Miss Lizzy Thyroid Support

Adrenal Fatigue Testing

Adrenal Fatigue Testing

Miss Lizzy

Adrenal Fatigue Testing

There are several options for Adrenal Fatigue Testing, including the free at-home Pupil Test, Blood Pressure test; and the 24 Hour Saliva Test. These testing options may give you some information in order to have more insight when you talk with a good doctor.

Symptoms Checklist

If you answered yes to at least half the Adrenal Fatigue symptoms, in particular the symptoms related to low energy and poor sleep that’s a good first indicator of Adrenal Problems.

The Pupil Test

Adapted from Adrenal Fatigue by Dr. James L. Wilson, you can do this test at home yourself for free and will give you quick insight about whether there might be an adrenal fatigue. You need a chair, a small flashlight, a mirror, a watch or timer, and a dark room.

  • Darken the room and sit in a chair in front of a mirror
  • Angle a flashlight from the side (not directly into it), and shine the light toward your pupil
  • With the other eye observe, holding for two or three minutes
  • Normally a pupil will stay contracted in the bright light
  • With adrenal fatigue or hypoadrenia, the pupil will not hold its contraction. Within two minutes the pupil will start to dilate and this will last 30-40 seconds before it recovers and contracts again.
  • Make note when the dilation started, how long the dilation lasted, and the date.
  • Let the eye rest
  • Re-take the test monthly
  • If needed, ask a friend to help you with the test

Blood Pressure Test

Also according to Dr. James L. Wilson 1, blood press is an important indicator of adrenal function. Wilson says if your blood pressure drops when you stand up from a lying position this almost always indicates low adrenals. For me personally, when I stood up too fast I would nearly black out!

This test can be done at home. All you need is a blood pressure gauge which does not require a stethoscope. After you know how to use the blood pressure gauge here are the steps:

  • Lie down quietly for 10 minutes
  • Then while laying down take your blood pressure
  • Next stand up and immediately measure your blood pressure
  • Normal blood pressure will rise about 10-20 mmHg
  • If it drops when you stand up this likely means you have some form or hypoadrenia, adrenal fatigue, or you may be dehydrated
  • The more severe the drop the more severe the hypoadrenia
  • Dizziness or light-headedness might accrue when standing, so it is wise to do this test with someone beside you, or next to something you can grab like a chair

For more about the Blood Pressure test see Dr. Wilson’s book., Adrenal Fatigue.

24 Hour Saliva Test

The Saliva Hormone test is the single best lab test available for testing adrenal fatigue 2,. This test is done at home, but  typically it is not covered by insurance. The cost runs about $120-150, but it is more accurate than blood or urine tests which are covered by insurance.   The test measures cortisol levels at four different times of the day to show how your cortisol varies during the day:

  • Between 6-8 AM (within one hour after waking and cortisol is at its highest)
  • Between 11AM-12 PM
  • Between 4-6 PM
  • And between 10PM-midnight

Dr. Wilson also notes that, when doing the saliva test he usually measures DHEA-S (but not necessarily DHEA) because the adrenals are a primary source of DHEA-S.

The 24 hour Saliva test can be ordered by a doctor or by patients directly through these labs:

 

Notes:

  1. Adrenal Fatigue, .79 ↩
  2. Adrenal Fatigue, Dr. James L. Wilson, p. 83 ↩
Miss LizzyAdrenal Fatigue Testing
The Importance of Sleep for Adrenal Health

The Importance of Sleep for Adrenal Health

Miss Lizzy

If you have adrenal fatigue like me, or know someone who does, getting up before 9 a.m. can often be painful. As far back as high school I joked about not being “a morning person”. Staying up late at night was easy for me, but mornings were so bad that in college I scheduled all classes after 2 p.m. Seriously, I did.  I would be a zombie until around noon. People thought I was lazy, I thought I was lazy. But my brain just didn’t function in the morning, so I did what my body was telling. And you know, my body was pretty darn smart, thank you.

