Dr. Oz: What is a Slow Thyroid?
Dr. Oz talked to Floris, who suffers from low energy and struggles to lose weight. Floris has a slow thyroid and didn’t know it. In the last 12 months, Florence has gained a lot of weight and doesn’t know how to stop it. She avoids shopping for food or clothes and does all of that online. She’s embarrassed about her weight.
Dr. Oz talked to a woman who thinks she has a slow thyroid. She can’t stop gaining weight and is battling low energy. Does she have a thyroid problem? (Nerthuz / Shutterstock.com)
Her nails have become so brittle that she uses shellac to cover her nails so people don’t know. Her hair has been thinning and she’s noticed hair loss. Finally, she just chopped all her hair off and started wearing a wig. She also pencils in her eyebrows.
“I’m 30 and I feel like I’m 60 years old,” she said.
She also feels so tired when she wakes up and her job requires her to be on the go a lot. As a result, she drinks six energy drinks “just to keep her eyes open”. She went to the doctor and he said her levels were borderline, but not to the point where she needed medication. She said she knows her body and knows there has to be a reason for this.
Dr. Oz: Slow Thyroid Symptoms
In the studio, Floris told Dr. Oz these feelings are preventing her from living her life. She’s gained all this weight and she feels so tired and doesn’t how to stop any of it.
Dr. Oz explained that her symptoms were brittle nails, extreme exhaustion, weight gain, thinning hair, and dry skin. After going to the doctor with these symptoms, she didn’t get a satisfying answer. Floris said she knows herself and feels like something is wrong.
Dr. Oz: Average Numbers Vs. Right Number For You
Dr. Oz said many doctors use a certain test for the thyroid, which tells how the thyroid is doing. An average range in the test is .45 and a 4.5. Floris’s number was 1.63. But the problem is that this is an average range. Dr. Oz explained that Floris is a size 9 for shoes. The average shoe size for women is between a 6 and a 10. But Floris wouldn’t be comfortable in a size 7. Dr. Oz said it’s important to consider the right number for the specific person.
That’s why Dr. Oz thinks Floris has a slow thyroid. Her body is telling her something. Based on her symptoms, Dr. Oz wanted to give her a 10-day plan for the thyroid to get rid of her symptoms and revitalize her health.
Lee Schilder says
The results of the heart and stroke quick tests two years ago showed that 90 percent of the people my age had better heart function than me. An echo found that I had 20% ef. After wearing a heart monitor I ended up getting a ICD implant.
The tests also showed I had a large nodule on my thyroid. After an inconclusive biopsy I was scheduled for surgery and half of my thyroid was removed. There was no cancer. I had no symptoms prior to the surgery. My thyroid number was usually about 1.5 prior to the surgery. Because of my congestive heart failure the doctors have decided I should run high. Taking 75 MCG levothryoxine daily, my thyroid number is now just under 5.
I am 61 years old, I have never been overweight (I am 5’8″ and have weighed about 140 for the last 10 years) I have never smoked anything and I have never drank alchohol in excess. I might have a drink week – or less. Never more than one or two alchohol drinks. My drink of choice has always been water, tea or coffee. I garden and try to eat healthy although I do like sweets.
Do you have any suggestions to improve my heart function and where do you feel my target for my thyroid should be?