Newly diagnosed hyperthyroidism

[DeliciousLaugh]

Greetings, this is my first time on the list since i was only just diagnosed
today with hyperthyroidism. doc first noted it in a recent blood test, took
more blood, took a thyroid sonogram, and next week a CT scan of the thyroid.
So i've been doing what i love best and that is, research. the doc said that
depending on what the CT scan results tell her, i will either get PTU or
Tapazole, neither of which, reading about these, appeal to me in the least! It
appears that these medications just weaken the thyroid and potentially, i could
become hypo, not to mention the potential for other problems down the line with
continued use of these drugs.

i'm a 53 woman. she says it's "hereditary." Although i don't know anyone in
my family with thyroid problems, it doesn't mean they don't have, since a lot
of thyroid problems go undiagnosed in this country.

i would ordinarily look for natural alternatives to care for myself and am
seriously troubled by having to take such intense medications into my system.
for the last 20+ i have mostly been eating really good food - mostly organic,
cooked by myself, including fresh salads, tofu and organic chicken, never
eating red meat, pork or veal. however, i am not very consistent with it and
go off on sugar and creamy tangents, lost in mousse, half-and-half, etc. we
won't even go into chocolate binges and late night ben & jerry. but this
doesn't last and i go back again to eating delicious foods. so there is some
semblance of balance in my life.

And now this. if i knew of a complete herbal system to treat hyperthyroidism,
i would consider it before taking serious medications.

my main complaints are tiredness, headaches, sleeplessness, and nervousness.
the reason i'm not in deep suffering with any of these for any serious length
of time like days or weeks on a very regular basis is because i also do several
meditations per week that help relax me - so there is that balance. but it's
not enough.

i wonder if there are people on this list who have hyperthyroidism who are on
any of the two drugs i mentioned above, and if so, if they would care to share
their experiences. i do realize that each of us are unique and that much of our
physical experiences are our own, but i would still love to hear anything about
these two drugs - i've certainly read more than enough to make me very
concerned.

At the same time, i would also like to hear from those individuals who are the
type to take complete responsibility for their illness, who are either on the
drugs or not on the drugs PTU or Tapazole with hyperthyroidism, but who at the
same time, take super care of their bodies, especially with supplementation,
alternative medicine (chinese, ayurvedic, etc.), and what type of diet they
have whereby they actually feel well or a whole lot better than they have
before. Links would be fine, as well. Thank you!!!
Deva

[valkyrie liles]

Hi there,

I'm pretty new here myself, and it's been very informative reading and getting
responses from folks here, so welcome.

I'm 27, a female, with a form of hyperthyroidism called Graves Disease. I started
taking PTU about 3 weeks ago. I have always been into alternative healing myself,
usually chinese medicine, exercise, diet, accupuncture etc. However, when I was
diagnosed I felt a huge sense of relief because I had been trying SO hard for
several years to get better with very little luck.

I thought that it was something *I* was doing wrong, and many doctors held this
belief at well, I was somewhat of a joke with the doctors, the panicky girl, the
hypochondriac, I was even treated for panic disorder with drugs until I said
"enough". Then they wanted to give me anti-deppressants, etc. my goodness.. you
get the idea.

The point is, if you have been diagnosed quickly, if you have not had long
suffering worry over what is wrong with you, if you don't have the desire for
something... anything to ease your symptoms, then I feel you could follow through
with all the natural remedies etc you like.

I personally do both, I continue with my alternative healing practices and believe
in treating my whole body. but I take the PTU and have already noticed several
improvements. It would also be a good idea to get the actual TSH and free T-4
levels from your blood work, have the thyroid scan and look over all the results
with your doctor and on your own.

I think one thing you'll here from people here is that it's important to take a
proactive role in this, we thyroid patients, many of us anyway, have lots of
stories like mine above. We talk, read and ultimately I think (or so it seems) we
do what we *know* is right for our bodies..taking into account, actual facts,
numbers blood levels etc. and also what we feel. We are the ones that wake up with
our bodies and emotions every day, not the docs.

