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PLEASE help. 24 years old, exhausted

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Thyroid Disorders
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RoGo
New Member
Joined : Nov 2013
Posts : 12
Posted 11/27/2013 3:24 PM (GMT -8)
Hi everyone

I want to apologize in advance if this post runs on or if I make some errors, I am feeling really foggy right now!

I am at my wit's end. I just turned 24 years old a couple weeks ago, and I'm a female. It seems like most women my age are out working full-time jobs, or at college, or going out with their friends and living their lives and full 16-18 hour days. My friends who are only a few years younger than me work sometimes 12 hour days at the coffee shop where we work and still have the energy when they get home to make dinner and invite friends over. I, on the other hand, have been dealing with SIGNIFICANT fatigue issues.

I had a metabolic panel and a complete blood count test done earlier this year due to my increasing levels of overwhelming exhaustion. It seemed like I would have days where I would work six hours, come home, maybe work out for an hour, and then not do much else (too tired,) and then the next day I would be SLAMMED with physical fatigue, worst of all the complete mental fog, and my already existing depression was 10x worse. I had these tests done by my physician's assistant. The results came back "normal," and after reading on the internet that a lot of times the physician's use outdated lab values, I got a hard copy of the results for myself. I can't remember exactly right now what my overall lab values were, but my calcium level was .1 or .2 in excess (hypercalcemia,) and the only thyroid tests she had done were TSH and I believe T4 with reflex to T3 (this may be wrong...I don't have the results anymore since I gave them to my psychiatrist,) and they were "normal" too. So, since I was struggling with severe depression at the time and anxiety problems, I brushed my fatigue under the rug and just let myself be treated with almost every antidepressant on the market (I also struggled with anxiety and depression when I was in my teens and was treated successfully with Zoloft for 8 years, although fatigue was an issue then, too...could have been med side effects though,) none of which have been successful - all have made me more tired, more apathetic and lethargic, and needless to say my sex drive has died, which is distressing to a 24 year old girl.

Here it is, November, and after my fatigue problems not getting any better my psychiatrist told me I should see an endocrinologist and have my parathyroid tested. Well, the endo said I needed to have a referral from my PCP in order to get an appointment, so off to my PA again I went. This time she took my complaints more seriously since they have gotten worse - or, to me, at least...maybe it IS all in my head. Anywho, I complained to her of my dreadful mental fog, inability to concentrate or remember anything, I have trouble articulating sentences or explaining myself when I am put on the spot so I avoid talking about myself as much as possible...my exhaustion is horrific, my eyes just feel tired all the time, I FEEL as if I get cold very very easily, I'm lethargic, all I can do is lay in bed all day, I feel a million times worse after a day of activity (which to me is almost nothing since I am so exhausted.) I mean I am just TIRED. I don't feel happy, I feel that my quality of life is significantly impacted by my fatigue. I have NO sex drive. I don't care about anything anymore, even on days when I am not feeling "depressed." My mom was diagnosed hypothyroid when she was 22, and her mom is also hypothyroid, and my doctor finally noted my elevated calcium levels from my tests at the beginning of the year and decided to test me more in-depth, including another CBC, TSH, FT3, FT4, a lyme disease test (not sure which one,) a rocky mountain spotted fever test, PTH (my doctor DIDN'T TEST ME FOR THIS IN THE MORNING AND ALSO DIDN'T TELL ME TO FAST!) and some others that I can't remember right now.

I just called my PA to get the results. The nurse told me everything came back "normal." He didn't cite any specific tests or lab values or anything. I told him I would like a hard copy of the results for my own records and to show to my psychiatrist. I am on ONE medication, called Luvox, but I am only on 50 milligrams and it should NOT be causing this amount of fatigue.

