thyroid problem and racing???

Just wondering if anyone out there has a thyroid problem and races at all. I was diagnosed hypothyroid last summer and am still working on getting the dose correct. It has really messed with my training and race performance. I am sick of riding and feeling like I should be able to push harder but my body just feels exhausted. one of the few times this year where my levels have temporarily been ok, I was able to tow around 7 guys for 30 minutes. now I'm having problems keeping up with guys 20 years my senior.

I am just hoping there are other people out there that have had the same issues. It gets really frustrating after a while. I even hired a coach this year to make sure I was training properly and still nothing. any inspirational stories are greatly appreciated.

thanks.

This is my first post on this forum...and I've only raced in one crit, I have done mostly running/triathlon...but I totally sympathize. You are right it messes you up. My stamina went to heck, my motivation was OUT THE WINDOW and the weight gain - altho minimal compared to a lot of people - made it sooo hard to get out and run. I felt like I was jiggling all over! And my NON ATHLETIC doctor didn't seem to understand what it was I wa so upset about .

The best thing to do is be patient with yourself in both your training and life in general, and try to find a good, sympathetic doctor. Don't overdo right now you'll just get MORE tired, but don't lie around either. The best cure for my bad days was always a moderate intensity, medium length workout.

Believe me, once your meds are straight you'll feel like your old self again...at least mostly. I still have the occasional bad day, but they are few and far between.

Definitely find a new doctor. I had years of similar dawn of the living dead feelings with kidney failure and even post transplant never felt normal until my bike riding nephrologist understood my concerns and adjusted things so I could approach normal again.

When I had been off predisone for a year and was still having a hell of a time losing the disgusting flab one of the doctors told me that it just happened with age and that your body tries to stay at a level it's comfortable with. It was all I could do not to snap back "well of course you would think that, fatso!" A year later I was back to 134 pounds (high of 177) and made sure I rubbed it in his face when I had the misfortune to draw him again in the MD lottery at the university hospital.

thanks for the replies. i am going to discuss my concerns with my doc at my next appointment and take it from there. it is amazing how quickly i forget how good it is possible to feel. i just changed my dose again and it was basically like a light switch being turned on. until my thyroid dies out though i will keep adjusting doses, so i get a bit nervous about how long before i feel bad again. i always have to remind myself to be grateful that i get to ride my bike at all. can't believe there's millions of people in the world that could care less about the feeling of freedom you get bombing down a trail or climbing endless roads in the mountains.

I went through a few years of periodic readjustments while mine was "dying out". Made me wonder why they couldn't just remove the darn thing and get it over with! I said that to my doctor once and he just gave me a funny look .

I used to remind myself of the same thing..."I should be grateful it's just my thyroid, it could be worse, I could have diabetes or cancer..."....etc.

As for that feeling of freedom? I don't get it either...millions of people would rather sit on thier couches watching American idol.

Hi there! I just posted the same question abou thyroid and being athletic. I am in the same situation as you but I just had my thyroid gland taken out due to a "nodule" that was mailgnant. Anyway, I've been reading on the net that there is another drug that is natural called "Armor" (Armour) and a lot of hypothyroid people swore by it. There is a lot I can share but you can do a simple search on the net if you want. I guess I also have to be patient and hope that I get my hormones balance or back to normal (if possible) soon. I just started racing this year (08) and was doing good until my thyroid gland was taken out. Like everyone said, try to work with your doctor or find a doctor who will work with you. How are you feeling now? Any improvement? What are you taking? I'm taking Levothyroxine (synthetic hormone)

I also had a nodule on my thyroid but I only had part of my thyroid removed. According to my Doctor, the other half of my thyroid should be able to compensate. However, I have not felt quite the same since my operation as my endurance and strength has decreased noticeably. My doctor states that my thyroid hormone levels are in the normal range however. Are there any symptoms associated with mild hypothyroidism?

The common symptom if getting tired easily. I suggest getting another doctors' opinion and read about thryroid problems in the net. There are a lot of information and discussions out there (www.stopthethyroidmaddness.com). No one else knows how we feel except us.....

Just to add my own thyroid story to the mix, three years ago I had a routine blood test and it showed definite hypothyroid numbers. I really didn't have any symptoms I could put my finger on. It was hard for me to answer the question, "Are you feeling tired lately?" because though I wasn't dragging around, I could sleep all night and all day if I didn't have to get up for something (and in fact have done that a few times in the past few years).

My doc wanted me to start on thyroid replacement pills, but I didn't want them. I told her that I wanted to wait a year and see what happened. We did, and the next blood test showed normal thyroid counts, as did my most recent one.

It's possible that that one blood test was just an error, but my doc was completely willing to prescribe the pills for me on the basis of it. So I guess my advice is this: don't take any meds on the basis of one blood test (I'm not talking about emergency situations here).

P.S. I could still sleep all day.