Does this sound like a thyroid problem?

hypothyroid
thyroid
health
(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #1

Ok so I’ve been sitting at my desk best part of the day and managed to freak myself out doing research :rofl:
For best part of this week I’ve felt really horrible - headache (that gets worse when I bend over), my eyes hurt, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, strange sensations on my arms when something touches them, awful pains in all parts of my body (even my toes), fatigue, and generally feeling unwell. I did wonder at first if it was anything to do with chest infection that I had a few weeks back, but this feels different.

I (as you do) had a quick look online this morning about various aches and pains, and I have made an appointment to see my doctor this afternoon because I’ve not experienced this before. I’m concerned now that this could be a thyroid issue - I never really worried about it before as my energy was fine, I felt OK - but maybe my hair loss is linked to an underactive thyroid issue? Further more, after more research I’m worried that Keto has caused this?

My memory has progressively gotten worse over the summer (if I’m perfectly honest, it’s embarrassingly cr*p), although I have ‘intentionally’ gained weight too so I can’t be too worried about that, but I still have.

Is there anyone on here who has experienced this? Are these symptoms common of someone with thyroid problems?

I just want to be prepared when I go to the doctors - I know I’m going to have to explain I’m Keto, I expect I’ll be told to stop immediately, but I’m a bit worried now. I won’t know much until I go see my doctor I guess, but I do feel so rough today :frowning:

(Joey) #2

@ClareBear Looks like you’ve been on keto for over a year, so no, as you can likely intuit, your symptoms are not from eliminating carbs. Am assuming you’re otherwise eating a proper keto-oriented diet (plenty of healthy fats and an appropriate level of protein to meet your body’s needs).

Don’t know how your doctor “feels” about keto, so it’s hard to anticipate what s/he might say… but with respect to this particular question, you already know best.

It’s my understanding that thyroid conditions do not normally appear all of a sudden in full force… they tend to be more of a slow-moving train. If the brunt of your symptoms came on all at once, that’s probably not an immediate acute thyroid issue (although it’s always possible you have chronic thyroid issues lurking in the background, which are not that difficult to resolve - i.e., if so, relax about that possibility anyhow).

Sounds like you’ve got classic migraine symptoms. Do you generally suffer from migraines in the past?

(Full Metal KETO AF) #3

Clare I can’t remember when you daughter was born but a significant number of women develop thyroid issues after childbirth sometimes up to a year afterwards. My son’s mom did. I hope you’re doctor visit today will get it sorted out. I don’t think you should bring up your diet unless it comes up. You eat healthy proteins and vegetables. Too much nonsense surrounding the word “KETO”. You could end up with the doctor just telling you to stop eating that way instead of digging into the issues you’re really having. I actually have never had a doctor ask me what I eat in the long history of medical issues that I have had. However when I lost weight and got healthy I told them I was doing KETO and they said “Keep it up, it’s working great. I wish my other patients would do that.” :cowboy_hat_face:

(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #4

Now that I really give it some good thought, I’ve struggled with fatigue since I had my daughter three years ago…I do wonder if I’ve been living with an underlying issue for some time now. Strangely enough during my research I learned that preeclampsia is connected to thyroid problems…go figure!

I try to keep my diet as varied as possible. I’m not scared of protein and get loads of that in! I’ve started to include more veggies in my meals as I felt I was in need of them.

I have experienced some feelings of depression over the summer too - I just put it down to being tired, working, being a mum etc but it all kinda makes sense now.

As for migraines I grew up having those - I used to get them so bad I couldn’t see and I was sick for days…this is an all over body thing. Just so stiff and achy I’ve never felt like this before.

I know I won’t be able to tell much until I get my bloods done but it does kind of make sense?

(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #5

You’re so right - there’s a lot connected to pregnancy and thyroid. I always put my tiredness down to being a mum now! When I went keto it was like light switched in my head I felt amazing for the first time in a long time but if I think about, it’s been a while since I felt like that.
I wasn’t going to disclose my diet to my doctor, but when he asked what made me think it was a thyroid issue, I ended up telling him and he wasn’t even phased! Thank goodness! :clap:

(Joey) #6

Ah, sorry - I didn’t know your “Mom” status. Yeah, pregnancy is a major hormonal roller coaster and thyroid issues are often left in its wake. But the specific symptoms you’d described this morning do sound like typical migraine … and apparently you know all too much about that given your prior experience with it. I hope you get relief soon!

The good news of sorts: for most, keto tends to be more of a cure for migraines (= less severe; less frequent) than a cause. Some consolation there.

Ha! Ironically, it was about a year ago (when I was low-fat eating) that my family doc casually mentioned during my annual exam that he was eating paleo. That’s what first got me interested enough to begin some research and learn more about such stuff. When he recently learned of my experience with keto, he said almost exactly what yours said to you!

Perhaps there’s a new training module they can offer these folks in medical school?

(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #7

Haha that’s ok! And thank you- fingers crossed I get some answers soon.