I live with my mom and I can hardly work due to my amount of fatigue, anxiety and depression about not knowing when I will be "well" (if you can even call my "well" days well) and therefore cannot keep a consistent work schedule. My mom now thinks this is all in my head. I am starting to believe this is all in my head too, or at least part of me is. I mean, I am going BROKE. My mom is broke, she is a single mother with twins, my brother is hardly making the rent where he lives, and I feel like such a horrible lazy daughter because I can't seem to have the energy to do anything. I feel like at 24 my life is over. I thought that these last labs would help me get some answers but all they have done is put me even more in debt. I have no idea how I am going to pay off my bills. I don't even have the energy to exercise, let alone finish my bachelor's degree or work a full-time job.

I. Am. EXHAUSTED.

Someone, please help. I have absolutely NO ONE to talk to about my issues anymore. My mom thinks I need to push myself more and "build up my stamina". My dad thinks that I need to work more so I can take my mind off my fatigue. I have no close friends anymore because I just don't have it in me to keep close personal relationships and maintain them, and even if I did, it's not like most 24 year olds are understanding about medical issues (no offense to anyone who is around this age on this site! I think you might know what I am talking about though, hard to find someone to relate.) My physician's assistant probably now thinks this is all in my head too. I'm sure my psychiatrist will think the same even though he's put me unsuccessfully on literally every SSRI/SNRI that exists on the market today.

I just need some guidance. Is this Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? What do I do? Does anyone have any advice for me? I am so, so desperate. Is this all in my head? What is wrong with me????

-Very, very sad girl
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jujub
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Joined : Mar 2003
Posts : 10424
Posted 11/27/2013 4:51 PM (GMT -8)
Are you having symptoms other than depression and chronic fatigue? While hypothyroidism can cause profound fatigue, it also usually has some concurrent symptoms. However, diagnosis is made from a combination of symptoms and lab results.

Please post your lab results (with the lab reference numbers) when you get that hard copy. Ideally, you would have had TSH, T3 & 4 and free T4. With your symptoms and family history, your doctor correctly would have followed up with thyroid antibody testing to rule out Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis.

We'll be waiting for numbers and possibly can help more then.
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RoGo
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Joined : Nov 2013
Posts : 12
Posted 11/27/2013 7:07 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Judy2, thank you SO MUCH for replying.

I apologize for not including my symptoms in my initial post - I was just so emotional! My symptoms are confusing because half of me thinks they are "real" while my mother/some psychiatric physicians have tried to convince me that some of them are just symptoms of anxiety disorders and although they feel very real to me, they are not actually malignant in any way - in other words, "all in my head."

Here is a list to make my post more organized:

-Significant fatigue/constantly low energy. Easily drained of whatever energy I do have. It feels like I am a car running on empty. This leads to extreme lethargy.

-Mental fatigue/"brain fog". This includes very bad memory, poor comprehension unless I can take my time reading the material, and the inability to think as "critically" and "deeply" as I used to. This also includes concentration problems.

-Weakness. Climbing the stairs feels exactly like I am having to climb the stairs. It's a leaden feeling in my body. Also, in my arms - I helped my grandma hang her painting the other day and this 83-year-old woman had more upper-body strength than I did. Part of this may be from the anti-depressant I am on, as is some of the fatigue, but I had these problems before as well.

-"Day-after malaise." I feel very exhausted and my brain feels like it is malfunctioning/can't think straight for days after just one day of minor exertion.

-Depression/No motivation/Apathy. I have always been a "moody" and intense person (don't worry! I am nice!) but over the past year the depression has gotten to the point of suicidal thoughts and I was actually hospitalized for these thoughts in July of this year. I have been on literally every SSRI/SNRI for this depression but none have been effective or given me a full-response.

-Intolerance to cold/feeling cold frequently. It IS winter here, and there is always just the possibility that I am one of those people who gets cold easily, but I have found that I am more intolerant to cold than other people I know. I am constantly wrapped up in blankets. I have read there is a morning basal body temperature test for this you can do at home - have you tried this/known someone who tried it? Do you think it's something I should bother trying?
....Sometimes this coldness flips a switch and goes to the complete opposite side and I get boiling hot.

