5 replies to this topic

[dreamscape]

Let me start this by saying that while I'm posting about my own issues, I've already begun to read this forum.  Admittedly, it's taken quite a bit of Googling along with reading because I'm not particularly proficient in these areas.  I'm here to learn, but I'm greedy, and I'd like to ask for help right away.

 

I'm a 36 year old mother of four small children.  I had thyroid cancer a couple of years ago and subsequently had my thyroid removed.  Prior to cancer, I was fairly thin and reasonably competent.  The extra weight is upsetting to me on a superficial level, but the decline in memory and thinking skills cuts deep as I use to pride myself on being mildly intelligent.  More so, I worry that this does not bode well for my future.  After all, I'm only 36, what will this be like when I'm 70?

 

The biggest examples of my concern are things like being unable to find the word I am looking for or calling things by the wrong names, such as telling my daughter to take her "room to school" after just discussing cleaning her room, but really meaning to say "ruler".  I lose things on a near daily basis now.  It's very frustrating.

 

 I've seen two neurologist who assure me that it's "normal" to have issues like this post-thyroidectomy, especially since my levels have never been in range.

 

Currently, I take levothyroxine 200 mcg and liothyronine 5 mcg 2x a day.  I take 6000 IU of D3 per day along with a basic iron supplement.  In addition, I take kratom due to body aches and pains as I turned down narcotics because I don't fancy being asleep and missing my children's lives.  I am willing to get off of kratom if it's causing a problem or would interact with possible solutions.

 

I am open to all suggestions.  My doctors tell me how great I'm doing, but I don't feel great.  Luckily, I'm not napping during the day anymore, which was a major issue for a long time, but I still feel lazy.  I'm not as "get up and go".  I often say that if I hadn't had children, I likely wouldn't have treated the cancer had I known what I do now.  That's probably an immature reaction, but I just want to feel okay again.  

 

I'm heading back to reading now.  Thank you for any help you can provide.  

 

[Mind_Paralysis]

I hope you understand that Kratom is in reality a narcotic as well, yes? It's becoming scheduled and banned as a controlled narcotic substance in multiple countries, as we speak, including the USA.

 

DEA Announces Intent to Schedule Kratom

https://web-beta.arc.../hq083016.shtml

 

 

I'm not sure if this is necessarily the right part of the forum for your issues... Me and others whom post here know a bit about cognitive issues, but they are all related specifically to direct neurological causes - yours are secondary from a removal of your thyroid gland.

 

 

What do the Dr's and scientist say about the statistics regarding stabilizing and getting back to baseline activity and cognition following such a big change to your body? What do others whom have had the surgery say about how long it took them to get back on par? Could you simply be one of the people whom are a part of the tail end of the curve? I.e, you could see improvement in a few months?

 

Btw, are they checking only TSH or free T3 and T4 as well? Could be that perhaps you're not getting enough T3, your body may for some reason not be converting that T4 sufficiently - if that's what's happening, then apparently an increase of your Liothyronine should take care of the problem. I got the idea from this thread, where someone with similar issues to yours, describe their problems:

 

http://www.medhelp.o...my/show/1894376

 

I also find references to a phenomenon which is somewhat controversial, not necessarily proven yet... that RT3, a form of T3 which may be inerty, could also function as a break for regular T3, essentially slowing down the effects of your thyroid-meds - in theory, you might not only need more T3, but may need to slightly lower you T4 as well, since the problem potentially occurs because your body is for some reason not converting that T4 to even more free T3, but instead is mostly creating RT3, essentially gumming up the works.

 

https://www.holtorfm...orders-with-t3/

 

That's controversial though... but, still, a testing of your free T3 and RT3, should confirm if that's what's happening - in theory, the adjustment to your ratio of levothyroxine to liothyronine should fix the problem. If you are feeling adventurous... you can simply make this adjustment yourself, and see what happens - for 2-3 days - if you see a sudden improvement from more Liothyronine, then that's obviously the solution.

 

 

Otherwise, another thing I started thinking about, is if you are taking, or have taken, some other cancer-medication? Or had radiation-therapy as well, other than only surgery? Such treatments are known to cause cognitive issues and perhaps even damage to parts of your body, like your brain - they can potentially be overcome though.

[gamesguru]

this is interesting, in a sort of 'what to do about chinese children and lead poisoning' way

 

there is a thyroid replacement therapy but you may have to travel abroad to find it, and the effects are not clear

 

i don't have any other specific dietary recommendations at this point, unfortunately long days have left me, too, finding the wrong word and late too

[jack black]

dreamscape

Let me try to help you as both my wife and daughter have a thyroid problem (Hashimoto thyroiditis) and we learned things hard way about modern thyroid treatments.

Most of MD will insist on using synthetic levothyroxine (T4) that is inactive and has to be transformed in your body into active T3. It's consider safer to do it that way.

However, the body will sometimes refuse to produce good T3 and will produce reverse T3 that will block T3 receptors. Instead of better, you suddenly feel much worse, even though TSH test will give you a passing score and the ignorant docs will tell you it's in your head.

 

This is fairly well known on internet, google for the stopthethyroidmadness website (or go here: https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/ ), yet MDs will pledge total ignorance on this subject.

 

What my family members found out, it's better to skip T4 and use only T3. easier said than done as MDs refuse to prescribe it. my wife found only one endocrinologist in the entire city willing to do it, but he is old and stopped seeing new patients.

I realize that you take T3 already (liothyronine), but the dose is way too low. My wife uses 25ug a day and she still had some functioning thyroid!

 

edit: just realized Stinkorninjor hit it on the nail before my post. I told him already he should become a doctor. He is better than 99% of MDs in the practice already. good job!

Edited by jack black, 26 October 2017 - 10:13 PM.

[Mind_Paralysis]

edit: just realized Stinkorninjor hit it on the nail before my post. I told him already he should become a doctor. He is better than 99% of MDs in the practice already. good job!

 

Aww, you're too kind, Jack! ^^
 

You know, I've wanted to tell you for a while that I've been considering your words... I do find myself wanting to help others whom have it tough, but my resources are limited from simply online posting - going into SOME kind of medical profession is indeed tempting...

SCT stopped me from replying to you before though, and it does remain my bane of existence... I dare not quite dream of such a big undertaking yet - but maybe, once I've got it under control... perhaps I will.

 

I think I'd be interested in trying to combine practise with research as well - perhaps in a combination - people with CFS and Narcolepsy might be the ticket... they've got badly studied diseases as well, but an even worse existence.

 

Someone should put more research into their issues.

[jack black]

 

Aww, you're too kind, Jack! ^^
 

You know, I've wanted to tell you for a while that I've been considering your words... I do find myself wanting to help others whom have it tough, but my resources are limited from simply online posting - going into SOME kind of medical profession is indeed tempting...
 

 

These days there are 1000's of professions in medical field, so it doesn't have to be MD degree to help people and get paid for doing that. If you gravitate toward research, go for it, although i see lots of people doing research and then wanting to go back to clinical medicine. BTW, is there a field of naturopath in your country? The advice we hear here on supplements sort of fall in that territory.