How much weight are you likely to gain when you have thyroid problems - and can you lose this weight if you take thyroid medication?

THYROID ALERT -- Hypothyroidism can remain undetected and misdiagnosed for many years because its symptoms mimic other health problems. Ask your doctor about the disease if you have several of these symptoms or conditions: slow heartbeat, elevated cholesterol, infertility, anemia, muscle weakness or stiffness.

OUCH! -- Back and neck pain can be caused by the way you sleep. You can stress neck ligaments if you sleep on your stomach or on a pile of fluffy pillows. Sleeping on your back or side with one supportive pillow or a neck roll puts less stress on your neck and spine.

EYE OPENING INFO -- Dirty contact-lens cases can cause a painful and potentially eye damaging complication called corneal ulcer. The microorganisms that cause the infection can be found in cases and on the lenses. Clean your case with saline daily and replace the case every six months.

HELP FOR MIGRAINE SUFFERERS -- Large daily doses of vitamin B2 may help prevent migraine headaches. After three months, patients taking 400 milligrams daily of vitamin B2 reported 37% fewer migraines than comparable patients not taking the vitamin.

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS FOR DIABETICS -- By the time diabetic sufferers are diagnosed, many already have damage from the complications of diabetes. What can you do if you have or are predisposed to diabetes? Dr. Podell of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, recommends taking supplements. Painful nerve damage from diabetes is one of this illness's most feared complications. Although there are no effective medicinal treatments, recent research has shown that primrose oil can prevent and partly reverse the nerve-damage process. Diabetics also prove to be deficient in vitamins and minerals, like vitamin E, zinc, magnesium and, occasionally, chromium. These deficiencies may reflect a reduced ability to absorb and utilize nutrients. Less common nutrients, like bioflavonoids, amino acids and coenzymes, are also useful. In 1995, an Italian study found that the amino acid taurine reversed the abnormal tendency of blood platelets to clot as they do in diabetes. Diabetics have a greater need than most people for these specific nutrients.

GET YOUR FLUIDS -- Drink six to eight glasses of fluids throughout the day, whether you are thirsty or not. About 15 to 30 minutes before exercising, drink 4 to 8 oz. of fluids. While exercising, drink 4 to 8 oz. of fluids at 15-minute intervals. After exercising, drink at least 8 to 16 oz. of fluids.

CAN'T REMEMBER A THING? -- Preliminary studies show that lecithin, a plant extract found in health food stores, may help improve the memory. The lecithin stimulates one of the brain's chemicals, choline. Researchers gave 41 healthy adults 2 tablespoons of lecithin a day for 5 weeks. After this time, their scores on memory tests rose by 20%.

MELATONIN UPDATE -- Researchers say that melatonin is perfectly safe and also shows promise in preventing cancer and the build-up of cholesterol. Melatonin originates in the pineal gland, the part of the brain that keeps the body's clock in synch. When the sun goes down, the eyes signal the gland to start pumping melatonin. In response, the body temperature falls, metabolism slows and we prepare for sleep. As we age, the pineal gland pumps less and less melatonin, which may be why many elderly people have trouble sleeping.

Many travelers praise the use of melatonin to ease jet lag. For east bound travelers, jet lag may be eased by taking 5 mg at 6 p.m. (Pacific time) on the day of the flight, followed by the same dose before bed for the next several days. For west bound travelers, they should take 5 mg upon arrival, then take 5 mg at 11 pm local time for the next several days.

Melatonin users should experiment with dosage and timing to see what works best for them. To date, the only side effects have been grogginess, headaches, and mild depressio