Even as a adult it was painful to wake up before 9 AM. I admired early-risers and longed to be one, having a strange idea that morning people are good people. Only the lure of coffee would pull me from the comatose state of sleep.  The idea of waking up at 6 a.m. actually made me panic. If I woke up before 9 a.m., I could easily drink two cups of coffee and go right back to sleep for hours.  Curiously though, if I slept until about 9 a.m. I could pop right out of bed awake and alert.  This always seemed odd, but apparently, there are lots of people out there like me!

Anyone who has chronic illness will understand you lead a secret life, arranging your business hours around rest opportunities and finding excuses for missing social events – Lynne Farrow, author The Iodine Crisis

Then I started learning about Adrenal Fatigue and how cortisol runs our body clock. So my sleep pattern wasn’t a matter of choice after all. What a revelation! According to James L. Wilson, Ph.D, Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, though most people’s schedules do not allow it, it helps to sleep until 8:30 or 9 in the morning.

Wilson also writes, for people with normal functioning adrenals, cortisol rises rapidly between 6-8 am, which helps them to pop out of bed.  (And explains why some people can’t sleep past a certain time.)  Further, there is something magical about the restorative power of sleep between 7-9 a.m. for people with Adrenal Fatigue. Partly, he says, because cortisol levels rise slower in people with adrenal fatigue, and when cortisol levels are lower it takes longer to feel fully awake. Wilson also explains that with adrenal fatigue, when you sleep may be more important than how much you sleep.

Finally something that made sense after all these years!  After getting treatment for Adrenal Fatigue, my Cortisol levels have become more normal, so waking up is much easier. In fact, I can get up at 7:45 a.m and actually function these days. But given the chance, I sleep late without guilt, knowing it will help me tackle the day with energy. Brilliant.

 

Miss LizzyThe Importance of Sleep for Adrenal Health
Three Medicine Options for Hypothyroidism

Three Medicine Options for Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

Hypothyroidism Medicine Overview

Three medicine options for hypothyroidism treatment include T4 medicine, Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine, and T3 medicine. All three are prescribed by a doctor. Each medicine option for hypothyroidism has its pros and cons. Thyroid medicine can be complex to understand because each medicine works differently in the body.

T4 Medicine

Hypothyroidism medicine in the form of prescription T4 is called Synthroid, or generically known as Levothyroxine. T4 medicine contains only the inactive T4 thyroid hormone. Therefore T4 medicine relies upon the body’s ability to convert T4 to T3. Though T4 medicine has been considered the standard treatment for hypothyroidism by Endocronogists 1., there are many patients who report that T4 medicine does not work for them, only partly works, or makes their condition worse. 2.

Pros and Cons

The pros of T4 medicine is that it is taken once a day which makes this hypothyroidism medicine very simple. For patients who feel T4 works for them, then this is an easy option for treatment.

However, many patients taking T4 medicine report on-going hypothyroid symptoms. Consequently, these patients believe they are getting the right treatment for hypothyroidism but are actually not. In some cases, patients find their hypothyroid symptoms remain or get worse on T4 including hair loss, weight gain, depression, anxiety, cortisol issues, and more. 3. Each person is different.

Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine

Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine (NDT) is a hypothyroidism medicine that has been successfully used to treat patients for over 100 years. 4 The medicine is natural, not synthetic like T4, which means it comes from powdered pig thyroid gland. It is a prescription medication under the name Armour, WP Thyroid, NP Thyroid and others.

Patients like Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine because it provides all the thyroid hormones naturally created in the body. These include T4, T3, T2, T1 and calcitonin.

Pros and Cons

There are many pros to taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine. Many patients report hypothyroid symptoms improve including weight loss, hair growth, depression lifting, warm hands and feet, and many more. The cons to Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine is that it needs to be taken several times a day, it can reveal issues with low or high cortisol which need treatment. In addition, on NDT patients sometimes report pooling or Reverse T3 which causes hypothyroid symptoms to return.

