# New here, DXd one year ago



## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Hey, everybody. My history is basically all written down in my very long siggie. ETA: I should say...I'm new here. And this is my introductory post and I'm sorry it's a whiny one. It's just that as I skimmed previous posts...it seemed like some people here are so incredibly kind and I just need that...somebody kind. Just to nod and say, "It sucks...I know," or to help maybe...or...I don't know. Let me continue...

Right now I'm just sooooo tired but I'm desperate for help or even a kind word or two so I'm cutting corners on some of my history...But in a nutshell, I'm hypo, my TSH is now down to just under 2.9 but I am so so so so fatigued that I just want to lie down and cry.

I am so tired of living this way. 

Because here's the thing...I have two small children in the house, one of whom has autism; and I take care of the house exclusively b/c my DH commutes & isn't home until 8PM, and I also work *from* home and...I'm about to die. Or feel that way.

Many is the morning I've burst into tears wondering how on earth I was going to get through hours and hours without more sleep. This past Sunday my DH got up with the kids and sent them to their grandparents' (this was preplanned)...for that night, I slept from 9PM until 11:30AM the following morning and had to drag myself out of bed.

I'm also fat as hell. I used to be tiny...seven years ago. Not now.

My brain is a fog. I don't even know WHAT I'm saying and I hope this makes sense!

My doctor kept telling me my TSH was fine (she didn't want to repeat the antibodies test or do any other tests) and that I'm just tired because I'm a mother. If being a mother made women THIS tired and can tell you right now nobody would ever have children and I'm not exaggerating. And I'm a person who adores my children. I literally feel like I'm dragging my body from here to there to there all day long, dragging, tears in my eyes as I try to lift my arms to fold laundry...do dishes...It's a nightmare.

My doctor FINALLY gave me a referral to an endo but she can't see me til the very end of January. Can anybody give any tips at all how I can survive until then? What do I DO? I have started taking a One a Day that has guarana in it. I am that desperate. I NEED to stay awake somehow. I need to function.

If anybody can please help, in any way, I would be so very, very grateful.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MelanieH said:


> Hey, everybody. My history is basically all written down in my very long siggie. ETA: I should say...I'm new here. And this is my introductory post and I'm sorry it's a whiny one. It's just that as I skimmed previous posts...it seemed like some people here are so incredibly kind and I just need that...somebody kind. Just to nod and say, "It sucks...I know," or to help maybe...or...I don't know. Let me continue...
> 
> Right now I'm just sooooo tired but I'm desperate for help or even a kind word or two so I'm cutting corners on some of my history...But in a nutshell, I'm hypo, my TSH is now down to just under 2.9 but I am so so so so fatigued that I just want to lie down and cry.
> 
> ...


Something is really wrong here and I must say that w/ the TPO antibodies having been that high at one time, the "only" way to know if the thyroxine replacement is helping to bring them down and under control is to run TPO lab tests once in a while. With antibodies that high, your doctor should be keeping your TSH pretty suppressed meaning below 0.1 and I kid you not.

Also you need Free T3 and Free T4 lab tests to see if you are converting. If you have little or no Free T3, it does not matter where your TSH is at because FREE T3 is your active hormone meaning it is your energy source.

(Note I have said FREE T3 and FREE T4 not T3 and T4)

What you say makes a whole lot of sense to me. I don't know if you should wait until Jan.. You don't have to cancel that appt. but maybe you can see another doc and at least get the above labs run. That would be TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies, TSH, FREE T3 and FREE T4.

Let us know. I feel bad for you; I kid you not. You are being disregarded; that is my humble opinion.


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Thank you so much, Andros. Thank God somebody answered me!

I'm on an HMO and this is my only choice of doctor in the group (she is an endocrinologist) unless I try to switch my PCP, but in that case, it will take a month to do that anyway and after that I'm sure it will take at least a month for an appointment. I would also need to change all my other doctors--my son's pediatrician and his neurologist, and my OB/gyn, etc. and I don't know what other large group of doctors I can trust.

