioned that you hope that your decision to take the natural dessicated thyroid would be a 'supplement' rather than a replacement one. I must admit I am unsure about that reasoning .. as what I have read when researching is that one may start off on a certain low or supplemental dose but it will need to be increased over time. My daughter is going through exactly this situation at the moment although she has not had any surgery on her thyroid gland. An ultrasound scan determined that she has about 40 nodules on her thyroid gland and has been unwell for years. She is taking 75mcg Oroxine at the moment which she has had to obtain by unorthadox means because doctors/endo's will not treat her until her numbers drop below the 'normal' range. She is just .7 within the lower end of 'the range'. She is incredibly improved by taking the 75mcg.
I don't think one should worry too much about resigning to the taking of 'medication for life'. I prefer to think about the quality of life that the correct medication will bring. I have been taking Oroxine for 28 years.
I hope you will feel better whatever you decide to do.
Rosalie
jen00 Sketchy
Posted
Thanks for you reply and for the reply to my previous post (sorry, couldn't reply straight away at the time!).
I agree wholeheartedly with you on many points: "strange attitude" of the medical profession towards many obvious hypothyroidism scenarios, necessity to outsource and self medicate and, finally, the importance of the quality of life.
I said I believe in a supplement therapy theory as opposed to the full replacement one. Unfortunately, it's more of my speculation (wishful thinking?) rather than solid knowledge. I thought if I start with a really low dose and phase in very small increments during a relatively long period of time (months versus weeks), my TSH shouldn't drop drastically. Hopefully, it will bounce back after initial dip, keeping my endogenous thyroxine production at initial level or very close to it. So, in theory (alas, only in theory at the moment!), my remaining lobe shouldn't go into a "lazy" mode but carry on as if nothing has happened. At the same time, I should have more circulating thyroid hormones in my blood at the expense of the exogenous/ingested thyroid supplement. And I should start feeling normal again!
) My intention would be not exceed the equivalent of 25 micrograms of T4 until my theory proves wrong in practice.
Currently I am undergoing more blood tests and scans, since more medical problems have been revealed. I want address those issues first and see whether my hypothyroid symptoms can be relieved. If not, I'll be ready to test my beautiful theory... and face a fiasco probably.
All the best to you and your daughter!
Jen