Patients report taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine anywhere from one to several times a day. Spreading the medicine out through the day seems to help patients with maintaining energy levels.

Typically patients start at one 60/65mg pill (also called grain) and increased up to two or even three pills a day. This medicine increase is reported to take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. Patients increase their medicine based on the elimination of hypothyroid symptoms, and increased body temperature.

In terms of how to take Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine, foods and supplements can interfere with the medicine. As a result, patients prefer to let the pill dissolve under the tongue, called sublingually. Taking the thyroid medicine sublingually allows the medicine to go directly into the blood stream (not through the stomach. This means patients can eat and take supplements immediately before and after taking the medicine. 5. A terrific resource for patient to patent experience is the Stop the Thyroid Madness book.

Support Groups

For Natural Desiccated Thyroid medicine support join this group on Facebook, based on the book Stop the Thyroid Madness. Make sure to read their rules for posting.

T3 medicine

T3 medicine is the active thyroid hormone at the cellular level in the body, known by the name Cytomel, Cynomel and generic Liothyronine. If patients are on T4 medicine but not feeling well, they might benefit from adding T3 medicine or switching to a T3 6

After years of trying Synthyroid and NDT, Paul Robinson discovered that he had issues converting T4 medicine. As a result he switched to T3 medicine and wrote Recovering with T3, a through resource for patients with similar T4 conversion issues.

Pros and Cons

Both a pros and con of T3 medicine is that it is fast acting. T3 medicine lasts about 4-6 hours in the body consequently T3 doses need to be taken through the day. In addition, patients need to be very careful to monitor their body symptoms to find the right T3 dose.

Patients who don’t convert T4 medicines (including converting T4 in NDT) report success on T3 once they find the right dose. Through his research, Paul Robinson discovered T3 medicine helped strengthen the adrenals in patients who have low cortisol. His treatment solution is called Circadian T3 method which uses T3 medicine to support the body’s natural cortisol cycle.

Support Groups

For T3 medicine support join these T3 groups on Facebook. Make sure to read their rules for posting.

 

Notes:

  1. https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/hypothyroidism/synthetic-t4-supplements-hypothyroidism ↩
  2. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/t4-only-meds-dont-work/ ↩
  3. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/t4-only-meds-dont-work/ ↩
  4. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101/ ↩
  5. https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/natural-thyroid-101/ ↩
  6. https://www.verywell.com/t3-natural-desiccated-thyroid-treatments-3233007 ↩
Miss LizzyThree Medicine Options for Hypothyroidism
Reverse T3 (RT3) when normal thyroid treatment isn’t working

Reverse T3 (RT3) when normal thyroid treatment isn’t working

Miss Lizzy

If you are taking the right dose of thyroid medicine, and perhaps are even getting adrenal support, but still have many hypothyroid symptoms you may have Reverse T3 (RT3).

This information came from the experiences of other patients on the RT3 Yahoo Group and specifically patient Nick Foote who did some great work compiling a Question and Answer site about Reverse T3 (RT3).  Please read the entire page for important information and cautions.

What is “Resistance” caused by Reverse T3?

“Resistance to thyroid hormone” refers to people that don’t respond properly to thyroid hormone supplementation (such as natural desiccated thyroid medicine like Naturthroid or Erfa), and continue to have hypothyroid symptoms and normal blood test results.

Why does this happen?

It helps to first understand the relationship between the thyroid hormones T4 and T3 in the body. T4 is the main hormone that is produced by the thyroid gland. This hormone is totally inactive biologically. It’s only after an iodine atom is removed, making it into T3, that it has an effect on the body. T4 is a storage hormone and lasts for weeks  in the body. T3 has a life of a few days in the body, but it is the important catalyst that the body needs to progress at the right speed. Without enough T3 people experience Hypothyroid symptoms  (cold, tired, and lethargic, etc..).

