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marvel-lover
November 29th, 2017, 08:31 AM
Hello! I'm not sure where to put this post, so please excuse me if I put it in the wrong place.

So here's the thing: I know my body and my hair pretty well, and I just know something is wrong. My scalp is super itchy and dry, and I've tried various shampoos, conditioners, products, and routines and it hasn't helped at all. I've been dealing with this since around February of this year. Now, in addition to that, my hair is having difficulty absorbing moisture, more than usual. This I've noticed of the past few months. What I thought was a normal shed in September has turned into so much more, and now I estimate that I've lost around 1/3 of my ponytail thickness. I used to be in the lower end, though still definitely in, the iii club. Now, I'm around a middle ii. I'm combing like always, and yet I'm coming away with clumps of hair. There is hair all over my clothes, my sheets and blankets, my furniture, and my carpet. Whenever I wash my hair, I'm clogging the drain with the amount of sheds and broken hair I'm coming away with. I promise I'm being gentle with my hair, and I hate that it's breaking so easily, but I know it's not my fault. Whenever I put my hair in a bun or a ponytail (more often a bun), I have to work to distribute my hair over the little thinning spots and scalp cleavage, which is something I've never had to do before.

My hair isn't my only problem though. I use a moisturizing body wash, baby oil, and two coats of lotion each day to try to keep the itchy dry skin at bay on my body, and it doesn't work anymore. My face is getting horrible dry patches around my mouth and my nose, and I keep getting itchy rashes. It's gross, but I can literally flake the dry skin off of my legs. I'm so cold all the time, my feet feel like ice, and if I go outside or into a cold area, it takes hours and a hot shower to warm myself back up. Sometimes I won't even notice that I'm cold, but someone will touch my arm and remark about how freezing my skin is. I'm super super tired, all the time, and it doesn't take much for me to become fatigued. I'll struggle to fall asleep some nights, but then sleep 10 hours and still need a nap in the middle of the day. When I get tired in the middle of the day, even walking becomes extraordinarily tiring and hard. I just feel like I want to fall down and sleep where I'm at, which can be in the middle of a store. I've noticed that my anxiety levels have increased, and I'm becoming more angry than usual, but that's not saying a whole lot.

Anyway, I made an appointment with my doctor on Friday. I'm so worried that he won't take me seriously or think anything is wrong. I'm scared he will assume I'm being overly dramatic, but I know my body and I know something is wrong, and I don't want to keep losing hair and feeling sick all the time! I don't know what to do :cry: Thanks to anyone who read all of this and can help. I'm sorry about the size of the post, and if I put the post in the wrong place!

Sarahlabyrinth
November 29th, 2017, 08:40 AM
This is awful! The only thing I can think of is have you been dieting recently, or changed the way you have been eating, say in the last two or three months?

Seeing a doctor is probably a good thing, let us know how you get on. (If you want to, of course) :grouphug:

marvel-lover
November 29th, 2017, 08:49 AM
Hi! Thank you so much for your kind words. My diet hasn't changed, neither has my exercise routines. However, I'm still managing to steadily gain weight, like I have been for the past few years. I'll let you know what he says!

Beeboo123
November 29th, 2017, 08:52 AM
Could this be age-related hair loss (I have no idea how old you are)? Or did you start on any new form of hormonal birth control? How many strands that fall off are attached to the root (as opposed to breaking off)?

Eastbound&Down
November 29th, 2017, 08:56 AM
You may want to have your thyroid checked (in reference to the unexplained weight gain, hair loss, skin changes). Those can all be signs of and overactive thyroid.

marvel-lover
November 29th, 2017, 09:12 AM
Could this be age-related hair loss (I have no idea how old you are)? Or did you start on any new form of hormonal birth control? How many strands that fall off are attached to the root (as opposed to breaking off)?
I'm 22, almost 23, so it's probably not age related. I've been on birth control, the same type, for about 3 or 4 years now, so I doubt it would be that. I'm pretty sure that most of the strands are from the root, but some are breaking off, as my hair is so brittle. Thank you for your response!

You may want to have your thyroid checked (in reference to the unexplained weight gain, hair loss, skin changes). Those can all be signs of and overactive thyroid.
I've been wondering if it might be my thyroid, since I keep feeling a choking sensation in my neck. Thyroid problems run in my family. Thank you for your response!

Anje
November 29th, 2017, 10:16 AM
Hair can definitely indicate health, and it sounds like something is wrong. Thyroid and anemia are frequently culprits we see around here, but I'm sure they're not the only possibilities. I'm glad you're going to a doctor, and I hope it's something they figure out easily for you!

lapushka
November 29th, 2017, 10:24 AM
You may want to have your thyroid checked (in reference to the unexplained weight gain, hair loss, skin changes). Those can all be signs of and overactive thyroid.

Yep, that's where my mind went immediately! I hope it's all OK, though! Good luck, and definitely don't hesitate to go see your doctor. Tell him or her in the utmost detail what's been going on, like you've told us here. :)

vpatt
November 29th, 2017, 10:29 AM
Definitely see a doctor. I would wonder first about thyroid. But be firm if you have to with your doctor and get a second opinion if you don't get results. Sounds like they should be able to see what you are talking about and be concerned enough for some blood work. (((Hugs to you))). Please update when you can.

Deborah
November 29th, 2017, 10:32 AM
Sounds like low thyroid. Your doctor will check for it, I'm sure.

marvel-lover
November 29th, 2017, 10:55 AM
Wow thank you all so much! I'm very grateful for your input! I'll be sure to be very upfront with my doctor and keep you all updated!

Cg
November 29th, 2017, 11:10 AM
It may also portend an autoimmune condition, so you might want to check that too.

Guitargod
November 29th, 2017, 11:18 AM
I agree that a second opinion is important if you don't get clear results from your own doctor.

tlatzoteotl
November 29th, 2017, 11:57 AM
Your symptoms sound like thyroid to me as well. My mother had her thyroid removed and now regrets it, so definitely look into all of your options. A friend of mine has Hashimoto's and adrenal fatigue, which is apparently common for those with thyroid conditions. I looked it up and dry skin and hair loss are associated with it. The good news is that my friend maintains pretty good health on a good combination of medications, so it is manageable. This may not be an option for you, but she also got a lot better when she moved to warmer climates (when her husband got promoted). First from New Hampshire to North Carolina, and now she lives in Texas.

lapushka
November 29th, 2017, 01:10 PM
Your symptoms sound like thyroid to me as well. My mother had her thyroid removed and now regrets it, so definitely look into all of your options. A friend of mine has Hashimoto's and adrenal fatigue, which is apparently common for those with thyroid conditions. I looked it up and dry skin and hair loss are associated with it. The good news is that my friend maintains pretty good health on a good combination of medications, so it is manageable. This may not be an option for you, but she also got a lot better when she moved to warmer climates (when her husband got promoted). First from New Hampshire to North Carolina, and now she lives in Texas.

My youngest aunt had thyroid issues when she was a teen, it was very visible, she had bad effects and upon doctor's orders she had it radiated. She hasn't had an issue since.

ghanima
November 29th, 2017, 10:16 PM
I'm sorry..... the good thing is that you are so young, young bodies bounce back into balance more easily.
I think it is certainly a good idea to go to the doctor and have an extensive blood test done.
Now I personally am not too enthusiastic of the way mainstream medicine treats most hormonal and thyroid unbalances and autoimmune diseases, and was it me I would look for an ayurvedic doctor. Not a naturopath, not an omeopath, but an ayurvedic doctor. They are difficult to find, but after exploring a whole lot of alternative medicine for myself, this is where I put my trust. Just wanted to put this out there, in case you resonate. I wish you a ready recovery!

marvel-lover
November 30th, 2017, 07:46 AM
Thyroid issues would make the most sense, especially since women on both sides of my family suffer from some sort of thyroid disease. My best friend has Hashimoto's Disease, and she says it's like looking in a mirror. If it is a thyroid problem, that would really make sense for my whole life. My wounds heal slowly, I have heart problems, I'm depressed (bipolar technically) and anxious, I have joint and back pain...really, a thyroid condition would make the most sense.

embee
November 30th, 2017, 03:54 PM
Be aware that thyroid issues do not always show up right away in the bloodwork. You may have to push your doctor, but if you feel the fullness in your throat, that is something to tell him for certain, along with the cold, dry skin, hair fall, and weight gain.

