(same old RECIPEGIRL)
Hi Hatterasbit,
Low thyroid function can cause numbness of the hands and headaches. It happened to my husband.
I don't know if low thyroid is the root cause of your problem.
Your thyroid test can appear perfectly NORMAL, but in reality your body is not absorbing thyroid hormone properly.
My husband has awakened in the middle of the night to find that his hands have gone numb or fallen asleep. It's kind of scary.
He's also prone to headaches. He's had LD for a long time according to the Igenex WB.
If you have low body temperature, You still may need RX Armour Thyroid (T3 & T4) or whatever your "thyroid friendly" doctor prescribes.
I don't understand the science behind it, but it works if you need it.
The late Broda Barnes, MD devoted his entire life to treating patients with low thyroid.
He linked low body temperature to low thyroid function.
This is discussed extensively in his book, Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness.
The Broda Barnes, MD Foundation still exists today to get the word out.
If you have low body temperature when you awaken in the morning and it's below 97.8, even by a fraction of a degree, you most likely have low thyroid function.
Here's the Broda Barnes Basal Body Temperature test for anyone interested:
Place thermometer at bedside. When you wake up in the morning, place the thermometer under the arm for 10 minutes if it's an old mercury kind. Do this for 2 days in a row.
Do not talk, move, or get out of bed before finishing the temp.
If your temp is below 97.8, you probably have low thyroid even in the face of a "normal" thyroid test.
Here's the catch:
The thyroid tests will always have to be run & you will probably have to find a "special" thyroid friendly doctor to prescribe the natural form of RX Armour Thyroid.
This Armour Thyroid will cost like $10 a month------very cheap. Thyroid revs the metabolism to get the toxins out & the oxygen in the cells. It builds immunity so you can fight infections.
It impacts every organ function.
As I said, your blood test may be normal, but your low body temp is the clue that you do need RX thyroid hormone.
Some thyroid Docs like you to bring in 5 days in a row of morning temps----depends on the DOC.
This test was first published in the Physicians Desk Reference & was later removed when the new synthetic thyroid meds hit the market. Hmmmm.
That's too bad because this caused
Dr. Barnes' method to lose credability. And, he helped thousands of patients in his lifetime.
He worked with patients directly and found redheads seem to be very likely to have low body temperature or low thyroid.
It you have insurance, request that your PCP run a test for thyroid function. Get a copy of the results & take to a "thyroid friendly" physician.
You must review your test results.
As of 2002, the new TSH levels have been lowered from 10 down to 3 which is a huge change.
Not all labs have conformed to this standard. So double check your results.
Physicians who are members of the American Academy for Advancement of Medicine or ACAM will usually prescribe thyroid.
Go to: www.acam.org & find a doctor by zip code or state.
Or, go to: www.thyroid-info.com to find a thyroid physician in your state. Patients even rate the doctors here. This is a great site.
Traditional doctors will not treat hypothyroidism with a "normal" thyroid blood test. (Forget about it.)
Your thyroid test would haved to bottom out before they'd even think of treating you----you'd be pretty sick by then.
Here are some low thyroid symptoms taken from the book by Dr. Stephen Langer, Solved The Riddle of Weight Loss.
Remember, you don't have to have every symptom to have hypothyroidism. Symptoms vary in patients just like LD.
Fatigue
Feeling cold, particularly the hands & feet
Weight gain or inability to lose weight,
despite constant attempts at dieting
Lethargy
Dry, Coarse skin
Swelling eyelids
Coarse hair
Pale skin
Enlarged heart
Faulty memory
Constipation
Hair Loss
Labored, difficult breathing
Swelling feet
Hoarseness
Nervousness
Depression
Menstrual problems in females
Low libido
Impotence
Heart palpitation
Emotional instability
Brittle nails
muscle weakness, pain
Pain in joints
Poor concentration & memory
Anemia
Atherosclerosis
High cholesterol levels
Headache is a huge under the radar symptom.
These are only a few of the symptoms.
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Here is Lymenet's Bambiland's in-depth information about thyroid:
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/027781.html
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Here is Daystar1952's in-depth info re; thyroid:
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/029876.html
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If you're still reading....,
Here is a symptom chart handed out at our Support Group Meeting. It shows how LD affects every body organ.
It's in pdf file form so it's easiest to print out & have on hand for easy reference.
Here's the link below:
You'll need to scroll down the page to the green indicator next to SYMPTOMS & click.
http://www.lymeinfo.net/lymefiles.html
You also may need to have adrenal function studies done. It all ties in together.
My former LLMD said that the Lyme bacteria drives body temperature down. They don't like warm bodies.
Hope this may help.
Take Care,
Jan
[This message has been edited by Recipegirl05 (edited 05 January 2005).]