husband's thyroid issues

Mochi

It's not serious, luckily, but I'm just worried and feeling bad for him. He had a thyroidectomy (spell?)--half of his thyroid removed for biopsy back in January after a nodule was found. Luckily it turned out completely non-cancerous. But now he has lost a lot of thyroid function, he's quickly become rundown and low-energy, and was just given a script for Levthyroxine.

He was told by the doc that side effects will be hypertension AND possible increased appetite and weight gain! Now, obviously high bp is not good. And I had also thought the whole point of fixing one's underactive thyroid was to keep the metabolism running right, so you would NOT gain weight. It makes no sense to me.

I will ask my acupuncturist about natural approaches when he returns from China. Does anyone have any experiences or perspectives on this?

Thanks!

9 years ago

Off Topic

9 replies

Latest reply was from MTBGirl

rachylou

Veteran

Well, hypertension is a new one for me. The weight gain is par for the course as you acclimate to a more normal metabolism.

On the whole, these fixes are clumsy. Noting is as elegant as Mother Nature when things work right. 'Course when they don't, it's a whole lot of trouble.

Remember that herbal meds can affect the efficacy/uptake of western-style-pill meds (eastern medicine also makes pills - not all boiling stuff). My grandma's Chinese Doctor recommended western medicine for me and all my endocrine problems.

Is your guy Chinese? I take it as a positive that he's going to China. I don't trust people trained in the US, lol. They often stop with aligning your chakras...

9 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

Yes, Rachy. He's from China originally, a licensed physician there, and very very very good.

9 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Sorry to hear this... I have a swollen thyroid but it's otherwise functioning normally so I don't want to do something invasive and throw things off more. Hopefully they will be able to sort out his needs fairly soon.

9 years ago

Aida

Veteran

Nancy, I have hypothyroidism (which is what your husband is experiencing with the reduced thyroid function, though mine is autoimmune) and take Levthyroxine daily. My dosages are specified as 1/4 the amount I need, so that over the course of 4 days I end up with the "total" supplemented amount needed. I'd guess your husband's prescription is similar. I will say that taking the supplement makes me feel normal (which is great) and don't regret going that way at all.

I haven't found hypertension to be a side effect nor weight gain specifically; it's more that everything will start moving at a normal pace again so those things will increase from their current states, which are likely slowed (so in the case of weight higher, and in the case of blood pressure lower). I gained quite a bit of weight before my diagnosis; with the resulting slowed metabolism it is always easier to gain weight (this becomes true any time the supplement dosage is off as well). But once I started the supplement and things balanced out I was eventually able to lose the weight I'd gained after working on getting my metabolism functioning properly (i.e. eating enough!). If this is a concern for your husband, especially if he's not eating a lot currently, then he may need to also work on getting his metabolism rate up to normal function levels along with whatever else you decide to do to combat the low thyroid function.

I'd be curious to hear what holistic recommendations you get! And feel free to PM me if you need to.

9 years ago

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I take Armour Thyroid (an animal derived prescription med) and have taken it for many years for hypothyroidism which is like Aida's autoimmune. I have not noticed any change in bp or weight from taking this and in fact without it, I would likely be very tired feeling. Low Ferritin (iron stores) leading to anemia could also be making your DH feel tired. It's quite common apparently after surgery to be low on iron and is also common with hypothyroidism.

9 years ago

MsMaven

Veteran

My DH had a similar surgery when he was in his late 30s. He had a tumor, and his doctor was fearful because DH had X-ray treatment for adenoids back in the 1950s, but the tumor was benign. They decided it was Hashimoto's and our son had the same condition but his was diagnosed when he was a teenager.

So he's been taking Levothyroxine for more than 30 years. He never had a problem with blood pressure until he was in his 70s. He's always had trouble with weight, but he can keep it down with exercise and proper eating. Right now his weight is up and so is he blood pressure. When he loses weight he goes off blood pressure meds. Every day he says he is going to start exercising and eating right, but he hasn't begun yet--after several years.

I've never heard that a side effect of thyroid supplementation is hypertension. Being to low on thyroid can cause weight gain. In my son's case, he lost weight after he started it. He'll need to have his thyroid levels checked several times until they get the right dose, and then twice a year.

9 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

Thanks, everyone. That makes more sense to me. I doubt my husband was given more than a rudimentary explanation at this point, and in my experience it's the women who make more effort to find out exactly what's going on. Anyway, Aida, what you're saying makes sense (though I wouldn't say his appetite's suppressed, and he could stand to lose about 8 pounds. Not a lot, but he's not underweight, or undereating). texstyle, that's an interesting point about iron...I should have him look into getting it checked out. MsMaven, thank you for the account of your son and husband. Thanks for your well wishes, Una!

We are still at the beginning of this, and I'm sure he'll be making a lot of physical (and psychological) adjustments. I'd certainly like to see him get more sleep, to be honest, or at least slow down his crazy social life. Anyway, I guess it's a question of tweaking and figuring out dosages, diet, exercise amount, etc. that will work for him.

Thanks again!

9 years ago

Elle

Veteran

I've often found that it helps to go in with my husband to treatment appointments. He's often so stressed that he doesn't absorb everything the doctor says. So if there is a second appointment, see if you can go in with him or if not, get your husband's permission to talk to the doctor just to clarify things.

Everyone that I know who takes thryoid replacement meds (5 friends now) has had to tweak the medication. I think almost all have ended up like Aida - taking small amounts spread over the day.

Good luck with this. I know it's stressful

9 years ago

MTBGirl

Veteran

The doctor may have meant that until they get his hormone levels settled he will have fluctuations. All my life I was hyperthyroid. Then I had a total thyroidectomy due to cancer. The first ten years after the surgery I was on the generic version of synthroid. (I couldn't take the real synthroid) I got very depressed, sick, gained weight, was always feeling bad and rundown and had many problems. In 2011 I started taking naturethroid (another brand of what texstyle mentioned) and it has made a world of difference for me. It is the most similar to your natural hormone production. I take half my dose in the morning and half in late afternoon. Best wishes to you both with this and if there is anything I can do let me know.

9 years ago

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