Good luck getting this straightened out. Fortunately the medication does not have to be very expensive and most insurances cover it too. :)

marvel-lover
December 1st, 2017, 05:04 PM
Bumping this because I saw the doctor today! I made a list of symptoms that ended up being really long. It included all of the symptoms I mentioned, plus bloating, frequent (chronic) upset stomach and...well...things that go along with the upset stomach. It had everything I've been feeling that I've been questioning if it's not normal like I thought it was (e.g.- I'm very sensitive to heat as well as cold, and apparently it's not normal to feel sick after eating all the time). Anyway, he believed me and thinks there is definitely a problem. He ordered a urine test and 10 different blood tests to check my thyroid, for inflammatory diseases, a full metabolic panel, diabetes, etc. He is hoping to be able to share my results with me on Monday! Thanks everyone for being so kind to me!

PixieP
December 1st, 2017, 05:33 PM
*hugs* So much empathy to you for what you have been dealing with! It's great you got a doctors appointment so fast and that he took you seriously. Fingers crossed you get results on Monday :heartbeat

marvel-lover
December 1st, 2017, 06:23 PM
*hugs* So much empathy to you for what you have been dealing with! It's great you got a doctors appointment so fast and that he took you seriously. Fingers crossed you get results on Monday :heartbeat

Thank you so much! You're very kind!

WildandSeawhite
December 1st, 2017, 07:03 PM
I'm so sorry you're dealing with all of these symptoms right now, but very good to hear that your doctor is being so thorough. :heart: I very much sympathize, because I've dealt with a lot of similar health issues. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in 2010, I think. Fortunately, if that's what it is, taking medication should get you back on track pretty quickly. I'm wishing you the best in an easy diagnosis and a speedy recovery! :D

marvel-lover
December 1st, 2017, 07:17 PM
I'm so sorry you're dealing with all of these symptoms right now, but very good to hear that your doctor is being so thorough. :heart: I very much sympathize, because I've dealt with a lot of similar health issues. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in 2010, I think. Fortunately, if that's what it is, taking medication should get you back on track pretty quickly. I'm wishing you the best in an easy diagnosis and a speedy recovery! :D
Thank you very much! I'm glad you had a good experience with recovery!

Eastbound&Down
December 1st, 2017, 08:02 PM
Bumping this because I saw the doctor today! I made a list of symptoms that ended up being really long. It included all of the symptoms I mentioned, plus bloating, frequent (chronic) upset stomach and...well...things that go along with the upset stomach. It had everything I've been feeling that I've been questioning if it's not normal like I thought it was (e.g.- I'm very sensitive to heat as well as cold, and apparently it's not normal to feel sick after eating all the time). Anyway, he believed me and thinks there is definitely a problem. He ordered a urine test and 10 different blood tests to check my thyroid, for inflammatory diseases, a full metabolic panel, diabetes, etc. He is hoping to be able to share my results with me on Monday! Thanks everyone for being so kind to me!

marvel, I'm so glad you got quick response from your doctor! Hopefully they can figure out what is going on and there is a fix. Fingers crossed for you!

Blondieee
December 1st, 2017, 08:49 PM
I know what you’re going through all too well. I’ve been struggling with health problems since 2013 when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s and iron deficiency anemia. There are some things I want to share with you that I hope you will find helpful.
1. Only 3 doctors I’ve been to out of 20+ doctors were able to correctly identify and diagnose the anemia. Most doctors believe that if your hemoglobin and red blood cell count is normal that you are not anemic. That is NOT true. My hemoglobin and red blood cell count was always normal while my ferritin was consistently low. It was as low as 4 and most commonly around 8-12. All this time my hemoglobin and red blood cell count was normal so every doctor except 3 wanted to say I wasn’t anemic and that this wasn’t causing my symptoms. After I used the bathroom, I had to sit down and rest. I felt constantly out of breath. I still feel out of breath sometimes but it’s not the shortness of breath that I felt before. My hair was so extremely thin. I lost 75% of my hair. I had bald spots at my temples to where I couldn’t wear my hair in a ponytail. And my hairline had majorly receded. I’ve been taking Flintstones chewables with iron (1 a day, make sure to get the “with iron” and not the complete because the complete has zinc in it too and zinc lowers your iron) and my hair has improved drastically. I still have some breakage off the ends and I still have a little bit of the bald spots, but my hair has gotten noticeably thicker at the top and the bald spots are filling in. The last time I had my ferritin checked it was 26. Ferritin levels MUST be above 50. No ifs, ands, or buts. If a doctor tells you 12 is fine, 20 is fine, 32 is fine, 40 is fine. No. Ferritin levels are never supposed to fall below 50 for anyone and the optimal level is 70. There is a Webmd article I can link where it states this. Unfortunately, not all doctors receive training on iron levels and it is sad.

My serum iron (should be around 110) and % saturation (should be around 35%) were low too. All of this combined with the very low ferritin combined with the shortness of breath indicates anemia. Also, my nails were chalky white. They are still somewhat pale but I am noticing more pinkness to them. So these doctors were trying to say with my severe shortness of breath to where I had to lay down after using the bathroom and my chalky white nails and my severe hair loss that I wasn’t anemic. They wanted to blame my hair loss on stress, on genetics, on everything but the OBVIOUS problem. You have to be your own advocate.

2. Ok next, thyroid. Your doctor needs to test your Anti-TPO and Thyroglobulin antibodies. It sounds like you likely have Hashimoto’s. If your doctor refuses to run these two tests and says a TSH test is adequate, it is NOT. You need to demand the test and if they refuse, see another doctor. A lot of doctors feel that Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism have the same solution, thyroid medication so it doesn’t matter if you have Hashimoto’s or not. But it does matter. In addition to Anti-TPO, Thyroglobulin antibodies, and TSH, you also need to ask for Free T3 and Free T4. These are your actual thyroid hormones. TSH on its own is not good enough. Many doctors will say otherwise and again, many doctors lack knowledge and couldn’t even tell me that my severe hair loss was caused by the anemia. When your TSH test comes back, there will be a reference range with it. Many doctors feel that if you're in this reference range, you’re fine. That is far from the truth. When they created the reference ranges, many people who were included in the sample had hypothyroidism which is why the reference range often goes to 4 or 5. Even the American Academy of Endocrinology has said this is unacceptable, and they changed it but many doctors still continue to follow the old reference range. It has been found that a person with healthy thyroid function has a TSH around 1.0. Not 2.5. Not 2.8. Not 3.0. Not 4.2. Not 5.0. Your TSH should be around 1.0 to be healthy. If it’s higher than 2.0, you have hypothyroidism. What is optimal for Free T3 and Free T4 varies for the individual but as far as general rules, Free T3 should never be in the 2’s. It should be in the 3’s or low 4’s. And Free T4 should never be in the 0’s like 0.8. It should be above 1.2-1.3.

