Myxedema

HDD

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Does anyone else have this? Is the inability to pinch arm skin a true test? Does this indicate pathological hypothyroidism?

I am reading "Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic" by Mark Starr. In his book it states that if you cannot pinch the skin on upper arm, then you have hypothyroidism. I have been checking my family out and at least one other member is like mine.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?
 

mmartian

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I'm pretty sure my girlfriend has this pretty bad around her jowl/jawline. I thought it was water retention for the longest time, but the more I researched it, I've come to realize it's myxedema. She can't pinch the skin on her upper/outer arm, either. I think I read somewhere that the mucopolysaccharides tend to accumulate towards the top of the body — that's why people have this thick, puffy skin around their face, neck and arms. I've seen some old school pictures of thyroid supplements really helping the myxedema around the face especially. She's going to start thyroid supplementation soon, so hopefully it'll help!
 
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My sister-in-law has it around her jaw line and she is on prescription thyroid medicine. I am not sure what she is using. There should be a difference after taking thyroid. The pictures in the book I have show results after one month.
 

Bluebell

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I have read that book and seen various pictures of myxedema, but how does it actually look around the jawline?

Just puffy, like fat, or does the size increase in the upper neck with sag as well?
 
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Bluebell said:
I have read that book and seen various pictures of myxedema, but how does it actually look around the jawline?

Just puffy, like fat, or does the size increase in the upper neck with sag as well?


I am not sure. With my sister in-law, it makes her neck disappear. My son is very puffy looking. Like he is swollen. Used to think it was weight gain, because he was bulking to lift weights. His hands are puffy too.
 

jaguar43

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Haagendazendiane said:
Does anyone else have this? Is the inability to pinch arm skin a true test? Does this indicate pathological hypothyroidism?

I am reading "Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic" by Mark Starr. In his book it states that if you cannot pinch the skin on upper arm, then you have hypothyroidism. I have been checking my family out and at least one other member is like mine.


I would say that it is hormone imprinting. Its very common with young people, they look swollen versus the older population with a very big stomach. But the medical institutions label it as fat, overweight, and gluttony.

http://www.google.com/search?gs_rn=26&g ... 4APmnoCIDQ

Yea I have it, so does my mother and sister. Also check at your upper thigh, people with big legs usually have it on their legs. Your upper arm should be loose as your skin on your elbow.

I take cynoplus and cynomel, t4 is very important if you have myxedema. Sometimes you need larger dosage than normal.

I am surprise that ray doesn't talk about it much. I think its important...
 
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I don't tend to have big legs but I cannot pinch the skin on my upper thigh either. I have come to the conclusion that I do need to take thyroid. I am pretty sure one of my sons needs it, also. The meds. scare me especially if I think about dosing for my son who is on other meds.

Thanks, jag. Maybe RP doesn't talk about it because it is another symptom of hypothyroidism and treatment will basically be the same.
 
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Received McGavack's' "The Thyroid" today and it has a few chapters on Myxedema. It is broken down like this: Cretinism, After Maturity, Adult Myxedema and Dyspituitrous Myxedema.
 

jaguar43

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Haagendazendiane said:
Received McGavack's' "The Thyroid" today and it has a few chapters on Myxedema. It is broken down like this: Cretinism, After Maturity, Adult Myxedema and Dyspituitrous Myxedema.

I going to check that book out. thanks.
 

Bluebell

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jag2594 said:
Yea I have it, so does my mother and sister. Also check at your upper thigh, people with big legs usually have it on their legs. Your upper arm should be loose as your skin on your elbow.

I take cynoplus and cynomel, t4 is very important if you have myxedema. Sometimes you need larger dosage than normal.

I am surprise that ray doesn't talk about it much. I think its important...

jag2594, hasn't the cynoplus and cynomel taken away the myxedema, how long have you been on it?

I'd hope the myx might go in around 6 months or so - at a wild guess. How long do you think it'll take?
 

jaguar43

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Bluebell said:
jag2594 said:
Yea I have it, so does my mother and sister. Also check at your upper thigh, people with big legs usually have it on their legs. Your upper arm should be loose as your skin on your elbow.

I take cynoplus and cynomel, t4 is very important if you have myxedema. Sometimes you need larger dosage than normal.

I am surprise that ray doesn't talk about it much. I think its important...

jag2594, hasn't the cynoplus and cynomel taken away the myxedema, how long have you been on it?

I'd hope the myx might go in around 6 months or so - at a wild guess. How long do you think it'll take?

I lost 20 pounds in three months on cynomel and cynoplus and the myxedema seems to be less than before.
 
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jag2594 said:
Haagendazendiane said:
Received McGavack's' "The Thyroid" today and it has a few chapters on Myxedema. It is broken down like this: Cretinism, After Maturity, Adult Myxedema and Dyspituitrous Myxedema.

I going to check that book out. thanks.

@jag. Have you read Broda Barnes, "Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness"? I was reading the chapter, "The Hypertension Association" and he gives a history of a myxedema patient that had a neglected thyroid deficiency in hypertension. It is very sobering.

I wanted to thank you for mentioning myxedema on this forum.
 

kiran

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I just increased my thyroid dose after reading this topic. Thanks Hdd!
 

jaguar43

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Haagendazendiane said:
jag2594 said:
Haagendazendiane said:
Received McGavack's' "The Thyroid" today and it has a few chapters on Myxedema. It is broken down like this: Cretinism, After Maturity, Adult Myxedema and Dyspituitrous Myxedema.

I going to check that book out. thanks.

@jag. Have you read Broda Barnes, "Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness"? I was reading the chapter, "The Hypertension Association" and he gives a history of a myxedema patient that had a neglected thyroid deficiency in hypertension. It is very sobering.

I wanted to thank you for mentioning myxedema on this forum.

Thanks for the cite of Barnes, I do have high blood pressure and it has gone down since starting.

No problem, I always thought there was more to the story than just being overweight.
 

Swandattur

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This is interesting about myxedema. My older son has a puffy looking face. I can't pinch the skin on my legs or on the outside of my upper arms. Hmm..
 
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From "Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness":

Myxedema is the reaction in adulthood to lack of thyroid hormone, either because the thyroid gland wastes away or has to be removed, or because of failure of the pituitary gland to stimulate thyroid activity.



Barnes also says myxedema is rare. I am not sure about the arm/leg pinch being conclusive. I would like to know Ray Peat's thoughts on this.

I
 

charlie

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I do not think it is so rare anymore.
 
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From "The Thyroid" by Thomas McGavack- copyright, 1951

Incidence.- Myxedema is a relatively common disorder.

There are probably no statistics in existence which accurately measure the number of cases of myxedema, for undoubtedly many of the milder cases and some of the more severe ones go unrecognized for several years.
 

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