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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Sinusitis / July 2007Cold Intolerance and Hypothyroidism
I am 36 years old and have been cold for most of my adult life (and not due to being skinny or anemic). I'm not sure when it started but it has progressively gotten worse. I live in the Northeast and have two space heaters on in my office pretty much at all times. I have electronic medical records and I can see that I've been going to the Doctor for being cold and fatigued for years but no diagnosis has come of it. My TSH tests have always been within the normal range but recently I had an antibody test which shows I have antibodies to my thryoid. My older sister was diagnosed a few years ago with hypothyroidism and is on meds and doing fine. My doctor said that the antibody test doesn't mean I have a problem, it's just a marker saying that I may in the future. On top of it all, I have gained 20 pounds in less than 6 months and I'm in shock. I had been injured and in PT for a few months, so I wasn't able to work out but for the past two months I've been working out religiously and HARD (6 days a week) and today at the doctor, I found out I gained 3 more pounds. My doctor is not one that wants to give meds and prefers to follow me. I would love to know if ANYONE has had this problem and went on medication and it helped. When it's 80 degrees out and the winds blowing, I need a sweater. Hardly any one understands how uncomfortable it is to be cold all the time. > I am 36 years old and have been cold for most of my adult life (and not due > to being skinny or anemic). I'm not sure when it started but it has [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > it helped. When it's 80 degrees out and the winds blowing, I need a sweater. > Hardly any one understands how uncomfortable it is to be cold all the time. Dump your doctor; he's a dope. I guess your test result could be dismissed if you had no symptoms, but you're cold, fatigued, and have a sister with thyroid disease, HELLO??? Susan Thanks, I actually was upset because I know my body and have known something is wrong for a long time. I have two other autoimmune diseases but because my TSH is considered "normal", that was all she was going on. I do plan to get a second opinion. >> I am 36 years old and have been cold for most of my adult life (and not due >> to being skinny or anemic). I'm not sure when it started but it has [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Susan > Thanks, I actually was upset because I know my body and have known something > is wrong for a long time. I have two other autoimmune diseases but because > my TSH is considered "normal", that was all she was going on. I do plan to > get a second opinion. Well, here we have yet another example of a doctor who puts his faith in some medical test rather than in the patient's symptoms and medical history. Susan is right. Nothing good comes from one of those types of doctors. A good doctor knows that tests can have false negatives; tests can be improperly done or misinterpreted by lab technicians and physicians; and if you're sick, there's a reason for it, even if it hasn't been discovered yet. The only other comment I would make is that besides hypothyroid, there are a few other possible causes of feeling cold. If it turns out that you really don't have anything wrong with your thyroid, the next step is to check your blood chemistry. You say you were injured. Did you lose any blood? If so, and if you diet rigorously and/or menstruate heavily, anemia might have set in. Anemia can be very insidious; if you use NSAIDs or aspirin regularly to relieve soreness after a physical workout, or if you used them to treat pain from your injury, it can exacerbate bleeding from the stomach. I made that mistake once. In fact, regular use of aspirin after my more vigorous workouts gave me a bleeding duodenal ulcer and made me anemic.  SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. x-no-arachive: yes > The only other comment I would make is that besides hypothyroid, there > are a few other possible causes of feeling cold. If it turns out that > you really don't have anything wrong with your thyroid, the next step is > to check your blood chemistry. And other hormones. When my cortisol is low, I cant' get warm no matter how high up I turn the heat. When my cortisol is high, I can comfortably go outside in 20 degree weather without closing my coat. Susan The only way I can keep myself warm on a cold day in the winter is to go on my treadmill. I usually wear enough clothes for 2 people that people people actually laugh at me. shirleyann Thanks for the response. I didn't have blood loss when I hurt my back but ended up in physical therapy for 3 months, so wasn't able to work out much. I forget my numbers for anemia but my primary care said I don't have it but awhile ago when I went to give blood, the Red Cross said it was too low and they wouldn't take my blood. Apparently they have stricter guidelines. I already have ulcers, Crohens disease (autoimmune) and low B-12 (autoimmune), but they are all managed well by me and believe it or not, I feel quite healthy. I think you are right that once again a medical test takes priority over symptoms. >> Thanks, I actually was upset because I know my body and have known something >> is wrong for a long time. I have two other autoimmune diseases but because [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >made that mistake once. In fact, regular use of aspirin after my more >vigorous workouts gave me a bleeding duodenal ulcer and made me anemic. > Thanks for the response. I didn't have blood loss when I hurt my back but > ended up in physical therapy for 3 months, so wasn't able to work out much. