Well-Women Guide to Frequently asked Questions

Q:You talk about taking supplements but research shows that many vitamins can actually cause illnesses like cancer, especially beta carotene. What vitamins do you mean?

It is important that vitamins and supplements taken are Food State this means that they are as natural as possible. The best way to take vitamin supplements is by using raw foods such as Goji berries and other superfoods that are high in vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Your body can only process natural vitamins so synthetic vitamins which are made in a laboratory using ingredients which will mimic a vitamin or mineral and then sold over the counter in supermarkets and large chain chemists will not benefit your body and can cause problems rather than allieviating them.

Since this site is investigating all those things containing chemicals, vitamins are also included. They need to be as natural as possible so obtaining them from food or products that actually use the food itself to make a supplement are the most ideal.

Q:Is there a specific time of the day that I should take my thyroid medication and can I take it with my breakfast?

The Best time of the day that doctors all agree is the best time for thyroxine medication is first thing in the morning at least an hour before breakfast and at lease two hours before the taking of vitamin supplements especially those containing iron. This is due to proper absorption and some foods supplements and medications can interfere with this. My husband sets the alarm for around 6am for me to take mine. I probably get up around 9am to 10 am and 11am at weekends but I always take thyroxine at 6am. Be consistent and stick to this rule. If you take it at this sort of time on an empty stomach and wait an hour before eating and 2 hours before other supplements or medications then absorption of thyroid hormone will always be optimum.

Q:Should I take iodine or kelp with autoimmune thyroid disease?

The general consensus of opinion is no as it can aggravate the thyroid. Autoimmune thyroid diseases like Grave's and Hashimoto's Disease have nothing to do with iodine deficiency.

Q:What is known to interfere with Thyroid medication?

Birth control pills (oral contraception) and HRT may increase the need for more thyroid hormone

Antacids may interfere with the absorption of thyroid hormone

Anti-depressants such as tricyclic medication when taken with thyroxine may accelerate the effects of both drugs causing unwanted effects such as severe palpitations, anxiety etc. Your G.P should be made aware that you are on thyroxine before prescribing and vice versa if you are on anti-depressants.

A bad experience with Levothyroxine and Fluoxetine would make me inclined to say that they are not compatible.

Cholesterol lowering drugs should be taken no less than 6 hours after taking thyroid medication.

Blood thinning drugs (anti-coagulants) like Warfarin or Heparin etc can be accelerated and become stronger when combined with thyroid hormone medication so make sure your doctor is aware.

Insulin and other hyhypoglycemic drugs can reduce the effectiveness of thyroid hormone and once again, your GP should be made aware. Likewise if you are insulin dependant or taking hypoglycemic medication you will need careful monitoring when taking thyroid hormone.

Q: Do you get mouth ulcers with thyroid conditions? Are they a common symptom?

They are a fairly common symptom with all autoimmune diseases especially Lupus. I was plagued by them for years. Boosting your immune system helps reduce the frequency of flare up's.

Q: Why are floor varnishes and paints so dangerous?

They contain many toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and solvents that are extremely toxic when inhaled. Since the smell is so strong, we can't avoid inhaling them and the smell lasts for a long time. Even when we can no longer smell it (generally because we have become accomstomed to it) it is still dangerous. It affects the brain, endocrine system, immune system and respiratory system. Remember there are alternatives.

Q: What is the price of prescriptions for levothyroxine in the UK?

A: As with all hormone replacement in the UK, Levothyroxine is free. You should ask to complete an exemption form and your doctor will stamp and sign it. You can then send this off to the address on the form and you will be issued with an exemption card entitling you to free prescriptions for life for all your medication.

Q: Can I take a B complex in addition to multivitamins?

A: You shouldn't need to but in many cases the RDA percentage may be low in the multivitamin. If you have an autoimmune disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome or thyroid illness then increasing your B vitamins will help with energy levels.

Q: How long will it take me to feel better once I have been prescribed levothyroxine?

