Mixed Feelings

[Bocchigirl]

Well, being in my 30's isn't bad, but I just found out a few months ago that I have hypothyroidism. It actually was a good thing because for a while there I thought I was losing my mind!!! Ha!:confused:

Anyways, I'm on a prescription for it, however I have to admit that there are days that I really regret that I HAVE to take pills for this, possibly for the rest of my life. I'm not against medicine AT ALL (especially because I do feel much better now), but sometimes I feel bad that I don't just have more faith in God's healing rather than just depend on meds.

Can anyone else relate to this?

[NurseBettyLu]

Hi, Im Beth. I'm 49 and I have diabetes. I understand being of two minds about your meds. I am thankful that my condition can be treated, and at the same time I resent having to take all this medicine, i resent having to watch every mouthful of food I eat, and so on. And yet without my medicines I could be dead a dozen different ways by now. So I mind what my doctor tells me to do, I follow several alternative/complimentary therapies, and daily give charge over this rotten disease to God. I do okay.

[Healing Oil]

I suffer from renal failure, so I have to take medications as well. I thank God for the advancement in medicine that has allowed me to sustain my health with these medications. The only thing I resent, like NurseBettyLu, is the diet. The diet is very stressful and near impossible for me, or any renal patient, to follow faithfully and completely. Thank the Lord I do have a nephrologist that is very understanding of this!!!

Im awaiting my new kidney, which should be happening soon (please Lord please!), and post-transplant I will be taking countless ammounts of medications for the rest of my life. It's just something I have come to accept and I dont see it as a lack of faith in the healing power of God, I see the accessability to these medications as God's faithfulness shown to me!

[NurseBettyLu]

Praying earnestly for your new kidney. I used to work on an inpatient dialysis unit, and I always found the diet to be downright scary. The fluid restriction is what I would find impossible. God blesses better minds than mine with medicines, procedures and treatment modalities that let me live longer and healthier, so I try not to fight it too much. And best of all: I have a doctor that prays with me!

[ausgirl]

If you don't mind me asking, what are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

[Healing Oil]

Praying earnestly for your new kidney. I used to work on an inpatient dialysis unit, and I always found the diet to be downright scary. The fluid restriction is what I would find impossible. God blesses better minds than mine with medicines, procedures and treatment modalities that let me live longer and healthier, so I try not to fight it too much. And best of all: I have a doctor that prays with me!

The fluid restriction honestly is the hardest...I cant even tell you how many times Ive landed in the ER, or have had to go to dialysis earlier than my schedule, because of too much fluid intake. It's one of the worst feelings in the world! The begining of this year my body could barely take in any fluids I was drinking, no matter how much I restricted it and I was in the hospital every weekend! So now I have to go 4 days to dialysis instead of 3 just to make it through the weekend in one peice! They tell me I should only drink up to 4 cups of liquids a day...so those 8oz styrafoam cup sizes, just 4 of them. HA! Not likely...Ive been on dialysis for a year and a half and I still cant adjust to that. I just order small drinks at fastfood places, I dont get refills while in a restraunt, and I freeze bottles of water and drink about 1 of those each day. What I look forward to most is once I get the kidney, while in the hospital they are going to make me drink and drink and drink :D Wooo Hooo!

Thank you very much for your prayers :D

[SueQ]

Hi Boccigirl......I waited a while before I finally allowed my doctor to prescribe anti-depressants for me.....I felt it would be admitting that I lost my faith in God to heal me...Then I remembered my brother who takes med for his epilepsy....and how often I supported parents of students who really did need med for ADD.....God supplied people who knew how to help people.....Have you ever heard of the guy who declined the help of people with a car, then a boat and then a helicopter as the water rose around his house? He eventually drowned and aksed God in heaven why He hadn't saved him. He responded by saying He had sent a car, a boat and a helicopter....what else was he waiting for?

I also have diabetes and understand dealing with a chronic illness that needs daily monitoring......it really *sound of a vacuum*!

[NurseBettyLu]

Make that a really BIG vacuum.

[SueQ]

:D

What alternative therapies have you tried, NBL? What works for you?

