Horrible Insomnia Rant (With A Question)

[love2travel]

I didn't even have the Hashi's antibodies in my bloodwork, and my TSH, T4 and T3 were all in normal range. My diagnosis was based on the swelling in my thyroid and the nodules. Becuase there were no antibodies, I am still not totally convinced that it wasn't post partum thyroiditis, which I understand can present very similarily to Hashimotos with the swinging in between hyper and hypo stages. I had a baby one year ago and this all started a few months after the birth.

We'll see what the new endo thinks.

Hmmm....interesting. I see my doctor next week so will ask him about it.

[HopefulMama23]

Am curious too which homeopathics you tried for insomnia. There are a variety given for different causes of insomnia. As I recall I remember one that is good in cases of "fear of never falling asleep." Besides caffeine, mint products will make homeopathics not work--and probably other strong herbs as well.

Yolo, I see a homeopath and have a constitutional remedy, so first I tried that. And while I think it may have helped take the edge off, it did not solve the problem. And the problem continued to get worse. So then I bought one of those generic catch-all remedies (I can't remember the brand) at the store and tried that. Again, I think it helped, but only a little. And the problem didn't go away. 0

I am actually starting to study homeopathy- it's so interesting and in many ways my homeopath has helped me immensly through this whole journey of being sick, having celiacs, having Hashimotos, etc. I emailed her last night as I was trying to fall asleep and asked her to retake my case based on the insomnia and see if she comes up with a different constitutional for me. We'll see.

[jerseyangel]

I found a homeopathic remedy called "Calming" by Heel. I use it 3 or 4 times a day and have been sleeping better. I was having terrible insomnia, sometimes not sleeping at all or for just a couple of hours. This works better than "Calms Forte" for me and is completely gluten-free.

[pricklypear1971]

Do you need a specific test for Hashimoto's or is the TSH bloodwork the required indicator? Had my physical and bloodwork done in August and was told my thyroid was "normal".

It's specific, called TPO.

[pricklypear1971]

I didn't even have the Hashi's antibodies in my bloodwork, and my TSH, T4 and T3 were all in normal range. My diagnosis was based on the swelling in my thyroid and the nodules. Becuase there were no antibodies, I am still not totally convinced that it wasn't post partum thyroiditis, which I understand can present very similarily to Hashimotos with the swinging in between hyper and hypo stages. I had a baby one year ago and this all started a few months after the birth.

We'll see what the new endo thinks.

Uhm, you need a specific test for this called TPO. I've never heard of it being diagnosed symptomatically. Perhaps it can be, but never heard of it.

[love2travel]

It's specific, called TPO.

Thank you. I will request it. I would do anything to conquer this insomnia once and for all. Perhaps this is it...

[Takala]

I sleep when I am tired, instead of trying to sleep whenever everybody else is. Heck, the **** dogs sleep all day, snore snore snore. The cat is asleep now. I've seen the horses go down for naps mid morning to mid afternoon after they were up grazing at night, why fight the trend ? My spouse has to get up really early sometimes to talk to people in different time zones, then he's down for the count by 4pm and sleepy. It's a hundred degrees out now in the sun, I'd be out like a lightbulb if it were not for the A/C ; ) Yet the myth persists we should get up at 6 am fresh and perky. pffffffffffffffffffffffttttttttttttttttt

[YoloGx]

Yolo, I see a homeopath and have a constitutional remedy, so first I tried that. And while I think it may have helped take the edge off, it did not solve the problem. And the problem continued to get worse. So then I bought one of those generic catch-all remedies (I can't remember the brand) at the store and tried that. Again, I think it helped, but only a little. And the problem didn't go away. 0

I am actually starting to study homeopathy- it's so interesting and in many ways my homeopath has helped me immensly through this whole journey of being sick, having celiacs, having Hashimotos, etc. I emailed her last night as I was trying to fall asleep and asked her to retake my case based on the insomnia and see if she comes up with a different constitutional for me. We'll see.

Do let me know how it goes. I agree, homeopathy is both very helpful as well as interesting. Just got a book on it that is helping me a lot.

Meanwhile I know what its like not being able to get to sleep. Have had that problem for years. Everything seemed to conspire to create it--the gluten and salicylate sensitivity as well as old injuries to my sacrum and L- 5 vertebrae with sciatica at night not to speak of too much drama going on in my life as an infant.

So like the last responder I eventually learned to just go to bed really late and get up late and do what I do in the wee hours of the morning and call it "normal".

But now I am trying to break the cycle. I do think that hormones are a factor, as well as habits, fears etc. pure and simple. Or should I say, not so simple??

At least the homeopathics are making it so my body isn't jerking around at night when I lie down. A huge improvement. Hypericum perforatum thus is helping a lot... Next I also want to try out some cell salts since I am very low in minerals even though I have been taking a ton of them for years.

[Skylark]

Skylark, you're right. I see a new endo Monday and I'm prepared to push. Hard.

Good luck! I know how awful the insomnia is because my thyroid went a little bonkers this spring.

There are actually three autoimmune thyroid antibodies. TPO is the most common, but you should also be tested for anti-thyroglobulin, and possibly TSI. TSI is the Graves' disease test.

Also, "normal" for TSH should be between 0.5 and 2.5. It used to be that below 5.0 was considered normal, and some ignorant doctors still use the old range but most people with TSH at 5.0 feel pretty sick.