That thyroid is a fickle sucker!!!!!

[irish]

I had TSH done about 2 months ago and it was .14 so I had my .150 levothyroxin decreased to .137 for another 2 months. This time is was .11. I am losing ground!!!!! I do not do well when I am this low.

I am irritable, cry easily, weak, can't think worth $&%* and can't get anthing done cause of the weakness, endurance, brain freeze, etc. I also have these same symptoms when my TSH is like 9.0, 12.8 or 14.5. All of these readings caused me to be the same way.

I have decided that many times when I think I am nutz and out of sorts that my thyroid is "playing with me". I had so many times like this over the years and I just plain thought I was a weakling. My humble opinion is that my body is not co-operating at all. Just get one thing under control and something else flares up. Like duh!!!!!

I am just ranting cause between hubbies stroke and other stuff and then my thyroid it has been a pretty unproductive summer. I had planned to get more done when it cooled off and here I sit. Crap!!!!! Now, I feel better. I have to say that "crap" is really a very, very good word. Says it all. Thanks for listening. Irish

But, you look so good!!!

[Katybarstool]

Irish

But you (or your postings) always look good to me. I'm sorry you are having to go through all this crap, but you are an inspiration to me. I always read your posts and think to myself, 'that lady knows her stuff'.

Sending my very best wishes to you and your hubbie.

Kathyx   

[season]

But.....Irish.....I can tell from your posts that your are one tough, strong lady full of courage.

I send you my get-well-wishes.

[ohiolady]

Irish,

Sending you a big hug.  It is so frustrating when we can't do half what we wish we could.  Hopefully your endocrinologist will get this under control.

Anna

[Epson]

Irish,

Having Sjogren's means you have been touched by the fickle finger of fate, that's why your thyroid is fickle.

[Dolly Dimples]

 HI Irish, When YOU say you feel like crap, we all know you must be feeling really poorly,

    as it is usually us waiting for your advice on one thing or another, sooooo my friend,   

             curl up ,take it easy and don't fret over what you don't get done.

                Praying you soon feel better. Take care, we need you ,    Hugs, Dolly

[lynnmarie219]

((((((Irish))))))

"Crap" is a wonderful word to describe so many things that we may be feeling or going through!

I sure hope that you can get that thyroid under control and soon.....I never realized how much it can affect how we feel both physically and emotionally when it isn't right until mine went haywire!

Take good care of yourself......

[Patze]

Gentle hugs my friend!  And don't ever think that you're any less than the very capable and wonderful lady that you are!

Take special care of yourself and hubby -

Patze

[Scottietottie]

Hi Irish

So sorry you are feeling this way. I swear my thyroid has more to do with emotional changes and moods than SjS does. You're right - it sucks! I also feel the same whether its on a hypo or a hyper swing. The 'sweet' spot is good - but it seems to be horribly transitory.

Hope they manage to balance it out for you again. Also agree - stress doesn't help.

Take care - Scottie 

[gphx]

Say 'fickle sucker' 10 times fast...

[irish]

fickle sucker----fickle sucker, ficke thcker, fickly thucker, thickly thither----oh crapola!!!!

gphx, that was such a funny thought you came up with!!!!

Thanks to all who always cheer me up. I appreciate you all. I have been so short of patience the past 5 months or so. Here I thought that my TSH would be higher and I am still stuck in this no mans land.

On top of that I had another infection a couple of weeks ago and hardly off the antibiotic and another one started. Back on antibiotic. My ENT will see me the day before my next infusion and we will be setting a date for another exploratory, investigative, whatever you want to call it, under anesthesia. He has done this 3 times I think and just can't find the source of these infections. Also, I have had more cat scans than you can shake a stick at to look for infection. I have even had a cat scan looking for bone infection in my face. Not a darn thing shows up nor can he find it in surgery. The darn membranes just stick together and hide.

I can feel different things going on in my sinuses and in the palatine bone which is the hard palate. I swear that there is a fisutla that goes from the hard palate area up into the bottom of my maxillary sinus on the left side. I never get these infections on the right side---always the left. When I have the noise crackling, etc plus the pressure in the left sinus and have to hold the left nostril shut so the infection can come out the right nostril it makes for some concern!!!!

