Thyroid - side effects?

I should also add something else which is totally bizarre because its against everything that I've read...

I have always been underweight.  After I had my youngest daughter I was six and a half stone and stayed that way until a few years ago when I went on a very strict diet to do a charity cycle and managed to put on 3 stones. I've pretty much stayed at 9 and a half stone since.  I have lost around a stone in weight and my weigh in at the hospital last week, I was 8 stone 7.  Has anyone else experienced weight loss?

Unknown said:

 Has anyone else experienced weight loss?

Yes, Ive lost a stone in total, but its crept back up again as Im off my thyroxine for RAI. It jumped 8 pounds in about 10 days at one stage -think its water retention as Ive slipped back down again. Im still four pounds higher than my lowest weight post op. I think Barbara would be the best person to ask about the hair thing, I think its Hypothyrodic, not enough meds thats causing it. Hair loss is a typical indicator of an underactive thyroid, so it follows you might need a few mgs more of thyroxine. 

As for sunburn, I spent a day out in the garden when we had the hottes day of the year, I was doing a few jobs that kept me exposed all day, now, I tend to tan easily, when we go on holiday ,I use sunscreen, but rarley have any problems sunwise, thats with a brother on the Costa del sol for the past 30 years too, so Ive had my fair share. After coming in I definitely detected a slight sunburn on my forearms, it went away as soon as I was shaded for a bit, but it really shocked me as its the first time in my life Ive had to watch it. As Ive said, Im off the meds, so with not thyroxine, (or not enough in your case)  it must make your skin more sensitive.

ATB

Dean

The list of side effects just never seems to end, does it?!  Am feeling a wee bit better that I'm not alone weight or sun wise. That sounds a bit "wrong" doesn't it?!

I'm going to call the thyroid/cancer nurse in the morning because these brown blotches are now beginning to spread right down my face so will ask her about the sunburn too. Am feeling a little paranoid as it is with the scar still being as swollen so really do not want to go into work with my face a brown blotchy mess...

Hi - since I've been nominated to talk about hair, I'll try to remember what I read.

When your thyroxine level is too low it can get very dry and brittle and strawlike. When the level is too high, you can start to lose it. My guess is that if you weigh only 8 and a half stone, 150 is way high and you may be over-suppressed. I guess if you're only 7 weeks post RAI (or was it 5 weeks) then you'll not have an up to date blood test to judge it but get one as soon as you possibly can ( 6 weeks after RAI should be the soonest) and get a handle on the TSH level. My guess is you are overdosed and that's causing the hair (and possibly the other problems). My copy of the thyroid book is sadly 150 miles away so I've just rung my husband to see if he'll bring it up to me tonight so I can check for you.

Barbara

One more thing - my hairdresser says my hair is fantastic. Softer than ever (it was always soft) and growing like a weed. I put this down to being on suppression levels of Thyroxine. There is hope - it will get better ;-)

barbaral said:

Softer than ever (it was always soft) and growing like a weed

Post op I was the same ,its looked like I'd had it conditioned, I was also majorly hyper as I had my own thyroxine in my system plus the meds from the hospital, slowly its gotten more 'dried' but only slightly  due to RAI run up.

Amazes me how this affects so much

Unknown said:

I'm having some side effects which are really beginning to upset me

Hi Crosby,

Just wanted to say that I've read that around 30% of people have a problem with transient alopecia after RAI - so maybe your hair loss is not only hormonal??

Did the thyroid nurse give you any good advice?

Jenny x.

Hi, 

I am new to this group and at a point after finding out I had thyroid cancer, and had a full thyroid removal, that I have no where to find out information about what has been happening to me, all the changes, side effects and medication. I find GP’s have very limited information and understanding. 
I had my thyroid out in September and only just found out about the medication timings in the morning and not to have other medication/food or drink. 
you mentioned about a book, Is there a specific book that is recommended for me to read which will help me to look after myself and educate myself on thyroid issues.

Thank you

Emma  

Hey there Emma, 

Welcome to the forum though I'm sorry you find yourself here. 

I'm afraid this thread was last used in 2011, and most of the people on it aren't around anymore. However, I'll tag barbaral to see if she remembers what book she was referring to.

I'm afraid though, that as far as I'm aware, there is no book that would help with thyroid issues. Mostly because there are so many possibilities, it would be impossible to cover everything regarding the thyroid. The thyroid is part of your endocrine system, so tied into a lot of different systems and functions.

The easiest way to educate yourself is to ask questions of your specialist, of your specialist nurse if you have one, and also here. You'll see if you go through the threads here, that there is a wealth of information for you to go through and learn from. So please do have a read of anything that interests you, and if you've any followup questions, I'd recommend grabbing yourself a new thread and ask anything and everything you want to know and we'll do what we can to help. Always willing to pass on the information we've learnt over the years!

Lass

Xx

Hi there, 

Thank you so much, I didn’t notice it hadn’t been used for some time. I haven’t seen a specialist since October so haven’t had the opportunity to ask any questions, I’ve just found myself becoming pretty ill, and starting to wonder now what to expect and is it my thyroid issues. I know it effects so much, it’s just getting used to how things are now. 
I will continue reading through all the threads I’ve learnt so much already. 

Emma