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > but they are all managed well by me and believe it or not, I feel quite > healthy. If you already have a history of ulcers and Crohn's disease, then intermittent GI bleeding should be investigated if the thyroid checks out OK. It doesn't take much gastric irritant to cause ulcers to bleed, and if it's intermittent then the usual stool sample test may not detect it when it's not bleeding. Trust me, I've been there, done that. SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. I have had this problem all my life, since childhood. No health problems other than I seem to feel the cold in the winter or with the AC on more than my family or other people. I keep a sweatshirt available and if traveling I always take a light jacket or when we go to the beach. My daughter has the same problem and she is adopted. We do have low blood pressure though. My MD has tested me for any thyroid, anemia problems and nothing is wrong. I am glad to know someone else has this problem too. shirleyann It is currently over 90 degrees outside and I have two space heaters on in my office. This is more than requiring a sweater. I guess if I had this all my life, it may be different but since this has been in the past 10 years or so, it's more noticeable. I can't explain to people what it's like to always be cold and to be aware of it with everything that I do. When I google cold intolerance, nothing comes up by thyroid issues. >I have had this problem all my life, since childhood. >No health problems other than I seem to feel the cold in the winter or [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > >shirleyann The "normal" range for TSH is under debate: I went to a lecture by an endocrinologist from Brown who said 1) he feels a TSH over 3 is consistent with hypothyroidism and 2) generic levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable, so if you go on replacement, either get a brand name or stick with the same generic brand.Thyroid hormone isn't absorbed well if taken with iron supplements or food, so take it on an empty stomach. I was reading an article in Family Practice News that again restated that the range of normal for TSH is probably too wide. If you have anti-thyroid antibodies, you have autoimmune thyroiditis, and can be expected to become hypothyroid. I agree with Steven, treat the patient, not the numbers. Here's the URL to the Family Practice Article http://www.familypracticenews.com/article/PIIS0300707307707259/fulltext Judy > It is currently over 90 degrees outside and I have two space heaters on in my > office. This is more than requiring a sweater. I guess if I had this all my [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > -- > Message posted via MedKB.comhttp://www.medkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/sinusitis/200707/1 Thanks for your response and the link to the article. >The "normal" range for TSH is under debate: I went to a lecture by an >endocrinologist from Brown who said 1) he feels a TSH over 3 is [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >> -- >> Message posted via MedKB.comhttp://www.medkb.com/Uwe/Forums.aspx/sinusitis/200707/1 > The "normal" range for TSH is under debate: I went to a lecture by an > endocrinologist from Brown who said 1) he feels a TSH over 3 is [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > Here's the URL to the Family Practice Article > http://www.familypracticenews.com/article/PIIS0300707307707259/fulltext Here's a link to a new, very well reviewed book by the doc working up my Cushing's disease: http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Health-Guide-Thyroid-Disease/dp/1593377193 I believe Dr. Friedmann is hypothyroid, himself. A new study just demonstrated a better effect from thyroid meds taken at bedtime, not a.m. as typically rx'ed. Every study that's looked at the question has found that patients feel much better mentally and physically on T3/T4 combination, not T4 alone. Susan > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Susan more good stuff to know as i walk into yet another new doctor's office on friday. ellen Susan, It looks like a good book. I might point out: for Ellen and myself, that he did his residency at Univ. of Michigan. (And went to Mt. Sinai--where my future son in law attended medical school.) Credentials are actually much less important than understanding and applying the knowledge to patients. I reread the article I posted and it directly addresses Alissa's issues with the "normal" TSH and auto antibodies. Maybe her providers will read it.. Judy > x-no-archive: yes > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Susan >I am 36 years old and have been cold for most of my adult life (and not due >to being skinny or anemic). I'm not sure when it started but it has [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >it helped. When it's 80 degrees out and the winds blowing, I need a sweater. >Hardly any one understands how uncomfortable it is to be cold all the time. I really don't know much about this. Candidly, I'm the exact opposite of you--exceptionally hot-blooded. It's uncomfortable and annoying for me, too. Eastern medicine talks about hot and cold constitutions. Have you considered trying to visit a respected acupuncture clinic for an evaluation?? Best of luck.... |
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