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That's good info for people to have re: caffeine interfering with synthroid absorption.
I've given a LOT of thought to what's wrong with the medical system, after a lot of thyroid-related experiences. You're right that "medical sexism" is partly to blame. This received a lot of press back in the 90's, when the term "medical sexism" was first coined by the media, and articles said Harvard Med School and others were offering new courses specifically on that topic for budding doctors. (An entire course!) But nothing's changed.
But the real obstacle is that 1. Insurance doesn't want to pay for the Hashimoto's test, and 2. Because of this, the Mayo Clinic developed a theory and method of analyzing and testing for thyroid disease that conforms to the insurance industry's requirements. They make it all about TSH, and teach endocrinologists that there's no need to know if antibodies are present. Also, they define the normal range as overly broad, so too many patients get told they're "normal".
Though I suspected for years something like that was going on, it became undeniable when a couple of thyroid docs I was working with got a call from insurance telling them to stop ordering the Hashimoto's test, and to start telling their patients they were "fine" if their test results were within the normal range, even if the test results pushed the limits of that range.
Insurance for generations has been controlling what tests and treatments people can have, unbeknownst to patients/consumers. It has nothing to do with Obamacare. The shocker to me was that the supposedly august, impeccable Mayo Clinic is in the insurance industry's pocket.
Mayo also has a statement on their website that there's no such thing as adrenal fatigue (often called "chronic fatigue"). This is a potentially fatal condition. And guess what? It's tied to thyroid disease! People who have had a lifetime of thyroid disease are particularly susceptible to adrenal fatigue (especially when dealing with chronic or catastrophic stress), because a weak thyroid gradually undermines the whole system, and the thyroid and adrenal glands are intimately connected.
So there you have it. Inadequacies are built into the medical system, per insurance's demands.
I believe it. I know my doctor goes by TSH. We'll see what she has to say when I ask to have my T levels checked. To my knowledge, I've never had the Hashimoto's test but I might have as they ran a bunch of tests when I was first diagnosed. I do know that my complaints of fatigue and weight gain fell on deaf ears for almost 4 years. It was too easy to say new mom is tired = normal. Even though pregnancy over the age of 35 is a know trigger for hypothyroidism.
- In less than a generation, all of a sudden thyroids have become a problem? Is this some sort of evolutionary jump? Or environmentally caused? The former would counter all evolutionary theory, the latter would be a serious problem because there is something in the food/air supply causing a serious medical issue.
- The thyroid conditions depend on income, education, and location on Earth? Because it is clear there is correlation between obesity and a person's education, income, and location on Earth. I can go to Knoxville, TN and see about every other person being obese, while just eight hours away in DC, there is way less obese people.
Education, income, and lifestyle have to be taken into account. Also, more "unhealthy" foods have been genetically modified, altered, and hybridized. Lower income people usually buy more "unhealthy" foods due to budget. Read the book Wheat Belly or Grain Brain. Modern wheat actually can trigger and cause inflammatory and negative autoimmune reactions like thyroid problems and a whole host of other issues.
I have hypothyroidism, and I am not overweight. In fact, I have a six pack. I run for 30 minutes a few days a week, and I eat pretty healthy food. I might have one treat per day (some cookies, 1 donut, etc), and the rest of my meals are healthy. I try to avoid fried and sugary foods and drinks, and I opt for grilled/baked and high protein food instead. Losing weight is all about making healthy choices, thyroid disorder or not. The question is, how much self-control do you have?
I have never met anyone that blamed their weight on a thyroid issue though.
And i eat like you do and have lots of difficultly losing weight. I can't eat any treats during the day. Or more than two serving of starches a day or i gain weight. Lucky you that's all it takes.
I mostly drink water and tea. A few days a week i drink an unsweetened latte. 2-3 times a month i have 1-2 alcoholic drinks. There really isn't anything i can cut. I do not eat large portions.
Wow, some of you people are really mean/vindictive.
Do you really think you can tell whether someone has a thyroid problem - or almost any medical problem - just by looking at them? When your friend's wife's cousin's half-sister says she has a thyroid problem and that's why she's obese, what on earth renders you capable of dismissing her statement?
Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are different diseases and have different symptoms. Some people don't respond to synthroid. You don't know how a disease will affect someone, and certainly not just by looking at them!
"I saw what she was eating." Good for you, you watched someone eat for one meal of one day! You must know exactly what they eat all the time, or you wouldn't make a statement claiming you know they have bad eating habits...you wouldn't right? Right?
I believe it. I know my doctor goes by TSH. We'll see what she has to say when I ask to have my T levels checked. To my knowledge, I've never had the Hashimoto's test but I might have as they ran a bunch of tests when I was first diagnosed. I do know that my complaints of fatigue and weight gain fell on deaf ears for almost 4 years. It was too easy to say new mom is tired = normal. Even though pregnancy over the age of 35 is a know trigger for hypothyroidism.
Its almost a waste to just check TSH....Considering TSH comes from the pituitary gland.... and not the thyroid! but this is what we have. Which is why if people think they have symptoms, they should make sure they get the full panel check.
Quote:
Originally Posted by soundofsilence82
People sometimes want to make excuses.
I know why I'm overweight. It's because I drink soda and overeat. Unless I drink less soda or eat less, it will remain the same.
obviously you're completely ignorant on thyroid issues.
We had this exact same thread on C-D as recently as July 2014. Didn't you fat-basing people get this out of your system then?
What business is it of anyone else's if someone says they have a thyroid disorder? Do you assume people are lying when they say they have sciatica and can't exercise?
I knew I had read this crap before. Thanks Jukes! I think I posted on the other one, that my wife has Addison's Disease. She started getting sick and throwing up. She was down to 68 pounds before they diagnosed her problem. Her doctor told her she would gain weight from the meds. She knew another lady who also had Addison's but would not take some of the meds because she didn't want to gain weight. She died in a little over a year. So what if my wife is overweight? She's alive! I'm not skinny either but not worried a lot about it. I'm losing some but I definitely won't get to the level where I sit around and ***** about all the FAT people like a lot of you do. Give it a rest!
Is this the same thread I posted on months ago? I don't recall exactly what I said but I'll say now that I haven't heard "more and more" overweight people blaming their condition on thyroid issues. I have known overweight people who don't seem to eat as much as I do, and I'm very thin. I'd also wager that plenty probably are aware that they may not be making the best choices. Finger-pointing and judging doesn't help.
The world would be a better place if people minded their own dang business.
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but I'll say now that I haven't heard "more and more" overweight people blaming their condition on thyroid issues. I have known overweight people who don't seem to eat as much as I do, and I'm very thin. I'd also wager that plenty probably are aware that they may not be making the best choices. Finger-pointing and judging doesn't help.
