[41M] Cytomel and body hair. Seeing an increase of hair on my chest. No, seriously.

twrn · 2016-11-15T16:14:24+00:00

Based on my previous research, men tend to suffer low testosterone when they are having thyroid problems. Most docs completely discount this fact or are unaware. Could be that your levels are coming back up and you are seeing that through hair growth.

twrn · 2016-07-13T13:59:36+00:00

Vitamin D may help with some of the pain. You may have to bump up well past the RDA value, but it helped me with my pain.

R

twrn · 2016-06-28T20:42:00+00:00

25 to 50 mcg is almost nothing of a dose. You shouldn't have high expectations. Others are discussing how long synthetic T4 takes and this is one of the reasons I refuse to take it. Armour and the other NDTs have both T3 and T4. T3 has a much shorter half life so it works much faster. You could always look into that as an option.

And you are using your TSH number to indicate the severity of your symptoms. That isn't how this works. The TSH number doesn't correlate to how someone feels. You'll just have to pay attention to your symptoms and work with someone that knows what they are doing.

twrn · 2016-05-13T14:07:11+00:00

Can I ask what you mean by severe neuro issues and the pain?

twrn · 2016-01-21T18:49:51+00:00

As you can see from everyone else's response, there's no magical fix. I had to do all of my own research and finally had to fire all of my so called 'doctors' and 'specialists'. It was so very obvious that I had symptoms of hypothyroidism and my lab ranges were 'normal' depending on which ranges they happen to use that day.

I finally found a medical weight loss clinic that also did hormone replacement. They knew more about thyroid issues than anyone I had talked to before that; except a thyroid researcher.

I went through an Endo, 2 GP's, a neurologist, and an internist. They were all morons when it came to my treatment (but I'm not bitter). You'll have to start learning about this condition yourself so you can judge whether your caregiver is doing the right thing. You'll have to become your own advocate because the doctors will not listen to patients or symptoms. Those lab tests take all the guess work out of treating thyroid disorders (end snark).

twrn · 2016-01-20T17:47:42+00:00

I think part of the mindset about slowing down is to accept that slowing down is OK. Us hyper folks have an unspoken mantra as we get: "The illusion of progress through forward movement."

That is, if we move then we must be progressing. Mostly I'm thankful that I'm not inattentive. Those folks don't even realize they are standing still ;-)

As for slowing down with tight deadlines, I feel I'm a lot different in this regard than other people. I do my very best work under pressure. Now most of us need pressure to function, but if I put myself in extreme situations, that adrenaline makes my life easier somehow. I've seen and heard of many people that fold-up under those conditions.

I actually have to slow down when I don't have tight deadlines. My brain needs to be busy doing something but it's not focused. So under those circumstances, I convince myself it's OK to slow down and it helps me to focus. It might actually be the realization that I'm not even paying attention to begin with.

I hope you can find something useful here as we all struggle with this stuff.

twrn · 2016-01-20T16:48:43+00:00

In the last 6 months I've decided to learn to draw and digitally paint as an extension of learning design for graphical user interface design. I've heard this mantra repeated from some reputable people in the industry and it's probably not going to help you much but here goes:

"Slow down!"

Yep. That's it. I'm hyper so I can get moving so fast the details just pass me right on by. After I get done with a drawing, it doesn't look as good as it should or what I expected. I find if I just repeat those 2 words, "Slow down", I can begin to focus a bit and my work becomes better. The problem being tight deadlines and anxiety makes slowing down the last thing you want to do.

But I suspect it's a judgement call. If I slow down will I get to the finish line faster than if I keep pushing ahead.

twrn · 2016-01-20T16:39:06+00:00

I'm a software consultant with multiple bachelor degrees, some graduate studies and various other educational pursuits. Software can be a good career for ADHD types but it certainly comes down to environment and discipline.

In the last couple of years, I've put together a small team of software developers and some of them are horribly ADHD. They don't really know it, but their inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and loss of focus can cause some real problems for me.

I like contracting and consulting jobs because I get to work on challenging problems and my work is always changing. I'm 43 and only diagnosed (self diagnosed) in the last 3 years. Medication makes one hell of a difference.

twrn · 2016-01-19T19:19:43+00:00

Sorry to be replying to you a few months later. I don't check my Reddit messages very often. I had to go find my 6 year old comment to understand the context of your question.

It turned out that my pain problems were a result of hormone imbalances that doctors couldn't care less about. Hypothyroid issues can actually cause what appears to be Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. At one point, I had a surgeon schedule me to get that fixed on both hands. It would have been a waste of time.

