marg
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Post by marg on Apr 15, 2024 16:36:47 GMT
Has anyone had their thyroid gland removed? What has been your experience with lifelong Levothyroxine medication? Thanks
Enlarged thyroid nodules here, CT scan look ok except enlarged, non cancer, asymptomatic, blood works normal... Excellent health wise, but surgeon wants to remove while still healthy. Heard Levothyroxine has too many side effects/complications, Heard No other hormone prescribes by Endocrinologist other than Levothyroxine.
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Post by yogibearbull on Apr 15, 2024 16:43:00 GMT
I know people who had thyroid removed and have to take thyroid supplements.
I myself take Levothyroxine (generic for Synthroid) for low Thyroid level (meaning that the measured TSH is high).
Both low or high thyroid levels are bad. It's an essential hormone.
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Post by yakers on Apr 15, 2024 18:13:15 GMT
I have to take levothyroxine, thryoid was damaged by head/neck radiation treatment. Once the right leveel of TSH is reached it has been easy to manage. Never had symptoms but would have if not treated.
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Post by anitya on Apr 15, 2024 18:43:44 GMT
In my immediate family of 4 above 60 year olds, 2 of them are on it. I am told by a physician that more than 50% of the people above 60 are on Levothyroxine. I thought that is a very high number but never looked for corroborating or disputing information.
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Post by junkster on Apr 15, 2024 18:59:01 GMT
At 77 thryroid medication is the only thing I take. But I take Armour thyroid which is the natural as opposed to synthetic. I tried the synthetic but too many side effects, Even though I never had any symptoms of an under active thyroid began taking medication 10 years ago when my TSH rose to 13. As it is, am cutting back now as I am thinner than thin and would like to gain a few pounds. If that means a rising TSH so be it.
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Post by anitya on Apr 15, 2024 19:46:08 GMT
At 77 thryroid medication is the only thing I take. But I take Armour thyroid which is the natural as opposed to synthetic. I tried the synthetic but too many side effects, Even though I never had any symptoms of an under active thyroid began taking medication 10 years ago when my TSH rose to 13. As it is, am cutting back now as I am thinner than thin and would like to gain a few pounds. If that means a rising TSH so be it. Thanks. Keeping weight on is difficult when you are hiking and on this med. Metabolism increases with this med and so one spends more time looking for and eating food! But you can not really cut down hiking without giving up mental wellbeing. I am not sure allowing your TSH level to go up too much is a good idea as I am guessing you would be taxing your pituitary gland. We have physicians in the forum and hopefully they will chime in. Thanks for the Armour Thyroid info.
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Post by win1177 on Apr 15, 2024 22:14:53 GMT
At 77 thryroid medication is the only thing I take. But I take Armour thyroid which is the natural as opposed to synthetic. I tried the synthetic but too many side effects, Even though I never had any symptoms of an under active thyroid began taking medication 10 years ago when my TSH rose to 13. As it is, am cutting back now as I am thinner than thin and would like to gain a few pounds. If that means a rising TSH so be it. Thanks. Keeping weight on is difficult when you are hiking and on this med. Metabolism increases with this med and so one spends more time looking for and eating food! But you can not really cut down hiking without giving up mental wellbeing. I am not sure allowing your TSH level to go up too much is a good idea as I am guessing you would be taxing your pituitary gland. We have physicians in the forum and hopefully they will chime in. Thanks for the Armour Thyroid info. Agree with the above. Allowing your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to rise above the “normal range” can potentially be dangerous. It is associated with lethargy, cold intolerance, weight gain, depression, and a bunch of other preventable complications. Also is one of the causes of “cognitive decline”, so definitely not safe.It is MUCH better to just increase your dietary intake, especially of proteins, etc. as we typically do not ingest enough as we age. When we work someone up for possible dementia, we ALWAYS look for hypothyroidism. That's my opinion as an MD, it’s NOT specific medical advice. Win
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Post by yogibearbull on Apr 15, 2024 22:25:34 GMT
I had looked at some protein drinks but they tend to have lots of sugar. Recently, I found FairLife Protein (11.5 oz bottles) with 30g protein and only 2g sugar. Tastes quite good - little sweet but not overwhelmingly so. Available in 12 or 18 packs at many stores including Sam's and Costco. Never heard of FairLife? You will never know from the bottle, but deep within its website, you will find it's Chicago based and owned by Coca Cola. fairlife.com/nutrition-plan/chocolate/
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Post by anitya on Apr 16, 2024 1:34:19 GMT
Thanks. Keeping weight on is difficult when you are hiking and on this med. Metabolism increases with this med and so one spends more time looking for and eating food! But you can not really cut down hiking without giving up mental wellbeing. I am not sure allowing your TSH level to go up too much is a good idea as I am guessing you would be taxing your pituitary gland. We have physicians in the forum and hopefully they will chime in. Thanks for the Armour Thyroid info. Agree with the above. Allowing your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to rise above the “normal range” can potentially be dangerous. It is associated with lethargy, cold intolerance, weight gain, depression, and a bunch of other preventable complications. Also is one of the causes of “cognitive decline”, so definitely not safe.It is MUCH better to just increase your dietary intake, especially of proteins, etc. as we typically do not ingest enough as we age. When we work someone up for possible dementia, we ALWAYS look for hypothyroidism. That's my opinion as an MD, it’s NOT specific medical advice. Win Please elaborate on the text in bold. Dietary intake. Are you suggesting that thyroid hormones or just more muscle / weight can be increased by eating more proteins? what type of proteins? If lab tests do not show one is deficient in proteins, can eating more protein have negative impact? Thanks
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sgra
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Post by sgra on Apr 16, 2024 3:20:00 GMT
I have taken levothyroxine for the past (approx) 20 years. I had no physical symptoms of low thyroid but labs showed elevated TSH, so started with 50mcg. Several years passed then went to 75mcg, eventually to 100 mcg all based on TSH. My routine was to take it with my morning coffee but a couple of years ago I read that it should not be taken with coffee so I changed my routine to get up earlier and take it with plenty of water and delay coffee for a couple hours. That change actually affected my labs and TSH level went down below range so lowered my dose to 75mcg and all is stable. I have never noticed any side effects at any of my 50 to 100mcg doses. I'm on the thin side but that's mostly diet and activity.
