Thyroid Times
Thyroid Association of New Zealand Inc. Volume 1: Number 1: December 2009
Merry Christmas and Welcome to the Thyroid Association of New Zealand
by Tracey Keen
It gives us great pleasure to introduce you to our organisation
through this, our first newsletter.
The idea for a nationwide support group was conceived in the
Thyroid People thread on Trademe’s message board in 2008. Discussion threads around the world were coming alive with reports of adverse side effects to GSK’s reformulated Eltroxin and people began to share their experiences and help each other gain control of their health. A dedicated thyroid forum was formed along with a website to pull together the flood of information and ideas.
A core group of seven have worked hard to get the Thyroid Association of New Zealand incorporated and Jilly, Caroline, Shirley, Margaret, Sue, Jo and Tracey welcome you and hope that you will support us, and each other in our journey to good health.
TANZI is more than just 7 thyroidians from around the country, chatting via the internet – it is aimed at the 70,000 Kiwis who are affected by thyroid disorders, and their family and friends who know the difficulties of living with someone who is afflicted with a thyroid condition.
http://kiwithyroid.19.forumer.com/index.php
http://www.nzthyroid.comfypage.com/
www.thyroidnz.org (new site presently being built)
A big Thank You to Hannah in North Auckland, for designing our Kiwi Butterfly.
Introducing…
Shirley Wright, mother of a 15-year-old son was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in January 2006 after 15 months of severe thyroid illness due to it being undiagnosed.
Gary and Margaret Skilton, both hypothyroid due to a virus infection (DeQuervains), are retired with one son, two grandchildren and a cat.
Tracey Keen is married to Greg and they have 4 children ranging in age from 21 to 10. She had a total thyroidectomy in 2000 due to severe Grave's Disease, which was undiagnosed for many years.
Caroline Whitehouse is a Ceramic Artist, who felt tired and depressed for most of her adult life. Finally diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in 1995, and Hashimoto’s in 2009, she is feeling better than ever before with a suppressed TSH.
Jo Rusher lives in the Franklin area with her Hubby and two sons - “I was diagnosed last year with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s. I truly thought that the cheese had slipped off the cracker for awhile, with my emotions and energy levels crashing all over the place. I am happy to say that I am much improved on Synthroid and am determined to get back to the Jo of old.“
Jilly Ching mother of a 21 year old daughter and an 18 year old son. Her father's mother, mother, three of her sisters and 2 nieces are Hypothyroid, one great-niece has Graves Disease. She was diagnosed Hypothyroid at age 15 (a very, very long time ago)
Sue Sheehan Wife, mother, grandmother. Born with an undeveloped thyroid, wrong size, wrong shape and in the wrong place. Diagnosed after a biopsy in 1995 -
“After going into a major tail spin 2 years ago, I found major support on the Internet with all the people mentioned above plus many more. The combined knowledge base of all these people is truly amazing. Sadly, or perhaps thankfully, my eyes are now wide open to the medical professionals.”
Meetings around the country
South Auckland Margaret Nalder 09 534-2158 last Sunday of every second month 2pm
Christchurch Tracey Keen 03 3820498 2nd Sunday of the month 2pm
Hamilton Shirley Wright 07 8501112
When Should You Suspect Your Thyroid?
Your thyroid gland tells every cell in your body the rate at which it should function. Having too little hormone, hypothyroidism, puts you into a dragging slowdown. This is a problem for an estimated 2% of the population – in New Zealand around 70,000 people. Having too much hormone, hyperthyroidism, races your engine, so you feel all revved up-as if you were burning out. This problem affects perhaps 1% of the population.
Feeling tired and chilly, having constipation or losing your hair, can mean your thyroid is underactive-but these could also come from overwork, or aging, or a dozen other causes.
Feeling totally tense and overworked could mean an overactive thyroid-or just plain stress. That's why your doctor needs to do the proper blood tests to make sure.