Reverse T3 (RT3) is what is made when the “wrong” iodine atom is removed from T4 which results in blocking the action of T3 on the body. This means  that your body doesn’t respond properly to T3 leading to hypothyroid symptoms despite a normal TSH, T3 and T4 lab levels.

This is what they refer to as “Tissue Resistance to Thyroid Hormone.” According to Nick Foote’s website, doctors will say this is very rare, but that’s because they don’t look for it!

What are the symptoms of Reverse T3 (RT3)?

Hypothyroidism that won’t respond to desiccated thyroid treatment (at a proper dose).  It may sound similar to Chronic Fatigue Symptom.

Unless you have a very clued in Doctor this disgnosis will probably get missed. It can by picked up by blood tests, but only if they do the right ones and then interpret the results correctly.

How is Reverse T3 (RT3) diagnosed?

The initial sign tends to be that normal thyroid treatment doesn’t work. Other signs of possible RT3 problems are low but stable temperature, Ferritin of at least 70, Free T3 (FT3) near the top of the range (which varies by lab).

RT3 can be accurately diagnosed by calculating the ratio of Free T3 to Reverse T3 from your lab results. Simply divide the Free T3 number by the reverse T3. It should be 20 or greater. If the ratio is less than 20, its very likely you have an RT3 problem.  Please note: lab ranges vary so look at the ratio instead.

If you only had a T3 lab test (but not a FT3), then divide the T3 by the RT3 result.  The ratio should be 10 or greater.  Less than 10 likely means an RT3 problem.

A FT4 reading that is over 1.4 is a marker for potential high RT3.

What causes Reverse T3 (RT3)?

The body naturally produces some RT3 and this is fine for many people. The problem arises when the Free T3 to Reverse T3 ratio is too low (below 20:1) because the RT3 then gets in the way of the T3, causing hypothyroid symptoms. Here are some common causes for a low FT3/RT3 ratio:

  • Extreme dieting, the RT3 increases to slow the metabolism and make better use of the available food
  • Low Ferritin
  • High cortisol, this disturbs the balance of the thyroid hormones
  • Low cortisol, this again disturbs the balance of the thyroid hormones
  • Insulin dependent Diabetes
  • Low Vitamin B12 levels

How is Reverse T3 (RT3) treated?

The treatment for too much RT3 first involves stopping more RT3 being made and waiting for the RT3 already in the body to decay or be excreted.

This is relatively easy but there are pitfalls along the way. A lot of Drs are worried by people doing this as things happen too quickly to be done by lab tests.  Patients need to adjust the dose by symptoms and vital signs.

RT3 is only made from T4. If you get rid of T4, both from your own thyroid and from supplements, then no more RT3 gets made. In order to do this and stay alive an alternative source of the bio-active T3 is neededthrough synthetic T3 hormone.

The basic treatment is to stop all medicine containing T4 (such as Naturthroid, Armour, Erfa, etc..) and start T3 medicine instead. Slowly increase the dose of the T3 medicine week by week as the T4 levels in your body diminish. After about 6 weeks, the T4 and RT3 levels in your blood will be very low. It takes about a total of 12 weeks for the RT3 to clear the receptors.

During this time, its very likely you will experience Hypothyroid symptoms.  To help with this you can increase the T3 medicine levels but be prepared to drop the dose as soon as the thyroid resistance clears because this can happen dramatically and suddenly. Overnight you may very well have to drop you T3 medicine dose almost completely. Then ramp back up to about half the previous dose until you stop feeling hypothyroid. So its very important to carefully watch symptoms, including pulse and body temperature, especially around week 12.

(If you are worried about this you can keep the T3 dose lower but it means feeling hypothyroid until the RT3 clears. If you need to get on with life and can’t afford to stay hypothyroid for another the three month clearing time, then increase the T3 dose as noted above).

