how’s it going? back in toronto now, but cycling mostly - no tri for a while! anyway, i have thyroid disease and take a big dose of snythroid daily (for the rest of my life!). had hashimoto’s in 99/2000, and i went from taking my AG at long-course nationals in '98 to sleeping 14hours a day and struggling in olympic-distance tris thereafter. the campus docs brushed it off as “exam-time flu” until i went to the sports meds at the athletic center - they pounced right away and i got diagnosed. seriously, keep a close eye on your free T3/4 and TSH for the rest of your life. you’ve now had one ‘episode,’ and the symptoms can be really subtle - fatigue, depression, etc etc. note too that some doctors try to downplay things: some lazy docs tell me i only need to get my blood tested every couple of years! i’ve had my dosage changed several times, though, and still like to get tests run every 6 months or whenever i feel logey. i always wonder now how long the problem was going on for before it got really serious and i was diagnosed. i literally think it was years.
thyroid problems are way more common than many people realize, and are HUGELY misdiagnosed. they get called everything from depression to ADD to whatever.
The EXACT same things have been going on with me. Sluggishness, being tired even after 9 hrs sleep, mild irritability. I also experience sensitivity to cold. I suspected anemia as well after researching on the Internet. This all started a winter or two ago and I would tell my doc about it but he would blow it off due to one thing or another. Recently I finally changed docs and she did a thorough blood test. What she found were TSH levels off the charts (mine was a 14!). I’ve since had another blood test to confirm the results but I’m still waiting to hear. I also had an ultrasound of my thyroid to check for polyps or any other bad news brewing. Unfortunately I’m still waiting to get on meds, but I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. I hope my fix is as easy as yours. It actually turns out a few of my cousins are hypothyroid which is something I didn’t know until recently. Did you have any other tests to aid in finding the correct dosage? By the way, this may or may not be related, but do you get sick a lot?
You might be able to take liquid iodine supplement, instead of the perscription replacement. I have not shown abnormal thyroid tests, nor had I been suffering from being tired all the time; however, a doctor (chiro not M.D.) suggested the iodine, and I not only feel more energetic, I have less of a problem with dry skin and cold feet/hands.
I’ve been away for a while. Glad I picked today to come on back. I can relate to your issues like you don’t even know.
Oh to be only 6 or 14, that would be nice. I’ve got you blokes beat tenfold and then some. My first reading was a TSH level of 237. Yes 237. Basically my thyroid was cranking out so much stimulating hormone, it was wearing itself out. I too had all the sluggishness, depression, irritability, constipation (OK, TMI), weight gain (30 pounds in two years) and the list goes on.
After a year I was finally sent to an endocrinologist who immediatley diagnosed my problem and got me on synthetic thyroid hormone therapy. WOW, what a difference. I have energy again, I’m a much happier guy and don’t shit jacks anymore.
If you think you may have hypothyroidism, check out the book “living well with hypothyroidism”. It’s got a symptoms list to help you out. Also have the doc do the full thyroid panel, not just TSH. (includes TSH, free t3, t-4, and thyroid antibodies tests) You want to know where in the Thyroid cascade your problem is. And don’t let them tell you you are “in the range of normal” and tat’s all they can do for you if you don’t feel normal. The clinical range for normal is .5 to 5.5, I feel like shit at anything above 2.0 so I work with my doc to tweak my dose every now and then until we got it just right.
Dave,
Glad to hear you’re feeling better. What with exams and all I neglected to ask how you were feeling lately. Then again, you forgot to mention that your NEW fatigue is probably due to the large amount of time you’ve been spending with your new woman.
Regarding someone’s post here about the iodine supplement, it’s highly unlikely this would have much effect (other than placebo) since it is incredibly uncommon for someone in North America/Europe etc to be iodine deficient (you’re better off getting tested and starting levothyroxine). Since the 50’s (I think) lots of foods have been iodine fortified and this has led to the virtual (not complete) elimination of iodine-deficient-hypothyroidism. If you eat anything remotely ressembling a “western” diet, you’ll get more than enough iodine. That said, when I went to India 2 years ago I saw a fair amount of iodine deficiency.
I’d be interested in finding out how the hell you got them to prescribe the meds. My girlfriend can’t get her endo to prescribe any. Her “#s” are still within the normal range but have been climbing. Thyroid problems run in her family and her mother’s side (several people are on meds). In the last 5 years (age 22-27) she went from being completely sedintary and eating like a pig (I call it as I see it) to doing 2-4 hours a week of cardio, eating NO junk food (lots of veggies) and keeping her caloric intake @ 1200 to 1500 calories a day. In fact, her basil meatabolism alone should have her losing weight.
Anyway, what have been the results of this new healthy lifestyle? She has low energy levels and has gained 25 pounds!
Is there anything you can tell me that might help?
Conte said that in 2003 he gave “the full enchilada” of banned drugs to Chambers, the British champion: “the clear,” insulin, EPO, growth hormone, “the cream” and even the prescription stimulant modafinil. Chambers was banned for life from the Olympics after testing positive for THG.
Conte said White got the same drugs as Chambers, along with "a new drug I’d started using, thyroid hormone T-3.
“It makes all the other drugs work more effectively by accelerating metabolic rate,” Conte continued. “You feel light as a feather.”
Hey, I found some studies on the web, looking at the different levels, mine was slightly over, one dr said he would have persribed me them right away, other said no (one i went to go see). So, went back to her, armed with these studies, the fact the meds (levothroxin) doesn’t really have any side effects, and that dr’s are changing how they percribe this, if you have the symptoms, treat it, Dr’s arn’t been told to stick to the guildlines in any strict way… so thats what i used with my dr! Also told her about my weight gain despite intense exercies, and crazy sleeping! hope it helps! I definatly know its sucks!!
One of the problems that Sarah runs into (just got off the phone with her) is that her levels ARE “normal.” However, because of her family history and the fact that she’s diabetic (type I), she’s read that a lot of doctors will go ahead and prescribe it.
The most frustrating part is that her dr doesn’t offer any alternatives other than eat less and exercise more.
ummm, see that i can’t help you with, see another dr?? (proper endocrinologist). The TSH test is pretty reliable unfortunatly so they’rs not much leeway there, but apparently whats being taught now, is diagnose based more on the sypmtoms then on the actual test numbers. Sorry I can’t help more!
I agree with Karma, dont just rely on TSH and T4 only. I have a tri friend who didn’t feel better on T4 only, but felt better on T3 included. Took him 2 yrs of feeling terrible until he figured it out!!!
Barry, I had the same problem along with some cardiac issues. My husband, a physician and athlete, suggested that I be tested for thyroid dysfunction. Viola, the test came in the lower range of normal. My husband feels that as athletes we can not use the normal ranges of some of these tests. He was able to prescribe a low dose of thyroid med for me. this changes everything. I lost a lot of weight, heart problems are gone and, more importantly, i have the energy be my NORMAL self.
I really think that on has to shop (for lack of a better word) for a doctor that is in your line of thinking-usually another athlete who happens to be a doctor-
While I do work in pharmacology, I a) would never take drugs, I don’t even really like taking advil for pain, b) take it for a legitimate medical problem which doesn’t affect me that seriously, but does affect many others. So it pains me greatly that you would even suggest that jokingly
A cyclist friend of mine actually did need thyroid medication. He was so happy once he was on it - now in his mid-30s, he said he felt like he was 18 again!