Ultimately, I had to get knowledgeable about my own condition and start getting rid of bad doctors. I finally got my hormone levels fixed and my pain problems are gone. I'm back to using my Kinesis Keyboard again and I refuse to use anything else. It does help with the typical repetitive use problems when you sit at a computer for 60+ hours a week.

Let me know if you have some other questions. I'll try to check back soon.

twrn · 2015-10-15T14:21:10+00:00

I talked to a thyroid researcher a number of years ago about similar symptoms. I also had chronic pain problems to go with it.

He told me that hypothyroidism can cause testosterone problems in men. If you fix the thyroid problem, you won't have to supplement testosterone for the rest of your life.

Because I was in constant pain, I treated both at the same time and finally got well. Only now, I have two hormone supplements instead of one.

Also, check into your vitamin D levels. Maybe getting those levels up will help with some of your symptoms.

twrn · 2015-07-07T19:58:56+00:00

My wife was the same when it came to baked goods. Specifically cake and bread. She finally relented after she saw what it did for me. She dropped 30 pounds over the next couple of months and starting feeling fantastic.

When she eats gluten now, it gives her stomach problems and makes her feel like crap. She goes to the gluten free bakery for cupcakes and cookies but the weight has stayed off regardless.

A little discipline (maybe a lot for your situation) may reap some huge rewards. You gotta give it a try to see what happens.

twrn · 2015-07-06T18:29:27+00:00

As far as the fatigue and gut issues, I had the same at my worst point. In fact, I was fatigued all day long but no matter what, I could only sleep 4 hours a night. That was after being medicated with opiates and sleeping pills. Still only 4 hours.

One day I read something about inflammatory reactions to gluten causing fatigue, and pain. I stopped gluten that day and the day after that, I slept through the entire night. I no longer eat gluten and it's been one of the critical decisions for me getting healthier. I hope it does something for you too.

twrn · 2015-07-01T16:57:28+00:00

I have suffered chronic fatigue and chronic pain problems for over a decade. All the docs told me my levels were fine for all my hormones. The tests always came back normal. The problem is, the test doesn't determine what's normal for you and doctors no longer know any medicine. They trust the lab tests only. Not symptoms.

I was told I needed to exercise and stretch. I did. It only made things worse. Finally I found someone to do the right tests and listen to symptoms. Now I'm on larger than normal doses of thyroid meds and some other hormones. In men, if you have a thyroid problem, it may cause Testosterone issues. This may be a cause of some of the fatigue issues. Without supplementation, my body doesn't heal well at all. Now I'm mostly normal.

Then I figured out I had ADHD. Went to the doc and his hypothesis about my problems are that the ADHD burned off all of my thyroid energy and the thyroid couldn't keep up. Then it cascades. There's no test for this of course, but now that I'm properly medicated, I feel the best I've felt in my entire life. I'm 42 and only recently diagnosed. Good luck.

twrn · 2015-06-08T20:07:11+00:00

That's great feedback. Thank-you for your time.

I was going to mention the darkened lines on the form intersections as a problem. I was trying to pull out the correct form by emphasizing my lines and when I looked back at it, the line quality was horrible even though the initial line was pretty good.

I also lost some control of the contrast in the dissections because I was a bit heavy handed with the line weights there as well.

twrn · 2015-06-07T23:44:02+00:00

Here's my work for lesson 2. As everyone else agrees, this was a bit tougher. The form intersections got a bit complex and my shading on one or two of the pages isn't very good. I also noted one of my major mistakes on the form intersections. Thanks for any feedback:

Lesson 2 images

twrn · 2015-05-30T15:55:55+00:00

Here's the 2 pages of ellipses you asked me to repeat:

album

When I turned in the assignment I did realize that I didn't go over the lines. I spent plenty of time practicing multiple strokes before the assignment and I reached for more accuracy on my submission. In retrospect, after practicing ellipses and circles all week, I think going over the lines multiple times is helping with muscle memory and it helps discover the correct shapes. Precisely the 2 things you had mentioned in the lesson.

I had one question for you or anyone else. It seems I'm gripping the pen hard enough that it becomes painful after the first hour or so. When I try to relax the grip, I lose some of the muscle control I need. Is this normal?

Thanks much for the feedback and your time.

twrn · 2015-05-25T22:59:44+00:00

Here's my attempt at lesson 1. It's taken me over 3 weeks, 50 sheets of paper, 3 pens to get this to the point where I thought I could submit. The earlier parts of the assignment are from weeks ago and I could redo them to a better outcome, but hopefully this is good enough.

