Hypothyroidism & Memory Loss

THYROID DISEASE HASHIMOTOS THYROIDITIS UNDERACTIVE THYROID

Well, it's now 2009 - so Happy New Year to one & all. It was Burns Night here last night so it was haggis, neeps & tatties all round! (hubbie had the whisky!)

I had my bloods checked 2 weeks ago & alas I am hypothyroid again - I was aware of some hair loss & weight gain - but as usual, you just ignore it & get on with life!
But actually what I have been very aware of in retrospect is a bit of a foggy memory & inability to recall quite simple facts & details which I'm putting down to my low thyroid. Either that or I've suddenly developed very early onset dementia!!

What I've been finding most interesting about the whole low thyroid problem is that I was trundling along quite the thing on 200mg thyroxine a day then doctor reduced it to 150, obviously wasn't enough, they increased it again to 175mg levothyroxine, which is where I've been for a while (have been naughty & not had thyroid levels checked for ages) & lo & behold, my thyroxine has been increased again to, you guessed it, 200mg! I will not be reducing it again unless I'm drastically hyperthyroid. I think I need to be more assertive in requesting all my results rather than just taking the doc or nurse's word for it when they call.

I'm hoping to be back on track a couple of months from now :)

The study I've read recently re thyroid disease & alzheimers unfortunately for me & you appears to point to a link between a thyroid malfunction (regardless of whether low or high) & up to a threefold increased chance of developing alzheimers. Because this has only been an observational study, the scientists have been unable to ascertain what exactly the link between the thyroid & alzheimers is. The fact that the brain tries to maintain thyroid levels at a relatively narrow range may suggest that for it to function optimally, it has to be maintained within this range and going below or above that is not a good thing.

It's not clear, though, how thyroid hormone levels outside this optimal range might trigger Alzheimer's disease. The link was also only observed in hypothyroid women (don't the guys get all the breaks?!!)

Anyway, re memory loss , blueberries & coffee (!!?) are apparently supposed to help. Looks like we'll have to eat & drink up....!!!!

THYROID DISEASE HASHIMOTOS THYROIDITIS UNDERACTIVE THYROID

Hypothyroidism Hair Loss

That's me (bra strap showing, how elegant!) over a year ago (going to a ball hence the sparkly dress) but what I'm really trying to show is that my hair recovered from the awful stage of hypothyroidism being diagnosed where literally clumps of it were disappearing down the plughole every time I had a shower & no matter how carefully I brushed it it came away in my hands.
I know how depressing hypothyroid related hair loss can be...really, I do. I used to sit in tears as I thought I would end up bald as a coot!
But, you know, your hair WILL grow back, maybe not as lustrous as before if I'm completely honest, but enough so that you don't look like a baldy old wifie!
Take heart - plus maybe some evening primrose oil too. I think it helped me

Hypothyroidism Update

Even Oprah suffers from a thyroid condition!!

Tis the season to feel cold & I think anyone who's hypothyroid feels the cold much more than the average person. I'm always turning up the heater at work! Plus I definitely suffer from much drier skin in winter too which I put partly down to thyroid disease.
Diet stalled over Christmas but thankfully didn't gain any weight so have lost a total of 5.5kg & down to UK size 12 & 70kg (I'm 5'9") which is great. Had to buy some new trousers as old ones were hanging off my hips (great look if you're a 16 year old skinnimalink but not for a 38 year old mother of 2!)
Another 2-3 kg would be ideal so back on the straight & narrow this week...no more choccies!
Taking 175 or 200mg of Thyroxine at the moment (slightly dependent on how I feel in the mornings)& everything quite stable, thyroid blood test ok.
Keeping it sensible - eating less, making sure I get regular exercise, cuting back on alcohol & sweet things, eating fruit or a diet yoghurt if I need something extra instead of biscuits - keeping my thyroid levels in check too & slowly the weight is coming off & the self confidence boost with being slimmer is just amazing!

THYROID DISEASE
HASHIMOTOS THYROIDITIS
HYPOTHRYOIDISM
HYPOTHYROID