[sandie]

Well, being in my 30's isn't bad, but I just found out a few months ago that I have hypothyroidism. It actually was a good thing because for a while there I thought I was losing my mind!!! Ha!:confused:

Anyways, I'm on a prescription for it, however I have to admit that there are days that I really regret that I HAVE to take pills for this, possibly for the rest of my life. I'm not against medicine AT ALL (especially because I do feel much better now), but sometimes I feel bad that I don't just have more faith in God's healing rather than just depend on meds.

Can anyone else relate to this?

Bocchigirl: I am assuming that you are on Thyroxine/Oroxine tablets. If God cures you, you can have your TSH, T3 and T4 levels measured. However, if you go off your medication without being healed, you will start losing your mind again, and will be clinically depressed as well.

In 1989, I had Thyroid cancer which was spreading into the lymphatic system. MyThyroid was removed in two operations (right, then left) and I had two large doses of radioactive iodine to oblate any remaining tissue and a few smaller measuring doses at six and twelve month intervals. When I would go off my Thyroxine a month before having the radioactive iodine, I would become slowed down, dopey and sleep a lot and would become clinically depressed. (During the first large dose of radioactive iodine treatment my husband left me while I was in the radioactive ward for a week.) I have taken 150 mcg Thyroxine/Oroxine each day since 1989 and feel fine. I never want to go off mine!

I thank God that I was born in an age when medical knowledge led to the cancerous tissue being removed, then oblated, and that my three year old son grew up with a mother. He is about to turn twenty-one. :)

Marg: You wanted to know about Hypothyroidism.
See:http://www.thyroid.org.au/Information/Conditions.html

[kiwisongbird]

I take Thyroxine every day as well... I thought it was going to be a magic thing that would change everything but it didn't, but at least I could actually get some housework done - after taking them for about a year, I read about maybe being able to fix it some with iodine but I figured it was too late as I had already taking the medication for so long - I was a bit sad that the doctor didn't recommend natural remedies before pharmaceutical - dreams are free I spose!!

Don't worry too much about taking those little pills each day - the harder thing is when you get older like me (going on 48) and usually can't remember if you've taken them or not!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :) :)

[rossid]

This is not the same situation as yours. I was diagnosed as bipolar perhaps five years ago. One medication worked for several years. The last couple years I've been on about five meds. Yes it is something that I too have trusted that God has given me the meds to keep me healthy.

[mindyhere]

If you don't mind me asking, what are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?

Here's a checklist of symptoms. You can download this list in Word format, or basic text, and there's also a printer friendly page to print the list directly from the web.

All documents are safe for download - they're mine from my website.

http://www.mindyhere.com/checklist.html

[mindyhere]

Well, being in my 30's isn't bad, but I just found out a few months ago that I have hypothyroidism. It actually was a good thing because for a while there I thought I was losing my mind!!! Ha!:confused:

Anyways, I'm on a prescription for it, however I have to admit that there are days that I really regret that I HAVE to take pills for this, possibly for the rest of my life. I'm not against medicine AT ALL (especially because I do feel much better now), but sometimes I feel bad that I don't just have more faith in God's healing rather than just depend on meds.

Can anyone else relate to this?

My story on my struggle with Hypothyroidism is here on my site:

http://www.mindyhere.com/myJourney.html

Take a look - I tell my story on how my symptoms were first discovered, what happened and where I am now.

I can TOTALLY relate. I am 33 and right before I was finally diagnosed (I was 30? at the time) I was scared to death that I was coming down with Altzheimers. I thought if I went to the doctor and told them of my mental health issues that they would put me in a mental institution. My memory was terrible - I'd repeat the same thing over and over again, forget what I had just done a couple of minutes before, and I'd say things that didn't make sense. There are many times I remember being in conversation with a group, make a comment, and there would be a very uncomfortable silence afterward, and I knew I had said something that either didn't have anything to do with the conversation, or something that just didn't make sense. How embarrassing!

If you've just now found this out, depending on how bad you your health has deteriorated, the one thing that I tell people is that you didn't get where you are overnight, and you won't get back to normal right away either. Your body has suffered a cellular level of exhaustion from insufficient hormones. That cannot be restored overnight. It took me a long time to start feeling normal again.

It's rough, because more than anything you want to fix the things that aren't right in your body right now, but it WILL get better as your body restores your hormone levels. The great thing about this is that now you know what is wrong, so you can fix it!!!