They don't even culture me much anymore because cultures are either MRSA, hemophilus or another one that I can't remember. I only have about 3 antibiotics that I can take and immunologist is really slow to do the IV antibiotics because he is very concerned about allergic reactions.

I am very concerned because I am wondering if I will need some type of surgery to remove tissue or possibly bone from my palate, sinuses, etc. My ENT is an awesome surgeon and extremely smart and patient and I trust him a lot. However, when you get sick and have to go to the hospital these days it is scary!!! Then try having low t-cells. I am almost afraid to breath when I am in the hospital. Never know what kind of antibiotic resistant bug one might pick up!

I have to tell you as a patient who has had MRSA many times. I don't want anybody elses MRSA. I have my own MRSA and we seem to hang in there with each other. Some one elses might make me sicker. Now is that weird or what, but I am starting to think that way.

Then there is the insurance issues. I am hoping that I can get all this stuff done before the end of the year. I go to an insurance meeting put on by my agent concerning the medicare supplement and the new laws. Will see how bad it is going to be. All things do resolve themselves in one way or another. Have to keep the Faith. Thanks again! Irish 

[BonusMom]

As if you don't have enough medical issues, Irish, without yur thyroid getting whacked out on you.  I'm reaaly soory to hear that it's causing you so mush distress.

I don't have thyroid issues, but am on "alert" for them since AI disorders like to buddy up, but wonder how often I should get my thyroid tested since thyroid disease mimics other AI issues?

[LeoLady]

Irish:

I'm so sorry you are having to work through all of this.  When I get in a bad place I always think, "God willing, this too shall pass."  If that doesn't work there's always, fickle sucker, fickle sucker, fricker suckler, sickle #@cker. 

Hugs,

LeoLady

[Maria3667]

Hi Irish,

I recognise much of your experience.

About the same time as Sjogren's was discovered, my thyroid played up.
The DR put me on thyroid meds and an array of symptoms hit me. The worst being sky high anxiety, depression and feeling out of it. I did a little research and stumbled upon a study reporting different experiences between patients on normal thyroid meds and biological ones (dessicated pig's thyroid - yuch!).

Nevertheless I decided to swith - and hurrah, I returned to earth.... Natural thyroid meds really are a BIG difference to me.... Only downside is the cost. My health insurance won't refund it, but I can deduct it from income tax.

I can't find the study again on Google, but is has to be there somewhere....

I hope this information is of some use to you!

[irish]

BonusMom, I think that once a year is the usual time interval for testing the thyroid. However, with that being said, that is only if you are stable.

I was diagnosed in 1989 with hypothyroid and know that I had it about 3 years prior to diagnosis. I did really well the first years and would have my dosage changed every so often but nothing traumatic.

About 5 years ago or so I started needing to have my dosage changed and then when it was rechecked in 2 months I would need another change in med. Sometimes I would end up changing my dose 3-4 times in a row before it settled down. I would assume that this big upset is caused by the autoimmune disease that is attacking my thyroid. Hashimotos is found in many people with the thyroid issues. If we don't have it when we get diagnosed we can end up with it down the road.

All I know is that the anxiety, irritability and depression are not welcome guests in my home. They interfere with life!!!! When I get like this I just want to lock myself in a closet til it passes. I don't enjoy anybody and nobody enjoys me. I just sit and look at what needs to be done and my mind is just a blank.

On the bright side I also had my glycosated hemoglobin done to check my blood sugar and it was 5.9 and I could not believe it. It was 5.8 in April. I have no idea why it has stayed down other than losing that 25 pounds probably makes me less insulin resistant. I am eating more than I used to and eating more ice cream also. Ice cream is "happy food" and heavens only knows I need that lately.

When I first started in nursing we used a lot of the dessicated thyroid extract as I think it was called. It was made by Armour from thyroids of pigs. I have heard it said that some people swear that their body has a different odor when on this med. I never heard anyone "oink" though.

Now with all the new thyroid meds people are taking more of the synthetic. I know that when I started my doc told me to stick the the Synthroid. I haven't been on that for quite a few years and may bring this up to my doc. Might be a change in medication would make things more stable. Irish