Common problems with an underactive thyroid and too little thyroid hormone
· feeling tired and listless
· feeling chilly, especially when others are comfortable
· dry skin
· hair loss
· constipation
· slow-growing and brittle fingernails
· slow heart rate
· leg cramps
· sore muscles
· depression
· for women, heavier periods
· for men, loss of interest in sex, erectile dysfunction
· weight gain due to fluid retention, but usually no more than 3-4 pounds
Common problems with an overactive thyroid and too much thyroid hormone:
· feeling too hot when others are comfortable
· shakes and tremors of your hands
· feeling nervous and irritable
· sweating more than you used to
· fingernails growing faster
· muscle weakness, especially thighs and upper arms
· faster heart rate, sometimes irregular rhythms and an erratic pulse
· more frequent and looser bowel movements
· for women, lighter periods, as well as difficulties in becoming pregnant or in carrying the child to term
· for men, loss of interest in sex, erectile dysfunction
· eyes that appear larger than normal
Other thyroid problems
Other thyroid problems show up when the thyroid gland (at the lower front of your throat) swells or gets sore.
These may be signals for other thyroid diseases:
· an enlarging thyroid, called a goitre, is usually a sign that the gland is overworking, but could be a failing thyroid trying to do better
· lumps or nodules in the gland, found by you or your doctor, may contain cancer or be overproducing thyroid hormone
· thyroiditis, soreness due to inflammation of all or part of the gland can change hormone levels causing either hyper- or hypothyroidism
Your risks are higher if...
· others in your family have thyroid or other immune-system problems (such as insulin-dependent diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, pernicious anaemia).
· you are pregnant or a new mother.
· you are a woman over 50 or a man over 60.
Conclusion
If you think you have a thyroid problem, make an appointment to see your doctor and ask for a full thyroid panel – including Free T3 & Free T4 levels, as well as the standard TSH.
Thyroid Itch
By Margaret Skilton
Not long after I became hypothyroid, my forearms began to itch, unlike a normal itch, scratching made it worse and sometimes I scratched the skin raw, but it continued to itch.
The skin showed nothing but the redness from the scratching. This is a very common complaint among those of us with hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism and myxoedema are listed among the systemic disorders that can cause Pruritus or itching skin - you can find more regarding this on http://dermnetnz.org/sitemap.html#a.
I tried all sorts of creams and ended up using a combination of Hydrocortisone cream and Paraderm cream, which kept it under control if I applied the cream two or three times a day.
Recently I watched the program on TV, Grow Your own Drugs, and Plantain was mentioned as an anti-inflammatory, and a remedy to cure itching. Of course, I took special note of this. Fortunately I was not as effective with my glycophosphate spraying as I intended to be, and many plantain plants still survive in my wild lawn, so I tried a leaf, and it works!
Within a minute or so of applying some plantain juice, the itch was gone! What is also great is that the itch did not return as quickly either. At first, I just crushed a leaf and applied the juice, but the leaves dry out really quickly, so I had to keep them in water or in a plastic bag with a little water in it, the leaves keep for days this way.
Then I tried making my own lotion, and found an easy method. To make the lotion, pick a plantain leaf, wash it and chop it finely, pound it in a mortar and pestle with a teaspoon of water. Squeeze the mix through a fine sieve and pour the juice into a small jar, this will keep for a few days as long as the light can not get at it. Simply apply liberally to the itching area as often as needed.
Plantain plant with 30cm ruler Plantain leaves: note the prominent
veins running the length of the leaf
The next issue of the Thyroid Times will be published in March 2010.
Articles or letters for publication should be sent to The Editor by 15 February 2010.
All information provided by Thyroid Association of New Zealand Inc. is for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult a medical professional if in any doubt.
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Thyroid Association of New Zealand Incorporated
Postal Address: 37 Oram Avenue, New Brighton, Christchurch 8061
Phone: (03) 3820498
E-Mail:
Web: www.nzthyroid.comfypage.com/ www.thyroidnz.org