A: This is hard to answer as everyone is different. It depends also on how long you have been ill. Once you start taking your medication it will take a while for it to be utilised and this could be around 6 weeks which is why it is not worth having blood tests before this. It will probably be a few months before you notice any difference and even then the thyroxine may well need to be increased until an optimum level is reached. Remember, just because your blood tests show as being normal does not mean you will feel well and this is where other factors need to be considered like supplements and natural progesterone which all contribute towards the feeling of wellbeing.

Q: Can Candida be caused by semen?

A: Typically, no, but thats not to say that semen can not cause a yeast infection. Some women are actually allergic to the proteins in their partners semen and this condition is called HSPH, (Human seminal plasma hypersensitivity). This can then cause a yeast infection and generally this is located to the outer vagina. Women who are allergic to their partners semen can develope burning, itching, swelling, infection, break out in hives and even develope breathing difficulties due to anaphylaxis, but this is rare. It is important to obtain a correct diagnosis as symptoms can be similar to other conditions. Semen allergy can also make conception difficult and in rare cases some women develope antibodies to their partners sperm. Frequent sex is said to be a cure in order to de-sensitize these women, but only with medical supervision.

Q: Can bleaching underwear kill candida spores?

A: No doubt it will but this is not recommended due to the bleach lingering in the fabric afterwards thus not only worsening existing candida and causing sore and burning tissue but chlorine chemicals are dangerous and can be absorbed by the delicate vaginal tissue.

Q: Is natural progesterone a treatment for hypothyroidism?

A: Natural progesterone can help resore normal thyroid function but is not a substitute for your medication. Stopping levothyroxine or other thyroid medication will always depend on blood results and also on maintaining those results. Some women may find that they can stop their medication but will still need close monitoring. This goes for Maca supplementation too.

Q: How does sitting on the floor affect Scoliosis

A: Sitting cross legged on the floor will probably be both difficult and uncomfortable. One knee may not stay down! Both Clare and I have problems with this. Sitting on the floor in general will be uncomfortable due to hip rotation or allignment, especially cross legged. Also, it is not good for posture, the all important factor in scoliosis. However many scoliosis sufferers are surprising flexible, often more so than non sufferers which makes them very good at gymnastics. There is no reason for not participating in sports and they are good for scoliosis.

Q: How tired do you get with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Disease?

A: You can get tired to the point of collapse. It depends or you as a person. Before I took medication, and on and off for around 15 years I was tired from the time I got up in the morning to the time I went to bed. Napping was necessary many times a day as the illness progressed, sometimes for two or more hours at a time. Walking around a supermarket was very hard as I often became fatigued to the point of feeling like I was going to collapse and on some occasions I almost did. This is common in all autoimmune diseases and underactive thyroid conditions. People with overactive thyroids and Graves disease can also become fatigued like this. It is probably the most distressing symptom in addititon to the muscle weakness. With medication and some of the other recommendations on this site, this can be alliviated. That's not to say I still don't feel fatigued occasionally, but I rarely need to sleep in the day now which is great.

Q: What makes you such an authority?

A: I don't claim to be!! I am not medically trained but those who are certainly don't seem to be interested or indeed much of an authority! That goes for both GP's and endo units. I simply have carried out a lot of research both on the internet, and through reading tons of books (as doctors do) about all the conditions I have suffered from, together with conditions that friends and family have suffered from. Anything we have found has worked for us, has been documented on this site in the hope that it will help others. The object of this site is purely to help others to get well and encourage them with self help and their own research. This has come about due to lack of medical interest in specific conditions and being told "It's just something you have to learn to live with/ get on with"

Q: Would you say that you are "cured?"

Since there is no cure for autoimmune disease, then no. But because I know how my illness progressed from around the age of 19 to now, then I would say that I am very much better. This has only come about over the last year and a half. Before that I was very ill. I have made myself well but this has taken time and much more is still to be done.

