HYPERTHYROID

highervibes

Start tracking your food and you will know for sure.

fabafter5

I'm hypo not hyper but I would get your levels checked. I had to switch brands of meds because the generic version wasn't keeping my levels stable

This! My levels were still off so I got a prescription for Syntrhroid instead of the generic. My doc said that by law generic prescriptions can have up to a 20% variable rate in either direction. If you are on a small dose this could mean a lot as far as keeping you regulated.

lithezebra

Who told you your thyroid was hyper?

People told me that every time I complained but it turned out that my thyroid is fine.

I am with you on this one. Because of weight gain the doctors kept trying to explain it away as a thyroid issue and continued testing me over and over. The problem was simple, serving size and calorie consumption.

I had the opposite problem, a nurse practitioner telling me I wasn't hypothyroid, because I wasn't overweight, even though my thyroid test showed that I was.

9thChakra

Hi, Everyone.

Just happened to be surfing and figured I'd check in on anyone dealing with Graves' Disease lately. I've thought about putting my healing story up on the internet somewhere (just so others can see what worked for someone else and get ideas) but I haven't as of yet so here it goes. Hope you find what works for you...I'm not a doctor or nutritionist but I like knowing about my body, especially when something goes wrong.

The Shortest Version I'm capable of:

-Started feeling weird late 2006, went to Dr., tested thyroid b/c my mom had problems at my age.
-TSH levels confirmed hyper, radioactive-iodine uptake confirmed Graves'.
-Endo recommended some med (I forget what) to "calm thyroid down" and I'd have to take for 1 1/2 to 2 years to see if it worked and if not get my thyroid removed or zapped, then be on hormones for life.

What I did:

-I said thank you, took nothing and started looking up things about the role of the thyroid and the endocrine system (all the while feeling SUPER ****ty...like I was hungover constantly)

What I "discovered":

-Learned the glands of the endocrine system were in a line like those "things" I had learned about in that yoga class I had taken for a year, 5 years earlier.
-Researched those "things" and found they were called chakras.
-Felt a bit outta my element with that idea so decided to track down that yoga teacher (found out she had moved back to England but got her email and wrote to her about what was happening to me).

What She said:

-Don't panic.
-Trust yourself.

BEST ADVICE EVER!

-She also recommended the book "The Thyroid Solution."

What I did next:

-I read a lot. The book that helped me the most was "Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism"

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Well-Graves-Disease-Hyperthyroidism/dp/0060730196

Why it helped:

-I resonated with a small bit of info I found in it - Iron, Copper and Zinc work together in the body. A theory presented was that too much of one can deplete the others. Further, supposedly, too little copper could contribute to hyperthyroidism.
- DING, DING!! I had been taking Zinc pills (prior to diagnoses). Once diagnosed I also was told I was anemic (low iron) - WHOA! Too much Zinc may have contributed to my low copper (Graves') and low iron (anemia).

What I did once this all started clicking:

-I decided I wanted my approach to be least invasive to most invasive.
-I decided I wanted to be open-minded and maybe try stuff that I thought was weird and a bit "wacko" but supposedly might help (like Reiki).
-DID NOT want to take any more pills for minerals and decided to research foods and nutritional info more thoroughly.
-Made a plan.

Here's what I did:

-Looked up foods low in zinc but high in copper and iron. (I used Nutrition Data Nutrient Search Tool)

http://nutritiondata.self.com/tools/nutrient-search

-I increased those foods in my diet and really reduced anything with zinc (lots of foods and cough drops add zinc)
-I stopped consuming alcohol and sweets (mainly because I felt SUPER crappy if I had alcohol or anything with too much sugar)
-But I missed beer so researched beer. BASS ALE is brewed in copper - COOL. That's one of my favs. When I really wanted a beer I only had one and only Bass.
-I bought cast iron skillet and cooked in that.
-Buckwheat groats became my breakfast grain
-I tried Reiki and had a GREAT experience with it. Just went the one time for the Graves' but have seen the same person about 3 more times since for other things. (I called around before just going to someone. Made sure I liked their vibe).
-I incorporated mediation, visualization (of my thyroid healing) as well as this cool breathing exercise where you put your chin to your chest and inhale quickly and deeply and, if done properly, it feels as though you are breathing through your throat. Repeat 4 times. [I had a phenomenal experience with this...the lump I felt in my throat (that doctors could not feel) went away during this exercise].
-I started craving cruciferous vegetables only to discover later that they help calm the thyroid down!

http://thyroid.about.com/od/symptomsrisks/a/All-About-Goitrogens-thyroid.htm

-I read about chakras and did stuff for the throat chakra

http://chakraenergy.com/

The BIG THING I did:

-Of all the things I did I personally think that one has helped my thyroid the most. In reading about the throat chakra, somewhere it was recommended that a person with a blocked throat chakra may have something to say. The info I read mentioned healing methods such as singing or reading poetry or talk therapy. While a lot of that sounded good I knew talk therapy was likely the best option and I might as well give it a try.

-I used the Psychology Today website to find someone in my area that I liked.

End Result so far:

-Within a few months of making these changes in my life my thyroid calmed down. I NEVER TOOK MEDICATION.
-I have still been in therapy on and off over the past 7 years. A lot of things have come up. There have been a lot of things I've never talked about with others and I personally think that my body turned to Graves' to help me get to therapy. I am currently dealing with some big issues which are difficult but I know 100% that this is what I'm supposed to be doing.
-I never went to the Endo again after that first visit but my regular doctor as well as my GYN continue to monitor my thyroid levels regularly. I'm no longer anemic but close so I have to watch my iron. My doctors know everything I've done and I'm very fortunate to have their support in what I do. They also know of my therapy. Including my doctors on this step was a great choice for me because they know a lot of my physical aliments come from what I am working through emotionally. (I take no meds at all...not that I don't think they work for some, but I knew that wasn't what I needed at this time. It has been a very good choice for me).