3. Ok now the Hashimoto’s. If you have that, here’s where the bloating comes in to play. I have severe bloating. I’ve posted about it here before. I have a 6 month bloat at times. It gets worse after I eat. Not one of the 20+ doctors I’ve been to can give me answers about it. They just call it fat. Of course they do. I mean, when you can’t figure something out, it’s better to make up a dumb excuse that makes you look inept than to just say “I don’t know.” Some people may argue that Hashimoto’s is a genetic disease and that’s fine, that’s their prerogative. But it’s been found that it’s not. They studied identical twins and found that when one of them had Hashimoto’s, the other one only had a 50% chance of getting the disease. So what accounts for the other 50%?

Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease where your body is attacking your thyroid. There are 3 things needed in order to get any autoimmune disease.
A genetic predisposition - Yes, genes are involved but it is far from the only thing
Environmental trigger
Leaky gut
This means that it doesn’t matter if everyone in your entire family has it, if you heal your gut, it will go away. All disease begins in the gut.

In my case, my Hashimoto’s was caused by overuse of antibiotics. My doctor kept giving me antibiotics over and over again causing Candida overgrowth which has caused my leaky gut. Generally speaking, it’s caused by an infection. And what happens when the leaky gut begins, every food you’re eating in your diet leaks through the leaky gut into the bloodstream and gets flagged by your body creating antibodies to that food. Which equals food sensitivities. But wait there’s more. There’s 2 foods in particular that look exactly like your thyroid, gluten and dairy. So when those foods leak through a leaky gut into the bloodstream, your body sees these foods and attacks them and looks for anything else that looks like those foods. Your thyroid gets hurt in the process. That’s why a lot of people notice a drastic improvement in symptoms when they go gluten and dairy free. I don’t believe in diet restrictions because gluten and dairy aren’t the problem. It’s the leaky gut that’s the problem.

Hashimoto’s can be associated with bloating. Why? Food sensitivities. All those foods (especially the ones you eat most frequently) are leaking into the bloodstream creating food sensitivities which make you bloat. Gut infections like Candida. SIBO is another one associated with Hashimoto’s. The reason SIBO is associated with Hashimoto’s is because hypothyroidism causes low stomach acid and slowed motility making you more likely to get SIBO. If you’re having bloating after your protein containing meals like meat, that can mean low stomach acid. All these things, the low stomach acid, the food sensitivities, the gut infections can cause malabsorption of nutrients so if you’re low in nutrients like iron, B12, Vitamin D and it’s unexplained, this is why. I can’t get my B12 up despite taking a multi with B12 even though it was 712 a year ago. I’ve never been anemic my whole life until here recently. And yes my iron is coming up with the multi but I should have never been anemic in the first place. I eat lots of iron-rich foods in my diet and my periods are light. Prior to taking the multi with iron, I tried for years to get my iron up through my diet. Didn’t work. Because it’s an absolute struggle for my body to absorb iron and other nutrients through food.

4. As far as the fatigue, I’d like to be able to help more but I’m still extremely exhausted. I will say that Vitamin D makes a huge difference. My levels were down at 13 once and then I got them up to 41 (they should be around 50). When I skip my Vitamin D supplement (I take 1,000 IU in addition to the 600 IU in my multi) I get really tired. So definitely ask for Vitamin D to be taken and supplement if it’s low. And there’s no reason to take those prescription Vitamin D pills of 50,000 IU that doctors commonly prescribe. That’s dangerous. I got my Vitamin D up from 13 to 41 from 2,000 IU every day and the sun. Doctors overdo it with that and the antibiotics but yet they’re scared to treat you when you're anemic. But I’m extremely fatigued. I’m so fatigued I’ve went from brushing my teeth twice a day to once a day because it’s exhausting. I’m also very cold, specifically in my hands, feet, and nose.

I hope this helps you! Doctors aren’t going to make you better. You have to be your own advocate. If a doctor refuses to order a test, demand it. It’s not their body, it’s yours. And when you know something is WRONG like you’ve posted here, don’t let them tell you otherwise. You know your body. They don’t. Don’t let them tell you stupid excuses like the ridiculous excuses that I’ve been told. Please post your lab results here and we can help you interpret them. Because trust me, the doctors won’t help you interpret your labs correctly.

vpatt
December 2nd, 2017, 04:45 AM
I have heard good things about the AIP diet helping Hashimotos. Well, it helps SIBO and leaky gut and therefore the immune system.

marvel-lover
December 2nd, 2017, 07:46 AM
I am so incredibly honored and humbled to have received this much support from you lovely ladies and gentlemen here! Words cannot describe how much I appreciate your kind words!

Blondieee thank you for your advice and experience! I was very assertive with my doctor about how I feel and what was happening, and he took me very seriously. I'm not in the medical field by any means, however the wonderful Phlebotomist who took my blood samples was more than willing to explain each test to the best of her ability after I expressed that I was slightly worried about the extent to which they were testing. I believe she mentioned something about Ferritin levels being checked as well as an entire metabolic panel. I'm not sure that my problem is anemia, but I'm definitely not a doctor. I think it's worth noting (since you mentioned antibiotics) that for the past two-ish years, I have been on heavy antibiotic use on and off. I was diagnosed with MRSA in my leg in March of 2016, but I had actually been infected since February and no one believed me when I said it wasn't a normal infection. I fought it, through several hospitalizations, until August of 2016 when I was found clear...until October of 2016 when it came back to the same location. You can imagine the amount of antibiotics they threw me on! shudder: Since my mother has a hypothyroid, I used to have a TSH test every 2 years, and they never found anything. Even when I was 15-ish and they felt my slightly enlarged thyroid but didn't act on it because of the TSH test.

TMI alert!The problem with my stomach is that I've had stomach problems longer than any of the other symptoms. Growing up, I was incredibly susceptible to the stomach flu, and then I had an eating disorder for 6 years. Then, beginning in 2013, after I had begun recovery and had started eating relatively normally again, my stomach issues cropped up. I began having frequent bouts of stomach cramps and diarrhea after eating, and sometimes randomly too. I would estimate it happened three or four times a week. Flash forward a year or so, and I began feeling nausea very often, but it was always worse after I ate. It's slowly become a typical thing where my stomach is chronically upset no matter what I eat or don't eat. Now, I get frequent gas, constipation, and sometimes painful stomach cramps accompanied by diarrhea. I'm so bloated all the time now too, and I take diuretics when I can, but they don't work. Really, I shouldn't be taking them at all, especially with my history of compulsively abusing them during my disorder, but I'm so uncomfortable and my clothing doesn't fit. I experimented with foods, cutting out dairy over the summer, to no effect. I cut out red meats, then cut out meats all together, to no effect. I'm concerned that, maybe with all my other symptoms and how long this is going on, perhaps there may be Celiac Disease involved in all this? I'm certainly not a doctor and not into self-diagnosing, but it would make sense to me. Hashimoto's, being an autoimmune disease, does put people at risk for developing additional autoimmune diseases, and I'm also being checked for Rheumatoid Arthritis (and I'm only 22).

I'm worried because the list of symptoms that I gave my doctor is very long and does seem all over the board, so to speak. I never know what's normal and what isn't anymore; I just assume most of the things I feel in regards to this is not very normal at all. But I'm so afraid that the doctor will look at the blood tests and tell me nothing is wrong and that I'm lying! Three doctors have done so in the past, all of them turning out wrong. But I know there's something wrong with my body right now, and I really don't want to lose my hair!

lapushka
December 2nd, 2017, 07:46 AM
Bumping this because I saw the doctor today! I made a list of symptoms that ended up being really long. It included all of the symptoms I mentioned, plus bloating, frequent (chronic) upset stomach and...well...things that go along with the upset stomach. It had everything I've been feeling that I've been questioning if it's not normal like I thought it was (e.g.- I'm very sensitive to heat as well as cold, and apparently it's not normal to feel sick after eating all the time). Anyway, he believed me and thinks there is definitely a problem. He ordered a urine test and 10 different blood tests to check my thyroid, for inflammatory diseases, a full metabolic panel, diabetes, etc. He is hoping to be able to share my results with me on Monday! Thanks everyone for being so kind to me!