Q: Why do you hate doctors so much?

I don't hate them, I just don't have much faith in them. One or two have been great in helping me with my diagnosis, but I feel that since they don't know a lot about the condition, then they can't really offer much help. My GP once told me that it did not matter if I forgot my medication for a few days. The same GP got my heartbeat and my baby's confused when carrying out foetal monitoring when I was pregnant with my 3rd child. The same GP kept telling me for years that I was just a tired mum with scoliosis and fed me with anti-dperessants when in reality, I had an autoimmune disease. The same GP failed to look into many symptoms that pointed directly to Hashimoto's disease over a 15 year period even though I had a huge swelling in my neck which he told me was caused by my scoliosis.

Q: Will Thyroxine help depression?

If your depression is caused by your thyroid condition, then yes. My depression lessened within about 6 weeks when medicated and after several dosage adjustments, stopping oral contraception and using natural progesterone, disappeared completely. Depression is something I will be covering, but only inrelation to thyroid conditions as this is my experience of it and that is what was causing mine. It is a shame that it took 15 years to find that out.

Q: Can pregnancy worsen Scoliosis?

A: Yes, absolutely. If it is a progressive scoliosis. I was originally told no. I did not believe it in 1990 when I was told either. I was then told two years ago that it can worsen it by around 5 degrees per pregnancy. It makes sense to me especially since pregnancy hormones soften the ligaments in preparation for labour and therefore the bones will be affected. I suffered greatly with back pain when pregnant and at the end of the first two. I could hardly walk. The hospital recommended a zimmer frame. I did not take up this offer. With the third pregnancy, back and hip pain started within about 2 weeks of conception and I did not even show. Therefore, you don't get any sympathy or help as no one quite believes you can be in that much pain so early on. Scoliosis does not stop you having children, but it will not do your back much good. Still, I would not change anything even if I could!!

Q: Is Candida related to Autoimmune disease?

It is related in that autoimmune disease patients suffer from it more than others, due to their impaired immune systems. That is why I say to take acidophilus supplements. However, it is also thought that it can contribute to developing it if your digestive system is over run with it. Candida stops your immune system from functioning properly.

Q: Are you saying that I need to remove all chemicals from my life and if I don't I will develope autoimmune disease?

A: No. I can not tell you to do this as it is personal choice and you may never develope autoimmune disease. What I am saying is that chemicals can contribute to causing autoimmune disease, among other factors, as they disrupt the endocrine system and immune system. People who already suffer from autoimmune disease should ideally avoid chemicals as much as possible. Those who don't are advised to avoid them as they have other effects too, long term, and many chemicals are also carcinogens. the facts are there and it is up to us to either take note or ignore them. There are many substitutes. reducing chemicals is ideal, obliterating them better, but often impossible.

Q:How are you able to recommend products?

A: I respond to needs and questions and make suggestions, thats all. Not everything works for everyone. The site is an information site and I try to provide solutions. I don't guarantee results. I am asked this time and time again. If women don't know that the products are out there, they can't use them. I research, find out whether it has worked for others and then put it on the site. Anything that I have had success with is on the site too. Think of it this way, the doctor gives you Levothyroxine. Is it enough or if there were other products to help, would you use them to feel better? Natural progesterone stopped my severe night sweats so I want others to know that it may work for them. Simple as that. Do you find that all the products in women's magazines work? I most certainly don't. That is why I ask people to contact me with their own success or failures.

Q:Are aches and pains a symptom of hypothyroidism and to what degree?

A: Yes, muscular aches and pains and weakness are one of the main symptoms. They can be quite severe. Muscle wasting is also a symptom due to inactivity from the illness. The main muscles affected are the quads (thigh muscles) and knees. It can be hard to walk upstairs and to raise from a crouching position. Gentle exercise helps but this is a symptom that tends to remain if only to a lesser degree.

Q: Can you get an elevated temperature with Hashimoto's disease?

