[Karla]

#1018611

Hi, this is my first post, but I’ve lurked on this board from time to time in the last several months.

My husband has been diagnosed with Graves since 2006. He was on ant-thyroid drugs for a few years, but finally had RAI ablation in November of 2009. His levels dropped to normal range and seemed to level off there in January and February. Three weeks ago, he started to feel bad, and tested low, and the endo started him on Synthroid. His levels seemed to drop fast when they finally dropped. Suddenly he was cold, bloated, and achey.

The endo started him with 50mcg, stepping up the dose every 3-5 days. He went from 50 to 88 to 112 to 125, and now is on 150mcg. The endo also told him that he believes my husband is retaining 15-25 lbs. of fluid. So he was also prescribed a diuretic.

Well, he took the diuretic for 10 days, and just as he got to the end of the pills, he finally seemed to be losing a few pounds of the retained fluid, but in a few days without the water pills he was right back where he started, bloat-wise, three weeks ago. We did get a refill for 10 more days on the diuretic, and he’s been back on it for a two days now.

He is miserable. His skin it stretched tight and he has trouble bending his wrists, elbows and ankles. Our patience is wearing thin when it seems like the synthroid and water pills are not working!

Is this degree of bloating normal with hypo? And how long can we expect it to take till it flushes out?

[Bobbi]

#1065999

No, bloating like this is not typically associated with hypo — especially minor levels of hypo — and, if your husband is on 150 mg (or whatever unit) of replacement hormone, the likelihood that he is still hypo is questionable. We are only hypo if we are not taking the replacement hormone in the proper dose.

Is your husband taking the replacement hormone first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, with a good amount of water, and then waiting a half hour to an hour before eating anything? (This assures that the replacement hormone gets absorbed well into the blood.) He should not be taking any vitamins or minerals or other medications at the same time as he takes the replacement hormone (unless he has been so instructed by his doctors).

I recommend that you call his GP and try to find out what is going on . It may be thyroid related, but if it is not, you are wasting time looking for a thyroid cause that perhaps doesn’t exist.

[hyperm]

#1066000

Hi,

When I was on the blocking treatment I had fluid retention- though not to the stage your husband appears to be suffering. Does he have BP problems? I often had days where my face would swell very noticeably, couldn’t wear my wedding band and couldn’t get my shoes on.

When I mentioned to my new endo he decided to take me off the meds to see if it would go into remission – I lost 9 lbs in a week!

Like Bobbi said swelling like this should be investigated as its definitely oedema and it can be a result of several underlying conditions not necessarily hypothyroidism xx

[Karla]

#1066001

OK, a little more detail. After he started having hypo symptoms we called the endo office (beginning of March), and they called back and said the endo wanted to see him the next morning no matter what. The doctor came into the room apologizing profusely (he failed to reveiw his last test for over a week, because the previous ones were so good), saying that he knows he must be feeling rotten! He had the same degree of bloating that day as he does now. The endo saw him with the bloating–he is very aware of it, and that’s why he prescribed the diuretic.

They test FreeT4. I understand normal is 0.6 – 1.7. Four weeks before, he was at 1.04 (normal), and 1 1/2 weeks before, he was at 0.34!!! The doctor feels his levels hit rock bottom, if they continued falling at the rate they did between the previous two tests.

He just started on 150mcg on Saturday. He spoke with the doctor’s office on Friday concerning his condition, and they called in the prescription for the increased dosage.

If he was at "rock bottom" three weeks ago, and as I read here, it can take 3 weeks or so for one to feel the full effect of the Synthroid, could he not still be rather hypothyroid? He had a blood test on Thursday, before they upped the dosage. He did not ask for the numbers, and they didn’t tell him.

I think I will make a phone call to the endo’s office again tomorrow, and see if I can get more answers.

[Ski]

#1066002

It’s quite possible that he will feel rather hypothyroid for a little while longer, though it should be getting better daily, even if only by small degrees. He may also feel a little hyperthyroid, at alternating moments, which is a little disconcerting but is kind of the norm, while our body is adjusting to a new dose of thyroid hormone. Be gentle. ” title=”Wink” />

[Karla]

#1066003

Thank you, Ski! I guess mainly we need to just be patient. He did think he felt a tiny bit better today, and maybe not as bloated in his arms…

[Wolfmother]

#1066004

Hi All,

I’ve been reading all the questions and answers relating to fluid retention and feeling quite confused. I had RAI two and a half years ago, went severely hypo and gained 35 kilos along with the bloating and fluid retention. I have been at the correct levels for over a year and a half now and all of a sudden can no longer wear my rings on my fingers, put on my old shoes for long and have achilles tendonitis in both ankles (caused by fluid around the tendon) very painful. My doctor has now referred me back to the specialist (endo) as he feels further investigation is needed.

I havent been offered diuretics and wonder if this is only a short term fix? Can one take these for prolonged periods? And does it take the fluid out of the tissue itself? And does it reduce the TED swelling? Also, I read we shouldnt be taking our vitamins etc with our thyroxine tabs. Does this mess with absorbtion?

I hope you can help me as I’m at my wits end. I know not all of the weight I’ve gained is fat, thats another issue, getting the weight off has been impossible even with extreme methods I’ve been unsuccessful (and I’m told I’m at the higher end of the normal range!). I’ve had all the stomach disorder tests (ie coeliacs etc) and nothing has appeared to be abnormal. I have a bloated abdominal area that wont budge. I feel and look 5 months pregnant all of the time….Heeeeelp!

Looking forward to some answers….thanks in advance!

[Karla]

#1066005

wolfmother, regarding the diuretic: we also believe that it is only a temporary fix, but are hoping when his thyroid levels are up where they should be, that will take care of the underlying problem and the fluid will go away on its own. He is just so miserable that we are grasping at any fix, temporary or not!

I’m also interested in anything else anyone can add to this subject. I would like to understand HOW being hypo causes the fluid retention…

[Ski]

#1066006

Just jumping in briefly to say that diuretics would NOT have any effect on Thyroid Eye Disease bulging, because that’s not the cause of that particular symptom ~ that issue is caused by antibodies attacking the fat and/or muscle tissue behind the eye.

I had no water retention after RAI, or while I was hypo, or at any point along the process, so I can’t speak to its causes. I can say that being hyperthyroid messes up a LOT of things within our body, and again, that’s different for each person.

Keep looking into it, because even if it’s NOT caused by thyroid imbalance, it needs to be corrected. Too many doctors will look into our eyes and say "your thyroid levels are fine, so go home." The conversation CANNOT end there. We need to reply, "yes, but this is not normal, and we need to investigate it, and fix it."

[Author]

Posts