The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

Sure, I should be asking a doctor this, I probably will soon but as much as possible I want to do things the natural way, the doctors have a way of giving you medicine and shoving you off, I was given pain meds when I went to the instacare when I was feeling awful and having irregular heartbeats but nothing hurt... They couldn't find anything wrong with my ECG and even when I did a 24 hour ECG they still found nothing but I still have them. My doctor found that my thyroid was high a while back and recently I tried to donate plasma and they said my hemocrit was too low to donate... something is coming together. Do I have anemia?
Anyway, I just need some advice for natural redemedies for this stuff please

Honestly umiwolf, I don't think you should try to treat these symptoms yourself, unless you know for sure exactly what it is you're trying to treat. If you don't know what's causing these symptoms, certain supplements, herbs, what have you, could make the situation worse.

You said your thyroid was high, were you diagnosed as hyperthyroid? That could account for a racing heartbeat, if that's what you meant by irregular. If it is a thyroid problem, then you really, really, should be careful with natural remedies until you know exactly what the problem is. Many things that are great for healthy people are bad for folks with thyroid problems.

Also, you could be anemic (or not) but you need a doctor to say for sure, why and what to do about it. Again, if it's a thyroid problem, you might have to be careful with iron supplements.

Seriously, see a doctor (maybe an endocrinologist) and don't try to do this on your own. There are just too many things that could be causing your symptoms and the body is very complicated.

Okay, I guess I should. thank you

 
You're welcome, and I hope you feel better soon.

The natural approach didn't work for me (I tried drastic nutritional changes and natural thyroid supplements).  It turns out I have Hashimoto's Disease, an autoimmune thyroid disorder (and the most common form of hypothyroidism in women).  Treating it has required frequent tweaking of my synthetic meds.  I feel a whole lot better now, but it took an MD to diagnose me, and many years of fighting to be heard and treated.

 
Hashimoto's represent!  Even with someone with a history of hypothyroidism (I was first diagnosed as a teenager) and thus a habit of requesting my TSH tested every year so I could keep track of it, it took me changing doctors to get someone who would fucking well pay attention to me about this.  (He also was one of the doctors who actually pays attention to the studies that say that women often are happiest with a TSH between 1 and 2, rather than "under three" as is many people's current standards, or "under 4.5" as is the standard of the lab the practice uses.  Previous doctor was all "It's under 4.5, it's not a problem, why are you bothering me about this?"

Levoxl is my magic wonder pill.

(He also was one of the doctors who actually pays attention to the studies that say that women often are happiest with a TSH between 1 and 2, rather than "under three" as is many people's current standards, or "under 4.5" as is the standard of the lab the practice uses.  Previous doctor was all "It's under 4.5, it's not a problem, why are you bothering me about this?"

 
Yay, other people explaining the TSH number weirdness before I could get to it. (Work today, oy.)

I am another of the crew: I was diagnosed with my TSH at 3.0 and I was entirely non-functional at that point. (by which I mean "could not focus on light fiction for 5 minutes at a time for a few weeks in there" plus a boatload of other symptoms and overwhelming exhaustion)

I am much much much much happier, more functional, and generally healthier with my TSH a hair under 1.

I find some food choices *help*, and they definitely helped my recovery from the year of misery that getting this treated and on the right track was. But they would not, by themselves have fixed it. Hypothyroid's like that: if your body is not making enough of it, you are not going to magically start making more. (At best, food choices can help if you're on the borderline and your body is *almost* coping - but if you have Hashimotos, that will eventually degrade over time.)

Hashimoto's represent!  Even with someone with a history of hypothyroidism (I was first diagnosed as a teenager) and thus a habit of requesting my TSH tested every year so I could keep track of it, it took me changing doctors to get someone who would fucking well pay attention to me about this.  (He also was one of the doctors who actually pays attention to the studies that say that women often are happiest with a TSH between 1 and 2, rather than "under three" as is many people's current standards, or "under 4.5" as is the standard of the lab the practice uses.  Previous doctor was all "It's under 4.5, it's not a problem, why are you bothering me about this?"

I spent a decade with a TSH of 4, a hugely swollen thyroid gland (which nobody mentioned was a classic Hashi's sign), until FINALLY my TSH spiked to double digits and somebody listened to me (it took both at the same time...a different doc might have thought I was fine).

Levoxl is my magic wonder pill.

 
Amen.  I love my Synthroid and my doctor.  By the time I showed up at his clinic, the droves of other docs had convinced me I was a simpering hypochondriac.  My now-doc asked how I was feeling and I'd shrug and say fine.  After the second visit, he said "I don't think so".  He was right, and I'll love him forever for it.

Brina

When you say "high thyroid", odds are what your doctor tested was your TSH, which has an inverse relationship to how much available thyroid hormone is circulating in your bloodstream.  So if your TSH is high, you're actually hypothyroid, which can cause all manner of heart issues (I speak from experience).  It can also cause heavy periods, which can lead to chronic anemia (again, speaking from experience).

The natural approach didn't work for me (I tried drastic nutritional changes and natural thyroid supplements).  It turns out I have Hashimoto's Disease, an autoimmune thyroid disorder (and the most common form of hypothyroidism in women).  Treating it has required frequent tweaking of my synthetic meds.  I feel a whole lot better now, but it took an MD to diagnose me, and many years of fighting to be heard and treated.

I agree with Catherine:  get medical help.  Find out for sure what's going on.  Then find a doctor you can work with.
 
Brina

 
That's very helpful. I honestly hope that the next doctor I see will care because awhile back I got my results over the phone but they didn't even give me any instructions, when I called back all the assistant at the desk had to say was "It's not fatal" What? So they obviously aren't as concerned about it as I am which upsets me a great deal. I live with bouts of irregular heartbeats every single day and they don't seem to care. I agree that you had to fight to be heard and I will need to do the same thing because I want this solved now.
Thank you again for all the information, it's helped me a great deal.

Honestly umiwolf, I don't think you should try to treat these symptoms yourself, unless you know for sure exactly what it is you're trying to treat. If you don't know what's causing these symptoms, certain supplements, herbs, what have you, could make the situation worse.

 
As a nurse I think this is sound advice.  I understand your hesitation for using Western medicine but do we really want to mess around with this IF it is your heart?  And Catherine is right.  Herbs, roots, supplements...they all have side effects and contraindications just like the chemical medicines the doctors prescribe.   The only downside is that these herbs, roots and supplements haven't been studied as thoroughly as the medicines so we don't know all the effects both good and bad they can have.  I'm not saying they can't do good...they can.  Spirits know I use them myself, but always with caution and in moderation.  Best wishes.