I just feel bad for my daughter as I don’t feel I’ve been fun company for her lately!

That’s great you have a supportive doctor, I’ve been worried about talking to mine about it and I’m glad he didn’t try to talk me out of it :blush:

(Rebecca 🌸 Frankenfluffy) #8

Hi Clare, sorry to hear this. I hope your doctor is of help, whether it’s thyroid-related or not.

I have had truly awful experiences of both sides of the thyroid coin. My hypOthyroid was caused by the doctors looking after me after the treatment I had for my hypERthyroid NOT giving me any replacement thyroxine (until I’d gone from a size 8 to a size 20). Everything in my body slowed right down until it was sorted. I was permanently freezing, and lost hair.

All fine now, thank goodness.

I experienced two of your symptoms - fatigue and hair loss - but none of your others, and I don’t know what condition/s fit all of them, I’m afraid.

TSH is the standard thyroid function test here in UK, but it’s also useful to know the free T4 figure too, if you get the chance to request it.

:slightly_smiling_face:

(Susan) #9

Awww =(( I am sorry that you are having all this happening to you, Clare. I hope that you and your doctor can figure it all out.

I am sure you having your mom living with you and your little girl helps a lot too for her getting lots of attention and love from the two of you =). I know that my little grand daughter Gabriella is the same age as your little darling, and that they have heaps of energy and are on the go all the time. Your little girl is in a nursery so gets that time for interacting and learning as well. Children are intuitive and super smart, and I am sure that she understands that mommy isn’t feeling well, and just wants you to be okay, and loves you to bits =)). You are a great mom, Clare =). Take care, and I hope that your doctor can help you feel well soon =).

(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #10

Oh my goodness you have been through it!

I had no idea you could have hyperthyroid and hypothyroid! Glad it’s all sorted now - how long did it take you to go from a size 8 to 20?

Thanks for the info, I’m off to get blood tests done tomorrow. I took an ibuprofen earlier and it’s the first time I’ve felt normal all day.

After reading the symptoms it makes sense that this could be a problem- I’ve felt quite down over the summer, and put it down to just life in general…lack of motivation too which isn’t like me. My memory has been awful and I did start to worry about it! :joy::joy::joy:

(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #11

Thank you Susan :kissing_heart::kissing_heart: it’s just been tough not having the strength to get her out of the bath and things like that…She’s a sweet kid I’m sure in her own special way she understands :kissing_heart::kissing_heart:

(Rebecca 🌸 Frankenfluffy) #12

One after the other, and one caused by the treatment of the other - so it did kind of make sense.

I had an autoimmune condition called Graves’ thyrotoxicosis - my thyroid went ape**** and was massively hyperactive. They treated me with radioiodine to kill off my thyroid gland completely, and because they then didn’t give me any thyroxine to replace what I wasn’t able to make for myself any more, I then ended up with all the symptoms of hypOthyroid.

The first issue was undiagnosed for far too long and actually nearly killed me. It was insult to injury that I then didn’t get the replacement hormone for months afterwards. That was much less serious, so fair dos.

As I say, all fine now.

:slightly_smiling_face:

('Jackie P') #13

I am so sorry that you are feeling so unwell, I really hope you get to the bottom of it all. With such a wide range of symptoms I wouldn’t like to guess without your blood tests. Could be thyroid, autoimmune, post viral etc. I hope he ordered a full range. Take care hunni :relieved:

(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #14

Bloody hell! Amazing how one little gland can cause so much chaos!!

Do you have to take replacement hormones forever now?

So glad is fine for you now :kissing_heart::kissing_heart:

(Steaks b4 cakes! 🥩🥂) #15

Thank you! :kissing_heart: It’s all a bit strange at the moment - I saw the doc ticking off every box on the requisition :joy: fingers crossed the blood tests can tell us something

(Rebecca 🌸 Frankenfluffy) #16

Yes but no big deal. Regular tests and occasional dose tweakages, that’s all.

Sounds good! Hope they get to the bottom of it very soon!

('Jackie P') #17

I hope they come back soon and its something that can easily be put right :kissing_smiling_eyes:

(Full Metal KETO AF) #18

Oh yes, we call that malpractice in America :face_with_raised_eyebrow:. Glad you got it sorted now. My sister in law has Grave’s, I haven’t seen her in 26 years but she had bug eyes from it when I saw her last :flushed:. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Full Metal KETO AF) #19

They don’t call it the master gland for nothing!

Side note: I had a nuclear medicine scan of my Parathyroid Wednesday and I have an adenoma (benign tumor) that has to come out. I have chronically high serum calcium levels because of it. Fortunately we live in an age where these things are no longer life threatening and can be managed. This was a result of 10 years on dialysis in my case and renal failure would have killed me a long time ago if I had lived a couple of generations earlier. :cowboy_hat_face:

#20

Low vitamin D can cause “the blues” type feelings as well as severe fatigue, hopefully they check that level and iron too, hope you feel better soon :blush: