Mystery solved from my heart incident and the hospital



T

TavliGal

Guest
Hi all,
Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back from
my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia when
I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig line
if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups with
my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out about
it when I went to the doc in my early 20's after my hair started falling
out. By default I'm often in hypothyroid mode, but this summer (as my
doctor concludes) I went into hyperthyroid because she says sometimes it
will swing in the opposite direction in order to try and balance itself out,
and then it just went whacko. Now it makes perfect sense to me, In the
summer I constantly had 13/16 of the hyperthyroid symptoms (listed below) -
which includes a quicker metabolism, and arrhythmias that can lead to heart
attacks/strokes (a whacked out electrical system, as the cardiologist put
it). I lost 16 lbs in July and 14 in August. I figured I was burning so
much because I was more active, and I practically felt like I was buzzing
the whole time. Now I realize why. I'll post the symptoms of hypothyroid
also, which is what I'm back at since the hospital ( I currently have 12/22
symptoms). And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.
It's getting frustrating but I'm determined to pull through this. There's
no way I'm going to give up now.
I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.
Thanks, Monica
--
Started Jan. 20, 2004
362/241.0/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/otherme34/my_photos
________________________________________________________
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aathyroid101-c.htm
"If you're hyperthyroid, you may find:
a.. You're rapidly losing weight, or you are eating more and not gaining
weight
b.. You're having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, or you
have insomnia
c.. You're suffering from anxiety, irritability, nervousness, or even
panic attacks
d.. You're having palpitations, or your pulse and heartbeat are fast
e.. You're sweating more than usual, feeling hot when others are not
f.. You have tremors in your hands
g.. You're suffering from diarrhea
h.. You feel tired
i.. Your skin is dry, or you may even have a thickening of the skin on the
shin area of your legs
j.. Your periods are stopped, or very light, or infrequent
k.. You're having muscle weakness, especially in the upper arms and thighs
l.. You're having eye problems, such as double vision, scratchy eyes, or
you notice that your eyes are bulging or more whites are showing than usual
m.. You're having trouble getting pregnant
n.. Your hair has become fine and brittle
o.. You're having a hard time concentrating, your attention span is short
p.. Your behavior is erratic"
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basicinformation/l/aathyroid101_b.htm
The symptoms of hypothyroidism depend on how hypothyroid you are, your age,
your general level of health, and how hypothyroidism affects you uniquely.
You may have some or all of the following symptoms, in varying severity:


a.. You feel tired, exhausted, and like you can't get enough sleep, or want
to take daytime naps
a.. You feel depressed, down, or sad
a.. You feel cold when others do not, particularly in hands and feet
a.. You've gained weight inappropriately, or you are finding it difficult to
lose weight, despite proper diet and exercise
a.. You're losing hair, particularly from the outer part of your eyebrow, or
your hair is getting dry, or tangly
a.. Your nails are breaking and splitting and become brittle
a.. You have muscle and joint pains and aches, or you've been diagnosed with
fibromyalgia
a.. You've been diagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome
a.. You have carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis in arms and legs
a.. You have swelling and puffiness in the eyes, face, arms or legs
a.. You have a low low sex drive
a.. You have heart palpitations or a diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse
a.. You're suffering from unexplained infertility, or have had recurrent
miscarriages with no obvious explanation
a.. You have had a heart attack or have clogged arteries
a.. You have high cholesterol levels, particularly the type that is
unresponsive to diet and medication
a.. You have a heavier than normal menstrual period, or your period is
longer than it used to be, or comes more frequently
a.. You're going through menopause, and are having troublesome symptoms
a.. You have worsening allergies, itching, prickly hot skin, rashes, hives,
urticaria, chronic yeast infections, oral fungus or thrush, or stomach and
abdominal bloating
a.. You have anemia, or an excess of iron known as hemachromatosis
a.. You find it difficult to concentrate, your memory is not as good as it
should be, you feel like your thinking is "slow"
a.. You are constipated, sometimes severely so
a.. You have a feeling of fullness, or an obvious swelling in your neck area
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hi everyone,
I learned a valuable lesson this summer. Three weeks ago I had to call an
ambulance for myself. I'll begin the day before.
I felt extremely low energy, very lethargic. I had a headache and I felt
nauseous and moments of dizziness and leg cramps were happening frequently.
I felt like I did when I was on induction except worse. I then went pee
about 5x within one hour and a half in the evening. Full bladder pee's. I
knew something wasn't quite right. I fell asleep early. The next morning
when I awoke, my heart was racing...really racing. Still had my headache
from the day before, and I was also allot more dizzy.
I felt so awful, and I literally felt like I was going to pass out. I had
felt this once before earlier in the summer, but I was driving across the
country so I thought it was motion sickness at the time. Well I couldn't
chalk this one up to motion sickness so I knew something was seriously wrong
when I found it difficult to talk and breathe. I was alone so I called 911.
The paramedics, the fire guys and the police came! Yikes. I may be wrong,
but I knew that police only come on the calls when they think a death will
occur or has occurred. hmmm