 What lab work do I need?

Lab work has a lot of value to it but needs to be interpreted carefully, just because the results are “in range” doesn’t mean you will feel well, they need to be in the right part of the reference ranges. There are some excellent resources on lab work, including many that you can order without needing a Doctor. See STTM Lab page.

RT3 and FT3 tests can be ordered without a doctor and there are sources of this in the Yahoo RT3 group files area for members. IMPORTANT NOTE: To calulate the RT3 ratio, the Free T3 and RT3 lab work has to be done at the same time.  

Econolabs and Life Extension are currently the cheapest sources for RT3 testing.

What is T3 medicine?

T3-only medication include brand names like Cytomel (American), Cynomel (Mexican), or Tertroxin (UK). The Chemical names for this are Liothyronine sodium or triiodothyronine. See Wikepedia for more information

What if I am already on Thyroid medicine?

If you are on synthetic T4 medication such as Synthroid, or Natural Desiccated Thyroid such as Armour, Naturthroid or Erfa, these all contain T4.  During the 12 weeks or so that you clear the RT3 from your body, you will need to change your medication to a T3 only medicine (noted above).

Do I want/need Sustained Release T3 (SRT3)?

According to Nick Foote’s site, no, sustained release is not necessary.

Do I need T4 at all?

When it comes to RT3 people, NO, T4 is not needed. For these people, T3 only is the protocol. There are people who have been on T3 only for 20 years without ill effects.

DANGERS, Please read!

Once you are on T3 only it important to stay on it, or if you are switching medicines to change very gradually. If you suddenly stop taking T3 you could be in a myxadema coma within 24 hours. Its well worth carrying a medical warning note that you are on T3 only and the dosage in case you are rendered unconscious in a car accident.

Stopping Meds before Lab Tests

When performing lab tests you sometimes need to stop your medication before the blood draw. This is a list of the common withdrawal periods. Unless specified otherwise you only have to stop taking the hormone being tested for.

Thyroid Medicine
Don’t take any thyroid medication on the day of the blood draw. Consider not taking any T3 after lunchtime the pervious day, especially if your Dr gets concerned by over range FT3. You can take your HC as normal on the day of the blood draw if you are on it.

Cortisol/Adrenal Support
The “gold standard” for Adrenal hormones is the “4 times a day saliva test”.  If you have taken any cortisol (HC), Isocort or had Licorice 2 weeks before testing the results will be inaccurate.

Sex Hormones
If you are supplementing sex hormones using creams applied topically then saliva tests are not accurate. Blood tests remain accurate if you are supplementing but none should be taken on the day of the test.

Ferritin/Iron Panel 
Stop all iron supplements 5 days prior to blood draw.

Where can I get more help on Reverse T3?

Join the 1200 members on Yahoo’s RT3 group.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Please note, I do not suffer from RT3 (at least from what I know) but wanted to share this information from Nick Foote’s site because it seems so important, and everyone is different. Good luck!

 

Miss LizzyReverse T3 (RT3) when normal thyroid treatment isn’t working
High Cholesterol & Hypothyroidism

High Cholesterol & Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

For many people with high cholesterol the underlying issue may actually be hypothyroidism. Rather than diagnosing and treating the hypothyroidism, many people are told they simply need to eat healthier, exercise more and take medicine to lower their cholesterol.

What’s worse is that sometimes doctors make us feel bad, like we must be fat, unhealthy people who have no control over ourselves when in fact it could be low thyroid.

 When the thyroid slows down (hypothyroidism), it also slows down the body’s ability to process cholesterol.
– Heather M. Ross, About.com

Certainly eating healthier and exercising are good, but cholesterol medicines (statins) have some scary side effects. But even more important, properly treating hypothyroidism could result in naturally lowering cholesterol, like it did for me and many others. On Stop the Thyroid Madness read people’s stories about how they lowered their cholesterol, not through statins, but through the right combination of desiccate thyroid medicine and other treatments.