I hope this has been helpful

Val

[DeliciousLaugh]

thanks for your reply. i'll let you know how it goes.
Deva

[Barry Davis]

Chances are Menopause or a lot of stress problems like caring for elderly
parents on top of menopause changes have triggered this inherited weakness

Other Auto Immune diseases are very likely to be in your family its finding
out about them thats the problem .

You are right to seek alternative treatments and suspect that either a good
Homeopath or Chines Herbalist would be of help

[DeliciousLaugh]

Hi all
I joined this newsgroup yesterday during one of my "quiet" freakouts, learning
about the hyperthyroidism. I have since talked to many people, one who is a
good friend for many years who has had this condition and who treated it
totally naturally years ago.

She has experience being on all the medications, had her thyroid partially
surgically removed, etc. I am not taking the RAI they need for the CT scan and
not taking the scan at all.

For one month I will be involved in a very alternative and controversial
therapy. It's a long story, but I'd rather do this and take complete
responsibility for this condition.

Yes, it involves urine therapy, self-massage with urine on certain reflexology
points on scalp, back of neck and kidneys, no iodized salt, no tofu. Plus I
will be even more into eating the best possible foods i can eat.

She did most of these things years ago after the horror story with doctors, did
it for 3 months and went back to the doctor who was shocked to see her thyroid
at normal levels and she has continued to go back every year to check it out.

Some of you might be scrunching up your faces. I will report here about once a
week about what it is i am doing and how i'm doing it. If you all would rather
not, then I understand.

After educating myself and talking with people, i am convinced that the medical
establishment has brainwashed us all into believing this. There are
alternatives. Big time.

Deva

[lul...@my-deja.com]

Whenever I get a thyroid panel the only T3 reading they do is "T3
Uptake"; is that viable, or should I be asking for something else?

Thanks,
Lulu

Sent via Deja.com
http://www.deja.com/

[ElaineP]

The T3 uptake test doesn't measure T3, it measures the amount of binding
proteins. The lower the number the more binding proteins - the less hormone
(T4 and T3) will be in active form. T3 (not yours) is used to perform the
test - that's where the name comes from. If you want a T3 test.it needs to
say T3, or fT3 (free T3).

--
Elaine
remove spamfree to e-mail me
<lul...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:93qio5$4ih$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...

[Em]

You say you were told it's hereditary? My docs have told me that the
'actual' disease isn't hereditary. The 'gene' however - IS. Their story
goes that if anyone in the family has suffered with hyper, that gene
automatically gets passed down in the family generations. It takes some
kind of event, emotional stress, etc etc to set that gene into action. I
have no idea if it's true, but it makes you wonder. My first bout of
Thyroid set in just after I lost my grandfather.......emotional stress?

DeliciousLaugh <delicio...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010112151146...@ng-fr1.aol.com...

>
> i'm a 53 woman. she says it's "hereditary." Although i don't know anyone
in
> my family with thyroid problems, it doesn't mean they don't have, since a
lot
> of thyroid problems go undiagnosed in this country.
>

> Deva

[DeliciousLaugh]

strange that you should say that about you and your grandfather.

my russian friend who used to be hyper said that during one of her most
stressful period in her life, when her entire thyroid area at her neck was
enlarging, her long-term boyfriend up and left her. she just told me this
recently - that she cried for 9 hours straight - and that afterwards she was
surprised that her neck area looked entirely normal.

she also recently told me that in terms of organs being associated with
emotions, that the thyroid represented the "father factor." whatever that
means to anyone. It meant something to her and she told me that she did some
very intense inner work, looking at her relationship with her father and
wishing to resolve the issues involed.
I find this organ/emotion connection to be very interesting.
Deva

[Sara Avery]

>I find this organ/emotion connection to be very interesting.
>Deva

You might like the writing of Carolyn Myss. She's a medical intuitive who
writes about the kinds of connections you're talking about. I would
recommend "Anatomy of the Spirit" highly.

