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<For 2 months prior to the paralysis incidence, he
<started feeling pain in his legs,
I was wondering how much of this was potassium depletion versus hyperthyroid
issues, so I checked on the symptoms.
The first one I was wondering about was weight loss. I found that on a cat
(veterinarian) site, often you can find useful information on these. A vet
told me that cats and dogs got the same meds as people because "a liver is a
liver" whether it's in a human or an animal. I know some things don't hold true
between animals and us, but many do.
Anyway, it appears that weight loss can be a symptom. It also causes pain and
tiredness. Shortness of breath is a symptom too. Not feeling well it is
commonly hard to sleep.
http://www.felinecrf.com/comm0.htm
Hypokalemia (potassium depletion) can result from chronic vomiting and
excessive urination. Other symptoms ... including anorexia, weight loss and anemia.
Potassium depletion can be controlled with potassium supplementation
http://www.web-street.com/thingsarelookinup/Health/Vitamins/Potassium-see-Magn
esium.shtml
A potassium deficiency affects muscles and nerves first and is
characterizedby muscle weakness, fatigue, mental confusion, irritability, weakness, heart
disturbances, and problems in nerve conduction and muscle contraction.
Somepeople experience palpitations, others find they are not processing information
quickly when potassium levels get very low.
http://www.annecollins.com/nutrition/minerals-potassium.htm
Note:
Potassium levels are depleted by certain drugs, too much coffee, salt or
alcohol. Also, potassium in vegetables can be lost in cooking water.
http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C424353.html
Sudden shortness of breath or air hunger
As you see from your experience where he had his potassium checked and then
collapsed five days after his levels were called normal, doctors and labs do
make mistakes all the time. I hope you consulted an attorney to see what to do
about his lost wages and costs for their mistake of giving the wrong pottasium
level. Doctors should be held more accountable for the people they damage.
If he doesn't know he's sick, except for the lab tests, then maybe he's not
really hyper. I guess I should ask how high were the T4 and T3 levels.
Because the TSH to many of us is not a very good indicator of anything at all. It's
main purpose seems to be cause suffering by offering an excuse not to treat
us. T4 levels are also not very relevant in hyperthyroidism, it's more
imporant where the T3 is because T3 is the active thyroid hormone.
The doctor said normal TSH was 2.5? Whereas most healthy people do have a
TSH of around 1.5, many doctors won't treat hypothyroidism if the TSH isn't
above the ranges the lab gives as normal which is typically .5 to 5.5. So, I
suppose when he had that low of .05, if you didn't mean .5, at that time it was in
the hyper range. But, if he has no hyper symptoms, and his pulse rate is
somewhere around normal. the hyperthyrodism, even if he has it is well under
control
<I'm quite scared of the side effects if he goes
<through RAI and would really appreciate alternatives.
First, he could truly be hyperthyroid. But, I have my doubts.
Second, if the doctor is suggesting RAI and he has no symptoms, other than
his TSH being low one time then the doctor is pushing him into something that he
absolutely does not need.
It's good to be scared of doctors. Studies have reported that they cause
many needless deaths. (Their own profession says so.)
Hyperthyroidism frequently goes away after being controlled for a while, and
some people keep it controlled for years, not just seven months. Many people
who have RAI regret it because they become hypothyroid and if not well treated
it means one's life is less productive and happy then it should be. And
you've given no convincing reason why RAI is needed, and even if you did, you
should also know what all the alternatives to RAI are.
It would be good to know what his resting pulse rate is. If it's low, it
could mean he's actually too hypo on the level of medicine he's on. If it's too
high, then possibly the hyper isn't contolled enough. If it were me, and my
pulse rate was under 90, I would lower the medication very slowly and see what
happened. If the pulse rate is still under 90 when fully weaned off the
Tapazole, then the "hyper" problem is nothing to worry about. Because it's only in
the doctor's head.
Skipper
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