They were checking my vitals and my heart was racing between 160 - 200 beats
per minute. They took me to the critical care ER pronto. (I didn't know
there were two separate sections of an ER).
They hooked me up to all the monitors, oxygen, and they were hydrating me
with that saline IV stuff. When they were asking me their questions, I told
them everything. My diet, my weight loss and smoking. They asked about my
caffeine intake and drugs, I told them that I smoke pot on occasion. They
didn't seem to care about that, they were more concerned if I did anything
like cocaine, ecstasy or heroin. I said no, which is the truth. They did
an ECG and an Echo (the ultrasound of the heart.) They also injected me
with this drug that is supposed to slow down the heart beat, it didn't touch
me. My heart rate was going at a steady 135 - 140 beats/minute all day
while waiting for the cardiologist. (The scary part is, that when my heart
slowed to 135, I felt "normal".)

Finally later on near the evening, the cardiologist came and he said that
they couldn't figure out why this was happening to me. He said my blood
work, my chest X-Ray, my ECG and Echo showed no abnormalities with my heart.
He actually said that my heart from what they could tell, was in excellent
condition. Mechanically, structurally all was sound. He said he's not
worried about a heart attack at all at this point, but he was worried that
if my heart continues to beat this crazy, that for sure I will have a
stroke.
Since the medication that's supposed to slow down the heart rate didn't
work, he said they would have to perform a cardioversion (those paddles they
put on your chest and yell CLEAR). He said it's like my electrical system
is out of whack, like they have to flip my breaker or reboot my computer, so
to speak. What he meant was, they were going to have to actually stop my
heart and restart it!!! I couldn't believe this was happening. So they put
me under and performed the cardioversion. When I woke up my heart was
beating at a normal 70 beats per minute. Btw, my blood pressure throughout
the whole day was at my usual 110/70.
Now that I'm back home I'm going to my doctor for a follow up on Thursday.
My records have been faxed over.

In hindsight, and looking over my fitday logs, my conclusion is this: I was
dehydrated (obviously), I had been drinking more caffeine than my usual 1
cup in the day (since low carbing) and I had again decreased my carbs and
increased my protein. I was also not drinking as much water as usual in the
couple of weeks previous to this happening. Main thing was the increased
coffee intake, decreased water intake, with increased protein can cause
arrhythmias (increased heart rate). I have been prone to arrhythmias all my
life, on occasion my heart will suddenly race, I'll take a few deep breaths
and it's back to normal, no problem. But this time I knew was different
because my deep breaths didn't help at all.

So folks, please, especially if you're prone to the rare arrhythmia like me,
don't overdo the caffeine, and DRINK YOUR WATER!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading.
Monica




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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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This post is *very interesting* to me since I have had a recent heart
attack, have PCOS, have hormonal problems and hyothyroidism runs big time in
my family.


"TavliGal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:DeHjd.148065$Pl.95319@pd7tw1no...
> Hi all,
> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
> hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back

from
> my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia

when
> I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig

line
> if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups

with
> my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
> thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out

about
> it when I went to the doc in my early 20's after my hair started falling
> out. By default I'm often in hypothyroid mode, but this summer (as my
> doctor concludes) I went into hyperthyroid because she says sometimes it
> will swing in the opposite direction in order to try and balance itself

out,
> and then it just went whacko. Now it makes perfect sense to me, In the
> summer I constantly had 13/16 of the hyperthyroid symptoms (listed

below) -
> which includes a quicker metabolism, and arrhythmias that can lead to

heart
> attacks/strokes (a whacked out electrical system, as the cardiologist put
> it). I lost 16 lbs in July and 14 in August. I figured I was burning so
> much because I was more active, and I practically felt like I was buzzing
> the whole time. Now I realize why. I'll post the symptoms of hypothyroid
> also, which is what I'm back at since the hospital ( I currently have

12/22
> symptoms). And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
> maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.
> It's getting frustrating but I'm determined to pull through this. There's
> no way I'm going to give up now.
> I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
> I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.
> Thanks, Monica
> --
> Started Jan. 20, 2004
> 362/241.0/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
> http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/otherme34/my_photos
> ________________________________________________________
> "I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
> - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
>
> http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aathyroid101-c.htm
> "If you're hyperthyroid, you may find:
> a.. You're rapidly losing weight, or you are eating more and not gaining
> weight
> b.. You're having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, or you
> have insomnia
> c.. You're suffering from anxiety, irritability, nervousness, or even
> panic attacks
> d.. You're having palpitations, or your pulse and heartbeat are fast
> e.. You're sweating more than usual, feeling hot when others are not
> f.. You have tremors in your hands
> g.. You're suffering from diarrhea
> h.. You feel tired
> i.. Your skin is dry, or you may even have a thickening of the skin on

the
> shin area of your legs
> j.. Your periods are stopped, or very light, or infrequent
> k.. You're having muscle weakness, especially in the upper arms and

thighs
> l.. You're having eye problems, such as double vision, scratchy eyes, or
> you notice that your eyes are bulging or more whites are showing than

usual
> m.. You're having trouble getting pregnant
> n.. Your hair has become fine and brittle
> o.. You're having a hard time concentrating, your attention span is

short
> p.. Your behavior is erratic"
> http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basicinformation/l/aathyroid101_b.htm
> The symptoms of hypothyroidism depend on how hypothyroid you are, your

age,
> your general level of health, and how hypothyroidism affects you uniquely.
> You may have some or all of the following symptoms, in varying severity:
>
>
> a.. You feel tired, exhausted, and like you can't get enough sleep, or

want
> to take daytime naps
> a.. You feel depressed, down, or sad
> a.. You feel cold when others do not, particularly in hands and feet
> a.. You've gained weight inappropriately, or you are finding it difficult

to
> lose weight, despite proper diet and exercise
> a.. You're losing hair, particularly from the outer part of your eyebrow,

or
> your hair is getting dry, or tangly
> a.. Your nails are breaking and splitting and become brittle
> a.. You have muscle and joint pains and aches, or you've been diagnosed

with
> fibromyalgia
> a.. You've been diagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome
> a.. You have carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis in arms and legs
> a.. You have swelling and puffiness in the eyes, face, arms or legs
> a.. You have a low low sex drive
> a.. You have heart palpitations or a diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse
> a.. You're suffering from unexplained infertility, or have had recurrent
> miscarriages with no obvious explanation
> a.. You have had a heart attack or have clogged arteries
> a.. You have high cholesterol levels, particularly the type that is
> unresponsive to diet and medication
> a.. You have a heavier than normal menstrual period, or your period is
> longer than it used to be, or comes more frequently
> a.. You're going through menopause, and are having troublesome symptoms
> a.. You have worsening allergies, itching, prickly hot skin, rashes,

hives,
> urticaria, chronic yeast infections, oral fungus or thrush, or stomach and
> abdominal bloating
> a.. You have anemia, or an excess of iron known as hemachromatosis
> a.. You find it difficult to concentrate, your memory is not as good as it
> should be, you feel like your thinking is "slow"
> a.. You are constipated, sometimes severely so
> a.. You have a feeling of fullness, or an obvious swelling in your neck

area
>

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________
>
> Hi everyone,
> I learned a valuable lesson this summer. Three weeks ago I had to call an
> ambulance for myself. I'll begin the day before.
> I felt extremely low energy, very lethargic. I had a headache and I felt
> nauseous and moments of dizziness and leg cramps were happening

frequently.
> I felt like I did when I was on induction except worse. I then went pee
> about 5x within one hour and a half in the evening. Full bladder pee's.

I
> knew something wasn't quite right. I fell asleep early. The next morning
> when I awoke, my heart was racing...really racing. Still had my headache
> from the day before, and I was also allot more dizzy.
> I felt so awful, and I literally felt like I was going to pass out. I had
> felt this once before earlier in the summer, but I was driving across the
> country so I thought it was motion sickness at the time. Well I couldn't
> chalk this one up to motion sickness so I knew something was seriously

wrong
> when I found it difficult to talk and breathe. I was alone so I called

911.
> The paramedics, the fire guys and the police came! Yikes. I may be

wrong,
> but I knew that police only come on the calls when they think a death will
> occur or has occurred. hmmm
>
> They were checking my vitals and my heart was racing between 160 - 200

beats
> per minute. They took me to the critical care ER pronto. (I didn't know
> there were two separate sections of an ER).
> They hooked me up to all the monitors, oxygen, and they were hydrating me
> with that saline IV stuff. When they were asking me their questions, I

told
> them everything. My diet, my weight loss and smoking. They asked about

my
> caffeine intake and drugs, I told them that I smoke pot on occasion. They
> didn't seem to care about that, they were more concerned if I did

anything
> like cocaine, ecstasy or heroin. I said no, which is the truth. They did
> an ECG and an Echo (the ultrasound of the heart.) They also injected me
> with this drug that is supposed to slow down the heart beat, it didn't

touch
> me. My heart rate was going at a steady 135 - 140 beats/minute all day
> while waiting for the cardiologist. (The scary part is, that when my

heart
> slowed to 135, I felt "normal".)
>
> Finally later on near the evening, the cardiologist came and he said that
> they couldn't figure out why this was happening to me. He said my blood
> work, my chest X-Ray, my ECG and Echo showed no abnormalities with my

heart.
> He actually said that my heart from what they could tell, was in excellent
> condition. Mechanically, structurally all was sound. He said he's not
> worried about a heart attack at all at this point, but he was worried that
> if my heart continues to beat this crazy, that for sure I will have a
> stroke.
> Since the medication that's supposed to slow down the heart rate didn't
> work, he said they would have to perform a cardioversion (those paddles

they
> put on your chest and yell CLEAR). He said it's like my electrical system
> is out of whack, like they have to flip my breaker or reboot my computer,

so
> to speak. What he meant was, they were going to have to actually stop my
> heart and restart it!!! I couldn't believe this was happening. So they

put
> me under and performed the cardioversion. When I woke up my heart was
> beating at a normal 70 beats per minute. Btw, my blood pressure

throughout
> the whole day was at my usual 110/70.
> Now that I'm back home I'm going to my doctor for a follow up on Thursday.
> My records have been faxed over.
>
> In hindsight, and looking over my fitday logs, my conclusion is this: I

was
> dehydrated (obviously), I had been drinking more caffeine than my usual 1
> cup in the day (since low carbing) and I had again decreased my carbs and
> increased my protein. I was also not drinking as much water as usual in

the
> couple of weeks previous to this happening. Main thing was the increased
> coffee intake, decreased water intake, with increased protein can cause
> arrhythmias (increased heart rate). I have been prone to arrhythmias all

my
> life, on occasion my heart will suddenly race, I'll take a few deep

breaths
> and it's back to normal, no problem. But this time I knew was different
> because my deep breaths didn't help at all.
>
> So folks, please, especially if you're prone to the rare arrhythmia like

me,
> don't overdo the caffeine, and DRINK YOUR WATER!!!!!!!!!
> Thanks for reading.
> Monica
>
>
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.788 / Virus Database: 533 - Release Date: 01-Nov-04
>
>
 
Hi Monica,
I do remember your original post. I'm glad you've figured it out.
Those were scary symptoms, and how wonderful that the answer is such a
straightforward one!

Thanks for posting those symptoms for both hyper- and hypothyroid. I
know that these disorders can often go undiagnosed for a long time.
Perhaps it will help others who may be having the same experience.

Good luck on getting yourself stable and continuing to lose weight. I
looked at your pictures. You're doing wonderfully!
Rebecca

TavliGal wrote:
> Hi all,
> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
> hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back from
> my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia when
> I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig line
> if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups with
> my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
> thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out about
> it when I went to the doc in my early 20's after my hair started falling
> out. By default I'm often in hypothyroid mode, but this summer (as my
> doctor concludes) I went into hyperthyroid because she says sometimes it
> will swing in the opposite direction in order to try and balance itself out,
> and then it just went whacko. Now it makes perfect sense to me, In the
> summer I constantly had 13/16 of the hyperthyroid symptoms (listed below) -
> which includes a quicker metabolism, and arrhythmias that can lead to heart
> attacks/strokes (a whacked out electrical system, as the cardiologist put
> it). I lost 16 lbs in July and 14 in August. I figured I was burning so
> much because I was more active, and I practically felt like I was buzzing
> the whole time. Now I realize why. I'll post the symptoms of hypothyroid
> also, which is what I'm back at since the hospital ( I currently have 12/22
> symptoms). And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
> maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.
> It's getting frustrating but I'm determined to pull through this. There's
> no way I'm going to give up now.
> I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
> I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.
> Thanks, Monica
 
On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 09:45:07 GMT, "TavliGal" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hi all,
>Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
>hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back from
>my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia when
>I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig line
>if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups with
>my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
>thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out about
>it when I went to the doc in my early 20's after my hair started falling
>out. By default I'm often in hypothyroid mode, but this summer (as my
>doctor concludes) I went into hyperthyroid because she says sometimes it
>will swing in the opposite direction in order to try and balance itself out,
>and then it just went whacko. Now it makes perfect sense to me, In the
>summer I constantly had 13/16 of the hyperthyroid symptoms (listed below) -
>which includes a quicker metabolism, and arrhythmias that can lead to heart
>attacks/strokes (a whacked out electrical system, as the cardiologist put
>it). I lost 16 lbs in July and 14 in August. I figured I was burning so
>much because I was more active, and I practically felt like I was buzzing
>the whole time. Now I realize why. I'll post the symptoms of hypothyroid
>also, which is what I'm back at since the hospital ( I currently have 12/22
>symptoms). And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
>maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.
>It's getting frustrating but I'm determined to pull through this. There's
>no way I'm going to give up now.
>I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
>I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.
>Thanks, Monica


You are looking FABULOUS girlie!! My goodness - you look 20 years
younger! Keep on doin' what you're doin' - it's obviously working.