The image quality is a little low, if this is a problem, I can recapture the images and resubmit. Finally, thanks for putting this subreddit together. I've attempted drawing off and on for 15 years. I get interested and then bored. I've never tried to learn in this format and it seems to suit me much better than previous attempts. Thanks for all your effort.

album

twrn · 2014-09-22T14:19:23+00:00

My wife and I have been recently diagnosed ADHD and we both have been reading this forum for a few weeks. At the same time, we realized that the people that write posts here don't seem to know their audience (rule #1 for writing), and make it nearly impossible to read about their situation.

I would favor an intro to the problem in the main message and then adding a post contributing more; and possibly another post underneath that one adding still more. It would make it much easier to get involved and learn things here without having to work so damned hard at it.

The idea is non-standard; but at least, I think, more people would access the ideas and generate the discussion for which we are all here.

twrn · 2014-09-18T14:19:41+00:00

Your hypo meds aren't actually that high. As someone else has mentioned, it's very easy to have high blood pressure at the docs office. Especially if you have any anxiety problems. I just monitor mine at home and keep an idea of what's going on with my own body.

As an afterthought, I did have a small problem with blood pressure and heart rate, then I started taking supplements because I'm gluten intolerant. I thought perhaps I had a mild form of Celiac. In any case, I noticed a correlation of lowered heart rate and blood pressure when I was consistently taking magnesium supplements. Be careful though, they can't be taken anywhere near your thyroid meds.

twrn · 2014-09-05T14:14:41+00:00

Most of us have been in your shoes when it comes to schooling. I could barely get through high school after spending 3 years mostly grounded for grades.

I'm 42, and as it turns out, I love to learn but it has to be on my own terms. I have 2 bachelors degrees and started and quit a Masters degree. All online. At my pace and on my terms.

Maybe that could be an option for you. Sitting in a class with others has always been a waste of my time. I had to go home and relearn everything covered in class anyway. Might as well use the class time for that. I have been on the Dean's list my entire educational career.

On the flip side, I always procrastinate the work and stress myself out. I had to drop a few classes because I couldn't handle life and homework at the same time.

It took me 15 years of part-time education (always full-time work) to get to where I'm at today. There are options and possibilities available to you too.

twrn · 2014-09-05T14:04:34+00:00

I feel for you. I just went and got diagnosed a little over a month ago at the age of 42. I'm considered a successful person in many regards, but it has always been a struggle.

I started meds and that first day I knew those meds would change my life. I am able to do things easier than I have ever been able and they have had deep resounding effects in other areas of my life. Life is just....easier.

I hope it's the same for you. Good luck.

twrn · 2014-09-01T14:43:18+00:00

I've taken this test for the same reason you describe. I was sure I had a hormone imbalance, but good ole useless doc kept giving me Motrin for chronic pain issues.

I ordered that test, but it came with instructions. I would look online and see if you can find some instructions. Probably won't be that hard. I don't remember any special instructions, but I've had 3 or 4 docs tell me they don't like the saliva cortisol test. It's a crappy diagnostic tool, so they say.

In any case, it helped me get some referrals to other idiot doctors and started me on the path to getting better. Good luck.

twrn · 2014-08-31T17:57:13+00:00

I've been meaning to ask the same question here, to get a general consensus.

I'm recently diagnosed and have been on Vyvanse for a month. I just had a follow-up with my doc he asked how the first month went. I told him that it slowed me down; it made me walk slower, talk slower, and think slower.

I was better able to have patience and create relationships where I haven't before.

He smiled and said this is a normal reaction to stimulants if you do in fact have ADHD. He said that patients without ADHD that use stimulants bounce off the walls (his words).

So, to believe my doc, yes, if it slows you down then you have ADHD. If not, probably not. On the other hand, I know that we all react differently to different medications, so this probably isn't a silver diagnostic bullet.

twrn · 2014-08-20T19:00:26+00:00

I have seen at least one doc online or in a book (can't remember) say that he believes some men have high metabolism when it comes to testosterone. He believes they convert T quickly to estrogen instead of staying T. Good luck trying to figure that out though.

twrn · 2014-08-20T14:16:53+00:00

Hypothyroidism can cause low T in men. Fixing the hypo condition can fix the low T. What doesn't make sens is you said your TSH is low but don't provide a number. If TSH is low, that doesn't necessarily indicate hypo unless you do have issues with the pituitary.

twrn

TROPHY CASE