Sara

[mt...@umich.edu]

Deva, By all means do all you can to keep healthy and speed your path
to good heath........BUT..............it is very critical that you
also choose a medical treatment soon because untreated hyperthyroidism
can cause bone and muscle loss and heart damage. I applaud your
doctor for directing you first to medical treatment, PTU or Tapazole,
rather than RAI or surgery first. Both meds can allow you to go into
a remission (perhaps your alternate treatments could aid this.) but
protect your body by making you euthyroid. Yes, they can make you
hypo, but only temporarily if your dose is too high, and that is
reversible with a dose change or by doing block and replace therapy ie
adding thyroxine to your treatment. I have been treated with PTU, and
have had none of the admittedly bad but also quite rare side effects.
There simply is no definitive "natural" treatment for thyroid
disease,and I see nothing "natural" about "urine" treatment.
I do live a very heatlhy lifestyle dictated by long standing
hypertension, and believe we must be proactive in our care, BUT, that
does not mean paying someone lots of money for what they bill as
"natural healing".
Mag

In article <20010112151146...@ng-fr1.aol.com>,

[DeliciousLaugh]

Hi Mag
I am not paying a cent for alternative treatments, as I am treating myself.
The information that I have about urine therapy, I have known about for years
and it has helped me with some skin condition years back, and a gum infection.

The woman I am in touch with is a personal friend that I have not spoken to in
quite awhile. She is not a therapist or medical doctor. She cured herself of
hyperthyroidism using the method that I have begun yesterday and will continue
for 3 months. She had a very serious problem with her thyroid, back and forth
to doctors, and I remember her during this period of time in her life.

I am aware of the problems with the heart and I am educating myself about the
endocrine system, reading and discussing with others. My personal feeling is
that she did it, so can I, and with my enthusiasm and positive outlook, I do
not see why not.

I have cut out tofu and any foods containing iodine, although I have never
eaten much of either. The doctor told me my cholesterol was high and I am
doing something about that, diet-wise, whereas I was a part-time binger.

This condition has been going on for several years now before I got tested. My
health insurance will continue. I am giving myself one month on my
self-imposed regimen and then going back to the doctor for another blood test.
If there has been no change whatsoever, or the levels are higher, then I will
consider a CT Scan with RAIU and taking PTU.

I feel I can spare one month of my life dedicated to intense self-care - having
at least a possibility, a chance - before I jump into the testing drug hoop
that the docs are holding up for me!

I am my own doctor for myself. If I die trying to care for myself during this
one month, I would not have died in vain. This is my complete outlook on life
and I take full responsibility for myself in this choice.

If after one month, my condition worsens or is unchanged, then I'll talk
turkey.

I do thank you for your feedback anytime.
Deva

[DeliciousLaugh]

Thank you for the recommendation of the book. I too feel there is some deep
connection with the organs of our body to unsolved mysteries of painful human
memory repression.

As someone who has studied different forms of massage, I am also aware of
memories storied in muscles in specific areas of the body. It's so
fascinating.

"I cannot stomach him."
"He's got no guts."
"The gall of that woman."
"Have a heart."
"Take heart!"
"I want to cut out your liver."
"My blood ran cold."
"You're cock-eyed."
"He's got no back-bone."
"I've got to hand it to you."
"He's got the whole world on his shoulders."
"Will you back me?"
"Let's have a heart-to-heart talk."
"Knee-jerk reaction."
"He's a heel."
"Toe the line."
"Don't take any crap from him."

I'm sure there are tons more.

