muddywaters
02-16-2004, 10:22 PM
I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid 14 years ago, and have been on synthroid ever since. What you were mentioning about this book, could it be of some help to me. I am 43 and have four children (young adults) 19,21,21,23. All who were diagnoised with ADD alittle over 15 years ago. The twins also have tourette syndrome, that is how we found out about all of this to begin with. Can you just imagine THE HOUSE HOLD THAT WE LIVED IN!!!!! But they are all doing great and are in college,and or trade school! BY some miracle, I think because, I understood them so very much, because I was so like them as a child, that I was mello, and so were they. We are all Inattentive ADD. I was put on Straterra last week, for the first time using medication. I read on this web sight that it may take up to 2 months to show improvement, that is disappointing to hear. I do believe that it gets worse as you get older. Any info would be helpful. Thanks
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brainf0g
02-16-2004, 11:28 PM
I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid 14 years ago, and have been on synthroid ever since. What you were mentioning about this book, could it be of some help to me. I am 43 and have four children (young adults) 19,21,21,23. All who were diagnoised with ADD alittle over 15 years ago. The twins also have tourette syndrome, that is how we found out about all of this to begin with. Can you just imagine THE HOUSE HOLD THAT WE LIVED IN!!!!! But they are all doing great and are in college,and or trade school! BY some miracle, I think because, I understood them so very much, because I was so like them as a child, that I was mello, and so were they. We are all Inattentive ADD. I was put on Straterra last week, for the first time using medication. I read on this web sight that it may take up to 2 months to show improvement, that is disappointing to hear. I do believe that it gets worse as you get older. Any info would be helpful. Thanks
That's interesting that you said you were diagnosed with a thyroid problem 14 years ago.. Many people (especially undiagnosed adult ADDers) are misdiagnosed with a thyroid condition when it truly is AD/HD.
I have a friend that was treating her (thought to be) thyroid condition for years without any success. I told her about AD/HD and over time (after the natural "denial stage"), she finally went to the doctor, was diagnosed and tried medication. It perfectly addressed the problems that she was trying to get help with for twenty years...
Although she spent thousands of dollars prior diagnosis on "self-help books", supplements, becoming a vegetarian, etc. etc., trying to figure out "what was wrong with her", she finally did.
Ironically, one of the best ways I could tell she had AD/HD instead of a "thyroid condition" (besides all her many other textbook symptoms) was she never finished reading ANY of those "self-help books".... And there was a least twenty of them, all accumulated from the many years of not knowing, according to her "what was wrong with her". Each book was bookmarked about 10 pages into it and they were all thrown in the corner and closet.
Now since she started getting treatment she not only has read one of them, she has read them all.
Even though AD/HD can be misdiagnosed and really be a thyroid condition, I believe the opposite happens far greater. One of the reasons is *probably* the stigma behind a "mental disorder"..
Many people don't seek mental health treatment even if they have a feeling that could be the problem. They usually see a general practitioner instead of a psychiatrist, and GPs aren't too familiar with AD/HD symptoms. So when they hear the GP say that it's possibly a thyroid or similar condition, they welcome that diagnosis with open arms... Far greater than they would if it was a mental health diagnosis, even if deep down they know the root of their problems are psychological.
It's far easier for someone to say "oh, yeah, I take these pills because I have a thyroid condition", rather than "oh, yeah, I take these pills because I have AD/HD".
Usually after a period of time they are able to stop lying to themselves, not care what people think, and get the help they truly deserve.
Just my 2 cents..
That's interesting that you said you were diagnosed with a thyroid problem 14 years ago.. Many people (especially undiagnosed adult ADDers) are misdiagnosed with a thyroid condition when it truly is AD/HD.
I have a friend that was treating her (thought to be) thyroid condition for years without any success. I told her about AD/HD and over time (after the natural "denial stage"), she finally went to the doctor, was diagnosed and tried medication. It perfectly addressed the problems that she was trying to get help with for twenty years...
Although she spent thousands of dollars prior diagnosis on "self-help books", supplements, becoming a vegetarian, etc. etc., trying to figure out "what was wrong with her", she finally did.
Ironically, one of the best ways I could tell she had AD/HD instead of a "thyroid condition" (besides all her many other textbook symptoms) was she never finished reading ANY of those "self-help books".... And there was a least twenty of them, all accumulated from the many years of not knowing, according to her "what was wrong with her". Each book was bookmarked about 10 pages into it and they were all thrown in the corner and closet.
Now since she started getting treatment she not only has read one of them, she has read them all.
Even though AD/HD can be misdiagnosed and really be a thyroid condition, I believe the opposite happens far greater. One of the reasons is *probably* the stigma behind a "mental disorder"..
Many people don't seek mental health treatment even if they have a feeling that could be the problem. They usually see a general practitioner instead of a psychiatrist, and GPs aren't too familiar with AD/HD symptoms. So when they hear the GP say that it's possibly a thyroid or similar condition, they welcome that diagnosis with open arms... Far greater than they would if it was a mental health diagnosis, even if deep down they know the root of their problems are psychological.
It's far easier for someone to say "oh, yeah, I take these pills because I have a thyroid condition", rather than "oh, yeah, I take these pills because I have AD/HD".
Usually after a period of time they are able to stop lying to themselves, not care what people think, and get the help they truly deserve.
Just my 2 cents..
* Free ~ Spirit *
02-17-2004, 12:04 AM
Thyroid disorders can be found through proper medical testing!
brainf0g
02-17-2004, 02:19 AM
Thyroid disorders can be found through proper medical testing!
The variation of what is considered normal in thyroid testing is extremely large. The tests used are extremely old, and they can't properly judge what the resulting number will be in order to ward off CNS disorders. Everyone is different and science hasn't advanced that far yet.. The only thing these numbers can tell is what is normal for a human to not be in any life threatening situation. You can have AD/HD and not be in any biological life threatening danger.
You can also have symptoms resulting from a true thyroid disorder and still have a test fall within the considered "normal range". So in general, there is no medical test to determine what number is considered normal for your brain to function correctly as a result from a thyroid disorder (assuming your thyroid is malfunctioning).
The variation of what is considered normal in thyroid testing is extremely large. The tests used are extremely old, and they can't properly judge what the resulting number will be in order to ward off CNS disorders. Everyone is different and science hasn't advanced that far yet.. The only thing these numbers can tell is what is normal for a human to not be in any life threatening situation. You can have AD/HD and not be in any biological life threatening danger.
You can also have symptoms resulting from a true thyroid disorder and still have a test fall within the considered "normal range". So in general, there is no medical test to determine what number is considered normal for your brain to function correctly as a result from a thyroid disorder (assuming your thyroid is malfunctioning).
annecy
02-17-2004, 01:04 PM
Concerning the thyroid issues, I have had friends who have been to three docs before going to a specialist who then explained that the normal range is so broad that one may have a slight thyroid problem that will be overlooked by testing. My friend had to go out of state to find a doctor who could help her. So, I agree with the last posting in that most doctors have to have a number jump at them before they consider an abnormality.