I know a woman who had her cancerous thyroid removed in her 20s, now in her 60s, lifelong levothyroxine user with no ill effects.
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Post by Birdman96 on Apr 16, 2024 11:57:20 GMT
I started with Levothyroxine about 6 years ago and experienced annoying side effects, which I imagined were due to the fillers (wheat starch (gluten), lactose, sugars, dyes and talc) that are used. So with a little research found Tirosint, which has relatively no fillers in a gel-like soft capsule. It purports to absorb more quickly, which is my experience.
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Post by win1177 on Apr 16, 2024 12:44:47 GMT
Anitya, I was referring to increasing one’s protein intake as we age, mainly due to the weight loss some individuals develop as they grow older. We tend to see a gradual decline in muscle mass as people age, both due to lack of exercise and often inadequate protein intake. People will often eat relatively high calorie snacks that contain large quantities of carbohydrates, but they don’t necessarily get enough protein in their diet.
I was just commenting on the prior statement by “Junkster” that he was “thinner than thin”, and was having issues with losing weight. As he apparently does a lot of walking/ hiking, my suspicion is he is just burning up most of the calories he ingests. I suggest eating more high calorie foods, with a good mix of proteins/ carbohydrates/ healthy fats, may improve his weight loss issues. This is an issue I struggle with, I’m 6’3”, walk A LOT (6-8 miles/ day), and struggle keeping my weight above 184 pounds. I’ve added a “protein shake” to my regimen to try and help this. Again, not specific medical advice, just a suggestion.
Win
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Post by Majick on Apr 16, 2024 13:59:47 GMT
FWIW
...Depending on Thyroid condition,Age...not Surgeon but Endo Dr.MD gave some kind of radio active drink & made Glands totally inactive 35 yrs ago in US Hospital as patient was like running 24x7 and hence heart rate was higher plus losing weight without doing anything.Fixed It.Now patient has been on Daily Synthroid Daily for 35 yrs. Thanks. Majick
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Post by win1177 on Apr 16, 2024 16:25:11 GMT
I had looked at some protein drinks but they tend to have lots of sugar. Recently, I found FairLife Protein (11.5 oz bottles) with 30g protein and only 2g sugar. Tastes quite good - little sweet but not overwhelmingly so. Available in 12 or 18 packs at many stores including Sam's and Costco. Never heard of FairLife? You will never know from the bottle, but deep within its website, you will find it's Chicago based and owned by Coca Cola. fairlife.com/nutrition-plan/chocolate/ I’m using “Premier Protein” drinks, have 30 grams protein and just 1 gram of sugar. Total of 160 calories for an 11 oz. shake. Buy them at Costco in bulk boxes. Usually have 1 per day. I try to limit my sugar intake as I have adult onset diabetes mellitus (AODM) and work hard to keep my A1C in the “non- diabetic” range. My A1C right now is 5.4, have managed to keep it 5.5 or below now for years, after being originally diagnosed in late 40’s w/ AODM. Tastes pretty good, I get the chocolate flavored ones. My family has VERY strong history of diabetes, so knew I was at increased risk. Watched my mother die from diabetes due to her poor management of it, have worked VERY hard at keeping it under control. The shakes don’t seem to lead to “spikes” in blood glucose, any more than eating a regular meal. Win
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Post by yogibearbull on Apr 16, 2024 16:57:16 GMT
win1177 , thanks, I will checkout Premier Protein. A quick look indicates that it has MANY flavors. The brand was owned by Post Holdings/ POST but spun off as BellRing Brands/ BRBR. However, POST & BRBR continue cooperation on multiple fronts.