Lybbe
Highest Weight - 308
Started Bernstein Diet October 2, 2004 - 243.0
Today's weight - 221.0
Goal - 150
 
On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 09:45:07 GMT, "TavliGal" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hi all,
>Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
>hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back from
>my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia when
>I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig line
>if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups with
>my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
>thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out about
>it when I went to the doc in my early 20's after my hair started falling
>out. By default I'm often in hypothyroid mode, but this summer (as my
>doctor concludes) I went into hyperthyroid because she says sometimes it
>will swing in the opposite direction in order to try and balance itself out,
>and then it just went whacko. Now it makes perfect sense to me, In the
>summer I constantly had 13/16 of the hyperthyroid symptoms (listed below) -
>which includes a quicker metabolism, and arrhythmias that can lead to heart
>attacks/strokes (a whacked out electrical system, as the cardiologist put
>it). I lost 16 lbs in July and 14 in August. I figured I was burning so
>much because I was more active, and I practically felt like I was buzzing
>the whole time. Now I realize why. I'll post the symptoms of hypothyroid
>also, which is what I'm back at since the hospital ( I currently have 12/22
>symptoms). And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
>maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.
>It's getting frustrating but I'm determined to pull through this. There's
>no way I'm going to give up now.
>I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
>I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.
>Thanks, Monica


You are looking FABULOUS girlie!! My goodness - you look 20 years
younger! Keep on doin' what you're doin' - it's obviously working.

Lybbe
Highest Weight - 308
Started Bernstein Diet October 2, 2004 - 243.0
Today's weight - 221.0
Goal - 150
 
Lybbe wrote:
>
> You are looking FABULOUS girlie!! My goodness - you look 20 years
> younger! Keep on doin' what you're doin' - it's obviously working.
>
> Lybbe
> Highest Weight - 308
> Started Bernstein Diet October 2, 2004 - 243.0
> Today's weight - 221.0
> Goal - 150


Thank you very much Lybbe.
I've lost more hair this year so I actually am wearing a wig in the last
picture. Does wonders doesn't it?
....but shhhh, don't tell anyone - it's just between you and me! I broke
down and decided to buy one last month.
:) Monica
--

Started Jan. 20, 2004
362/241.0/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/otherme34/my_photos
________________________________________________________
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.788 / Virus Database: 533 - Release Date: 01-Nov-04
 
Rebecca wrote:
> Hi Monica,
> I do remember your original post. I'm glad you've figured it out.
> Those were scary symptoms, and how wonderful that the answer is such a
> straightforward one!
>
> Thanks for posting those symptoms for both hyper- and hypothyroid. I
> know that these disorders can often go undiagnosed for a long time.
> Perhaps it will help others who may be having the same experience.
>
> Good luck on getting yourself stable and continuing to lose weight. I
> looked at your pictures. You're doing wonderfully!
> Rebecca
>

Thank you Rebecca. I really do hope I can find a way to overcome this
hypothyroid thing. I'm trying to be patient with my body, but sometimes I
get pretty down about it lately, and I really do hope that it may help some
people out that may need it.
Monica :)
--
Started Jan. 20, 2004
362/241.0/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/otherme34/my_photos
________________________________________________________
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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"TavliGal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:CoOjd.149293$nl.39034@pd7tw3no...
> --
> Started Jan. 20, 2004
> 362/241.0/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
> http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/otherme34/my_photos
> ________________________________________________________


Monica, what a great thing you have done already and are continuing to do
for yourself. Very inspirational.!!!!! {round of applause} keep it up!

--
Lori
220/163/144
LC since 1/17/03
Devoted wife of Curtis, Stage 4 Prostate cancer at age 40
http://community.webshots.com/user/lorismiller
 
"TavliGal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:DeHjd.148065$Pl.95319@pd7tw1no...
> Hi all,
> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
> hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back
> from my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart
> arrhythmia when I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again
> below my sig line if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a
> couple of follow ups with my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what
> caused it and it was my thyroid.


Hi, Monica - I remember your post last time round, and how scary it was! I'm
glad you've identified a cause - but if your thyroxine levels are swinging
like that, are you able to treat it?

Nicky.

--
HbA1c 10.5/6.4/<6 Weight 95/80/72
1g Metformin, 75ug Thyroxine
T2 DX 05/2004
 
Nicky wrote:
> "TavliGal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:DeHjd.148065$Pl.95319@pd7tw1no...
>> Hi all,
>> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems
>> with hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I
>> got back from my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my
>> heart arrhythmia when I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the
>> post again below my sig line if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've
>> had a couple of follow ups with my GP and more blood tests, and
>> we now know what caused it and it was my thyroid.

>
> Hi, Monica - I remember your post last time round, and how scary it
> was! I'm glad you've identified a cause - but if your thyroxine
> levels are swinging like that, are you able to treat it?
>
> Nicky.


I really don't know yet Nicky. I certainly hope so. I have another apt.
with the Doc next week.
Monica
--
Started Jan. 20, 2004
362/241.0/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/otherme34/my_photos
________________________________________________________
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.



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In article <DeHjd.148065$Pl.95319@pd7tw1no>, [email protected]
says...
> Hi all,
> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
> hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back from
> my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia when
> I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig line
> if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups with
> my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
> thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out about


Wow! It's AMAZING how much our bodies can be affected by such a little
gland! I'm glad it's behaving (sort of) now and that you at least know
what the issue is!