A: You can. It is one of the symptoms that has stayed with me up to now but to a much lesser degree. A few times a month, I develope "Flu" like symptoms like aches and stabbing pains, a weak feeling and sore skin and feel generally odd. It then passes away as suddenly as it appeared. It usually happens in the evening when I am tired. It is better than it was as I used to develope a whole body rash and very high temperature nearly daily. Paracetemol or neurofen can help with this.

Q:Do you have a list of private doctors specialising in Thyroid condition

A: Yes. I have a list of doctors who can help, but this is specific to the UK and Irish Republic. In Ireland the doctors are based in Dublin as you would probably expect, so if you are in Galway, you would need to travel to Dublin.

I also have a list of doctors specialising in Natural Progesterone.

You will need to contact me using the contact page and I will forward you a doctor or doctors in your area or nearby.

Q:What is Hashitoxicosis?

This is a condition which usually precedes final failure of the thyroid gland. However it can last for many years before the gland finally dies. It is a condition that can go with Hashimoto's Disease and is very distressing. You experience both underactive and overactive symptoms. It complicates possible treatment as really which condition do you treat, the under or overactive symptoms?

A: It is very depleting and an emotional rollercoaster, especially if you have not been diagnosed and are not even aware that you have a problem as was the case with me, excpet that I knew I had Hashimot's but was not aware that the gland can have bursts of overactivity too before finally burning itself out.

Q: Can carrying heavy bags cause or worsen scoliosis?

A: I can understand why you would think this. Scoliosis mysteriously appears at the time of starting high school just as you start to carry bags containing text books. I noticed this with Clare as she did not have the scoliosis in the summer when we were on holiday (Aug), started high school in the September then by January (4 months later) she was complaining that her shoulder blade was sticking out. The rucksack she carried around school all day was unbearably heavy with text books. Mine appeared in the same way just after starting high school. I also carried a heavy bag.

Opinion is that it does not cause it. I feel that it may contribute to it in the susceptible person, but only after developing it in the first place.

Q: Can chlorine in swimming pools contribute to Thyroid Disease?

Opinion is yes. Chlorine as well as fluoride and mercury in dental amalgams are three chemicals that that been identified as being disruptive to the thyroid. It is a gland that absorbs and chemicals will be no exception. It is best to avoid exposure to as many chemicals as possible, bearing in mind that the skin absorbs 60 per cent of anything that is applied to it. Swimming in chlorinated water can't be good either.

Q: Am I putting my unborn baby at risk with the fumes from paint and floor varnish?

A: Well, yes. The chemicals inhaled into your body and absorbed by your skin will pass through to the baby. Chemicals in our environment can be responsible for ADD and other disorders as scientific evidence has shown. It stands to reason. When we are pregnant we should ideally steer clear of as many of these chemicals as possible.

The golden rule is, if it is poisonous to eat, then don't put it on your skin either.

Common sense tells us that in this day and age, the sad fact is that we can not avoid toxic chemicals 100 per cent. We can however avoid coming into direct contact with them by eating organic foods, avoiding personal care and beauty products containing chemicals and using household products that are as chemical free and environmentally friendly as possible. Other than that, the only other thing we can do is protect our immune system by making it stronger, so that our body's can cope with modern living and our toxic world.

Q: Why are Parabens dangerous?

A: Parabens include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and benzylparaben. They are preservatives used in personal care products and other household products and prevent the growth of moulds, yeast and bacteria. It is basically to give products a shelf life. They mimic the activity of oestrogen in the body which causes breast cancer and have also been discovered in breast tumours and breast milk.

Avoid products containing any type of chemical, as parabens are not the only endocrine disrupters. Many chemicals in food, household chemicals, fragrances, cosmetics and personal care products are carcinogenic. Try to use as many chemical and additive free products in your daily life as possible and ensure most of your food and personal care products are organic as pesticides are carcinogenic and endocrine disrupters and also mimic oestrogen in the body.