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Post by junkster on Apr 16, 2024 19:46:00 GMT
Anitya, I was referring to increasing one’s protein intake as we age, mainly due to the weight loss some individuals develop as they grow older. We tend to see a gradual decline in muscle mass as people age, both due to lack of exercise and often inadequate protein intake. People will often eat relatively high calorie snacks that contain large quantities of carbohydrates, but they don’t necessarily get enough protein in their diet. I was just commenting on the prior statement by “Junkster” that he was “thinner than thin”, and was having issues with losing weight. As he apparently does a lot of walking/ hiking, my suspicion is he is just burning up most of the calories he ingests. I suggest eating more high calorie foods, with a good mix of proteins/ carbohydrates/ healthy fats, may improve his weight loss issues. This is an issue I struggle with, I’m 6’3”, walk A LOT (6-8 miles/ day), and struggle keeping my weight above 184 pounds. I’ve added a “protein shake” to my regimen to try and help this. Again, not specific medical advice, just a suggestion. Win Win, many thanks for the above. Never took anyone’s advice on trading/investing forums but think I will take your recommendation above on the protein drink. The past many years on my multi hours off trail backcountry hikes I have had energy issues. My doctor just passed it off as a normal aging/over exercising thing. But I always felt it was something more. You may be spot on about needing more protein. Many thanks.
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Post by anitya on Apr 17, 2024 4:59:33 GMT
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2024 5:27:05 GMT
I hope anyone considering supplementing protein has gotten a recent kidney function test.
Personally, I don't think medical advice should be allowed on the forum. The topic is too fraught with risk.
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Post by anitya on Apr 17, 2024 5:53:38 GMT
No medical advice is given or taken in this forum. The same applies to investment conversations here. Any conversation in this forum is equivalent to a conversation at a cocktail party.
If a disclaimer has to be stated each time one posts, this would be one dull cocktail party!
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Post by Birdman96 on Apr 17, 2024 12:57:35 GMT
Anitya,
Orgain Organic Protein was given a “Not Approved due to excessive sodium” by Consumerlab (310 mg sodium/serving). I’ve found subscribing to Consumerlab to be very valuable when it comes to the efficacy and cost of supplements.
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Post by yogibearbull on Apr 17, 2024 13:10:44 GMT
It seems that there are 2 main types of protein shakes/powders - dairy-based and plant-based. FairLife, Premium Protein, etc are dairy-based. Orgain Organic, Medi-Clear, etc are plant-based. My granddaughter had been using Medi-Plus, but she liked FairLife Protein very much. She is using both now. Medi-Clear tastes so-so, but she doesn't want to overdo dairy, so she uses FairLife for a change in taste. I have tried only FairLife Protein so far. Weigh control became a recent issue for me and that is how I started looking at these.
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Post by anitya on Apr 17, 2024 19:30:02 GMT
Anitya, Orgain Organic Protein was given a “Not Approved due to excessive sodium” by Consumerlab (310 mg sodium/serving). I’ve found subscribing to Consumerlab to be very valuable when it comes to the efficacy and cost of supplements. Good catch! 160 calories but 13% DV sodium, most of it seems to come from Sea Salt (does not say iodized). We are discussing Hypothyroidism and this product probably is contributing to it relative to sodium intake. I am on a low sodium diet because some family members have high BP and I do not miss salt (or taste) that much. So, high sodium in the product does not bother me personally but uniodized high sodium does. Is consumer lab by subscription? Just to make sure the rest of us do not go to a wrong site, pl share the weblink to their site.
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Post by anitya on Apr 17, 2024 20:43:07 GMT
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Post by yogibearbull on Apr 17, 2024 21:03:50 GMT
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Post by Birdman96 on Apr 18, 2024 1:18:23 GMT
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Post by Chahta on Apr 21, 2024 16:16:40 GMT
My bloodwork last week showed low protein level. That is the first time ever. I don’t feel like I don’t eat enough but I suppose tests don’t lie.
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marg
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Post by marg on Apr 21, 2024 17:41:27 GMT
yakers , but your thyroid gland was not removed? There is a difference in taking medication with partial or total removal of the thyroid gland. the letter is completely depend on the med.
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Post by anitya on Apr 21, 2024 17:56:13 GMT
My bloodwork last week showed low protein level. That is the first time ever. I don’t feel like I don’t eat enough but I suppose tests don’t lie. Anytime a blood test springs a surprise on me, I repeat the test before taking the first result for granted.
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Post by chang on Apr 21, 2024 18:43:28 GMT
My bloodwork last week showed low protein level. That is the first time ever. I don’t feel like I don’t eat enough but I suppose tests don’t lie. I used to eat a lot of protein in my gym rat days, around 2-3 grams per kg body weight. Now I think my protein intake has dropped too low, so I’ve been actively trying to eat more meat and fish. I’m 75kg and ideally should get > 100g protein. I used to make protein shakes with ON Protein powder, collagen powder, peanut butter, strawberries, a banana, skim milk, and ice. It was around 50g protein and a boatload of calories. Those were the days.
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Post by yakers on Apr 22, 2024 1:15:11 GMT
yakers , but your thyroid gland was not removed? There is a difference in taking medication with partial or total removal of the thyroid gland. the letter is completely depend on the med. No, not removed, 'just' damaged, so meds are needed to get TSH to necessary levels.
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