That is such good news. Having a trustworthy doctor at your side, believing you, ordering the right tests is key. Even if they don't find anything straight away - that doesn't have to mean a thing. As long as he's willing to think alongside you, it's all OK.

Good luck. I hope it's not too bad!

Hang in there! :flower:

Blondieee
December 2nd, 2017, 02:38 PM
You're welcome! I hope your blood work gives you some answers. Low ferritin is the #1 cause of hair loss in women so that could be what you're dealing with. The good news is if your labs show it's low, a multi with iron or iron supplement will get your levels back up and make your hair start regrowing. Hair grows back so don't worry.

Yes, generally speaking antibiotic overuse tends to precede autoimmune disease because of the leaky gut factor. I don't know for sure that this is what you're dealing with, but your symptoms with the diarrhea, stomach cramps, constipation, and bloating sound a lot like SIBO. This is something most medical doctors aren't familiar with and wouldn't be able to diagnose. It could be Celiac disease. You can always ask for the blood test just to rule it out. But that does sound a lot like SIBO.

Your symptoms are definitely not normal so don't let any doctor tell you otherwise. I've been told the same that extreme fatigue is normal. It's not. I don't know if your doctor is good or not, but there is always that possibility that he will look at your labs and say nothing is wrong. But that's why you have us here. I know a lot about iron deficiency/thyroid/Hashimoto's from going through it so I can interpret labs pretty well. I will say though that the fact that he ordered a ferritin test is good news. So hopefully you have a good doctor. 😊

lapushka
December 2nd, 2017, 03:18 PM
You're welcome! I hope your blood work gives you some answers. Low ferritin is the #1 cause of hair loss in women so that could be what you're dealing with. The good news is if your labs show it's low, a multi with iron or iron supplement will get your levels back up and make your hair start regrowing. Hair grows back so don't worry.

Yes, generally speaking antibiotic overuse tends to precede autoimmune disease because of the leaky gut factor. I don't know for sure that this is what you're dealing with, but your symptoms with the diarrhea, stomach cramps, constipation, and bloating sound a lot like SIBO. This is something most medical doctors aren't familiar with and wouldn't be able to diagnose. It could be Celiac disease. You can always ask for the blood test just to rule it out. But that does sound a lot like SIBO.

Your symptoms are definitely not normal so don't let any doctor tell you otherwise. I've been told the same that extreme fatigue is normal. It's not. I don't know if your doctor is good or not, but there is always that possibility that he will look at your labs and say nothing is wrong. But that's why you have us here. I know a lot about iron deficiency/thyroid/Hashimoto's from going through it so I can interpret labs pretty well. I will say though that the fact that he ordered a ferritin test is good news. So hopefully you have a good doctor. ��

What is SIBO? :?:

psyc2321
December 2nd, 2017, 03:23 PM
I think it's worth noting (since you mentioned antibiotics) that for the past two-ish years, I have been on heavy antibiotic use on and off. I was diagnosed with MRSA in my leg in March of 2016, but I had actually been infected since February and no one believed me when I said it wasn't a normal infection. I fought it, through several hospitalizations, until August of 2016 when I was found clear...until October of 2016 when it came back to the same location. You can imagine the amount of antibiotics they threw me on! shudder: Since my mother has a hypothyroid, I used to have a TSH test every 2 years, and they never found anything. Even when I was 15-ish and they felt my slightly enlarged thyroid but didn't act on it because of the TSH test.

TMI alert!The problem with my stomach is that I've had stomach problems longer than any of the other symptoms. Growing up, I was incredibly susceptible to the stomach flu, and then I had an eating disorder for 6 years. Then, beginning in 2013, after I had begun recovery and had started eating relatively normally again, my stomach issues cropped up. I began having frequent bouts of stomach cramps and diarrhea after eating, and sometimes randomly too. I would estimate it happened three or four times a week. Flash forward a year or so, and I began feeling nausea very often, but it was always worse after I ate. It's slowly become a typical thing where my stomach is chronically upset no matter what I eat or don't eat. Now, I get frequent gas, constipation, and sometimes painful stomach cramps accompanied by diarrhea. I'm so bloated all the time now too, and I take diuretics when I can, but they don't work. Really, I shouldn't be taking them at all, especially with my history of compulsively abusing them during my disorder, but I'm so uncomfortable and my clothing doesn't fit. I experimented with foods, cutting out dairy over the summer, to no effect. I cut out red meats, then cut out meats all together, to no effect. I'm concerned that, maybe with all my other symptoms and how long this is going on, perhaps there may be Celiac Disease involved in all this? I'm certainly not a doctor and not into self-diagnosing, but it would make sense to me.

My DH had basically your exact list of digestive symptoms, plus body aches and psoriatic plaques, following a history of substantial antibiotic use. Heavy antibiotic usage can totally stuff your gut biota, because it doesn’t discriminate between good and bad bacteria!

He’s on a low FODMAP diet, which is based on research coming out of Monash University in Melbourne, and basically involves cutting out fermentable sugars, including dairy, wheat (but not gluten, which simplified things), onion and garlic, stone fruit, mushrooms...

It’s a long list, and it wasn’t until he’d been on it for a month that the inflammation went down completely, but the inflammation alone was enough to cause leaky gut, autoimmune symptoms (those body aches, and the plaques? First symptoms to clear up) and two pant sizes worth of gut bloat. Might be worth trying while you’re waiting on test results - since it doesn’t require cutting out whole food groups, it’s a relatively safe thing to test.

http://www.healthyfoodguide.com.au/articles/2011/september/food-fodmaps-and-ibs-what-eat-and-what-avoid

Good luck to you! It’s frustrating waiting on test results, I know.

marvel-lover
December 2nd, 2017, 04:31 PM
Psych2321 and Blondieee, thank you both! I'm loving the advice I'm getting here! More than anything right now, im just so terrified that I'll get a phone call on Monday and the doctor will say that everything is normal on the tests and that there's nothing that should be done, and that he will insinuate that I'm a liar. I know I keep talking about this, but I'm really afraid of that!

lapushka
December 2nd, 2017, 05:09 PM
Psych2321 and Blondieee, thank you both! I'm loving the advice I'm getting here! More than anything right now, im just so terrified that I'll get a phone call on Monday and the doctor will say that everything is normal on the tests and that there's nothing that should be done, and that he will insinuate that I'm a liar. I know I keep talking about this, but I'm really afraid of that!

If he says there's nothing he can do, it is not insinuating you're a liar; don't for one minute think that. It just means, his hands are tied and that he can't act on something because everything is normal. Ask him then what else he could do for you, because you are having all these issues; has he thought about everything?

Blondieee
December 2nd, 2017, 05:20 PM
Always ask for a copy of your test results. Don't just go based off of what he says. If he says everything is normal, say "Ok great, thank you. Would it be ok if I get a copy of those results?" Just because a doctor says something is normal doesn't mean it is. I've been told a ferritin of 8 is normal. The word "normal" does not mean anything. But even if he says something is wrong, still ask for a copy of your test results. Always ask for copies. You have the right to ask for copies. It's your lab work.

marvel-lover
December 2nd, 2017, 06:08 PM
If he says there's nothing he can do, it is not insinuating you're a liar; don't for one minute think that. It just means, his hands are tied and that he can't act on something because everything is normal. Ask him then what else he could do for you, because you are having all these issues; has he thought about everything?
Thank you, that helps a lot. I'm sure he won't really think I'm a liar, it's just anxiety that I'm having that makes me think that he will. I'm hoping something will show up, but I'll find out on Monday.


