Thank you so much for that information. At my next check-up I am going to talk to my dr. about this.

Tony, Metformin is a diabetes drug, used to control high blood sugar. But even if you found a drug for hypoglycemia (I'm sure they're out there!), most of the time the condition can be managed with diet. I've had hypoglycemia most of my life ("the" Dr. Atkins, who was my physician in NYC a long time ago, called my glucose tolerance test "a real clunker"). Two critical steps: First, give up sugar. Second, eat frequent small meals throughout the day, including protein whenever possible. Protein doesn't raise your blood sugar quickly, but it keeps it steady. Alisande, I haven't been following your story. Are you seeing an endocrinologist, or are you having the tests done by your regular doctor? I've been having trouble breathing for a year and a half, and none of the tests my doctor (an internist) ordered showed anything. I know low thyroid can do this, and in fact, it feels like the description of thyroid-related breathing problems that I've read: It feels like the muscles involved in breathing have become weak. I mentioned it to my doctor, along with the information that my mouth is sometimes dry, and he ordered the blood tests. My thyroid is at risk for problems because of the radiation I had when I was six years old (to remove my adenoids). I've been wondering how your joints are. Still painful? Forgive me if I've missed some posts! Coral, I feel like I'm falling apart! (However, I remind myself that I've said the same thing at other times in my life, beginning when I was 43--which was 23 years ago.) The knee pain came back on Tuesday, not nearly as bad, but bad enough to make me get out the ibuprofen again. It was preceded by the weird taste (like plastic) in my mouth that preceded the attack of joint pain just before Christmas. I don't know what to make of it, but I know my stomach isn't right, and hasn't been for some time. I saw a gastroenterologist (sp?) about a year ago. He was very nice and down to earth, but he kept telling me I looked good--so much better than most of his patients look. That's great, but it didn't help my symptoms. The stomach symptoms have gotten worse, as has the breathing problem. But as we all know, anxiety can produce breathing problems, or make an existing problem worse. So maybe that's a factor. I really don't know. Honestly, at this point feel like so many things are "off" that I'm reluctant to see any doctor because I know I'd sound like a hypochondriac for sure.

Maybe. if the thyroid problem is the only cause then it should but there is a genetic condition in Poms too that causes hair loss and as far as i know it's not reverseable. At least I've never seen it sucessfully treated but that may be because the owner didn't follow thru. don't know the name of it but I'm sure you can get more info on some Pom websites Lisa

Hi Susan! These are the tests that the 'real thyroid help' forum recommends: * free T3--most people seem to feel best with this at the top of the range * free T4--most people seem to feel best with this in the top 1/3 of the range * TSH * TPO (thyroid peroxidase antibodies) * antithyroglobulin antibodies * TSI antibodies * ferritin--most people seem to do best with ferritin 70-80 * B-12--based on our research, this should be at least 800, and 1000 is better. If you've been supplementing B-12, then testing it directly may not be valid--the MMA will be a more accurate test. * Vitamin D (make sure it's the test for 25(OH)D)(This was the other thing you couldn't remember :-) For adrenal insufficiency it is best to do a saliva test at 4 different times of the day (ordered by you through a lab). Your doctor will just run a one time test which won't be accurate. Instead of the saliva tests, I took (and flunked) the Pupil Test which some say is indictive of adrenal fatigue (others say it's low aldosterone only) and that was enough of a test for my doctor to allow me to start hydrocortisone (in low doses). (copied from STTM website) This is called the Pupil test. You need to be in a darkened room with a mirror. From the side (not the front), shine a bright light like a flashlight or penlight towards your pupils and hold it for about a minute. Carefully observe the pupil. With healthy adrenals, your pupils will constrict, and will stay small the entire time you shine the light from the side. In adrenal fatigue, the pupil will get small, but within 30 seconds, it will soon enlarge again or obviously flutter in its attempt to stay constricted. Why does this occur? Because adrenal insufficiency can also result in low aldosterone, which causes a lack of proper amounts of sodium and an abundance of potassium. This imbalance causes the sphincter muscles of your eye to be weak and to dilate in response to light. If you start HC, you must always remember to wean down slowly if you want to try to get off of it. I started weaning a few weeks ago, but had to go back to my orignal dose since I was having shakiness and nausea. Some people can quit taking it after 3 to 6 months (allowing the adrenals to rest), others have to stay on it for life. I was so glad when I was diagnosed after years of symptoms.. but I can tell you I don't feel much better than I did the day I was told I had Hashimoto's. I have some good days and then bad ones.. mostly dealing with fatigue, lack of motivation, inability to exercise, foot pain and the lack of weight loss (even when following low calorie diets). I imagine I have other problems yet to be discovered (maybe insulin resistance, PCOS or a pituitary problem). You do know that adenoids can grow back? My DD had to have hers taken out twice! Poor kid! The only abnormal thyroid tests that I had were the antibody tests. Some people can even have all normal testing and still be hypothyroid. If you don't feel right - keep bugging the doctors till one of them figures it out! Good luck and let us know how things turn out!