I do NOT like medicine - and like you was very upset at the thought of having to take a pill every singe day of my life, for the rest of my life. But you will get used to it - it will become routine, and it is nothing to me now. I bought a little pillcase - it's square, one container for every day of the week, and that was a lifesaver to me. You should invest in one - they're only a couple of dollars and it is invaluable to me.

An INVALUABLE site to get more information and support is Mary Shoman's Thyroid information site. It's a bit difficult to navigate at times, but there is a lot of information and answers for you here: http://thyroid.about.com/

Also, on her boards I met many people also struggling with this disease, and got a lot of information, but more so moral support there. That site is here:
http://thyroid.about.com/mpboards.htm

Please feel free to PM me anytime for more info, to vent, or to just talk. I'd love to help.

I'll keep you in my prayers, that God keeps you well, and that you start feeling better as soon as possible.

[Sharon]

I can relate also .......

I grew up epileptic and had to take meds until I was 23.... I went for an EEG and it came back TOTALLY NORMAL!!!

I've been recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis

so basically I've had something wrong with me of one kind or another my whole life.

It just reminds me how imperfect I am, of the effects of sin in the world from the fall and makes me look forward to my perfected body as it was originally intended.

[NurseBettyLu]

:D

What alternative therapies have you tried, NBL? What works for you?

I've discovered an herbal therapy called Glycemic Factors from Biochem. Best price is at vitacost.com. I am taking it with my doctor's tacit approval (eh, can't hurt is the most excited she gets about it. I find it really helps.). I also take yoga for stress control, and accupuncture for the neuropathy in my feet. Also tried cinnamon, which is the latest thing, but had to stop. Gave me absolutely nuclear indigestion.

[Bocchigirl]

Thank you everyone for your support and prayers! Thanks, too, mindyhere, for your kindness. Wow, I guess I'm not alone in this sort of thing. My prayers go out to all of you!

I guess I shouldn't complain....I've been on meds for only 3 months and my TSH levels have gone down a bit. I only wonder how long it will take for my hormones to get "normal" and at what strength of meds.

[NurseBettyLu]

No, you're never, ever alone. You'll never have any trouble finding somebody around here to help you carry your load for awhile. I better stop, I feel a group hug coming on...

[mindyhere]

I'm so happy to help - don't ever think you're alone. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people like us fighting things that we have no choice in. All that we can do is balance things out the best we can with the appropriate treatment.

I'm now taking 75 mcg of Levoxyl, which is actually a very small dose of hormone. He adjusted my medicine twice. I started out on Synthroid, but even after my levels were finally evened out and acceptible at .8, I still had symptoms. The worse ones were the muscle aches I had, like when you have the flu, and my hair would still fall out every now and then. I got the muscle aches on average once every two weeks, and they were enough to keep me home from things, and to frustrate me from exercise.

I stopped going to my Endocrinologist who was a big Synthroid doc who didn't want to switch medication brands, and tried my local small town doc who was willing to work with me on trying a different medication. I thank God for her - she's made my life so much better. I've done so much better with the Levoxly. No more hair loss or muscle aches. No more symptoms, although losing weight is a real battle now, and every now and then I get a bout of being exhausted, but that may be well earned. :D:D:D I guess I read into things more than I probably should anymore.

It really depends on the person - on which medication brand ends up working best for you. It may be a bit of trial and error for you too. Your doc will probably start you on the lowest level of medication and move you up every 4 to 6 weeks depending on your TSH.

I came to realize that taking that little pill every day dramatically turned my life around, it has literally fixed so many "broken" things in my body - it's my miracle pill. It's something necessary we must do to be healthy and happy.

I hope you start feeling better soon - hang in there! :D

[mammo girl]

No, you're never, ever alone. You'll never have any trouble finding somebody around here to help you carry your load for awhile. I better stop, I feel a group hug coming on...

I take Synthroid (I think mine was diagnosed as hyperthyroidism....- I can never remember). The only other prescription meds I take are Allegra for allergies and just recently Prozac. Depression runs in my family. 1998 I was taking Zoloft, quit in 2001 after I finally accepted our Jesus and became a Christian. That's what He made physicians and pharmacists for. To help us out. I didn't like the thought of becoming dependent on medications but it is needed. The OTC stuff I take is Estroven, Black Cohosh, Evening Primrose Oil, and Vitamin B6. Gotta keep those mood swings and hot flashes in check.