-I do have dry scalp pretty consistently and in fact today I had dry scalp skin falling off my hair at work. Once again, could just be that it's winter and the shampoo I use isn't moisturizing enough, though. I can't tell if my hair is thinning - I have never really studied it closely before, so I can't exactly compare. It's possible that my eyebrows are losing the outer thirds, and I feel like they have been looking thinner for a while.

-My skin is rough. It's bumpy, probably from being dried out, although it is also oily. The only reason I include this is because I have read dry skin is a possible symptom, although I don't know how much "dryness" is considered abnormal.

-I don't suffer from any weight gain like my mother and grandmother. My mom is overweight and has struggled with her weight for most of her life. I am 5'4. The heaviest I have ever been was 132 pounds; the lowest was 103 pounds when I contracted C. Difficile this March and lost a lot of weight. I am now around 110 pounds.

-I experience dizziness frequently, vertigo on occasion.

-Under my eyes feels CONSTANTLY tired and I just want to close them all day. I find it difficult to focus - not necessarily my vision but just my line of sight. It kind of feels like there is a blurry transparent wall between myself and the world and I have to really try hard to see past it.

-Depersonalization/derealization.

-Libido/feelings of attraction are absolutely gone.

-Ringing in my ears.

-My nails grow fine, but they look brittle and have very noticeable ridges.

-Sometimes I get swollen glands for a few days but no other symptoms of a cold. Could this just be allergies?

-Sometimes it is hard for me to breathe and I feel short of breath. I do have asthma, but the shortness of breath is different than the kind I experience with the asthma.

-When I walk upstairs, my heart starts beating really fast and hard towards the top. It's like my body is putting in so much effort just to walk up a flight of stairs.

-Confusion. It is very easy for me to get lost in situations in my head and this is very distressing to me as it causes significant anxiety when I feel I cannot think clearly.



That is a comprehensive list of my symptoms. I will definitely be posting my lab results when I receive the hard copy as it seems many on this forum know a lot more about these things than I. I will be picking them up on Monday or Tuesday next week. I know my TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 were tested although I think that was it concerning thyroid tests. I am punching myself right now for not requesting the thyroid antibody tests - although if I do have Hashimoto's, wouldn't my TSH/Free T3/Free T4 results come back abnormal?

Thanks so much again for the reply. I am sorry if I posted in an inappropriate section (thyroid disorders) but I did because at this point I am mostly considering a thyroid problem since a) I have a family history of hypothyroidism and b) it seems that it goes undiagnosed so frequently.


Also - don't know if this is important - but I do not take any vitamins or supplements.

Post Edited (RoGo) : 11/27/2013 8:23:12 PM (GMT-7)

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jujub
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Joined : Mar 2003
Posts : 10424
Posted 11/27/2013 8:09 PM (GMT -8)
Please don't worry about posting here. Indeed, many of your symptoms could be attributed to hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, most hypo symptoms either can be caused by a number of different things OR are so non-specific as to be hard to even tell if they're real.

Typical hashi's labs are outside the normal range, however they can vary widely from time to time in the same person, and the strength of symptoms doesn't always correlate closely with the labs.

I'm far from an expert on Hashi's, but we do have a number of people posting here who have the condition and a lot of knowledge. I'm sure they'll jump in as they return here.
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RoGo
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Joined : Nov 2013
Posts : 12
Posted 12/2/2013 9:48 AM (GMT -8)
Thank you very much Judy2. I pick up my lab results today and will post what they have found.

I'm just so confused. The nurse said "everything looked normal," and yet I feel absolutely terrible.

I wonder if this is a case of "normal lab values, but on the lower end of normal" hypothyroidism.

The brain fog is so horrible today...
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RoGo
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Joined : Nov 2013
Posts : 12
Posted 12/2/2013 6:05 PM (GMT -8)
I got my lab results today from the medical center...

I had a plethora of tests, but because this is the thyroid section of the forums I will just post the thyroid results (everything came back "normal," anyway, or "negative.")