Always ask for a copy of your test results. Don't just go based off of what he says. If he says everything is normal, say "Ok great, thank you. Would it be ok if I get a copy of those results?" Just because a doctor says something is normal doesn't mean it is. I've been told a ferritin of 8 is normal. The word "normal" does not mean anything. But even if he says something is wrong, still ask for a copy of your test results. Always ask for copies. You have the right to ask for copies. It's your lab work.
I'm fortunate enough to be in a hospital system that has an online "patient portal". Basically, it's an online chart that I can access that contains all of my lab results, charts, and medical information since the creation of the online chart.

lilelf
December 2nd, 2017, 08:28 PM
Praying for you and anxiously awaiting your next post

Jo Ann
December 2nd, 2017, 08:46 PM
Prayers ascending for you, Marvel-lover!

Usually in instances like this, I pray for people to flunk their tests (get negative results, especially if certain diseases run in their family or the person is thinking they have something dire or terminal); for you, I will pray you pass your test with flying colors (have positive results that will direct the doctor to an informed diagnosis for your condition).

About Psyc's suggestion: if you're having symptoms like her DH, especially with a similar antibiotic history, see if there's any way your doctor can check the bacteria levels in your digestive system. The test procedure might be uncomfortable, but that is an excellent diagnostic tool that can lead to a solution. Maybe a probiotic supplement or foods high in probiotics can help? Sometimes, simpler solutions (like minor dietary changes) can make all the difference.

Keep your options open, make a list of questions you can ask and remember to take the list with you! Good luck!

lapushka
December 3rd, 2017, 10:53 AM
Thank you, that helps a lot. I'm sure he won't really think I'm a liar, it's just anxiety that I'm having that makes me think that he will. I'm hoping something will show up, but I'll find out on Monday.

Yes, don't go blaming yourself in that way! It's definitely not the way it goes, and I've been stuck in the medical system for quite some time (a few decades now), so I "about" know how it goes.

vpatt
December 3rd, 2017, 05:44 PM
Not sure if anyone answered this

SIBO=small intestine bacterial overgrowth

Goes along with leaky gut and autoimmune issues

Sorry if it was answered.

Blondieee
December 4th, 2017, 02:02 PM
I'm glad you have access to a patient portal. I do too. I love it! Are your results posted on there yet? Any news from your doctor?

Blondieee
December 4th, 2017, 02:09 PM
Thank you, that helps a lot. I'm sure he won't really think I'm a liar, it's just anxiety that I'm having that makes me think that he will. I'm hoping something will show up, but I'll find out on Monday.


I'm fortunate enough to be in a hospital system that has an online "patient portal". Basically, it's an online chart that I can access that contains all of my lab results, charts, and medical information since the creation of the online chart.


What is SIBO? :?:

Sorry I just now saw this. SIBO is a gut infection. It stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Our healthy gut bacteria should be in our large intestine, not our small intestine. When someone is hypothyroid, it becomes more likely that your good bacteria can migrate to your small intestine due to low stomach acid and slowed motility since everything slows down when you're hypothyroid. Your good bacteria doesn't belong in your small intestine. If it ends up there, it can cause the exact symptoms she mentioned like bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and stomach pain.

lapushka
December 4th, 2017, 02:20 PM
Not sure if anyone answered this

SIBO=small intestine bacterial overgrowth

Goes along with leaky gut and autoimmune issues

Sorry if it was answered.

Thanks for explaining that, I felt a little lost when reading that part where it got mentioned.

lapushka
December 4th, 2017, 02:21 PM
Sorry I just now saw this. SIBO is a gut infection. It stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Our healthy gut bacteria should be in our large intestine, not our small intestine. When someone is hypothyroid, it becomes more likely that your good bacteria can migrate to your small intestine due to low stomach acid and slowed motility since everything slows down when you're hypothyroid. Your good bacteria doesn't belong in your small intestine. If it ends up there, it can cause the exact symptoms she mentioned like bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, and stomach pain.

Thanks for explaining!!! :)

marvel-lover
December 4th, 2017, 03:49 PM
I also appreciate the explanation! My doctors didn't call today like they said they would, so I'll hopefully hear from them tomorrow. If I do, I'll ask them if, or if they could, test me for celiac and SIBO.

enting
December 4th, 2017, 04:03 PM
Definitely don't worry that your symptoms are all over the lot. Reading your symptom list my brain was pinging away at pretty much every thing you said. Thyroid testing and maybe even a thyroid ultrasound make complete sense. The dryness made me think of certain autoimmune conditions as well as thyroid issues. Asking for a celiac test is a very good idea. I think it's great that you have a patient portal online, too. That way you check it as soon as any information gets uploaded and not whenever you hunt down your doctor. Rest assured, this definitely sounds like something is off. If any doctor even hints to you that you might be exaggerating, don't even think twice about it. You know your body, as you said. It sounds like they are taking you seriously and sending you for lots of tests, so that's good. Here's hoping they track down the culprit(s) soon so you can get back to feeling well and growing hair!

AZDesertRose
December 4th, 2017, 04:10 PM
If he says there's nothing he can do, it is not insinuating you're a liar; don't for one minute think that. It just means, his hands are tied and that he can't act on something because everything is normal. Ask him then what else he could do for you, because you are having all these issues; has he thought about everything?

A doctor (or other medical professional) who is a decent person won't do that. That does not necessarily mean that no medical professional has ever insinuated that a patient is lying about their symptoms.

Sorry, I've just been burned by a few doctors in my time. A lot of them are great, both at their jobs and as human beings. Some aren't.

marvel-lover, it might just be that the doctor hasn't had a chance to look at the lab results or to call you about them today, but hopefully he'll call tomorrow. I'd say, since he said he'd call today, if he doesn't call by Wednesday, you'd be within your rights to call him and ask.

Jo Ann
December 4th, 2017, 04:26 PM
I also appreciate the explanation! My doctors didn't call today like they said they would, so I'll hopefully hear from them tomorrow. If I do, I'll ask them if, or if they could, test me for celiac and SIBO.

I would say call him tomorrow if you haven't heard from him by, say, noon-ish (they do take lunch :confused: ).

Make up that list of questions and please, don't try building any bridges until you know if you need one! Put another way, try to keep your anxiety level down until you know what your test results are :)

lapushka
December 4th, 2017, 04:32 PM
I agree with Jo Ann, do call them yourself tomorrow if you were supposed to have heard from them. Sometimes a schedule can get hectic and they forget. It doesn't have to mean anything. Call! :) Good luck! :flower:

marvel-lover
December 5th, 2017, 09:33 AM
Okay, taking deep breaths today. Last night I was up with such horrible abdominal pain that I was crying and dry heaving whilst...uh...doing other things. I slept 11 hours, I'm still tired, and my blood work showed that the only things that came back not normal were my white blood cell count (it's been high for the past year) and a low iron count. Hooray. My thyroid looks fine, everything else looks fine and all he wants to do is monitor my iron and white blood cell count. I told them I wanted my antibodies checked and I wanted to be tested for Celiac, and all they said was that they would call me back. So once again I'm waiting for another phone call, and I'm really hoping they will take me seriously.

AZDesertRose
December 5th, 2017, 09:48 AM
Oh, no, marvel-lover! I'm so sorry!

I hope they do take you seriously and look into this whole mess deeply, because that just sounds horrid. :(

Beeboo123
December 5th, 2017, 11:43 AM
I'm 22, almost 23, so it's probably not age related. I've been on birth control, the same type, for about 3 or 4 years now, so I doubt it would be that. I'm pretty sure that most of the strands are from the root, but some are breaking off, as my hair is so brittle. Thank you for your response!