[mt...@umich.edu]

Deva, You are being very reasonable in your approach, and I agree, one
month isn't too long a time to put off "conventional therapy", but do
keep track of your heartrate and let your MD know if you get
tachycardic. I am a big believer in doing what works for you, and
alos know that we all too often want the easy fix (give me a pill,
doctor!) even if there are other ways of dealing with things. Yet, I
have found too often that credit is given to "cures" that are not
documented in any scientific way. Especially with autoimmune
diseases, the symptoms can come and go, and if there is no blinded
study, such cures are only anecdotal. I did try going to an
herbalist-boy, that was expensive!-and really believe in relaxation
methods, but have seen way too many alternative treatments that are
undocumented and expensive not to be cautious. Since no one is
profitting from your treatment, I am less skeptical, but do hope you
will keep in good touch with your MD.
Mag
In article <20010115114632...@ng-mp1.aol.com>,

[DEG]

I've been on PTU since March of last year, and, while my systems are not
"perfectly regulated" I'm in much better shape physically and emotionally
than I was a year ago, although I'm now more aware of fatigue and other
limitations which I couldn't recognize through the manic stages of hyperT.

As far as these drugs "weakening" the thyroid, it isn't necessarily the
drugs that do it -- it's more often the factors which are causing your
hyperthyroid state in the first place.

For example, I have Graves disease - which means my immune system has made
the decision that the certain cells in my thyroid gland are foreign matter,
and is attacking those cells with antibodies. In this case, as well as in
the case of Hashimoto's disease (which is one cause of hypOthyroid
conditions), the antibodies themselves, in their relentless attack, cause
the thyroid to eventually burn out and die, resulting in a hypOthyroid
state.

I don't recall the exact stats off-hand, but I have read a medical study
estimating that some very high (60+?) percent of hyper patients will
eventually go hypO within 10 years of diagnosis, even without killing
off the thyroid with radiation or surgery. That's why I'm giving the
meds a try.

I'm no doctor - just trying to read everything I can get my hands on. . .

Doris
Age 48
Graves Disease with Graves ophthalmopathy

DeliciousLaugh <delicio...@aol.com> wrote in article i will either get

[DeliciousLaugh]

I don't recall the exact stats off-hand, but I have read a medical study
estimating that some very high (60+?) percent of hyper patients will
eventually go hypO within 10 years of diagnosis, even without killing
off the thyroid with radiation or surgery. That's why I'm giving the
meds a try.

********
Well, i cancelled my CT Scan with RAIU and have an appt with an endocrinologist
on Monday. I'll have all the test scores (sonogram, blood and DXA) and results
in my hand (except a CT scan) tomorrow.

Today was the first day a trickle of doubt came into my heart. Reading
everything I can find about hyperthyroid. I spoke with my primary care doc by
phone yesterday, telling her I didn't want the CT scan right now, but I wanted
to see an endocrinologist. She said she remembers feeling a very small nodule
on the side of my thyroid, and that the reason for the CT scan was to rule out
other factors, and therefore, to know what drugs to use.

As I've said before, after reading all I can about the drugs, I am willing to
try a very alternative, drastic and controversial method, urine therapy. A lot
has been written about this therapy and there are plenty of web sites on the
subject. It does give me hope and I am very strict with the instructions given
to me about how to use this form of therapy.

After one month, I will be having my thyroid levels tested again. Then we
shall see. Now I am going to give my research on the web a rest because what I
read is not thyroid friendly.

But because of the type of therapy I am using for hyperthyroid, I know there
will be at least a few people on the list who would be interested in the
outcome. Good thing I'm not selling urine, eh? There are a number of
pharmaceutical preparations that use urine, by the way. And the drugs earn the
companies millions. One of them is Premarin - pregnant mare's urine. There
are several others. I'd rather just drink my own, thank you. Cheers!
Deva
p.s. It helps me in this journey to know that there is some interest on this
newsgroup as to the type of therapy. It is almost totally unrecognized by
western medicine. I would not suggest anyone try this unless they know what
they are doing, because it is also strong medicine. For example, I can not
have any drugs whatsoever while i am on the therapy, and there are specific
instructions regarding the therapy.

It helps me to know that I can report my findings in the form of how i'm
feeling and eventually the results of a second blood test. I'm really excited
about this whole thing - that other forms of alternative medicine are available
to people willing to try new things.

Thank you all for reading.