Oh yeah, one more thing that is kinda weird but I REALLY think it helped:

-One day, early on, I felt really sucky and super tired. For me, no matter how long I slept I felt tired and as if I was hungover. I had the thought that it felt as if my blood was poisoned. I decided I wanted to donate blood. Now...please understand...I am NOT a blood/needle fan at all. But I felt so bad and I just wanted the "bad blood" out.
-Even though this was just my theory, I didn't want to make anyone sick by donating Graves' blood. I researched the requirements...here's a good place to start:

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements

-Somewhere I found that if I had the meds in my system I couldn't donate. But that was cool...I didn't take any.
-But I felt like crap..so I waited until I felt a bit better.
-But my iron was low....that's okay...they don't take it if your low. They send you home with a list of foods to eat to increase your iron. I ate those like mad and was good to go.
-Donated blood a few times fairly regularly. (maybe 5-7 times since 2007).

---

Interesting side note:

During all my research I read about how one's eyes can bug out due to the pressure. To me, my eyes felt strange and one even seemed a bit more "open" than usual. I included my optometrist on what was going on and he measured my eye pressure for me. It fell within the normal range (but at the high end). Thing is...he's tested my eye pressure several times since that bout of Graves' and my eye pressure (while still within the normal range) has never been as high as during that first visit.

---

DON'T PANIC.

TRUST YOURSELF.

FEEL BETTER.

With Love,

9thChakra

Fuzzipeg

9th Chakra,

what a story. I agree there are so many issues which go into making a body over or under function. In what ever you do it is good to take your doctor along with you, or find one who is open minded enough to listen and possibly learn.

At the end of January I am off to the immunology clinic for my salicylate issues. I have come a long way from, thyroid problems-feeling so very cold for one, tired, desperately over weight and bloated, joint pain, and what felt like it might have been ME or something related, everything had been put down to depression by my doctor, I am no longer depressed and with salicylate greatly avoided I have a more active, better life, more stamina than I had 20 and more years ago and when weight and size are taken into the picture I am smaller that at the same weight before. I'm finding a new me

knabstruppe

Hi I have the same diagnosis and the same weight problem, I have totally changed my eating habits, eat metabolism boosting foods, exercise at least 1 1/2 a day, in almost 4 months I have lost 3kg, nothing now for 6 weeks, the only way weight comes off is if I starve myself 500-600 calories a day and I know that's not good. I have bloodworks every 4 months and still my levels increase. Last week I stopped taking my pill at night and went back to mornings so I had 2 in 8 hours, best I have felt in years, due another blood test next week hopefully Doc will up my dose. Happy that I am not the only ONE

marylintello

Just because you're hyperthyroid doesn't mean you're going to lose weight! I have HYPER and I actually gained weight and its depressing because I used to be really skinny and always in shape. So I started working out and run about 3-4 miles a day. Im not sure if I lost weight yet. Ive only been at it 3 weeks but always wear a heart rate monitor to track your heart rate because hyperthyroid does cause tachycardia. And dont do intense exercises unless your doctor says it ok. Always ask your doctor if its ok to exercise and make sure you eat healthy.

AHousel76

Just because you're hyperthyroid doesn't mean you're going to lose weight! I have HYPER and I actually gained weight and its depressing because I used to be really skinny and always in shape. So I started working out and run about 3-4 miles a day. Im not sure if I lost weight yet. Ive only been at it 3 weeks but always wear a heart rate monitor to track your heart rate because hyperthyroid does cause tachycardia. And dont do intense exercises unless your doctor says it ok. Always ask your doctor if its ok to exercise and make sure you eat healthy.

100% AGREE! For those that are trying to correct the member regarding HYPO and HYPER- DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE (heehee couldn't resist). I am struggling massively with weight gain/loss and I DO HAVE Graves Disease. I have a bottle of Methimazole 10mg 4 and a 1/2 pills that I take to prove it (which has gotten it under control by the way).

I track my weight, 95% of the time prepare my own food (with the exception of Boca Burgers), light exercise 6 days a week 30-40 min and 1250 calories food intake or less (never below 950) and drink 110oz of water daily. Lost 7lbs my 1st week! But then.... got my period (GRR) and that ended 2 days ago. Heading into week #2 and I can feel that the weight has stopped melting off

Not sure what's going on but read something about people with HYPER and Graves Disease holding onto severe water weight. Maybe it's sneaky Sodium, but never had a problem with that before when i was at goal so...really lost here.

Very frustrating and not sure what to do or whats causing the slow down. My fingers are still pudgy, but they have been pudgy for so long cant tell if its water or what. I can still see the veins in my feet, so not 100% sure it's water all together.

Is it the remnants of mother nature? Thyroid? Just need to give it time? Get a prescribed water pill from the doctor to flush the water out?

Any other ladies with Graves Disease or Thyroid issues experiencing the roller coaster? Guys can chime in also, but not sure how you would comment on the period experience, even though I know some of you have periods too! BUT THAT'S A DIFFERENT POST!

StephanieBurckhard87

I'm same as you. I am in the 5% of people who has hyperthyroid and I gain or mantain my weight. It's super awful. I want to try with Yoga an just going for a walk to avoid intense exercises.