Bocchigirl, We're here for you and to support you and lift you up. Hopefully, to make you smile and laugh once in a while. And yes, NBL here it comes:






























*GREAT BIG GROUP HUG*


Welcome to the boards. Love ya, mb

[Bocchigirl]

Thank you all!!!! Each of you are so kind. Hugs right back to you all!!!

I pray my TSH levels will just pan out soon. When I first got my bloodwork done my levels were at 12 and then just a few weeks ago it went down to the 9's. Not too bad. My doc wants me to come in every 3 months to see how my hormone levels are doing. He had put me on Levothyroxin (I believe that's a generic?) at .50 mcg. Does anyone know if this is hereditary? I know my mom has it and I wonder if I have to worry about my daughter when she gets older.

Thanks again! I see a lot of you quite often on these boards...let's please keep in touch. Feel free to PM me anytime!!!!

[mindyhere]

Hi again,

Hypothyroidism is hereditary, but not in all families. Although most people only hear about women having thyroid problems, it affects men also.

My mother doesn't have a thyroid problem, but her mother (my grandma) and her sisters (my great aunts) all have Hypothyroidsim. My grandmother was actually admitted to a mental institution because of her mental health, before they realized it was her thyroid. My mom's sister (my Aunt) has Hyperthyroidism, which is the opposite of what we have. My two younger sisters (ages 30 and 28) have not been diagnosed, but they do have many of the symptoms. So it definitely runs in my family, but my mom somehow escaped it.

:)

[SueQ]

I've discovered an herbal therapy called Glycemic Factors from Biochem. Best price is at vitacost.com. I am taking it with my doctor's tacit approval (eh, can't hurt is the most excited she gets about it. I find it really helps.). I also take yoga for stress control, and accupuncture for the neuropathy in my feet. Also tried cinnamon, which is the latest thing, but had to stop. Gave me absolutely nuclear indigestion.

Ditto on the cinnamon...:eek: ....I'll check out the Glycemic Factors from Biochem.....Thanks!

[Musicdude]

My fiance was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about a year ago, she was 28. She has really been stressed about having to take the meds for the rest of her life. And even more than that, she is worried that when we try to have children she won't be able to. This is a disease I am trying to learn more about so I understand what she's going through.

Medication is a grace gift of God, just like food, water, shelter and everything else you need to live and be healthy. Just because it doesn't happen in a miraculous way doesn't mean that it isn't God who is healing you. God created the stuff they made the medicine out of. And I believe He reveals technology to people for the sake of mankind. If you study how some of the greatest inventions, medicines were come up with, it's such a coincidence that it almost had to be God revealing it. A lot of them are accidentally stumbled upon by very unlikely people. I believe that is God at work.

A missionary that used to come to our church from time to time had an expression that I'll never forget. He said "when problems come your way, you need to do whatever you can do, and then trust God to do the impossible."
If you can take medication and that will make you feel better, then you should do it. If God's plan for you is complete and total healing, then He will heal you when He is ready. You just have to be patient and trust Him.

My dad is fairly healthy. He was overweight for most of his life, but in the last five years or so, he has lost a lot of weight and been eating more healthy, because he had high blood pressure, and he didn't want to have a stroke, so he lost weight. But about a year ago, he woke up in the middle of the night and his heart was racing. He didn't know why. He had a stethoscope at home that he used to check his BP with, so he listened to his heartbeat, and it was very irregular. It would beat really fast for 5 or 6 beats, and then slow way down for 2 or 3, and just kept having this irregular beat. He layed there for a little while, but it didn't stop. He got me to listen to it, and I agreed that it was definitly not normal. I took him to the ER, and he was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrulation. Apparently some people just have this issue where their heart has some imperfection where the electricity doesn't flow accross it right, and every now and then it gets off-beat, and will not get back on beat by itself usually. So they can try giving him some medicine to correct it, but if that doesn't work, they have to shock him with those paddles in order to get it back on beat, and that is dangerous.

Well, fortunately the medicine worked, and he went home a couple days later, because they wanted to monitor him for a while. He has had this happen twice more since then.

He prayed and prayed and prayed the first time this happened. He asked God, if this was his time to go home. He really thought he might die, and I thought he might too. He told me about all his insurance and gave me phone numbers to call to collect so my mom would be able to keep the house, because she doesn't work. When we were in that waiting room the first time, it was pretty scary. His heart was not pumping correctly and thus blood wasn't flowing as it should, and the chance of him having a stroke during all of that was extremly high. The first thing they did was give him blood-thinners so he wouldn't have a stroke. And he has to take mild blood-thinners for the rest of his life.

