Miss Lizzy | Miss Lizzy Thyroid Support

Miss Lizzy Thyroid Support

Getting to Yes, with Your Doctor

Whether you are just getting diagnosed as Hypothyroid and want to try a natural desiccated thyroid medicine like Naturthroid, or you’ve been diagnosed and want to switch from a T4-Only medicine like Synthroid or Levoxyl there are ways to talk with your doctor. Start with then end in mind; the goal is getting to “Yes”.

I have found the easiest way in getting to yes is to approach everything like an experiment. This takes the pressure off everyone, and gives me a chance to learn with the guidance of my doctor. Here is what say:

Hi Doc, Let’s try this experiment and see what happens! If we feel it doesn’t work I am totally open to trying something else.

Finding the right treatment has been a journey for me. I needed to be able to test and try new things. So this approach created an open dialogue with my doctor which allowed us both to learn. Success!

xxoo

Lizzy

Please note: any experiment is at my or your own risk. So be careful, educated and ultimately follow the advice of a doctor you trust.

Simple Tips for Starting or Switching Thyroid Medicine

Miss Lizzy

Getting treatment for Hypothyroidism can seem overwhelming and intimidating, so today’s post is about KISS. Keep it simple sweetheart!

Getting to Yes with Your Doctor
Whether you are just getting diagnosed Hypothyroid, or switching from a T4 medicine like, simply tell your doctor that you want to try natural desiccated thyroid meds as an experiment! That you have heard good things about this type of medicine and want to try it first. But if it doesn’t work you are totally open to trying something else. The goal is getting your doctor to say “yes,” so lowering the pressure makes it easier for them to agree.

Switching Meds May Be an Easy Phone Call
If you are taking a synthetic T4 med like Synthroid switching to a natural desiccated medicine like Naturthroid may be easier than you think. So save yourself a trip to the doctor. Instead call up your doctor today and ask them to call in a new prescription to your pharmacy. Do it with a smile in your voice. Ask them to advise on “How much should I take?” rather than “Should I or shouldn’t I switch?”.

If the Labs Say You Aren’t Hypothyroid
If you doctor says “according to the labs you are not hypothyroid”, show them your body temp chart and symptoms checklist and explain that you have most of the symptoms (assuming this is true) and would like to try treatment as an experiment. This takes the pressure off big time. And if it doesn’t work you are totally open to trying something else. If the doctor still resists just smile, say thanks anyway, and get out of there as fast as you can. Then email me and we will find you someone better.

Even though the journey will be challenging at times, think of yourself as a Georgia Peach. Sweet on the outside with a solid core. You know what’s best for you, and you are taking care of yourself!

xxoo

Lizzy

Could Salt Cravings be an Indicator of Stress?

Miss Lizzy

Remember all the talk about how salt is so bad for our health? And the low-sodium, flavor-less diets that ensued? For years I ate bland, tasteless meals thinking I was doing the healthy thing.

But get this: For people with Adrenal Fatigue salt is actually good for us! According to EIR, Sodium is an essential nutrient for fluid balance which in turn affects Cortisol and Aldosterone. Low sodium contributes to a range of related Adrenal Fatigue conditions including low-pressure and fatigue (which I totally have).

According to James L. Wilson, Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, some people are able to assess their adrenal function simply by their desire for salt, as in salt cravings. See, our bodies are pretty smart.

Boosting Energy

Wilson suggests to boost energy in the morning and before the mid-afternoon crash, drink salted water (1/8 – 1/4 tsp., more or less to taste).

If the salted water tastes bad, or makes you nauseated its a good indicator you don’t need it or need less salt. But if the salted water tastes good that’s how you know you need the salt.

Salt Quality

The quality and taste of the salt is a really important detail Table salt is wretched stuff, even Kosher Salt tastes a little yucky to me now. Instead, I use the brands Real Sea Salt and Celtic Sea Salt which can be purchased online, at Whole Foods, or many health food stores.

These brands cost more than table salt so be prepared for sticker shock. But the best way to understand the difference is doing a taste-test against regular old table salt (the caveat: be forewarned, you will never go back to Morton’s). For the taste and nutritional value, I think good salt is worth the expense.

So next time you have a craving for salt, grab that shaker with confidence! Your body could be telling you something.

Curing the Muffin Top Blues

Miss Lizzy

Maybe you already know this secret girl trick for the The Muffin Top dilemma, but I just found out about it and I have to share.

With the introduction of low-rise jeans women everywhere, of all ages and sizes, have to face the Muffin Top fashion dilemma. My skinny sister, Rebecca, clued me in to this awesome fashion tip: The Slimming Cami.

I used to think camis (or tank tops) were all created equal. But no, no, no, that’s just not true. The slimming cami is a form fitting, slimming tank that smoothes out the muffin and belly bulge instantly. It feels like getting a hug all day long, and no more waistline spillage.

There are two brands in particular that we especially like, Assets® by Sara Blakely® and SELF (both sold at Target). After buying one I loved it so much I bought five more (in every color). Even at the gym they do a great job reducing treadmill jiggle (yes, we all have it, and one more mile just isn’t going to fix it!). A few small but important tips from my sister:

Wear a push up bra underneath to keep the girls where they belong.
Buy a size that is snug enough to smooth you out, but also long enough that it tucks into pants.

