[LIZARD]

I'm convinced I need to be tested. Here's a post I wrote with many of my symptoms listed:

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/...ad.php?t=16300

My weight loss has essentially stalled, too. I gained back the .2 I lost last week. This week, I should sleep better, since the kids are finally out for the summer, so we'll see if it helps.


LIZARD

[Jomar]

It's been awhile since I looked at the symptoms I thought I'd post them here for all of us.
Yep many of those sx fit for me- I need to get mine checked again.

from- http://www.armourthyroid.com/hypothy.../symptoms.html

[Summary List of Symptoms-
In general, the symptoms of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) are:
Weight gain
Puffy face
Loss or thinning of eyebrows
Cold intolerance
Low sex drive
Depression
Abdominal bloating
Cold hands or feet
Dry or thinning hair
Joint or muscle pain
Thickening of the skin
Thin, brittle fingernails

Early Symptoms
Many people attribute the early symptoms of hypothyroidism to stress or aging. They begin to feel chronically tired and overly sensitive to cold; muscle and joint aches often develop; modest weight gain is common even though appetite diminishes; constipation is often a problem.2 Premenopausal women may experience heavy periods.2


As your thyroid hormone levels fall over the following months, the skin becomes rough and dry, hair coarsens, and mental activity—including concentration and memory—may become slightly impaired.2

Depression can develop, and some experts believe that even mild thyroid failure can lead to major depression.3,4

Later Symptoms
If hypothyroidism is left untreated, the classic physical changes characteristic of myxedema can develop—a round, puffy face with a sleepy appearance, dry rough skin, and loss of hair. Other later symptoms include a husky voice and numbness of the arms and legs. Muscle pain, weakness, and carpal tunnel syndrome may occur. Some people experience hearing loss, depression, mental confusion, uneasiness, daytime sleepiness, or memory problems, especially in the elderly. Obstructive sleep apnea, in which tissues in the upper airway collapse at intervals during sleep, thereby blocking the passage of air, is common. Myxedema coma is a life-threatening condition caused by long-standing hypothyroidism.2]

and this from- http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_s...ochecklist.htm

[Help in Diagnosis and Fine tuning Your Treatment
by Mary J. Shomon

You can use this checklist to bring to your doctor to help aid in getting a proper diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or as background information in your discussions regarding finetuning your dosage so you are at the optimal TSH level for your own level of wellness.

My risk factors for hypothyroidism include:

____ I have a family history of thyroid disease
____ I have had my thyroid "monitored" in the past to watch for changes
____ I had a previous diagnosis of goiters/nodules
____ I currently have a goiter
____ I was treated for hypothyroidism in the past
____ I had post-partum thyroiditis in the past
____ I had a temporary thyroiditis in the past
____ I have another autoimmune disease
____ I have had a baby in the past nine months
____ I have a history of miscarriage
____ I have had part/all of my thyroid removed due to cancer
____ I have had part/all of my thyroid removed due to nodules
____ I have had part/all of my thyroid removed due to Graves' Disease/hyperthyroidism I have had radioactive iodine due to Graves' Disease/hyperthyroidism
____ I have had anti-thyroid drugs due to Graves' Disease/hyperthyroidism

I have the following symptoms of hypothyroidism, as detailed by the Merck Manual, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and the Thyroid Foundation of America

____ I am gaining weight inappropriately
____ I'm unable to lose weight with diet/exercise
____ I am constipated, sometimes severely
____ I have hypothermia/low body temperature (I feel cold when others feel hot, I need extra sweaters, etc.)
____ I feel fatigued, exhausted
____ Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic
____ My hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, falling out
____ My skin is coarse, dry, scaly, and thick
____ I have a hoarse or gravely voice
____ I have puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face
____ I have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet
____ I have developed carpal-tunnel syndrome, or it's getting worse
____ I am having irregular menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent)
____ I am having trouble conceiving a baby
____ I feel depressed
____ I feel restless
____ My moods change easily
____ I have feelings of worthlessness
____ I have difficulty concentrating
____ I have more feelings of sadness
____ I seem to be losing interest in normal daily activities
____ I'm more forgetful lately

I also have the following additional symptoms, which have been reported more frequently in people with hypothyroidism:

____ My hair is falling out
____ I can't seem to remember things
____ I have no sex drive
____ I am getting more frequent infections, that last longer
____ I'm snoring more lately
____ I have/may have sleep apnea
____ I feel shortness of breath and tightness in the chest
____ I feel the need to yawn to get oxygen
____ My eyes feel gritty and dry
____ My eyes feel sensitive to light
____ My eyes get jumpy/tics in eyes, which makes me dizzy/vertigo and have headaches
____ I have strange feelings in neck or throat
____ I have tinnitus (ringing in ears)
____ I get recurrent sinus infections
____ I have vertigo
____ I feel some lightheadedness
____ I have severe menstrual cramps

For a more comprehensive hypothyroidism risks and symptoms checklist, along with descriptions of each risk factor and symptom, read Living Well With Hypothyroidism.]

[LIZARD]

Thank you so much for this checklist, Jo! I just glanced over it, but I have several. I blamed many on a particularly cold, dry winter, but it's June now, and I still have so many of them. Guess I shop for a doc this coming week...<sigh> As if I didn't have enough dxs already...<see siggy >


LIZARD

[fiberowendy2000]

Aw Liz! I have to be check on a regular basis for thyroid problems because of meds I am on. So far I am thyroid problem free. Gee with my weight issues, I wish there were a problem. Not that I wish for that, but a reason this weight won't go away no matter how hard I try. I guess I got work to do.

[Vowel Lady]

I was going to post info. about this and saw this thread from awhile back. It seems that many women have thyroid issues and this causes weight gain. Sometimes traditional medications help and sometimes they do not. There is some controversy with reference to proper levels and whether or not Armour Thyroid is "safe," to take. However, it seems to me if you have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism you should be checked. AND if you are hypothyroid and Synthroid isn't helping you, then you should look into Armour.
Here is an interesting link:
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/flyer/