I've been wondering if it might be my thyroid, since I keep feeling a choking sensation in my neck. Thyroid problems run in my family. Thank you for your response!

marvel-lover, I hope the doctors have managed to come up with a diagnosis! Sending you good thoughts.

Anyway, regarding the hair, you might want to try this: https://www.abbottlifeplus.com/p/cg210-hair-and-scalp-essence-17 . It’s available on Amazon. It reduces shedding of hair by encouraging hair to stay in the growth phase longer. It is made of plant extracts, and is drug free, so it will not interact with any medication you’re on. It’s clinically proven to work, and a number of my friends have had great success with it (for postpartum hair loss and thyroid-related hair loss). It’s quite pricey, but it really works.

I hope you get your health issues under control soon

lapushka
December 5th, 2017, 12:20 PM
Okay, taking deep breaths today. Last night I was up with such horrible abdominal pain that I was crying and dry heaving whilst...uh...doing other things. I slept 11 hours, I'm still tired, and my blood work showed that the only things that came back not normal were my white blood cell count (it's been high for the past year) and a low iron count. Hooray. My thyroid looks fine, everything else looks fine and all he wants to do is monitor my iron and white blood cell count. I told them I wanted my antibodies checked and I wanted to be tested for Celiac, and all they said was that they would call me back. So once again I'm waiting for another phone call, and I'm really hoping they will take me seriously.

Iron shortage explains a lot if your hair was shedding loads. If that's resolved you should expect far less shedding and a shedding rate that's more normal; I myself would advise against really expensive options. Just make sure your health is 100% first, before doing anything else, because if that's not 100%, no matter how much money you throw at your hair, it is not going to help much. Ask me how I know. :)

marvel-lover
December 5th, 2017, 12:54 PM
Thanks everyone! I definitely know something is wrong, and I'm going to keep pushing until I find what it is.

Lapushka, I'll ask how you know. How do you know? :)

Blondieee
December 5th, 2017, 02:57 PM
What was your exact TSH number and Free T3 and Free T4 if they were ran? Can you see the results on the portal? Definitely ask for your TPO antibodies and Thyroglobulin antibodies to be tested.

The iron deficiency explains a lot and can cause a lot of hair loss, but still I just suspect a thyroid issue too. What was your exact ferritin level?

Your regular doctor will not know what SIBO is most likely. Only functional doctors know what it is generally speaking. Your regular doctor can't test you for it. It's a breath test ordered through a company that only functional medicine doctors have access to.

marvel-lover
December 5th, 2017, 03:18 PM
What was your exact TSH number and Free T3 and Free T4 if they were ran? Can you see the results on the portal? Definitely ask for your TPO antibodies and Thyroglobulin antibodies to be tested.

The iron deficiency explains a lot and can cause a lot of hair loss, but still I just suspect a thyroid issue too. What was your exact ferritin level?

Your regular doctor will not know what SIBO is most likely. Only functional doctors know what it is generally speaking. Your regular doctor can't test you for it. It's a breath test ordered through a company that only functional medicine doctors have access to.
I don't have the results just yet; they can take up to 1 week to be posted onto my online chart, though if I decide to contact a different doctor tomorrow, I will be sure to ask them to get me a copy tomorrow. I have asked for a TPO antibodies test, as well as an IGA test. They did not get back to me today, so I'm giving them until lunch time tomorrow to do so. The iron deficiency does make sense, and I am not at all surprised by this. My periods have been super irregular my whole life, and especially lately. Some months I'll go 1 1/2 weeks between them, others I'll skip completely. And before anyone asks, I'm even on a birth control pill, though because of my issues, my BF and I have decided to abstain until we know more of what's happening. My doctor is aware of this. My concern isn't that my iron is low, and my white blood cell count is high and has been high for a year now, but why those things are off. I'll be sure to ask for a SIBO test as well, as long as it is covered by my insurance. Thank you so much for your help!

lapushka
December 5th, 2017, 04:29 PM
Thanks everyone! I definitely know something is wrong, and I'm going to keep pushing until I find what it is.

Lapushka, I'll ask how you know. How do you know? :)

I had some iron shortages myself in puberty. Lost hair due to that.

And there was the "big shed" when I was 13/14, when I lost a lot of hair up to bald patches due to hormonal changes. The doctor told us that we had to wait it out and that nothing could be done until my young body balanced itself out (13, the pill? no way said the doctor) and I begged my mom for vitamins (that were expensive) and she bought a lotion on top of that. Of course we tried it but I didn't continue with it; in the end it made no difference (but it "soothed" my stressed out self for a while). After about 2 years, my hair had grown back in quite a bit and it was as good as back to its former thickness. All it needed was good food, and patience. And of course everything did balance out, which the doctor said should probably happen.

marvel-lover
December 5th, 2017, 07:40 PM
I had some iron shortages myself in puberty. Lost hair due to that.

And there was the "big shed" when I was 13/14, when I lost a lot of hair up to bald patches due to hormonal changes. The doctor told us that we had to wait it out and that nothing could be done until my young body balanced itself out (13, the pill? no way said the doctor) and I begged my mom for vitamins (that were expensive) and she bought a lotion on top of that. Of course we tried it but I didn't continue with it; in the end it made no difference (but it "soothed" my stressed out self for a while). After about 2 years, my hair had grown back in quite a bit and it was as good as back to its former thickness. All it needed was good food, and patience. And of course everything did balance out, which the doctor said should probably happen.
Oh no! That sounds awful! I'm so glad that everything balanced out for you!

ghanima
December 6th, 2017, 01:43 AM
The great thing about internet is that nowadays we can educate ourselves and be more personally involved with healing our bodies and less depending on doctors. I wish I had the absolute faith in doctors that Lapushka seems to have, or maybe not, I don't really wish that. I salute your desire to know the CAUSES of your symptoms, mainstream medicine normally stops halfway and gives you patching drugs that you will eventually need new drugs to counterbalance. You're only 23! that's way too early to go down that route!

lapushka
December 6th, 2017, 07:31 AM
Oh no! That sounds awful! I'm so glad that everything balanced out for you!

Yes, I'm glad it turned around for me, but I'm kind of dreading menopause.

marvel-lover
December 6th, 2017, 08:07 AM
The great thing about internet is that nowadays we can educate ourselves and be more personally involved with healing our bodies and less depending on doctors. I wish I had the absolute faith in doctors that Lapushka seems to have, or maybe not, I don't really wish that. I salute your desire to know the CAUSES of your symptoms, mainstream medicine normally stops halfway and gives you patching drugs that you will eventually need new drugs to counterbalance. You're only 23! that's way too early to go down that route!
I also sometimes have difficulty trusting doctors, mostly because I grew up fighting doctors with my mom because there was almost always something wrong and they didn't believe me. Like when my heart was so wrong and they said it was no big deal, then I got cardiac surgery because my resting heart rate was frequently above 250. Now I've learned to address the symptoms but always find WHY because then I can fix it as best I can.

I'm calling later today to find out if I can get more testing done. Wish me luck! I hate having to be assertive.

luvlonghair75
December 6th, 2017, 08:40 AM
Sounds like your thyroid is out of whack. Get checked!

enting
December 6th, 2017, 09:45 AM
I also sometimes have difficulty trusting doctors, mostly because I grew up fighting doctors with my mom because there was almost always something wrong and they didn't believe me. Like when my heart was so wrong and they said it was no big deal, then I got cardiac surgery because my resting heart rate was frequently above 250. Now I've learned to address the symptoms but always find WHY because then I can fix it as best I can.

I'm calling later today to find out if I can get more testing done. Wish me luck! I hate having to be assertive.