My TSH came back as a very good .98 on a reference range from .45-4.50. However, as I have read on some patient advocate websites and also have read from some doctors, the TSH test doesn't always tell the whole story. My Free T4 came back as 1.18 on a range from .82-1.77, and my free T3 came back as 2.8, range 2.0-4.4.

Although the Free T's are in the "normal" range, I noticed that they are in the lower end of normal, and some websites have said that for a lot of people, the optimal range for FT4 is in the upper half, while the optimal range for FT3 is in the top 25th percentile (or at least upper third.) My FT4 is in the bottom half and my FT3 is right at the bottom third. I hope I am not just splitting hairs, but I wonder if I wouldn't feel better if these values were higher.

One doctor said to treat the symptoms first/family history, then look at the lab scores, instead of treating just according to numbers. Well, I have plenty of symptoms and it certainly runs in my family, so when I see my psychiatrist on Friday (who still has not been able to find an adequate anti-depressant for me...wonder why?) I will be bringing my labwork and discussing a trial of thyroid hormone. I also plan on bringing some medical articles discussing the possibility of hypothyroidism despite a normal TSH, a checklist of symptoms, and any articles I can find on dual T4/T3 treatment versus T4 alone. I know since he is a psychiatric doctor he may not be used to prescribing these type of medications but I have heard of doctors using thyroid meds for treatment-resistant depression so I feel it is worth a shot.

I am just desperate to feel like me again. I want to have energy, and not feel run-down all the time. I want to be able to think clearly and articulate what I am feeling without stuttering, slowing my speech, or stumbling over my words. I am tired of feeling constantly confused and overwhelmed. I want to feel stable and not have such a devastatingly low mood for no reason at all. I want to feel like I'm in my 20s, not my 80s, and do things like other 24-year-olds instead of sitting in my house all day, too tired to venture out and too scared and anxious because I can't seem to think straight. I want to be able to taste food again, I want to be able to exercise again, I want to be able to walk my dog without feeling dizzy, I want to go back to school, I want my mom to see a change in me that she hasn't seen in almost a year and I want to build my self-esteem by actually having the energy and wits to volunteer, finish my bachelor's degree, and work and pay my medical bills.

Something's gotta give, right?
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jujub
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Posted 12/2/2013 7:49 PM (GMT -8)
I would think a trial on a very low dose of thyroid with close follow-up would be a good next step. Yes, some people can feel hypothyroid with test results just in the normal range.

A tip: I use my heart rate as a quick check on my thyroid status, as I find the other symptoms too subtle and sometimes my mind can distort them. My normal resting is in the low 60's (sitting, feet up, relaxed.) If it gets above about 72 when I'm not sick, I know something's out of whack and I check it regularly. When I was really hyper it got to 120; when I was really hypo it got into the upper 40's.
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RoGo
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Posted 12/2/2013 8:42 PM (GMT -8)
Thanks so much for the tip, Judy. Do you just feel your pulse and count the beats per minute (or count the number of beats in 10 seconds and multiply by 6)? Or do you have a heart rate monitor?

I am lying down right now, and if I take my pulse rate just by feeling my pulse and counting the beats, it is about 80 bpm.

