Great! The only thing Oprah and I have incommon is the fact we are both Black women with dodgy acting thyroids. :tongue: I'd much rather share her ability to make good investments.
In 1997 I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease and received radioactive iodine followed by radiation as treatment. I ended up with a radiation burn and chemo-type symptoms (high fever, vomiting, nausea, and my hair fell out in handfuls) as a result of a radiation overdose. Most people with a hyperactive thyroid, especially Grave's Disease lose weight. I gained 30 pounds in 3 months.
I hate being the anomaly.
Though I still go for quarterly blood blood work and take Levoxyl daily, I often need to have my dosage re-adjusted.
Six months after the radiation treatment I was hypothyroid, which I had been warned to expect. By 2002 I had gained quite a bit of weight, had relocated from Massachusett's to New Jersey for love and a new career.
In 2004 I found out that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and it's been an on going battle with endocrinologists ever since to get my thyroid regulated. Doctors tend to look at your T3 & T4 blood work and if it falls within a certain range they deem you okay. They tend not to pay any attention to your actual symptoms.
Anyone else have a problem with their thyroid?
For years, a “thyroid” condition was widely viewed as a euphemism for being fat. But now, the ultimate celebrity endorsement from Oprah Winfrey may finally give thyroid problems the respect they deserve.
Earlier this week, Oprah spoke on her talk show about a recent bout with exhaustion and weight gain that was diagnosed as thyroid disease, an issue she also wrote about in her magazine.
The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, has gotten celebrity attention in the past. Former president George Bush and his wife Barbara both suffered from thyroid problems, as did Olympic track stars Gail Devers and Carl Lewis. But the reality is that nothing compares to Oprah in terms of raising public awareness about anything, whether it’s a favorite book, a politician or a disease.
The downside is that the talk show host has been vague about her diagnosis and treatment and even suggested that her body’s imbalance of thyroid hormones was the result of working too hard and not relaxing enough. Her main “treatment” approach seemed to be quitting work for a month and eating only fresh food at her tropical Hawaiian estate.
“While good nutrition, exercise, and self-care are certainly part of overall good health, they are not likely to cure your thyroid condition,'’ writes Mary Shomon, founder of a well-known thyroid disease Web site and the author of several books on the topic. “It may have worked for Oprah, but …I doubt most of us could ever aspire to such a luxurious recuperation.”
Ms. Winfrey hasn’t detailed her specific diagnosis, but Ms. Shomon says the description sounds like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the thyroid’s gradual decline into hypothyroidism, interspersed with periods “when the thyroid sputters to life and becomes temporarily overactive.” Avoiding medical treatment is only an option for those with very mild thyroid problems, notes Ms. Shomon, who worries some women may try to self-treat rather than consulting a doctor about their symptoms.
For a recap of Oprah’s talk show about thyroid disease, click here. And for an excellent primer on thyroid problems, I suggest this story from The Times.
In 1997 I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease and received radioactive iodine followed by radiation as treatment. I ended up with a radiation burn and chemo-type symptoms (high fever, vomiting, nausea, and my hair fell out in handfuls) as a result of a radiation overdose. Most people with a hyperactive thyroid, especially Grave's Disease lose weight. I gained 30 pounds in 3 months.
I hate being the anomaly.Though I still go for quarterly blood blood work and take Levoxyl daily, I often need to have my dosage re-adjusted.
Six months after the radiation treatment I was hypothyroid, which I had been warned to expect. By 2002 I had gained quite a bit of weight, had relocated from Massachusett's to New Jersey for love and a new career.
In 2004 I found out that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and it's been an on going battle with endocrinologists ever since to get my thyroid regulated. Doctors tend to look at your T3 & T4 blood work and if it falls within a certain range they deem you okay. They tend not to pay any attention to your actual symptoms.
Anyone else have a problem with their thyroid?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New York Times - October 19, 2007, 11:54 am
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/19/health/People-Winfrey-Letterman_19.jpg
Winfrey’s thyroid threat. (AP Photo/Harpo Productions,George Burns)
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/19/health/People-Winfrey-Letterman_19.jpg
Winfrey’s thyroid threat. (AP Photo/Harpo Productions,George Burns)
For years, a “thyroid” condition was widely viewed as a euphemism for being fat. But now, the ultimate celebrity endorsement from Oprah Winfrey may finally give thyroid problems the respect they deserve.
Earlier this week, Oprah spoke on her talk show about a recent bout with exhaustion and weight gain that was diagnosed as thyroid disease, an issue she also wrote about in her magazine.
My body was turning on me. First hyperthyroidism, which sped up my metabolism and left me unable to sleep for days. (Most people lose weight. I didn’t.) Then hypothyroidism, which slowed down my metabolism and made me want to sleep all the time. (Most people gain weight. I did! Twenty pounds!)
Thyroid disorders, which are far more common in women than men, are said to be among the most undiagnosed and misdiagnosed health problems. Part of the problem is that the symptoms are ambiguous and likely to be written off as stress, menopause or normal aging. The most common thyroid problem is caused by an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), and symptoms include weight gain, fatigue, depression, high cholesterol, neck pain, hair loss, low sex drive and worsening menstrual symptoms. An overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, can also cause neck pain, hair loss and menstrual and sex-drive problems, as well as insomnia, unexpected weight loss, chronic diarrhea, anxiety and panic attacks, heart palpitations, high blood pressure and bulging eyes. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck, has gotten celebrity attention in the past. Former president George Bush and his wife Barbara both suffered from thyroid problems, as did Olympic track stars Gail Devers and Carl Lewis. But the reality is that nothing compares to Oprah in terms of raising public awareness about anything, whether it’s a favorite book, a politician or a disease.
The downside is that the talk show host has been vague about her diagnosis and treatment and even suggested that her body’s imbalance of thyroid hormones was the result of working too hard and not relaxing enough. Her main “treatment” approach seemed to be quitting work for a month and eating only fresh food at her tropical Hawaiian estate.
“While good nutrition, exercise, and self-care are certainly part of overall good health, they are not likely to cure your thyroid condition,'’ writes Mary Shomon, founder of a well-known thyroid disease Web site and the author of several books on the topic. “It may have worked for Oprah, but …I doubt most of us could ever aspire to such a luxurious recuperation.”
Ms. Winfrey hasn’t detailed her specific diagnosis, but Ms. Shomon says the description sounds like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the thyroid’s gradual decline into hypothyroidism, interspersed with periods “when the thyroid sputters to life and becomes temporarily overactive.” Avoiding medical treatment is only an option for those with very mild thyroid problems, notes Ms. Shomon, who worries some women may try to self-treat rather than consulting a doctor about their symptoms.
For a recap of Oprah’s talk show about thyroid disease, click here. And for an excellent primer on thyroid problems, I suggest this story from The Times.
