I would like to ask a few questions - if even privately. Thanks.
MC
MC
posted by:
|
Los Angeles
|
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 3:32 PMHey MC,
I just got back from the Mayo Clinic the other day. They did a whole spectrum of blood work, including the thyroid and everything came back pretty much normal. I was hoping that they might had missed it the first few time they checked it. =p
The Mayo Clinic has their act together, but they want me to see their Bariatrics Weight Management program. They feel I am a candidate for weight loss surgery.
Even though, they have yet to determine the main cause of chronic sleep apnea issues, they do feel my weight is aggravating the problem. So, I guess the plan is to have the surgery and hope that the rest will work itself out. I know I have tried everything else, but I am not sure about this. I go back next week to discuss my options. -
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 5:53 PMLee,
Please forgive me, but I feel like I need to chime in here. Bariatric surgery for a 50-60 pound weight gain seems rather drastic to me. Bariatric surgery has its uses and benefits, I agree but please promise me that you'll look into ALL the pros and cons of the procedure before agreeing to it. On the outset it's almost easy to say, yeah, I'll just have the surgery and the weight will fall off, etc. In a number of cases, that is NOT what happens. Yes, your stomach pouch will be smaller, restricting the amount you can eat. Yes, you will lose weight; that's pretty much a given. However, find out the percentage of people who gain weight BACK after bariatric surgery because they haven't learned how to properly eat to maintain their weight after losing it and figure out ways to circumvent the surgery to slowly eat more and more high calorie foods thereby gaining weight back. A good friend of mine had bariatric surgery about 15 years ago and lost a substantial amount of weight. Since then she has gained it all back, plus more.
I've gained 50 pounds too and at 5'2" and 188 pounds, I'm now considered clinically obese (thanks medical community; like I needed that shot in the head to boost up my self-esteem). So as a size 16/18 the medical community thinks I'm a fat cow AND according to my sleep study there actually was a recommendation for bariatric surgery as an option for me; CPAP therapy being the first option; which I'm on & using very successfully. Bariatric surgery???????? They've got to be kidding! Since when is bariatric surgery recommended for anyone with a 50 pound weight gain???? I'm starting to think that even our medical community has gotten too caught up in what "Hollywood" thinks body sizes and shapes should be.
I was 168 pounds when my OSA was diagnosed and I'm not thrilled with the extra weight both then and now. Other health issues contributed to my weight gain and I'm in the process of getting a handle on those issues. At my heaviest I was 201 pounds in September 2007 and am now 188 pounds. I know I need to exercise to get some more weight off; a tough call for me as I literally hate the "E" word and deal with chronic pain issues. But, I'm slowly working on it.
I'm rambling, forgive me. Slow and steady wins the race, even with our weight issues and with our OSA. Please, PLEASE do your research and take the time that you need to make a completely informed decision; one that you know you can comfortably live with. IMHO, a "quick fix" never solves anything. Please be careful.
Respectfully,
Leah
-
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 6:37 PMThank you for your honest. That is what I hope to get from this tribe. I posted this because I wanted others to know what the Mayo Clinic; a prominent medical research hospital, was thinking when it came to sleep apnea.
As for me, I have not made up my mind one way or another. I have read up on some of the different types of surgery. My sister is putting me in contact with a friend, who has had the gastric bypass surgery as well as his mother. So, I know that will be a wealth of information.
The only reason I am even considering it is, since I was diagnosed, I have gained the 60 lbs, which now puts me at 339 lbs (last weight at the mayo). At my worst I was at 356 lbs. Also, since I was diagnosed, I have become a diabetic and I developed tachycardia.
Now, I know a lot of heavy people claim to diet and say they are getting no where and they say they exercise and they don’t. I watched an Oprah show with my wife that talked to young teens that have had the surgery. One of the kids said now that he has had the lap-band he can only eat half a hamburger; whereas before he would eat three. If he normally ate 3 hamburgers, no shit, he weighted 300 lbs and if I ate 3 hamburgers at one sitting, I would understand why I weight 340lbs.
My weight gain has not been from overeating. That is why I still believe I have some thyroid problems. I have no energy and despite religiously watching what I eat; I continue to put on the weight. My recent weight loss I am sure is from exercising. I have been able to step it up a little more. But the constant battle with fatigue, it is very had to stay motivate day to day; even after seeing some results.