I do take meds that may affect heart rate, though (the anti-depressant and occasionally a Klonopin if I can't fall asleep.)
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Seksay69
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Joined : Dec 2013
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Posted 12/4/2013 1:36 AM (GMT -8)
Hey Rogo,
I'm a new member here but I saw your post and thought I could offer some help. I currently have Graves Disease, my thyroid is finally stable for the first time in four years. I've had high levels and low levels so as you can imagine I've had all types of symptoms. I also developed a medically induced panic disorder which started because of my overactive thyroid symptoms.
I also discovered recently that even though my thyroid levels were perfect I was still suffering from hyper and hypo type symptoms but I'd had a recent blood test that stated I was fine. My Dr advised that I may have gluten sensitivity. There are scientists that believe there is a link between gluten allergies and thyroid disease. I've cut all gluten out of my diet for the past two weeks, within days I felt amazing, no brain fog, no dizziness or nausea, no anxiety and I wasn't fatigued, in saying that after the first week I started feeling some of the symptoms coming back but I did have some meals that contained gluten. Generally a Dr will tell you to cut gluten out for X amount of time and if you feel better introduce gluten back into your diet and if you feel the symptoms return then you likely have an allergy to gluten.
I hope this helps and that you're feeling better soon. :)
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jujub
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Joined : Mar 2003
Posts : 10424
Posted 12/4/2013 1:43 AM (GMT -8)
Rogo, I do have a monitor that I use for my workouts, but when I'm just doing a quick check I take a carotid pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 (old habits die hard, that's what they taught us in nursing school a hundred years ago.)

It would be good if you had a baseline before all this started, but if you don't you'll work from where you are and eventually you'll get a feel for it.
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aphysicalwreck
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Joined : Sep 2012
Posts : 802
Posted 12/4/2013 4:40 AM (GMT -8)
Rogo:
It seems to me that you are probably very hypothyroid. Most regular drs will not treat it if your blood work looks ok. If you go to a holistic dr you might get a lot more help. They go by symptoms and not blood work. The only problem is that they are expensive. You might have adrenal fatigue also. I dont know where you live, but holistic drs or natural drs are very common now. Also even chiropractors are doing a lot of that kind of medicine also. Good luck and hope you get some resolve soon. P.S. I had what I thought was chronic fatigue syndrome and it turned out I have Lyme disease. I also have hashimotos which some people believe that lyme can cause hashi. I had lyme testing from a lab in California called Igenix. It is the only lyme lab that is accurate.
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disturbed33
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Joined : Dec 2013
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Posted 12/4/2013 7:45 PM (GMT -8)
Hi rogo, first off let me tell you i am a 28 year old male that got sick at about the same age as you are 23 i was. I dont know if you read my post but check it out if you can. My symptoms were similar to yours i wzs tired all the time and had on and off depression. I lost all of my friend and couldnt work anymore. Im 28 now and havnt worked for 5 years because of this. All of my doctors couldnt find anything wrong with me and my mom thought i was making it up and called me lazy. Slowly i began developing sensativities over time and thats when this disease or whatever it is gets tough. I get so depressed all the time because i have noone to talk to and no girlfriends. I was always healthy before this happened to me. I was athletic and was in great shape. Now im not saying we have exactly the same thing but i do have some advice that might help you as it did me. Be very careful covering your depression with klonzies, they can make you more depressed. I was given ativan and as my cfs grew stronger the meds made me more depressed. Also try moderate excersise but dont overdue it. If you can tolerate caffiene use it. I cant take caffiene because im sensative to it. Also eat a little dark chocolate once in a while if you can tolerate it. 85 percent cocao is the best. Try not to let anyone bring you down more than what you are already. Noone really understands this disease except the ones that have it and live it everyday. Be very aware of your diet and when you have periods when you feel better think of what you ate that day, how you slept, etc. Keep a mindful journal. I could go on and on and on but im starting to ramble now. You are not the only young adult that this has happened to because im here to. I dont want to scare you by anymeans but this condition has totally robbed me of my life in the real world. What i mean by that is i can live with this in my apartment and by talking with my dad who understands, but people on the outside living normal lives dont accept me and think im lazy and making it up because im so young without a job. It really is tough meeting people in person that will understand you and if you do hold on to them. My final peace of advice is going to be doctors. Be very careful when they tell you that there is nothing wrong with you and your a hypocondriact with depression. Im not tellig you not to take meds because meds do help a lot of people but if you can control this or make it manageable by a good diet and excersise your going to be way better in the long run. On that note i hope you feel better soon and hopefully you will figure out whats going on thats making you feel this way. Good luck. My spelling is terrible by the way.
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RoGo
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Joined : Nov 2013
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Posted 12/5/2013 12:53 PM (GMT -8)
Seksay69, thanks so much for the gluten-free diet advice. I definitely would like to give that a try, I have heard lots of wonderful things about living a lifestyle free of gluten from more than just a handful of people.