So there you have it, the secret cure for the Muffin Top blues!

The Skinny Girls at the Gym…

Miss Lizzy

Or, why exercise is hard with Hypothyroidism or Adrenal Fatique

My entire life exercise was nearly impossible. In high school, I joined the track team but realized running was way too exhausting, so I did the shot-put instead (three steps, toss, and you’re done). I desperately wanted to do sports but I couldn’t keep up with the others girls. No, no, this isn’t a sob story about me. Like me, I think there are just lots of girls out there who have hypothyroidism & adrenal fatique and want to know how the skinny girls do it?

When I say “any kind of exercise completely wore me out” I really mean that. And not the usual “I’m tired, but I feel good” kind of workout. This was an “I’m tired, I feel like hell” kind of feeling. For me this meant:

My muscles would be sore for 4-5 days (not the normal 1-2).
I would feel nausea, even flu-like aches and pains.
My face would turn bright red during exercise.
Exercising two days in a row was impossible.
And oftentimes I would get so hypoglycemicfrom exercise that I would crash for hours afterward.
To make matters worse, I would never lose weight from exercise!

Around the time I started treatment for Hypothyroidism, I also started an amazing, really athletic yoga class. But it was so frustrating watching the 50-year-old ladies hold a downward dog longer than me. My arms literally couldn’t support me (from what I hear arm strength and endurance are common Hypothyroid problems).

As the Thyroid medicine started working, I noticed I was able to do more in yoga class. Everything started to improve; my strength, endurance, recovery time. So that’s how the skinny girls at the gym did it! They didn’t have Thyroid problems.

But there’s more… two years into Hypothyroid treatment, I found out about Adrenal Fatique (a condition linked with Hypothyroidism, which also shares many common symptoms). When I started treatment for Adrenal Fatique something incredible happened for the first time in my life. I wanted to run. Literally, I wanted to strap on my sneakers and just run. So I did. And guess what? I ran and I didn’t want to stop. And I didn’t get sick. My muscle recovery was less than a day. Can you say shocking? Omg, yes, it was for me too!

These days in yoga I am one of the strongest in the class. I know, I know, yoga is not about being competitive (Ohm…) I only share this detail as a point of reference for before and after. It’s amazing to go from unable to lift a finger, to doing handstands, running 3 miles and feeling great. Now I can exercise every day, sometimes for hours, with little or no recovery problems.

All those years I thought I was just lazy (insert sigh). But, hey, I am glad I know, which is why I share my story with you. To all the girls out there who are exercising, not losing weight, feeling physically terrible and frustrated like me, now you know my secret (or at least one possible explanation for how the skinny girls do it).

XXOO

~Lizzy

Please note: not all overweight people are Hypothyroid. I have to follow a very specific eating plan, the HypoT Girl’s Diet, which I created just for me. But if Hypothryoidism is an issue, like it was for me, losing weight was almost impossible without treatment.

My Treatment for Hypothyroidism and Adrenal Fatigue

Miss Lizzy

Hypothyroidism is closely tied to Adrenal Fatique, and the symptoms overlap, so I found I needed to treat both conditions to reach an optimal health level. My one regret is that it took me 2 years to get there, so I really wish I had been more proactive.

From what I read on Stop the Thyroid Madness, its best to treat Adrenals first to strengthen the body so it can handle the Thyroid medication. Here is a summary for treating Hypothyroidism and Adrenals, but please research and talk with your doctor about what might work for you.

Thyroid Treatment

According to Stop the Thyroid Madness the commonly prescribed “T4-only” Synthetic Thyroid Medicines Don’t Work. And further explain why many patients, like myself, have returned to the medication that successfully used from the late 1800’s onward: natural desiccated thyroid hormones, more commonly known as Naturethroid, Erfa’s Canadian “thyroid”.

I use Naturethroid because of the good feedback from other patients. It took time and experimentation to find the right Thyroid medicine dose for me (I hear this is common) but I started slow. Here is what I do:

• 2.5 pills of Naturethroid a day

• One pill in the morning, another at mid-day, and a half pill before dinner.

• This part is critical: I let the pill dissolve under my tongue because it gets into blood stream faster. (Swallowing the pill means I have to avoid eating eating for hours, which is just a pain in the neck.)

Adrenal Fatigue

My adrenal fatigue symptoms included:

• Difficulty falling asleep at night

• Waking frequently during the night

• Difficulty waking in the morning, not feeling refreshed

• Bright lights bothered me more than others

• Startled easily due to noise

• Dizzy/lightheaded when standing from sitting or from lying down

• Took things things too seriously, stressed, anxious

• Difficulty copying with certain people or events

• Stress related nausea, panic attacks and shaking

• Extreme Fatique

• Taking days to recover from even minor stress

This was all due to low cortisol, which I have treated through Hydrocortisone/Cortef (a low dose steroid). I take 25 mg/day, and stress dose as needed. if you would like more resources please email me, or visit Stop the Thyroid Madness to read about:

Symptoms of Low Cortisol

Testing for Low Cortisol

Dana’s Story

Finding a Good Doctor

Read my full story about Hypothyroidism