Lots of luck! I hate having to call doctors, myself. (I'm currently procrastinating on a couple of medical calls that I really need to get around to making.) You can do it!

marvel-lover
December 6th, 2017, 09:46 AM
So I called the doctor and they ordered blood testing for my immune system and antibodies. I just went and got the blood work done. I'm so glad they took me seriously! Thanks everyone for all of your support!

enting
December 6th, 2017, 11:49 AM
That's great news!!
Keep us updated if you like.

Jo Ann
December 6th, 2017, 02:36 PM
Good for you, Marvel-lover! We're in your corner! May you get your results back quickly!

lapushka
December 6th, 2017, 02:42 PM
So I called the doctor and they ordered blood testing for my immune system and antibodies. I just went and got the blood work done. I'm so glad they took me seriously! Thanks everyone for all of your support!

That is awesome; sounds like this office or doctor is a keeper! Not that they will always do what you ask, but at least they can be reasoned with it sounds like. And that's always a good thing.

Keep us updated! And good luck! :D

Flowerness
December 7th, 2017, 12:12 PM
It is funny, but I've suffered from these sorts of things on and off throughout my life. Heart palps (esp. when feeling "off", tired, or worn down/getting flu), stomach ailments of all sorts, dry skin, fatigue, etc. I discovered my body is so very sensitive, and it is like a huge system that gets out of wack so easily! Wrong or different vitamins and my body would let me know right away. Also, your TSH could be at "fine" levels but you could still have a problem. Adrenal health and thyroid are linked. Even if they are both borderline on tests, your body could be unhappy. I've found that there are OTC vitamins focused in on these types of things (without cortisol, or throid in them) that help support their function and can make a big difference! Lots of good things like siberian ginseng, and vit.c help tons. Talk to your doctor about it. As for your gut, for me it was linked to my other health concerns. It could come and go. (Irritating!) At its worst (recently) I found it was because I'd been taking magnesium supplements, which acted like a laxative and allowed my gut health to grow bad bacteria. This caused an annoying IBS-D flare up. I ended up doing tons of research and started drinking less caffeine, drinking mint tea more (which helps with stomach health), and I started drinking a spoonful or so (I just pour a smidge in a glass) mixed with water before meals. It helps with the bacteria in your belly. It helped with the painful gas, bloating, and diahrea so much! You can also drink ginger, which always helps your belly. The big change came from adding echinacea. I take it before meals, and it has been killing bad stuff in my belly. First pill, and I felt so much better! I made all of these changes slowly, like adding pickles to my sandwiches at lunch to add acid. (I've always struggled with low stomach acid.) Even drinking something with bubbles to help me burp. Listen to your own body. If it says somethings wrong, it is! I've always been extra sensitive to things, but that doesn't mean anything ever showed up on tests very often. I had to find out what was right for me. Listen to your body, and do what you can to feel better. I hope you feel better soon!

Lots of love to you! (And great big thoughts of healing!)

lapushka
December 7th, 2017, 02:46 PM
At its worst (recently) I found it was because I'd been taking magnesium supplements, which acted like a laxative and allowed my gut health to grow bad bacteria. This caused an annoying IBS-D flare up. I ended up doing tons of research and started drinking less caffeine, drinking mint tea more (which helps with stomach health), and I started drinking a spoonful or so (I just pour a smidge in a glass) mixed with water before meals. It helps with the bacteria in your belly. It helped with the painful gas, bloating, and diahrea so much! You can also drink ginger, which always helps your belly. The big change came from adding echinacea. I take it before meals, and it has been killing bad stuff in my belly. First pill, and I felt so much better! I made all of these changes slowly, like adding pickles to my sandwiches at lunch to add acid. (I've always struggled with low stomach acid.) Even drinking something with bubbles to help me burp. Listen to your own body. If it says somethings wrong, it is! I've always been extra sensitive to things, but that doesn't mean anything ever showed up on tests very often. I had to find out what was right for me. Listen to your body, and do what you can to feel better. I hope you feel better soon!

Magnesium in low dosages usually is very beneficial. If you take too much of it though, yes, it acts as a laxative. That's how you know you're taking too much, BTW. :flower: How much were you taking, can I ask?

Flowerness
December 7th, 2017, 04:45 PM
The daily dose it said on the bottle. I'm just one of those people who are annoyingly sensitive to everything. For instance, any dairy at all and my skin, and scalp get painfully dry. Actually painful. Smallest little bit of something out of wack and my body lets me know right away. On the plus side, less money spent on magnesium supplements is more money in my wallet. And for some reason... drinking a smidge of ACV is good for your overall health, and has been shown to help people sleep better. I've already noticed it helping me sleep more soundly! Some people are sensitive, I guess.

SallySue
December 7th, 2017, 05:09 PM
I'm so happy I found this thread, best of luck to you and thank you to Blondieee for all the info.

Having many similar issues over here. I have an appointment tomorrow to go over the results of my own thyroid blood test. I'm anxious to find out, and honestly hoping for a diagnosis so I at least know the cause. :eye:

Blondieee
December 11th, 2017, 01:38 AM
You're welcome Sally! I'm glad they run the tests you asked for marvel. That's great to hear! I can't tell you how many times doctors have refused to run tests that I've asked for when it's not their money. Are your results available on the portal yet? I'm curious about your exact TSH number because it really does sound like your thyroid is involved somehow based on your symptoms. I'm curious how low your ferritin is too.

marvel-lover
December 11th, 2017, 06:47 AM
I keep waiting for them to be posted, and they haven't been yet. When they call with the new round of results, I'm going to ask for copies of everything. Supposedly, my TSH and my T3 and T4 came back in the normal range. The only results that were off were my iron levels (anemic) and my white blood cell count, which had been high for the past year.

Jo Ann
December 11th, 2017, 08:20 AM
Well, that some good news and some mixed news, Marvel--the TSH, T3 and T4 levels have to do with the thyroid, yes? Anemia is easily corrected with diet and supplements. The elevated white blood cell count is a puzzler (usually indicative of some type of infection) and the necessary pieces might fall into place with the second round of tests you had done.

Still sending prayers your way for positive, treatable outcomes! *sends Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson to ML's doctors*

lapushka
December 11th, 2017, 08:51 AM
I keep waiting for them to be posted, and they haven't been yet. When they call with the new round of results, I'm going to ask for copies of everything. Supposedly, my TSH and my T3 and T4 came back in the normal range. The only results that were off were my iron levels (anemic) and my white blood cell count, which had been high for the past year.

Iron shortage is serious enough as it is, and it might explain a lot. Re-evaluate when those have been in the normal range for quite a while.

The white blood cell count is puzzling, but they need to look further into it if it's been that long!

marvel-lover
December 13th, 2017, 04:02 PM
Okay! So my tests came back almost normal. However, my thyroid antibodies are higher than normal (not by a lot, but high nonetheless) so my doctor is sending me to see an endocrinologist. It would seem that the #1 possibility is an autoimmune disorder, known as Hashimoto's Disease. Thanks everyone for their support! I'm feeling better now that I've started iron supplements, and I'm very hopeful that this is taken seriously and I will make a great recovery!

enting
December 13th, 2017, 04:37 PM
It sounds like they're taking you seriously so far, so that's great! It's also good to hear that you're already feeling better with the iron. Yay!

lapushka
December 13th, 2017, 04:37 PM
Okay! So my tests came back almost normal. However, my thyroid antibodies are higher than normal (not by a lot, but high nonetheless) so my doctor is sending me to see an endocrinologist. It would seem that the #1 possibility is an autoimmune disorder, known as Hashimoto's Disease. Thanks everyone for their support! I'm feeling better now that I've started iron supplements, and I'm very hopeful that this is taken seriously and I will make a great recovery!

Good for you that you went and had the tests done! :flower:

I hope the endocrinologist can help you, and your other doctor(s) have helped majorly already! I think they are keepers!!!

