Hypothyroidism with weight loss

[Mynx537]

I have recently been told I have hypothyroidism, however my weight has been going up and down regardless of what I eat and I have developed other symptoms over the past day or two.

In November 2011 I was told I had high thyroid hormones but within 3 months my levels normalized. A year later my thyroid hormones went low and I was put on Levothyroxine. I started to gain a bit of weight even though I was under the impression the Levothyroxine would have made me lose weight.

I have now lost weight again and my body mass index is now in the "underweight" category. I don't know what it is I'm doing wrong as I've been eating well and I have cut my activity level down so as not to burn any unnecessary weight off. My weight is currently 7 stone 6 pounds or 106 pounds. It was 8 stone or 112 pounds 3 weeks ago.

My doctor is now keeping an eye on me as they are worried about the amount of weight I have recently lost, more so the fact that it is going up and down a lot. An ACTH stimulation test came back normal and coeliac profile was negative. One thing that has come back positive recently is a positive ANA (speckled) on HeP2 but according to my endocrinologist I have no inflammatory markers apart from hyperpigmentation around my eyes and on my legs and back. I also have light white dots on my arms and get Raynaud's attacks when the weather is very cold.

Today I have been sweating a lot more, one of my hands developed a very bad tremor and I have been feeling warm yet temperature readings have always shown my body temperature to be low. I do not know what's going on or if my doctor should be consulted sooner about this. I am not due to be seen again for another week.

Thanks for your help.

[TheLightSeeker]

Hi Mynx.

I'm glad you posted these findings.

It seems that you may be in a loop because of some deficiencies.
The low ferritin is likely a co-factor in your hypothyroid AND also
your hypothyroid may contribute in your low ferritin, so it becomes like a double edged sword.
I can explain this another time in more detail, but please mention this to your
healh care professional ASAP!

Also the high RBC is consistent with your symptom improvement during menstruation, but it should be addressed.
One of the causes could be dehydration, so that's an easy one to correct,
if that is indeed the cause, but if not, please make sure that you look into it,
as it might be something of greater concern over time, if it persists.

Vitamin D3, I would recommend 5000 IU daily, but please consider sublingual drops for better absorption. And try to get some natural sun light on your body, now that the weather is improving.
I just spent a few weeks on the Pacific coast of mexico-sunny every single day!-and it felt wonderful.

I'm presently at work, however, I will look into your other results, and if anything significant comes up, I will let you know.

Cheers!
Niko

[Mynx537]

Thanks for your reply.

Other lab results which have come back abnormal are:

LH (Luetenising Hormone) - 1.4 IU/L (follicular phase 3.2-8.0, luteal phase 2.4-72)

Urea - 1.6 mmol/L (2.5-7.8)

Vitamin D - 43.6 (>75) - Supplementing with Vitamin D 3000IU

Ferritin - 22 (30-400)

Red blood cell count - 4.94 (3.80-4.80)

That's it I think.

Thanks :)

[TheLightSeeker]

The ANA titre is of no diagnostic value up to 1:80 as it is considered
negative even if it is positive, since larger number of healthy individuals
can be found with lower titres as well. This number declines as the titres go up.

Also reverse T3 and free T4 is very useful to properly assess thyroid function.

Pathogenic infectious agents in a low level infection, may not show in blood tests as they could be at the time of testing in the tissues, but please feel free to post lab results from those tests, if it is not too much trouble.

Cheers!
Niko

[Mynx537]

Thanks for your reply.

Sorry, what markers do you need from my test results? I have complete blood test results from a few months ago if this helps.

The naturopath I will be seeing I think does urine tests so I will ask her when I see her.

Cheers

[TheLightSeeker]

Lupus diagnostic criteria developed by the American College of Rheumatology. If one has 4 out of the 11 following criteria at present or in the recent  past, the is a great likelihood of having Lupus.
( A Thyroid Consultant is not the specialist to diagnose Lupus as Lupus falls in the field of Rheumatology )