> I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
> I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.


Monica, you look GREAT! 121 lbs is an AWESOME achievement!!! You
should be VERY proud of yourself!

--
Saffire
205/147/125 - 5'1.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333
 
they always test for hypo when they do the hormonal test for PCOS anyway... but
then, someone has to be out of the 95% statistical bounds to be diagonised as
hypo or hyper.

Just saw an article about hypo yesterday, I'll post it here for you folks to read:


http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5055205-110648,00.html
Recession proof
Bad enough for men, hair loss can be traumatic for women. Dr John Briffa says
sometimes all a healthy scalp needs is seeds, steak and seaweed

Sunday November 7, 2004

The Observer

If the adverts at the back of men's magazines are anything to go by, we male
folk are concerned about the turgidity of our erections and a reduction of the
amount of hair on our heads. While women are spared the former, they are not
immune to the latter: I regularly see women in my practice who are losing their
hair. While scalp shedding is unwelcome in both sexes, its gender predominance
does help to normalise the experience for us men. However, the rarity and
cosmetic consequences of hair loss in women mean that it is often accompanied by
emotional fallout.
Experience has taught me that there is much that can be done to arrest and
reverse hair loss in women. An underlying factor in this complaint is an
under-functioning thyroid gland. Apart from thinning hair, other symptoms of low
thyroid function - 'hypothyroidism' - include cold hands and feet, sensitivity
to cold, dry skin, weight gain and fatigue. Those suspicious that their thyroid
might be sluggish should consult their doctor for a blood test.

However, even if a blood test is appropriate, it is worth bearing in mind that
such tests are not foolproof, since the 'normal' ranges for thyroid hormones
encompass about 95 per cent of the population. This means that only about 2.5
per cent of the population can be diagnosed with hypothyroidism, whatever the
condition's true incidence. As a result, those with genuinely low thyroid
function can still be 'normal' in blood tests. For more information about
thyroid testing and potential treatments, I recommend the website thyroiduk.org.
When low thyroid function is correctly identified and appropriately treated,
improvements in hair growth are usually seen in a few weeks.

Another common cause of hair loss in women is iron deficiency, common in vegans
and vegetarians, and in those who have heavy periods. Symptoms include fatigue,
low mood and a pale complexion. Iron levels are best assessed by measuring the
level of ferritin in the blood. If this is below about 50micrograms per litre of
blood, then this is quite likely to be a contributing factor in a hair-loss problem.

The best food sources of iron are meats such as liver, lamb and beef. Plant
foods rich in iron include dark chocolate, seeds and seaweeds such as kelp. Kelp
is also rich in iodine, which plays a key role in the manufacture of thyroid
hormones. Supplementation can also bring rapid results. Maintaining good levels
of iron in the body and ensuring healthy thyroid function are two strategies
that are usually effective for women seeking to cut their losses.



Jaime wrote:

> This post is *very interesting* to me since I have had a recent heart
> attack, have PCOS, have hormonal problems and hyothyroidism runs big time in
> my family.
>
>
 
Hi Monica,

I remember your post - I'll always remember the bit about rebooting your heart.
Do you by any chance have PCOS as well as the hypo? If you do would you
consider trying glucophage/metformin. Thanks for coming and back and sharing.

Ada?

TavliGal wrote:

> Hi all,
> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
> hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back from
> my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia when
> I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig line
> if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups with
> my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
> thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out about
> it when I went to the doc in my early 20's after my hair started falling
> out. By default I'm often in hypothyroid mode, but this summer (as my
> doctor concludes) I went into hyperthyroid because she says sometimes it
> will swing in the opposite direction in order to try and balance itself out,
> and then it just went whacko. Now it makes perfect sense to me, In the
> summer I constantly had 13/16 of the hyperthyroid symptoms (listed below) -
> which includes a quicker metabolism, and arrhythmias that can lead to heart
> attacks/strokes (a whacked out electrical system, as the cardiologist put
> it). I lost 16 lbs in July and 14 in August. I figured I was burning so
> much because I was more active, and I practically felt like I was buzzing
> the whole time. Now I realize why. I'll post the symptoms of hypothyroid
> also, which is what I'm back at since the hospital ( I currently have 12/22
> symptoms). And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
> maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.
> It's getting frustrating but I'm determined to pull through this. There's
> no way I'm going to give up now.
> I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
> I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.
> Thanks, Monica
 
"TavliGal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:irPjd.151038$Pl.149948@pd7tw1no...
> Nicky wrote:
>> "TavliGal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:DeHjd.148065$Pl.95319@pd7tw1no...
>>> Hi all,
>>> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems
>>> with hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I
>>> got back from my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my
>>> heart arrhythmia when I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the
>>> post again below my sig line if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've
>>> had a couple of follow ups with my GP and more blood tests, and
>>> we now know what caused it and it was my thyroid.