Jo Ann
December 13th, 2017, 04:53 PM
That's great news, Marvel! At least you have a partial diagnosis, but the endocrinologist will really be able to home in and fine tune that diagnosis for you! IIRC, there are a few people here that have what your doctor believes you have--maybe a feeler or two in that area can let you know what you're in for, as far as your testing goes.

enting
December 13th, 2017, 06:00 PM
That's great news, Marvel! At least you have a partial diagnosis, but the endocrinologist will really be able to home in and fine tune that diagnosis for you! IIRC, there are a few people here that have what your doctor believes you have--maybe a feeler or two in that area can let you know what you're in for, as far as your testing goes.

Yep, I'm one of those that has high thyroid antibodies. I don't yet have a diagnosis of Hashimoto's, but it seems pretty clear to me that's what's going on. I've been diagnosed hypothyroid for years.

Jo Ann
December 13th, 2017, 06:28 PM
My Dear Nana's thyroid went all kerplooey on her--first, she was diagnosed with a hyperthyroid, then she was given radioactive iodide (this was back in the Dark Ages--early 1960's) to "kill" her thyroid (which made her hypothyroid) and she had to take daily doses of a thyroid hormone (as I understood it--it's purpose was to take over her thyroid function, at least what her thyroid was supposed to excrete to help her body function correctly). She was on that supplement for over 35 years.

enting
December 13th, 2017, 06:54 PM
My Dear Nana's thyroid went all kerplooey on her--first, she was diagnosed with a hyperthyroid, then she was given radioactive iodide (this was back in the Dark Ages--early 1960's) to "kill" her thyroid (which made her hypothyroid) and she had to take daily doses of a thyroid hormone (as I understood it--it's purpose was to take over her thyroid function, at least what her thyroid was supposed to excrete to help her body function correctly). She was on that supplement for over 35 years.

My grandfather had the same thing done in the 90's. Sometimes I wonder at the same procedures still being done decades later. It either means it's effective, or they haven't come up with anything better, or both.

lapushka
December 14th, 2017, 06:13 AM
My Dear Nana's thyroid went all kerplooey on her--first, she was diagnosed with a hyperthyroid, then she was given radioactive iodide (this was back in the Dark Ages--early 1960's) to "kill" her thyroid (which made her hypothyroid) and she had to take daily doses of a thyroid hormone (as I understood it--it's purpose was to take over her thyroid function, at least what her thyroid was supposed to excrete to help her body function correctly). She was on that supplement for over 35 years.

My aunt underwent that as a teen as well. In the 70s, I think. But her issue was resolved by this. We did have a very good internist at that time (top notch).

divinedobbie
December 27th, 2017, 05:04 PM
Thanks for starting this thread, it gave me the awareness and courage for me to go to my doctor to talk about the lengthy hair loss I have experienced. She took a look at my scalp and says it's definitely consistent with hair loss and looks like telugem effluvium (however you spell it) most commonly caused by stress or trauma however since we couldn't pinpoint anything and it's consistent increased shedding she sent me for a bunch of blood tests to rule out something health related and then we'll see if I can see a dermatologist if that comes out clean.

Cg
December 27th, 2017, 05:21 PM
Thanks for starting this thread, it gave me the awareness and courage for me to go to my doctor to talk about the lengthy hair loss I have experienced. She took a look at my scalp and says it's definitely consistent with hair loss and looks like telugem effluvium (however you spell it) most commonly caused by stress or trauma however since we couldn't pinpoint anything and it's consistent increased shedding she sent me for a bunch of blood tests to rule out something health related and then we'll see if I can see a dermatologist if that comes out clean.

Best of luck. We're all pulling for you!

marvel-lover
December 27th, 2017, 06:58 PM
Thanks for starting this thread, it gave me the awareness and courage for me to go to my doctor to talk about the lengthy hair loss I have experienced. She took a look at my scalp and says it's definitely consistent with hair loss and looks like telugem effluvium (however you spell it) most commonly caused by stress or trauma however since we couldn't pinpoint anything and it's consistent increased shedding she sent me for a bunch of blood tests to rule out something health related and then we'll see if I can see a dermatologist if that comes out clean.
Good luck! Don't forget to advocate for yourself!

lapushka
December 28th, 2017, 08:32 AM
Thanks for starting this thread, it gave me the awareness and courage for me to go to my doctor to talk about the lengthy hair loss I have experienced. She took a look at my scalp and says it's definitely consistent with hair loss and looks like telugem effluvium (however you spell it) most commonly caused by stress or trauma however since we couldn't pinpoint anything and it's consistent increased shedding she sent me for a bunch of blood tests to rule out something health related and then we'll see if I can see a dermatologist if that comes out clean.

Good call from your doc. Hope all is well, and that it is just a temporary thing. But you never know... *fingers crossed*

divinedobbie
December 28th, 2017, 05:28 PM
Best of luck. We're all pulling for you!


Good luck! Don't forget to advocate for yourself!


Good call from your doc. Hope all is well, and that it is just a temporary thing. But you never know... *fingers crossed*

Thanks! I am not sure whether to hope for a diagnosis or not. All I know is it's definitely occurring over the past year but I can't tell exactly when it started. But I don't recall having this amount of hair loss in the city I lived in before so I'd think it had to have started within the past 18 months. I've considered the possibility that maybe the stress of relocating could cause a shed but I wasn't really stressed at all, just sad about it. I did have low ferritin levels about a year ago but my hemoglobin etc were still normal so my doctor doubts it would cause that much effect. She also mentioned it looks like I have a lot of baby regrowth, which would be good, except I have noticed regrowth for a long time but even those baby short hairs are falling out so they don't have a long life cycle.

lapushka
December 29th, 2017, 05:58 AM
Thanks! I am not sure whether to hope for a diagnosis or not. All I know is it's definitely occurring over the past year but I can't tell exactly when it started. But I don't recall having this amount of hair loss in the city I lived in before so I'd think it had to have started within the past 18 months. I've considered the possibility that maybe the stress of relocating could cause a shed but I wasn't really stressed at all, just sad about it. I did have low ferritin levels about a year ago but my hemoglobin etc were still normal so my doctor doubts it would cause that much effect. She also mentioned it looks like I have a lot of baby regrowth, which would be good, except I have noticed regrowth for a long time but even those baby short hairs are falling out so they don't have a long life cycle.

You know best what your hair felt like and feels like now (really what's most important), but when I look at your signature picture, I see beautiful hair! It's not that it's that noticeable, and that's a good thing, at least. :)

FrayedFire
February 1st, 2018, 08:37 PM
I've considered the possibility that maybe the stress of relocating could cause a shed but I wasn't really stressed at all, just sad about it.
Stress isn't just a feeling of stress, and moving is stressful on the body. How are you faring?

divinedobbie
February 1st, 2018, 09:48 PM
Stress isn't just a feeling of stress, and moving is stressful on the body. How are you faring?

It goes up and down. Happier with my hair since I cut it but in no means does that fix the actual shedding. Last week was particularly bad, this weeks seems to be back to "normal heavy" shedding. I've been on prescription minoxodil for almost three weeks now. My doctor gave it to me as a way to perhaps jump start growth again/slow shedding? I hate having to use it. My bloodwork all came back clean as a whistle so technically medically nothing wrong. I was quite vitamin D deficienct a few years ago, then tested regular a year or two later and my doctor says there's no point of testing me again but I've heard that can also cause shedding so I try and take some when I remember just in case. I think I'm more scared that this is genetic although I'm only 21 so I was really hoping (sadly) that it was something medical that could be reversed.
And if you're asking how I'm faring in this new city, I still hate it. I am really lonely here but I'm actively looking for work back home now that I'm free from my work contract.
Either way thanks for asking :flower: