Thyroid Problems

[jump]

Hello all,

I've had hypothyroid disorder for about ten years now. I've always had trouble managing it -- it seems like the dose of medication I need changes every few months and it's hard to keep up with.

Recently, I asked to be tested for Hashimoto's since there seems to be a correlation between Hashimoto's and ANS dysfunction. First my doctor told me I had elevated thyroid antibodies which meant I have Hashimoto's, then she said well maybe I don't. Either way my TSH has plummeted from too high to too low in just a three month span, and these dramatic hormone changes are making me feel awful. I'm exhausted and it's hard for me to tell where my POTS symptoms end and the hypothyroid symptoms begin. The thyroid seemed to become much harder to manage when my POTS became worse about a year and a half ago.

Can anyone recommend a website or a place to get good information on thyroid disorders? I've read a lot and I feel like I don't understand my test results at all. I've tried all the thyroid medications out there and in different combinations and right now nothing's working. I need to get this under control because it's making it so hard to deal with POTS.

Any advice would be great, I feel really lost in this.

jump

[firewatcher]

jump,

I have gotten a lot of "alternative" information from stopthethyroidmadness.com

Good luck, I felt crazy/crummy when mine was swinging. I hope you get it fixed.

Jennifer

[EarthMother]

Mary Shomon is the most published lay person in the area of hashi and other thyroid disorders. She also moderates

http://thyroid.about.com/

As far as I am concerned if you EVER have had a blood test that shows thyroid antibodies ... YOU HAVE HASHIMOTO. Once you test positive, it really doesn't matter what any other blood test says. It never "goes away" ... it may become less active or more active over time ... but "normal" people don't have the antibodies EVER. At least that's what I've been told from numerous Endos over the years.

I was diagnosed with hashi in my early twenties ... and as I am in my mid forties now and in the throws of perimenapause I am also seeing HUGE swings in my thyroid levels. We have been testing every 2 months it seems for the last two years and it continues to go out of bounds. Both too high at times and too low at others. I am forever changing my meds (be VERY small amounts ... as not to disrupt too much at once.)

Good luck I know this can be like nailing jello to the wall.

~EM