>>
>> Hi, Monica - I remember your post last time round, and how scary it
>> was! I'm glad you've identified a cause - but if your thyroxine
>> levels are swinging like that, are you able to treat it?
>>
>> Nicky.

>
> I really don't know yet Nicky. I certainly hope so. I have another apt.
> with the Doc next week.


Fingers crossed! I don't want to imagine what a combo of hypo and hyper
feels like! I feel a zillion times better now my thyroxine levels are coping
with my hypothyroidism, I do hope your doc finds a solution for you.

Nicky.
 
> "TavliGal"
[snip]
> And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
> maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.


Your caloric burn rate goes down as you weigh less. You have lost a lot of
weight. Slower progress is normal, but frustrating.
 
What a lot to deal with. Hang in there Monica.
--
Bear-
Grrrrrrrrrrrr :eek:)
353/285.5/210


"TavliGal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:DeHjd.148065$Pl.95319@pd7tw1no...
> Hi all,
> Just thought you may want to know, especially if you have problems with
> hormones, if anyone remembers back in early September after I got back

from
> my trip to Toronto, I posted about the incident of my heart arrhythmia

when
> I had to get to the hospital. I've copied the post again below my sig

line
> if anyone wants to read or re-read it. I've had a couple of follow ups

with
> my GP and more blood tests, and we now know what caused it and it was my
> thyroid. I've had hormonal problems on and off in my life, found out

about
> it when I went to the doc in my early 20's after my hair started falling
> out. By default I'm often in hypothyroid mode, but this summer (as my
> doctor concludes) I went into hyperthyroid because she says sometimes it
> will swing in the opposite direction in order to try and balance itself

out,
> and then it just went whacko. Now it makes perfect sense to me, In the
> summer I constantly had 13/16 of the hyperthyroid symptoms (listed

below) -
> which includes a quicker metabolism, and arrhythmias that can lead to

heart
> attacks/strokes (a whacked out electrical system, as the cardiologist put
> it). I lost 16 lbs in July and 14 in August. I figured I was burning so
> much because I was more active, and I practically felt like I was buzzing
> the whole time. Now I realize why. I'll post the symptoms of hypothyroid
> also, which is what I'm back at since the hospital ( I currently have

12/22
> symptoms). And my weight loss has slowed considerably as a result despite
> maintaining an average 800-1000 calorie deficit and increasing exercise.
> It's getting frustrating but I'm determined to pull through this. There's
> no way I'm going to give up now.
> I hope this may help anyone who has hormonal problems like me.
> I also have a new pic up in yahoo if anyone wants a look-see.
> Thanks, Monica
> --
> Started Jan. 20, 2004
> 362/241.0/Goal: Till my thighs don't rub together anymore.
> http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/otherme34/my_photos
> ________________________________________________________
> "I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."
> - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
>
> http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/aathyroid101-c.htm
> "If you're hyperthyroid, you may find:
> a.. You're rapidly losing weight, or you are eating more and not gaining
> weight
> b.. You're having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, or you
> have insomnia
> c.. You're suffering from anxiety, irritability, nervousness, or even
> panic attacks
> d.. You're having palpitations, or your pulse and heartbeat are fast
> e.. You're sweating more than usual, feeling hot when others are not
> f.. You have tremors in your hands
> g.. You're suffering from diarrhea
> h.. You feel tired
> i.. Your skin is dry, or you may even have a thickening of the skin on

the
> shin area of your legs
> j.. Your periods are stopped, or very light, or infrequent
> k.. You're having muscle weakness, especially in the upper arms and

thighs
> l.. You're having eye problems, such as double vision, scratchy eyes, or
> you notice that your eyes are bulging or more whites are showing than

usual
> m.. You're having trouble getting pregnant
> n.. Your hair has become fine and brittle
> o.. You're having a hard time concentrating, your attention span is

short
> p.. Your behavior is erratic"
> http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basicinformation/l/aathyroid101_b.htm
> The symptoms of hypothyroidism depend on how hypothyroid you are, your

age,
> your general level of health, and how hypothyroidism affects you uniquely.
> You may have some or all of the following symptoms, in varying severity:
>
>
> a.. You feel tired, exhausted, and like you can't get enough sleep, or

want
> to take daytime naps
> a.. You feel depressed, down, or sad
> a.. You feel cold when others do not, particularly in hands and feet
> a.. You've gained weight inappropriately, or you are finding it difficult

to
> lose weight, despite proper diet and exercise
> a.. You're losing hair, particularly from the outer part of your eyebrow,

or
> your hair is getting dry, or tangly
> a.. Your nails are breaking and splitting and become brittle
> a.. You have muscle and joint pains and aches, or you've been diagnosed