Judy2, I have a question - I just thought of this yesterday. My mom told me that for years whenever I would get check-ups (not going to the doctor for a specific illness like strep or the flu, just a regular check-up) my temperature has been consistently around 96.8. Also I have a history of random low-blood pressure. Not horribly low but definitely lower than normal. Doctors/my mom/nurses always chalked the low blood pressure and low temperature up to "my version of normal" but I started thinking, what if these have just been early signs of a thyroid problem? Do you have an opinion on that? As a nurse, I figured you might have some experience seeing patients with consistently low temps/blood pressure.

Aphysicalwreck, I am so sorry to hear that you have Lyme disease. I was tested for Lyme with this last round of bloodtests but they said it came back "negative." However, I hear that those tests are notoriously inaccurate. If a trial of thyroid hormone doesn't help me then I will definitely look more into Igenix testing - thanks so much for giving me some solid info!

Disturbed33, I am so, so sorry to hear that you have been suffering from this chronic illness. So your doctors have officially diagnosed you with CFS? If I have a trial of thyroid hormone and it doesn't help and I can rule out other vitamin deficiencies/illnesses like Lyme then I think my doctor will probably refer me to an internist or someone who specializes in CFS. There's a possibility I will have to go on disability as much as I'd prefer to just work like all the other "normal" 24-year-olds. It makes me very scared. Thank you so much for the advice.

Tomorrow is my psychiatrist appointment. My doctor has been very open to my suggestions so I am hoping he will prescribe Armour or a T4/T3 combination since my Free T3 is on the lower side of normal. I really hope it will help. I am also considering switching ADs since this one doesn't seem to be helping and makes me even more tired. Ugh...so many decisions to make.

So nervous for tomorrow, so tired, just wanna stay in bed all day. I want my mind back. shakehead
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disturbed33
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Posted 12/5/2013 4:47 PM (GMT -8)
Good luck, things will eventually come together. Stay confident. Peace.
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btrfly14
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Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 6
Posted 12/6/2013 5:42 PM (GMT -8)
I am suffering from extreme fatigue right now too, so don't have much energy to write, but just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. I am 28 and started getting sick at 20, have had 8 years of disabling chronic illness. I feel like an 80 year old. It sucks. I really hope that your appointment goes well, bet of luck.
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disturbed33
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Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 13
Posted 12/6/2013 9:05 PM (GMT -8)
I am just wondering for those that are battling cfs/me/fibro have you tried cutting out fluoride. I know when i cut out fluoride my chronic pain and tiredess almost completely dissapeared. If you google cfs and fluoride theres a whole article claiming that cfs is actually the ending result of fluoride poisoning. If you do decide to go ahead and try this dont drink tap water or shower in it. Dont let tap water touch your skin because fluoride absorbs more through the skin and breathing it in in the shower more than drinking. When i was drinking and showering in fluoride i could hardly get out of bed. I still have days where im low on energy but nothing compared to when i was on fluoride. Hopefully this helps someone as it did me. Peace.
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RoGo
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Posted 12/11/2013 7:30 PM (GMT -8)
Disturbed, thank you so much for the well-wishes and the info about fluoride - that's really interesting. I do use a water filter - not sure if my shower filters water too.

Butterfly, I'm really sorry that you are going through this, too. I hope that you have been able to find at least some relief! It is really difficult to feel this way, have to cancel on friends who don't understand, etc. when you're only in your 20s. I hate feeling like I have to sleep most of the day, but the worst symptom for me is the brain fog, confusion, and depression :/ I feel like my brain is wasting away.

Everyone, I saw my psychiatrist, and he was understanding and sympathetic, although he didn't want to prescribe me Armour or any T3 meds because he felt doing so was out of his comfort zone. He told me that he has hypothyroidism too and so does his mother, and the fact that it runs in my family is a strong factor in the possibility of developing the condition myself.