Thank you again for your concerns and I will take it into count. I don’t take this lightly. -
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 8:25 PMLee,
I didn't want to sound harsh. I honestly didn't and when I hit the "submit" button I hoped you would realize that I was coming from a place of honest concern and I am so thankful that you did realize that. Different doctors and different clinics will have differing views. Thankfully, in my case, my doctor agrees with the principle that "less is more" when it comes to intervention -- lets try the CPAP first and see if it works for me and if I'm content with it than I don't have to consider anything more drastic. The CPAP has been a tremendous success for me and I am not personally considering any other means of treatment. I've been a pretty prominent poster here on this tribe and I could not have had the successful outcome I have had without the incredible people on this tribe. Though I've never met MC personally, the fact that he moderates this tribe has been a life-saver for me and I will forever be grateful and thankful for him.
I'll agree that your weight makes you a more likely candidate for the bariatric surgery than mine does and I know in my heart that the surgery is not the right choice for ME. I am thrilled that you have some important people in your life that you can talk to about this life-altering decision. I know all about the constant battle with fatigue. I deal with it too, along with chronic pain AND clinical depression for which I'm now on anti-depressants. In my case, the depression has been something I've had to deal with since my teen years and is a severe enough chemical imbalance that just taking some herbal meds like SAMe or St. John's Wort is contraindicated. My OSA was only diagnosed 18 months ago though I can pretty well pinpoint the onset to November 2004. Ironically, my weight at onset was even LESS than when I got diagnosed so in my case my weight gain did not cause the OSA though I'm sure it's aggravated it.
Please believe me when I say that all of us here on this particular tribe care about you, your struggle with OSA, and all of its implications on your life. We want to be a help to you and your loved ones. We are here for you! Ask your questions and if we know the answer we'll gladly share the info. Most of all, know that you are NOT alone in this. Please feel free to message my personally if you would like to. I know it is sometimes uncomfortable to post personal information on a public forum.
To your health, Lee!
Best wishes,
Leah -
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 10:22 PMAgain, thank you for sharing with me. Speaking of less and I can't believe I forgot to mention this. My settings on my bipap were 20/18 breath in…breath out. The whole sleep clinic could not believe that my setting were that high. There biggest concern was damage to my lungs and then second that my brain would read my lungs as being full and cause me to stop breathing all together. This might have been disrupting my sleep as much as the OSA. They said with setting that high, my lungs would never fully exhale.
I had x-rays of my lungs and there was no damage…thank God.
They lowered the settings to 12/6 and gave me a device to monitor my oxygen levels over the next 4-weeks. Then I will go back and see how I handled the new levels. Also, we will see if that helped with my fatigue.
So more in this case is not better: The Mayo Clinic does not believe in cracking up the pressure. However, they did give my Doc props for when he ran out of ideas, that he sent me to them.
-
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 11:43 PMLee:"But the constant battle with fatigue, it is very had to stay motivate day to day; even after seeing some results. "
=================================
But yet you still push on. Kudos.
MC
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, February 28, 2008 - 11:49 PMLee:"That is why I still believe I have some thyroid problems. "
==============
I am pre-diagnosis right now - waiting for new insurance to kick in (now that I am working 3 part time gigs - geez).
I have an arrhythmia that is noticeable (meaning I can feel my heart pound and pound out of sync) only about 1-2 times per year. Usually, it goes away after a day or two and my friend of 30+ years who is an MD always told me not to worry too much.
Last week it flared up and would not go away for days. So, he let me come down to his medical group for an ECG which showed a benign, common type of arrhythmia that has nothing to do with coronary diseases. However, I also mentioned that my slightly enlarged area in my neck where my thyroid is at had become noticeably enlarged in recent months so he did a preliminary checkup and he is about 80% sure I have some level of hypothyroidism and that it is affecting both my weight gain in previous years, my fatigue and my arrhythmia.
In a couple of weeks, I will be going back down to see one of his partners who is an endocrine MD to get a thorough checkup.
In some ways, I am actually hoping something is awry with my thyroid as it would explain a few things.
MC -
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Fri, February 29, 2008 - 9:16 AMI am glad to hear you are finding out some answers and that your heart is ok. It is always scary when you heart starts acting out. That is how it is with my tachycardia. Just the other day, my wife and I were visiting with her sister. It had been a great day and for no reason my heart rate went through the roof…no warning. It was not a panic or anxiety attack. It was just my tachycardia. I have learned the difference, but sometimes the tachycardia can trigger an anxiety attack. So, I have to basically mediate to lower my pulse rate before that happens.
You begin to fear for the worst…very frustrating, but it sounds like, if they can treat your thyroid, it will help with everything else. My very best wishes go out to you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In some ways, I am actually hoping something is awry with my thyroid as it would explain a few things.
MC"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heh....That is the thing isn't it. For me, I finally thought, I am going to the Mayo Clinic and certainly they are going to find something that 10-11 doctor's have missed. And, I get nothing, but talk of cutting out my stomach.