When I was 18 years old, a doctor told me I had high cholesterol but no one made the connection to hypothyroidism. At that time in my life I was about 15lbs overweight. The doctor made me feel like I was fat and unhealthy, so I was therefore to blame for having high cholesterol at such a young age.

Now at age 41, on proper thyroid treatment my cholesterol is completely normal and healthy. Like me, if you have high cholesterol as a result of hypothyroidism learn more about thyroid symptoms, understanding thyroid lab work (even when the results say you are normal), and finding and good doctor:

 

Miss LizzyHigh Cholesterol & Hypothyroidism
Blood Pressure & Hypothyroidism

Blood Pressure & Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

According to the Stop the Thyroid Madness , blood pressure and Hypothyroidism can go hand-in-hand.

Apparently, it is common to have low blood pressure due to thyroid disease or being treated with T4-only medicines like Levoxyl, Synthroid, Extroxin, etc…

If untreated or treated with these T4-only medicine, low blood pressure can take an ugly turn into high blood pressure. Learn more. For some people, the root of solving blood pressure problems can be found in good thyroid treatment.

Before being treated for Hypothyroidism I had low blood pressure. On the Mayo Clinic website, the symptoms of low blood pressure can include:

  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Fainting
  • Lack of concentration
  • Blurred vision
  • Nausea
  • Cold, clammy, pale skin
  • Rapid, or shallow breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Depressions
  • Thirst

For years I experienced many of the symptoms noted above. Especially lightheadedness or a woozy feeling when I stood up too quickly (or inverted like a in the yoga pose downward dog, lack of concentration for everyday tasks (my brain and thinking felt soft and foggy), overall fatigue and low energy, a low grade depression.

Sometimes we become so accustomed to symptoms we believe it’s “normal”. After being treated for Hypothyroidism with Natural Dessicated Thyroid medicine (and Iodine for me personally) these symptoms all cleared up and my blood pressure became normal!!

Treatment for Blood Pressure

According to Janie Bowthorp, of Stop the Thyroid Madness, common treatment for hypothyroidism symptoms (including blood pressure) include:

  • Iodine (if one is Iodine deficient)
  • Natural Desiccated Thyroid Medicine

Symptoms are removed, lives are returned to being active, moods are improved as is one’s entire health and well-being.

 

J.CROW’S® Lugol’s Solution of Iodine 5%
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Miss LizzyBlood Pressure & Hypothyroidism
Hypoglycemia & Hypothyroidism

Hypoglycemia & Hypothyroidism

Miss Lizzy

At some point everyone has experienced Hypoglycemia, also known as low blood sugar. You may not know the term but you probably know the feeling. You wait too long to eat or eat high carb foods (say a bagel for breakfast), then within a few hours it feels like you hit a wall.  You might feel these symptoms:

  • Energy comes crashing down
  • Weak and Shaky
  • Irritable or Cranky
  • Hot (like a hot flash) or sweaty
  • Fuzzy head, trouble thinking clearly
  • Become ravenously hungry
  • Read more about Hypoglycemia symptoms

After eating a ridiculous amount of food, or having something really sugary your energy starts to recover slowly. It takes a while to rebound from the weak, lifeless state, and muster enough energy to get off the couch.

For over twenty years I experienced this kind of high-low energy cycle with Hypoglycemia.  At one point, before getting treated for Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue, I asked a doctor about Hypoglycemia. He simply dismissed it and said: “No, nothing can be done about it. Just drink orange juice when it happens.”  The problem was, I experienced Hypoglycemia about every two hours, that’s a lot of O.J.!  I’m no doctor, but one would think having energy crashes every two hours means something else is not right.

