Thyroid?

I've noticed that my hair has gotten thinner in the last several months. My
nails break immediately. My hands and feet are like icebergs (my poor hubby!)
The hair on my arms (always blond and not overly heavy to begin with) has
become almost non-existant.

I've also only lost 5 lbs on nearly three weeks of low carbing (although, I'm
also getting ready to start my period, so water weight may be the issue).

I had a friend with thyroid problems, and I remembered that hair loss was one
of her symptoms. I looked up thyroid on the Web, and lo and behold, it is one
of the reasons people have trouble losing weight. Then I went to the Atkin's
book, and yes, there is a section on it. I have done the basal temperature
thing for the last two days, and my average temp (over 7 readings) is 96.88,
with a range of 96.5 to 97.3, so it looks like I may have a problem.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Can you tell me what to expect?

Sheila

Sheila, just get yourself a referral to an endocrinologist. They will
run some blood tests and likely will be able to diagnose and treat
your thyroid problems. Oftentimes it is a relatively easy fix. What's
your resting heartbeat?

i

I don't know, Ig, I don't check it. No time for a resting pulse tonight, but
I'll try tomorrow morning.

I called my GP today, and he's written an order for a blood test. Now I'm
reading that different blood tests are needed. I'm seeing I need to make sure
he orders a T4 and T5 (? I think that is right). Any suggestions (anyone) on
what I need to make sure he does?

Sheila

Sheila,

It's worth checking out your thyroid with your doctor, but be aware that the
whole idea that lower body temperatures mean thyroid problems is bogus.
Normal body temperatures range from the high 96 to 97s, especially in the
morning.

It is quite possible to lose weight slowly and have normal thyroid but other
things wrong with you. Unfortunately, doctors aren't too good at identifying
the other things.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.2.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm



"WhansaMi" wrote in message
...
I've noticed that my hair has gotten thinner in the last several months.
My
nails break immediately. My hands and feet are like icebergs (my poor
hubby!)
The hair on my arms (always blond and not overly heavy to begin with) has
become almost non-existant.

I've also only lost 5 lbs on nearly three weeks of low carbing (although,
I'm
also getting ready to start my period, so water weight may be the issue).

I had a friend with thyroid problems, and I remembered that hair loss was
one
of her symptoms. I looked up thyroid on the Web, and lo and behold, it is
one
of the reasons people have trouble losing weight. Then I went to the
Atkin's
book, and yes, there is a section on it. I have done the basal
temperature
thing for the last two days, and my average temp (over 7 readings) is
96.88,
with a range of 96.5 to 97.3, so it looks like I may have a problem.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Can you tell me what to
expect?

Sheila

Sheila,

It's worth checking out your thyroid with your doctor, but be aware that the
whole idea that lower body temperatures mean thyroid problems is bogus.
Normal body temperatures range from the high 96 to 97s, especially in the
morning.

It is quite possible to lose weight slowly and have normal thyroid but other
things wrong with you. Unfortunately, doctors aren't too good at identifying
the other things.

Jenny, the slow weight loss wasn't the thing that made me start thinking --
frankly, the hair loss has scared the dickens out of me! I've noticed that my
hair seemed thinner up front for the last several months, and then I went to
put it into a ponytail, and found that, whereas I used to pull it through three
times, now it is four! At that point, I checked my arms, and, yes.... there is
scarce hair there.

From what I am reading, lower body temps may not mean thyroid problems, but
since one of the functions of the thyroid is the regulation of body
temperature, usually when it goes awry, there is a significant difference in
body temps in people with the problem.

I was thinking about some of the things that go on with me a bit earlier: for
instance, I'm a very busy person (full time job, two kids, a husband, an
ex-husband, three dogs, two cats and a fish!), and I rarely get enough sleep.
About once or twice a week I'll get VERY VERY tired, and, with the exhaustion
comes this bone-chilling cold, and shakiness. I mean, my teeth are chattering
as I lay all wrapped up in a down comforter! If I go to sleep for a couple of
hours, I wake up tired, but no longer cold, and I am functional. I've always
assumed that the exhaustion caused the chills, but now I do have to wonder if
something else is causing both the chills and the overwhelming exhaustion.

Sheila

Sheila,

By all means do get your doctor to check your thyroid out, but don't be
surprised if the tests don't show anything.

Another explanation for the temperature fluctuations and weight stall can be
hormonal changes leading towards (or after) menopause. I got "cold flashes"
for a couple years before I got hot flashes, and even now I get them from
time to time.

I also have had my hair fall out dramatically a couple times in the last few
years. Again, for me this seems to be related to either illnesses, dieting,
or hormones.

I've had my thyroid checked quite thoroughly a few times, but my thyroid
values are always normal trending towards high, not low.

-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. At goal for weight. Type 2 diabetes,
hba1c 5.2.
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Low carb facts and figures, my weight-loss photos, tips, recipes,
strategies for dealing with diabetes and more at
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm



"WhansaMi" wrote in message
...
Sheila,

It's worth checking out your thyroid with your doctor, but be aware that
the
whole idea that lower body temperatures mean thyroid problems is bogus.
Normal body temperatures range from the high 96 to 97s, especially in the
morning.

It is quite possible to lose weight slowly and have normal thyroid but
other
things wrong with you. Unfortunately, doctors aren't too good at
identifying
the other things.

Jenny, the slow weight loss wasn't the thing that made me start
thinking --
frankly, the hair loss has scared the dickens out of me! I've noticed
that my
hair seemed thinner up front for the last several months, and then I went
to
put it into a ponytail, and found that, whereas I used to pull it through
three
times, now it is four! At that point, I checked my arms, and, yes....
there is
scarce hair there.

From what I am reading, lower body temps may not mean thyroid problems,
but
since one of the functions of the thyroid is the regulation of body
temperature, usually when it goes awry, there is a significant difference
in
body temps in people with the problem.

I was thinking about some of the things that go on with me a bit earlier:
for
instance, I'm a very busy person (full time job, two kids, a husband, an
ex-husband, three dogs, two cats and a fish!), and I rarely get enough
sleep.
About once or twice a week I'll get VERY VERY tired, and, with the
exhaustion
comes this bone-chilling cold, and shakiness. I mean, my teeth are
chattering
as I lay all wrapped up in a down comforter! If I go to sleep for a
couple of
hours, I wake up tired, but no longer cold, and I am functional. I've
always
assumed that the exhaustion caused the chills, but now I do have to wonder
if
something else is causing both the chills and the overwhelming exhaustion.

Sheila

Sheila,

Try googling hypothyroid symptoms. I recall seeing symptoms like, no hair on
forearms and thinning eyebrows.

Sheila,
I went undiagnosed for hypothyroid for many years with my TSH tests always
coming back high but still "normal". When I finally got a doctor to run the
complete thyroid panel it came back severely defient in T3 and T4.... in
essence, my thyroid was barely working. I've lost 100 pounds but it took a good
while and I just stalled there.... and with at least 50 more to go it didn't
matter WHAT I did. When my hair was falling out by the handful and I was
freezing in July I knew something was really wrong and insisted on the whole
panel of tests. My doc immediately put me on Armour Thyroid meds along with
Unithyroid. I feel so much better, it's like a new life almost. You might check
out Mary Shomans website www.aboutthyroid.com for lots of good info, including
a list of recommended docs for your area.
Take care of yourself!
Julee