He prescribed me 12.5 mcg of Levothyroxine for two weeks, then 25 mcg for two weeks, and then hopefully I will be seeing a specialist (that was what my psych wanted.) I have taken two days worth of the Levo and is it possible that I am actually feeling MORE tired, dizzy, and spacey? Or am I just imagining this?

Does anyone have any advice, experience, etc. with Levothyroxine, Armour, or Cytomel? If my Free t3 and Free t4 are low does that mean I need both t4 and t3 medication, or is it a possibility that my body will be able to convert the t4 itself? I'm sorry, all of this is confusing and overwhelming to me.
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jujub
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Posted 12/11/2013 8:17 PM (GMT -8)
RoGo, it takes six weeks for thyroid replacement meds to have an effect, so any changes you're feeling now are probably not from the meds. It could well be that, expecting to feel better with medication, your disappointment causes these feelings. Give it time, and I'm sure the endo will retest your thyroid function when you she him or her.

Most people do convert the T4 to T3; if that doesn't happen they will likely add T3 to the mix when it becomes apparent from your blood levels and symptoms.
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RoGo
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Posted 12/12/2013 11:38 AM (GMT -8)
Judy2, you have brought so much comfort to me this afternoon. I think you are absolutely right and I am expecting the medicine to work already which is, of course, ludicrous, and then when my reality doesn't match up to my expectations my feelings of disappointment trick me into thinking I am having all these side effects, when really I am not experiencing anything different than normal. Thank you so much, I really needed to read that.

I am so so so foggy today. I keep finding reviews of levothyroxine online (probably should stop looking...) and I see all these complaints! People are talking about how it made them gain weight, feel more slow and made their memory/cognition worse, made them lose hair...ahhhh! Aren't those just symptoms of hypothyroidism, though? Wouldn't that just mean that they are not on an adequate dose of medication? Then they say that when they stop the levo, the symptoms go away! "Nocebo" effect, maybe?

Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Can't wait for this brain fog to go away...
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jujub
Elite Member
Joined : Mar 2003
Posts : 10424
Posted 12/12/2013 4:17 PM (GMT -8)
Not ludicrous at all, RoGo. We take medicine, we expect to feel better. We've been conditioned that way by drug advertising, by doctor shows on television (everything is cured in the course of that hour-long show). I do highly suggest you step away from Dr. Google. Remember that not everyone on the internet is knowledgable, smart or even honest. In the past dozen years I've encountered more than a few that are just wacky.

And our minds are powerful convincers. I remember when my mother was terminally ill, I went home after a week of helping care for her (for a two day break), and began to have trouble seeing. Fortunately I was able to realize that my brain was just trying to prevent me from having to witness what was going on, but it was frightening for just a bit.
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lmks
New Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 19
Posted 12/12/2013 6:38 PM (GMT -8)
I'd like to jump in, if I may. I was in the same condition that you were, about 2 years ago. All of my labs work, and I mean I went through the gamut of labs, and 2 specialists, that my endo, thank God for him, found out that I had adrenal failure. And found out that You can die from this! it took approximately 5 months, three doctors, and lab, after lab, after lab, to finally get me the correct diagnosis. I feel for you because I was in the same condition. I don't know about your labs and the T4, but I just know that my adrenal glands we're very dangerously low.

hope this helps.