My PCP doesn't want to do any "more" tests and that's why I ended up with the endo referral in the first place. So I don't see how I can get more tests until I see the endo. I wish somebody there just wanted to help me...

I just called & asked to get on a waiting list in case of cancellations but there is none. The nurse recommended that I call randomly to check on cancellations but I don't know how that would work out. How would I manage to just get lucky? You know?

I don't know how I'm going to live two more months like this...but then again, I've lived a year like this and probably much longer...so I just have to.

But I am so tired and depressed. 

Thanks a bunch for answering and for your help.


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

OK...so I just called my PCP in the hopes that she would at least run just the TSH (I don't know if that would help but I'm desperate) since it's been six months since that was run anyway. But they said sometimes the endo runs labs in advance of appointments!!!!! Okay, so why didn't they say that before???

So I got on with them and told them the same stuff...and the doctor is sick and not in today or tomorrow! But I am supposed to call on Monday and she will speak with me then.

So maybe she'll at least run a few tests for me before the end of January.

I have to keep my wits about me and sound neither demanding nor desperate because I don't want to be "that patient" that's a pain in the *ss.

Thanks again to everyone who has read this far.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MelanieH said:


> Hey, everybody. My history is basically all written down in my very long siggie. ETA: I should say...I'm new here. And this is my introductory post and I'm sorry it's a whiny one. It's just that as I skimmed previous posts...it seemed like some people here are so incredibly kind and I just need that...somebody kind. Just to nod and say, "It sucks...I know," or to help maybe...or...I don't know. Let me continue...
> 
> Right now I'm just sooooo tired but I'm desperate for help or even a kind word or two so I'm cutting corners on some of my history...But in a nutshell, I'm hypo, my TSH is now down to just under 2.9 but I am so so so so fatigued that I just want to lie down and cry.
> 
> ...


I am going over this post. Let me get this straight; the last time you had thyroid panel done was 5/13/09 and this doctor would not run more tests but referred you out? Am I reading this right?


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Andros said:


> I am going over this post. Let me get this straight; the last time you had thyroid panel done was 5/13/09 and this doctor would not run more tests but referred you out? Am I reading this right?


You are. I went back to her in, I think, July or August--I can't remember now, everything's foggy on that--and I was almost crying. I told her I was soooooooo tired and I needed help. She looked at my two very active younger children and said if she had children that age and that active she'd be tired too. I asked whether we could do more tests and she said it really wasn't necessary.

ETA: And I kept thinking...You know, maybe she's right...I also have depression and am on Prozac...so that could be a part of it...and I'm not so young any more...42...but things have only gotten worse. Especially the brain fog in addition to the fatigue. It is absolutely scary what I can manage to forget in 10 seconds. I feel like I'm 108 years old.  I don't want to feel helpless any more!!!

So more months went by and then finally this past week I couldn't take it any more and that's when I called for an endo referral.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MelanieH said:


> You are. I went back to her in, I think, July or August--I can't remember now, everything's foggy on that--and I was almost crying. I told her I was soooooooo tired and I needed help. She looked at my two very active younger children and said if she had children that age and that active she'd be tired too. I asked whether we could do more tests and she said it really wasn't necessary.
> 
> ETA: And I kept thinking...You know, maybe she's right...I also have depression and am on Prozac...so that could be a part of it...and I'm not so young any more...42...but things have only gotten worse. Especially the brain fog in addition to the fatigue. It is absolutely scary what I can manage to forget in 10 seconds. I feel like I'm 108 years old.  I don't want to feel helpless any more!!!
> 
> So more months went by and then finally this past week I couldn't take it any more and that's when I called for an endo referral.


Oh, Lord. She sounds like a sadist. Anyway, being hypo can and does cause depression. Lord have mercy. And don't you dare think that way; 40 is young. I wish I was 40 again. I am 67 and go like you would not believe. There was a time when I could not due to undiagnosed thyroid disease.