Now that it's all over with (although it will most-likely happen again according to the doctors, so it's not really over with), my dad wondered why God made him go through all of that. Why Lord, do I have this problem now that I have to worry about that could come back any time, and I'll have to go through that all over again? You could've just as easily kept that from ever happening, but you didn't, Lord. Why?

And after a while he noticed that his prayer life had changed quite a bit. Not only was he praying more, but he was genuinely thanking God every day for his health, and for the fact that he was still alive and felt good. He has never taken his health for granted ever since then, and he also trusts God with it a lot more than he used to. He also got to witness to a couple of his nurses while in the hospital, and they responded well.

God knew he was going to get this disease trillions of years ago, before the earth was even created. And He let it happen anyway. He let it happen for a reason. And even if we don't know what that reason is, or even if we never know, we just have to trust God. Knowing that He could take away our sickness in an instant, but the fact that He doesn't do that means that it still needs to be there for His will to be accomplished. So we do whatever we can do, and trust God for the impossible. He is more than capable.


Sorry, this is so long. I just couldn't stop writing. :)

[Bocchigirl]

Musicdude, thanks for sharing that! It really is true about doing the best we can and waiting for God to do the rest. I pray your dad will continue to do better as each day passes. Isn't it amazing how God uses us in our worst situations, just like your dad having the chance to witness to people.

As far as the thyroid goes, I was diagnosed a little over 3 months ago. I do believe that my throid levels were not normal for many years before finding out. I specifically remember going to a GYN about 4 years ago and told him that I felt like my body was going through changes and I felt moodier, etc. He basically told me I had PMDD and gave me a trial version of Serafim (spelling may not be right...), which I found was a pretty name for Prozac. Well, being that I have a close loved-one who has basically destoyed their live from over-doing rx pills, I was hesitant and didn't take them. My mom about 6 months ago found out she had hypothyroidism so I decided to get checked for it and found out that was the root of my problems. But, having said all of that, I do have 2 beautiful children, 9 & 5. I don't know much about whether or not having this makes it harder to have kids, but God is good....I know you both will be blessed! ;)

Also, if you go to the beginning of this thread, you can go to mindyhere's website which she shares her thyroid story! Best of luck to you and your fiance!

[Musicdude]

But, having said all of that, I do have 2 beautiful children, 9 & 5. I don't know much about whether or not having this makes it harder to have kids, but God is good....I know you both will be blessed! ;)

Thanks. I know we will be just fine. And hey, if we can't get pregnant, maybe God has a special child that needs to be adopted. I almost would rather adopt than have our own kids anyway.


Also, if you go to the beginning of this thread, you can go to mindyhere's website which she shares her thyroid story! Best of luck to you and your fiance!

I did already. It says on there too about fertility being affected by Hypothyroidism. But again, God created our bodies from dirt. He made Sarah have a baby after menopause, and Mary have a baby while a virgin. Nothing is impossible with God.

[Bocchigirl]

You are absolutely right! God has NEVER ceased to amaze me!

[musica]

I myself have been diagnosed with clinical depression, bi-polar, OCD, and anxiety attacks. I really didn't want to take any meds, but after about six months of therapy, (and a nervous breakdown), I finally gave in and have been on meds for about six years. THANK GOD FOR MEDICINE!! Not only has my everyday life improved, but now that my brain is more stable, I'm able to hear what God has been trying to teach me all these years. Had I listened to him before, I wouldn't have needed the meds in the first place, but too much had happened in my life that I was too full of pain to hear Him. But now, he has helped me to overcome alot of obstacles to my mental health and I'm able to understand so much about my life and His love. Someday I hope to be off the meds forever, but until the Lord tells me otherwise, I will remain on them.
(Hope you don't mind me joining in on this conversation. I haven't posted in about two years. But this thread was something I could relate to.)
Musica

[Bocchigirl]

Musica, you're more than welcome to join in and thank you for sharing! I've began to learn so much about others who have health or mental issues and are taking meds. It's good to know that we're not alone and others CAN relate. I'm so glad that your life has improved and I pray that it'll only get better!!