All my results were in the normal, but those that we already knew...blood sugar. I was actually disappointed. I wanted something to come back positive so that it could explain what was wrong with me.
I am not a hypochondriac. I know something is a miss, and yet they cannot seem to find it. How do you fight something, when you don't know what it is you’re fighting?
Lee -
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Fri, February 29, 2008 - 11:03 AMLee,
You wrote "I am not a hypochondriac. I know something is a miss, and yet they cannot seem to find it. How do you fight something, when you don't know what it is you’re fighting?"
Sweet man, you stay tenacious and strong and stick to your guns and keep talking and asking questions of as many doctors as it takes for one of them to actually hear what you're saying and truly listen to you and have the know-how to help you. I do not believe that you are a hypochondriac! Who knows our bodies better than ourselves? We know when something's "off" and I tend to think that we instinctively know when it's something that we can leave alone and it'll recitfy itself in time or that we know we need a doctor's intervention. Stay strong and stay true to your convictions. I not only believe in you but I believe you'll get the answers and help you need. -
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Tue, March 4, 2008 - 3:39 AMLeah, thank you for your kind words...my wife and I head back to the Mayo Clinic for what I am sure is many visits to the Bariatrics group. I will keep you all updated to any relative.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Sun, May 11, 2008 - 9:51 PMSo...I had my thyroid checked with ultrasound and blood work done. It is very nice to have childhood friends who are doctors when I don't have insurance (read more below).
My thyroid is normal. But I have a very big thyroid nodule on the right side - its pretty darn big. I can feel it these days and it is very visible. Not quite uncomfortable yet but definitely not something I forget about for too long.
Apparently, the risk of cancer is quite low and the ultrasound showed something too diffuse to be a tumor in any sort of likelyhood. My doctors are not worried about cancer but say I should have the thing taken out asap as it is making my trachea curve a bit - can't be good for an apnea patient. A biopsy is standard to rule out the small chance of something worse.
Interestingly, in recent months, I have been rejected by every insurance company I have applied to for personal health insurance because of - you guessed it, my apnea + bmi ( I am currently 230 lbs). How frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I always wondered why my group rates in graduate school were so much higher than individual rates. Now I know - since they can't reject you for group plans, they stick it to you by way of premiums. What a bust.
But, I might have a solution in the works - hopefully I will have the thing taken out by late July.
Just an update - as I started this thread. :) Its been a strange quarter for sure.
MC
-
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Tue, May 13, 2008 - 5:58 PMGood luck with everything and that great news that it’s not cancerous!
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Wed, May 14, 2008 - 12:33 PMI am so glad..that your thyroid test..came back normal....!
and i reiterate my stance here..WE NEED A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM..in this countryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
lets hope you have a solution..
hey do they have a free care system...in california..for those with low incomes..or no insurance?
-
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Thu, May 15, 2008 - 5:08 PMHi all, first post.
I'm Carl. I have Hashimoto's hypothyroiditis. I'm also on a 16 / 20 BiPap. I would be glad to answer any questions I can (saw the original post).
A quick rant, I gained a lot of weight over the last three years (from 200 Lbs to 340 Lbs in the first year and a half). I have short intense headaches constantly, and was falling asleep while driving to work and on my fork lift all day. I wanted to die.
My doctor just kept telling me to eat less and exercise more. I finally changed doctors last year. I was immediately diagnosed as hypothyroid (zero function) and Hypo gonadal (zero testosterone). I had a series of MRI scans to check my pituitary - which is OK - but they found a chicken-egg size tumor just behind my right eye (Right middle cranial fossa). Great. Just got back from the doctor today for results of a heart stress test, two blockages. Have angioplasty scheduled next week.
Does is ever end?
NEVER procrastinate if you think you may need another doctor. 90% of health treatment depends on the opinion of the doctor - they are human and often wrong. I WOULD be dead if I waited longer.
Carl. -
-
Re: Anyone here dealign with thyroid issues?
Sun, May 18, 2008 - 11:40 PMCarl! Good luck with it all! Wow! I respect that fact that you seem to be taking it in stride and sharing with this group. My best wishes go out to you.
Regarding my thyroid...
I had bloodwork done and my thyroid is functioning fine but I have a fairly large nodule that looks highly unlikely to be malignant. But it is pressing against my trachea and I can feel a bit of discomfort now. Have a highly probable solution to my insurance woes (I am getting rejected by every company I apply to for individual health insurance - I miss having an opportunity to be part of a group plan as they cannot deny you coverage for pre-existing with group plans - they just charge you almost double to cover their butts). Hopefully I can get it removed by August as it can't be helping my apnea.
Once again - more power to you regarding the ticker and chicken egg.
MC
-
-
-