Also worth noting, in the middle of a working-out I would often get Hypoglycemia. For me this meant with any kind of physical exertion I would get really week, start shaking and nearly collapse with exhaustion. This was totally frustrating because I wanted to exercise, and the doctors told me to “lose weight I just needed to exercise more.” But when the Hypoglycemia wall hit that was it, workout over.  At that point orange juice just isn’t going to help.  So the looming question was why was I getting Hypoglycemia and could it be prevented?

When I finally researched Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue, I was amazed to see Hypoglycemia as a symptom related to both conditions. How interesting! Finally an explanation that made sense, other than “No, nothing can be done about it…”  With Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue, there are so many odd little symptoms it’s easy to pass them off as unrelated.  But solving the root may solve the problem, as it did for me.

The solution turned out to be — you guessed it — getting on the right treatment for Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue along with diet changes. In particular, when I added the Hydrocortisone for Adrenal Fatigue, I noticed a big improvement with the Hypoglycemia.  According to Wikipedia, Glucocorticoids like Hydrocortisone may help prevent or reverse Hypoglycemia.

When I learned that carbs and simple sugars are hard for people who have Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue, it all started to make sense.  For years I would eat a bagel or cereal for breakfast which spikes the blood sugar, then two hours later my blood sugar would come crashing down causing Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Of course, as I later learned being carb sensitive, drinking a glass of orange juice was terrible for me (and started the whole high-low cycle all over.)

On the diet side, I removed simple carbs from my diet, replaced them with protein and fat, and started eating every two hours (rather than 3 meals a day, or worse, one meal a day!).  It was pretty incredible to feel the difference in my energy and thinking.

These days I am much more stable, I rarely have Hypoglycemic crashes (even during exercise) and my weight stays in a healthy range.  Before the Hypoglycemia hits, I am now able to recognized the early signs of hunger (just the slightest stomach pang) which prompts me to eat a snack (nuts or cheese, maybe with some apple). Before exercising I always eat this kind of snack and it works great to keep me going through the workout.

I know there is so much to learn, and it can all be overwhelming.  Go easy on yourself and take it one bit of info at a time. When the energy is stable and you think clearly the rest gets so much easier!

 

Miss LizzyHypoglycemia & Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroid Before and After Video

Hypothyroid Before and After Video

Miss Lizzy

Hi everyone!! Last week I found the most amazing photo of myself at age 29… before treatment for hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue!! This before photo is so hard to look at but I think it helps show my journey. About six years ago I threw away almost all my pre-treatment photos because they were so upsetting. Before treatment I was overweight, and this photo wasn’t the worst of it! I was so tired I didn’t have energy to care about work, exercise, home, doing my hair, makeup, or nails. All those fun things being a girl were just too exhausting. Watch my video to hear the whole story! Miss Lizzy!

Miss LizzyHypothyroid Before and After Video
Before and After Hypothyroidism Treatment

Before and After Hypothyroidism Treatment

Miss Lizzy

Do you ever wonder what patients look like before and after hypothyroidism treatment? Here are historic photos of patients who were treated for hypothyroidism with natural desiccated thyroid medicine (NDT). 1 In the before photos, notice the typical hypothyroid symptoms including puffy face and eyes, swollen neck area, dull complexion, dullness in the eyes, hooded eyelids, thinning eyebrows, under eye bags. In addition, notice the dry, dull and thinning hair which is common with hypothyroidism.

14 Year Old Girl, Before and After Hypothyroidism Treatment

Before and After Hypothyroidism Treatment with NDT - Miss Lizzy Hypothyroid Advocate

This historical before photo shows a 14-year-old  girl with hypothyroid. Her symptoms appear to be puffiness around the eyes, thickened lips, depressed root of the nose (saddle nose), as well as straight, dry, coarse hair. The second photo was taken after only 6 months of treatment with natural desiccated thyroid. Notice the improvements in her appearance and hypothyroid symptoms after treatment with natural desiccated thyroid:

  • Elevated bridge of the nose
  • Brighter eyes
  • Normal looking lips
  • Glossy, curly hair
  • In addition, her constipation had resolved and her appetite improved

Adult Woman, Before and After Treatment

Before and After Hypothyroidism Treatment with NDT - Miss Lizzy Hypothyroid Advocate

This photo shows before and after hypothyroidism treatment of an adult woman. She has the characteristic puffiness that often accompanies hypothyroidism, as well as dull looking complexion, dry looking her, under eye bags. Notice the improvements in her appearance and hypothyroid symptoms after treatment with natural desiccated thyroid:

  • The bags under her eyes have diminished
  • Her hair texture has markedly improved, becoming shiny
  • The swelling around her neck and face have reduced
  • Her skin appears more vibrant and youthful

Adult Male, Before and After Treatment

This historical photo shows an adult man before and after hypothyroidism treatment. He is described to have the obese form of hypothyroidism. In the before photo he has the characteristic symptoms of hypothyroidism including swollen neck and face. In the before photo his eyelids appear hooded and closed. His hair appear thinning and dry. In addition his eyes appear to have a dull, foggy look, which patients describe as brain fog. Notice the improvements in his appearance and hypothyroid symptoms after treatment with natural desiccated thyroid:

  • The neck and face swelling have greatly diminished
  • His hair texture appears more full and healthier
  • His skin appears more firm and youthful

Adult Male, Before and After Treatment

Finally, the last historical photo of an adult man before and after hypothyroidism treatment. He appears to have the puffiness (myxedema) which is characteristic of hypothyroidism. Notice the improvements in his appearance and hypothyroid symptoms after treatment with natural desiccated thyroid:

  • The swelling around his neck, jowls and face have greatly reduced
  • Even the swelling on the back of his neck appears greatly improved
  • The swelling in his cheek area appears greatly reduced
  • His skin seems more youthful, especially around his eyes and forehead
  • His hair appears to be growing in thicker and fuller

Clearly these photos of before and after hypothyroidism treatment show how patients can experience significant improvements when they are on the right medicine. In this case, the medicine was natural desiccated thyroid. However each person is different, therefore treatment may vary.

Notes:

  1. http://www.jcrows.com ↩
Miss LizzyBefore and After Hypothyroidism Treatment
Boost Thyroid Medicine in Winter

Boost Thyroid Medicine in Winter

Miss Lizzy

Here is my new video about Hypothyroidism and the winter blues on Youtube!

REPOST FROM FEB 2011

Here it is March 2014 and I am thinking “Wow, I’ve been feeling kind of blue lately.” It’s the yearly seasonal thyroid drop, which always happens around early March and goes until May. Late winter through early spring can be hard for those of us with hypothyroidism. Even when we are on good thyroid medicine! It reminded me of my blog post from last year on this exact topic. Sheesh, even I have a hard time seeing my own symptoms!

PL0000003849_card_lgThis time of year is always tough for me. The days are getting longer, there is more light and I feel like I should be feeling great. But sure enough, I feel the low-grade depression sneaking up on me again. It usually sets in just before the forsythia bloom (so early March here in New England). When I finally got treatment for hypothyroidism I learned this depression is actually low thyroid!

Apparently thyroid function drops in the late winter/early spring months which creates a low-grade depression for many of us. It feels like SAD (seasonal affective disorder), general depression, or just a heaviness. I know it’s not SAD because I still have it even when I get plenty of sunlight. And I know it’s not traditional depression because it lasts only a few months, and it’s always around this time of year.

So this is a reminder… to help get through the winter blues many of us need to increase our thyroid medicine about 1/4 pill just for a few months. (I might add, who wants to take anti-depressants and gain weight?!) For me the depression starts around now and sometimes lasts through May. When I start to feel light and buoyant again I know I can ease back to my normal dose of thyroid medicine.

 

 

Miss LizzyBoost Thyroid Medicine in Winter

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