with
> fibromyalgia
> a.. You've been diagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome
> a.. You have carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis in arms and legs
> a.. You have swelling and puffiness in the eyes, face, arms or legs
> a.. You have a low low sex drive
> a.. You have heart palpitations or a diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse
> a.. You're suffering from unexplained infertility, or have had recurrent
> miscarriages with no obvious explanation
> a.. You have had a heart attack or have clogged arteries
> a.. You have high cholesterol levels, particularly the type that is
> unresponsive to diet and medication
> a.. You have a heavier than normal menstrual period, or your period is
> longer than it used to be, or comes more frequently
> a.. You're going through menopause, and are having troublesome symptoms
> a.. You have worsening allergies, itching, prickly hot skin, rashes,

hives,
> urticaria, chronic yeast infections, oral fungus or thrush, or stomach and
> abdominal bloating
> a.. You have anemia, or an excess of iron known as hemachromatosis
> a.. You find it difficult to concentrate, your memory is not as good as it
> should be, you feel like your thinking is "slow"
> a.. You are constipated, sometimes severely so
> a.. You have a feeling of fullness, or an obvious swelling in your neck

area
>

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________
>
> Hi everyone,
> I learned a valuable lesson this summer. Three weeks ago I had to call an
> ambulance for myself. I'll begin the day before.
> I felt extremely low energy, very lethargic. I had a headache and I felt
> nauseous and moments of dizziness and leg cramps were happening

frequently.
> I felt like I did when I was on induction except worse. I then went pee
> about 5x within one hour and a half in the evening. Full bladder pee's.

I
> knew something wasn't quite right. I fell asleep early. The next morning
> when I awoke, my heart was racing...really racing. Still had my headache
> from the day before, and I was also allot more dizzy.
> I felt so awful, and I literally felt like I was going to pass out. I had
> felt this once before earlier in the summer, but I was driving across the
> country so I thought it was motion sickness at the time. Well I couldn't
> chalk this one up to motion sickness so I knew something was seriously

wrong
> when I found it difficult to talk and breathe. I was alone so I called

911.
> The paramedics, the fire guys and the police came! Yikes. I may be

wrong,
> but I knew that police only come on the calls when they think a death will
> occur or has occurred. hmmm
>
> They were checking my vitals and my heart was racing between 160 - 200

beats
> per minute. They took me to the critical care ER pronto. (I didn't know
> there were two separate sections of an ER).
> They hooked me up to all the monitors, oxygen, and they were hydrating me
> with that saline IV stuff. When they were asking me their questions, I

told
> them everything. My diet, my weight loss and smoking. They asked about

my
> caffeine intake and drugs, I told them that I smoke pot on occasion. They
> didn't seem to care about that, they were more concerned if I did

anything
> like cocaine, ecstasy or heroin. I said no, which is the truth. They did
> an ECG and an Echo (the ultrasound of the heart.) They also injected me
> with this drug that is supposed to slow down the heart beat, it didn't

touch
> me. My heart rate was going at a steady 135 - 140 beats/minute all day
> while waiting for the cardiologist. (The scary part is, that when my

heart
> slowed to 135, I felt "normal".)
>
> Finally later on near the evening, the cardiologist came and he said that
> they couldn't figure out why this was happening to me. He said my blood
> work, my chest X-Ray, my ECG and Echo showed no abnormalities with my

heart.
> He actually said that my heart from what they could tell, was in excellent
> condition. Mechanically, structurally all was sound. He said he's not
> worried about a heart attack at all at this point, but he was worried that
> if my heart continues to beat this crazy, that for sure I will have a
> stroke.
> Since the medication that's supposed to slow down the heart rate didn't
> work, he said they would have to perform a cardioversion (those paddles

they
> put on your chest and yell CLEAR). He said it's like my electrical system
> is out of whack, like they have to flip my breaker or reboot my computer,

so
> to speak. What he meant was, they were going to have to actually stop my
> heart and restart it!!! I couldn't believe this was happening. So they

put
> me under and performed the cardioversion. When I woke up my heart was
> beating at a normal 70 beats per minute. Btw, my blood pressure

throughout
> the whole day was at my usual 110/70.
> Now that I'm back home I'm going to my doctor for a follow up on Thursday.
> My records have been faxed over.
>
> In hindsight, and looking over my fitday logs, my conclusion is this: I

was
> dehydrated (obviously), I had been drinking more caffeine than my usual 1
> cup in the day (since low carbing) and I had again decreased my carbs and
> increased my protein. I was also not drinking as much water as usual in

the
> couple of weeks previous to this happening. Main thing was the increased
> coffee intake, decreased water intake, with increased protein can cause
> arrhythmias (increased heart rate). I have been prone to arrhythmias all

my
> life, on occasion my heart will suddenly race, I'll take a few deep

breaths
> and it's back to normal, no problem. But this time I knew was different
> because my deep breaths didn't help at all.
>
> So folks, please, especially if you're prone to the rare arrhythmia like

me,
> don't overdo the caffeine, and DRINK YOUR WATER!!!!!!!!!
> Thanks for reading.
> Monica
>
>
>
>
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