Advice for no energy?

[laden]

I eat a very balanced diet, take vitamins, get exercise and I'm still tired all the time.

I have read several articles about hypothyroidism and I match the symptoms: cold all the time, lack of energy, slightly depressed, etc. But when I had a physical about 1 1/2 years ago they took a blood sample and said that wasn't it.

Anybody got a clue?

[Zinnia]

Hi laden,
I recently posted a Crock-Pot recipe on the other board to ya too http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif! When I was 15 during a school physical the Dr. discovered my right thyroid gland was alot bigger than my left one. I went to a specialist, they did tests & discovered I indeed had hypothyroidism. (I also had these symptoms; cold feet & hands, fatigue, modest weight gain w/ less appetite, dry skin, depression)..I started taking medication everyday & was told to take a blood test every year to check my levels. I was told it would "never" go away & not to forget my meds-take them everyday. After I turned 27 I was told that I no longer have it-it went away, stop the meds, etc. Now that I am 35, I can honestly say I am experiencing the same symptoms all over again-(just like yours), and made an appt. last week to get tested again next mo.
Like you I am healthy (I think!!), exercise,
eat right, etc. My advice would be to ask the advice of a specialist, & get another blood test. Sorry for rambling-I am no expert or Dr. but I feel the same as you AND had (but still think I have) hypothyroidism. I guess I will know more in a few weeks, huh? I know it's possible it could be something else, but at the same time I've seen this subject more and more lately in mags since I had it which was a LONG time ago, http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif(articles like, "the hidden disease",
"what's wrong w/ me"). Good luck to you- Take care & have a good day laden http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Zinnia

P.S. This would be a good subject for CL to feature in one of their "Healthy Living" articles, don't ya think?

[Christine]

It seems like with thyroid tests, as with some others, they don't tell you if you're borderline, some doctors and nurses really downplay thyroid and blood sugar test results. Maybe you should try to get a second opinion on what your thyroid.

[laden]

Thanks so much for the info and encouragement! My doctor seemed "amused" that I had come up with a possible diagnosis of hypothyroidism. He did one simple blood test and told me it was not a thyroid problem. He said I was probably under a lot of stress and to get more sleep.Nothing seems to help though.

After everyone's advice I'm going back in for a physical and I'll ask for several tests and maybe visit a specialist. The way I feel just doesn't seem normal.

I'll let you know my findings.

[lisad]

Laden and Zinnia--
I've just actually finished editing a piece on hypothyroidism for Cooking Light--It will be in the October issue. I assigned it precisely because it's so hard to diagnose. Apparently, there are three ways of testing for it: Two blood tests, the TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) and free-T4 tests, should help diagnose the problem once and for all. Doctors can also check for levels of antibodies in the blood that can signal thyroid inflammation. I don't know if your doctor gave you these specific tests; it might be worth it for you to ask for them. Experts suggest that they be part of your physicals after age 35. I hope both of you find out the cause of your symptoms--please check in again and let me know. Thanks, and good luck! Lisa Delaney, Cookinglight.com editor.

[njwgood]

Laden, you might also check your iron, my husband was dragging and he found he was severly anemic. Eat lots of bright colored vegetables, take Vitamin C, helps with absorbtion of iron. Originally posted by laden:
Thanks so much for the info and encouragement! My doctor seemed "amused" that I had come up with a possible diagnosis of hypothyroidism. He did one simple blood test and told me it was not a thyroid problem. He said I was probably under a lot of stress and to get more sleep.Nothing seems to help though.

After everyone's advice I'm going back in for a physical and I'll ask for several tests and maybe visit a specialist. The way I feel just doesn't seem normal.

I'll let you know my findings.

[honey_bear]

Hi,
I have dealt with the same symptoms coldness, lack of energy, and depression; however, my doctor concluded that mine was related to another medical issue. In the course of trying to determine the cause, she did administer checks for electrolyte imbalance, blood cell counts, as well as some other tests. Perhaps a blood profile could eliminate these potential items. My doctor also metioned that it could be related to protein intake (I am a vegetarian.) That might be an option as well.

Take care,
honey

[Kat]

I never thought I had a "problem" with being tired but I went to see an acupuncturist for another problem and one of the many benefits of the treatment is that once your "chi" is flowing correctly, it solved problems you never knew you had. For me, my sleep improved tremendously and I had a lot more energy. I stopped having migraines (I didn't go in for treatment of migraines, either) and felt soooo much better. It seems acupuncture is great for chronic problems. I wish you luck! By the way, two of my friends who are vegetarians are always tired and suffering from headaches. I used to be one but didn't feel very healthy while eating a strict vegetarian diet. Once I limiited my carbohydrate intake and increased my protein, I felt great.

[PCChefDebbie]

I have a very low thryoid (hypothyroidism) and have learned that the normal blood test that doctors have done test a chemical that tells you how much thyroid your brain thinks you have running around in your body. If you have a full spectrum thyroid test I believe it was posted earlier as to the exact name. That tests how much thyroid is actually in your blood.

My brain say's I have too much running around in my body,and they doctors are always trying to lower my dosage, but when the complete test are taken it shows that what my brain says is inconsistent with what is actually in my system.

My doctor is now having me do a basal body temperature (take temp before getting out of bed every day for a week) this tells him whether or not the thyroid in my system is actually being utilized. He said the basal temp method is the only way to test how wellyour body is using the hormone.

Anyway this is the info I have learned from 5 years of having a thyroid so low, my doc said I was getting out of bed by sheer willpower. Hope it helps. It's obviously in very layman terms.