It is my humble and very experienced opinion that you have been mistreated and disregarded. Don't give up.

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/hypothyroidism.htm

{{{{MelanieH}}}}}


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Thank you so much for your understanding words, Andros. They mean a lot to me. ((Andros))


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MelanieH said:


> Thank you so much for your understanding words, Andros. They mean a lot to me. ((Andros))


The least we can do is hold each other up and validate the other person. We are here for you!

How are you doing today?


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Thanks! I'm doing a tiny hair better...I started taking One a Day women's vitamins with guarana in them last week. I'm just desperate. I need some energy and I need to get through these holidays. So I quit coffee and am doing this multi-vite instead. (It has as much caffeine as one cup of coffee.)

I'm a scootch more awake today. Hanging in there.

How about you???


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MelanieH said:


> Thanks! I'm doing a tiny hair better...I started taking One a Day women's vitamins with guarana in them last week. I'm just desperate. I need some energy and I need to get through these holidays. So I quit coffee and am doing this multi-vite instead. (It has as much caffeine as one cup of coffee.)
> 
> I'm a scootch more awake today. Hanging in there.
> 
> How about you???


You remind me that when I was a tad younger, I used to drink Red Bull like it was going out of style. LHM!! Lots of Guarana! And that was when I was in the hypo phase of my thyroid disease. Be careful with that though. If your heart starts racing, ease up; okay?

How sweet of you to ask how I am. I am in my element trying to help others so I am as happy as pie and thankfully, I am well.


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Andros, I am so very glad to hear it. I'm so glad to have found this kind board!


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Oh! So I guess I should continue this on the same thread...just in case anybody out there is seeking and hoping like I am. I am supposed to call the endo on Monday and see if I can get tests in advance of my appointment. In the meantime, I'm also looking into taking guggul extract. It's Ayurvedic (I can never remember how to spell that)...it's an herb...it supposedly may help T4 convert to T3.

Although that Red Bull sounds tempting too. arty0006: I could use some wings right now!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MelanieH said:


> Oh! So I guess I should continue this on the same thread...just in case anybody out there is seeking and hoping like I am. I am supposed to call the endo on Monday and see if I can get tests in advance of my appointment. In the meantime, I'm also looking into taking guggul extract. It's Ayurvedic (I can never remember how to spell that)...it's an herb...it supposedly may help T4 convert to T3.
> 
> Although that Red Bull sounds tempting too. arty0006: I could use some wings right now!!


It is good to stay on the same thread if you can because then we can go back and look at the previous posts and get the whole picture from the start.

You don't want these things to skew your lab tests; do keep that in mind when taking herbs and supplements.


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## MelanieH (Nov 14, 2009)

Hey, Andros...yep, I know they could skew my results...I am SOOOOOO hoping my endo will at least do that bloodwork in advance (I can't start the guggul for some time anyway because the place I was going to get it is out of stock) but I don't think the adaptogens will mess with my TSH levels really. It's the guggul that has the potential to do that. So I will just try to get those tests before really dropping into the toilet of desperation and just taking everything I can possibly find that remotely could be good for the thyroid. 

Just kidding. Sort of...

OK, so...I'll be calling that nurse in a few minutes...I hope she will set up some blood work for me!!!


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MelanieH said:


> Hey, Andros...yep, I know they could skew my results...I am SOOOOOO hoping my endo will at least do that bloodwork in advance (I can't start the guggul for some time anyway because the place I was going to get it is out of stock) but I don't think the adaptogens will mess with my TSH levels really. It's the guggul that has the potential to do that. So I will just try to get those tests before really dropping into the toilet of desperation and just taking everything I can possibly find that remotely could be good for the thyroid.
> 
> Just kidding. Sort of...
> 
> OK, so...I'll be calling that nurse in a few minutes...I hope she will set up some blood work for me!!!


Melanie...................let me know if you got the blood work scheduled. Good to hear from you!


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