Lmks
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disturbed33
New Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 13
Posted 12/13/2013 11:41 AM (GMT -8)
Did you get a specific diagnoses yet to what is causing this. Do you have thyroid problems that the doctors confirmed.
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kim123
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 1201
Posted 12/13/2013 5:49 PM (GMT -8)
Just a thought...After I was diagnosed with Hashi's and had been on medication for a time, I continued to complain of extreme fatigue, brain fog, low sex drive, etc. My doctor, on impulse, suggested I be tested for the mthfr gene mutation, of which chronic fatigue and other diseases can be associated. Up to 40% of the population can have at least one of the gene mutations and not know it. Bingo! I had two gene mutations show up on the blood tests. (Not so good, however). After researching it, it made sense why I had so many chronic health conditions throughout my life. I now have to take methyl B12 since my body can't break it down from foods. I also had my adrenal glands tested and tests indicated they were very low functioning, another reason for the fatigue. My hormones were also way our of whack, so I'm taking biodentical hormone replacement, which has also helped a lot. Maybe look into any of these to see if it may be something to get tested for?? Again, just a thought. Your symptoms sure sound like mine were before I was diagnosed with Hashi's.
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RoGo
New Member
Joined : Nov 2013
Posts : 12
Posted 12/13/2013 6:36 PM (GMT -8)
Judy, Lmks, Disturbed, Kim, thank you guys all so much for your help. I will have to make this reply short as I am feeling particularly sick and depressed right now :(

Judy, I am really sorry to hear about your mother, and it's so true that our minds are incredibly powerful. I do think I need to step away from "Dr. Google" (lol!) But it's so difficult! I feel so tired and ill all the time and it's like my obsession with my illness has consumed me. Nothing else interests me enough except reading about people who have gotten better because of X or Y or Z. I think that is part of my problem though (obviously.)

Lmks, thank you so much for the adrenal failure tip. I plan on asking my doctor about that as soon as they can hook me up with a specialist/endo instead of my PA. They keep needing to do all of this expensive bloodwork and since everything comes out "normal" they won't refer me. I am getting so tired of it.

Disturbed, I don't have an official diagnosis yet - mostly because no one will take me seriously, and everyone pretty much thinks this is all in my head. My mom is a single mother and she hardly makes enough money to pay the rent and I don't even work enough to pay off my medical bills. So seeing a specialist is hard to afford. I wish I had an official diagnosis so at least I would know what the hell I was dealing with.

Kim, that is very interesting. Do you think if I were to see a doctor who specializes in Chronic Fatigue then they would be able to run those tests? I don't really know what to do or who to see at this point. Who does hormone tests? Is that an endocrinologist thing?

Oh gosh, you guys. I don't know how the heck I am going to be able to afford all these tests :( What do I do?

********BTW, I have been on 12.5 mcg of Levo for three days now. The last two nights I have been experiencing marked restless legs, insomnia, and today I woke up with my heart beating very hard and difficulty breathing. I also felt very nervous. Is this a sign of an allergic reaction? Is my medication turning me hyPERthyroid? Is that possible? Has anyone had an experience like this? I didn't take the med today because I got way too scared.
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disturbed33
New Member
Joined : Dec 2013
Posts : 13
Posted 12/13/2013 11:14 PM (GMT -8)
The reason i ask this is why did they put you on a med for thyroid. Your story is almost exactly like mine. If you think your having side effects from a med than you are. Its not in your head and you never get used to side effects either. Im not here to be a ball buster by any means but if you havnt been diagnosted with any medical condition Beware of meds because meds mask they dont cure. Im not against meds for illnesses that need treatment but being a heavy medication guy since 17 years old it can turn into a very dark road. I know when i couldnt get help and the doctors didnt believe me along with my own mother i thought meds were going to take care of me but they sent me to the emergency room multiple times from side effects alone. I hope you dont take my message the wrong way but i have been through it all with my chronic fatigue thats what i call it and we are both in our 20s so we are young yet. If it makes you feel any better i know how you feel yesterday just walking to the kitchen i was panting out of breath. I didnt even want to go to the bathroom because i became winded even moving. Then that night i was just watching tv before bed and my heart started pounding like i had just got done running a marathon and i was breathing like a dog. This sends me into panic attacks everytime but then it passes. Its very uncomfortable and scary. Im not even nervous when this happens, i know its just part of my chronic fatigue. Some days will be better than others with that. I sure hope you find closure on what your going through and if you have questions or need to relate im usually on here. Good luck.
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