1.Malar rash – a rash over the cheeks and nose, often in the shape of a butterfly
2.Discoid rash – a rash that appears as red, raised, disk-shaped patches
3.Photosensitivity – a reaction to sun or light that causes a skin rash to appear or get worse
4.Oral ulcers – sores appearing in the mouth
5.Arthritis – joint pain and swelling of two or more joints in which the bones around the joints do not become destroyed
6.Serositis – inflammation of the lining around the lungs (pleuritis) or inflammation of the lining around the heart that causes chest pain which is worse with deep breathing (pericarditis)
7.Kidney disorder – persistent protein or cellular casts in the urine
8.Neurological disorder – seizures or psychosis
9.Blood disorder – anemia (low red blood cell count), leukopenia (low white blood cell count), lymphopenia (low level of specific white blood cells), or thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
10.Immunologic disorder –anti-DNA or anti-Sm or positive antiphospholipid antibodies
11.Abnormal antinuclear antibody (ANA)

Absence of inflammatory markers DOES NOT rule out Lupus!
I'm in no way suggesting you may have Lupus, but medical investigation
based only on common symptom presentation - or their absence, as in your case -  is an improper and incomplete diagnostic procedure to my opinion.

In regards to your treatment for hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine ,  in the event that you may have low adrenal function unfortunately will make matters worse.
I'll explain briefly without going into many technical details.

When the adrenals are fatigued, their ability to manage stress in regards to
basic functions of the body and energy production is diminished.
Energy production is down-regulated as a survival mechanism, under the direction of adrenals, so attempting to improve thyroid function by taking Levothyroxine to improve energy output, will likely fail, since it is going against what the body needs for recovery in adrenal fatigue-a low energy state.
That is why it is important to consider the adrenal test profile ( a simple saliva test) at this point, in order to confirm that your present treatment is appropriate, before any further complications - like advanced stage adrenal exhaustion-develop.

Forgive me for suggesting such possibilities, however, I like to err on the side of caution when it comes to important health matters, unlike many
health professionals these days, who due to time constraints, questionable
protocols and many other factors may be putting patients at unnecessary additional risks!

For Leaky Gut, there's a very simple urine test called PEG.
Very common with Leaky Gut is a yeast imbalance/candida, which you
can check on your own , by doing an easy saliva test at home.
It only takes minutes. Just do a search for it online.

Hope you get some answers that will help you recover soon.
Please let me know if you need any more details.
I could not comment on your test results as some vital markers where not available.

Best wishes.
Niko

[Mynx537]

Sorry, also to add to my answer: a thyroid consultant I saw has said I have no inflammatory markers so surely Lupus is not likely?

And as Lupus has a characteristic butterfly rash across the cheeks I do not have this. Other symptoms indicative of Lupus are:

Low-grade fever (I do not have)
Photosensitivity (My eyes are sensitive to bright sunlight)
Fatigue (I have put this down to the hypothyroidism)
Loss of appetite (I have put this down to the hypothyroidism)
Ulcers (I have got a persistent dry area of skin on my lip, not sure if an ulcer)
Joint pain (I do not have)
Poor sleep quality (Recently developed)

Thanks

[Mynx537]

Thanks for your reply.

ANA - positive (HeP2 = Speckled) No titre.

FT3 - 5.5 (4.1-6.8 I think)

No FT4

No Reverse T3

TSH - 3.6 (0.27-4.2)

TPOab - 41,000 (<34)

I do have an adrenal stress test kit at home but I cannot use it yet as I have not been on the Levothyroxine for very long.

I will be seeing a naturopath at my local health centre for advice into "leaky gut".

Thank you

[TheLightSeeker]

You may have to see a Rheumatologist to rule out Lupus.
Please indicate your lab results (ANA titre)

Did you have Free T3, Free T4 and Reverse T3  tested?
These are the ones that indicate cellular function for thyroid.
The conventional testing only indicates blood levels.
Thyroid function matters IN the cells! Hard to convince endocrinologists and I think NHS may not even "allow" proper thyroid testing.
The medical model here is somewhat distorted, to my opinion.

Also your hypothyroidism may be secondary to low adrenal function, with both imbalances being the primary 2 conditions with low body temperatures.
This should be ruled out, otherwise your treatment with Levothyroxine,
would be contra-indicated until your adrenal function is restored (often in this case the thyroid function may return to normal levels as well)
This could explain your fluctuating symptoms and the lack of resolve.

An adrenal stress profile test (urine test) might be of greater diagnostic value than the ACTH.

You may have to step outside the NHS and seek a Holistic minded physician or Naturopathic Doctor to help you with this.

Note that my suggestions are not intended as a substitute for medical advice.

Best wishes.
Niko