Aa
symptoms
Hi I have some symptoms that are causing me concern. I have an increase in white patches on my skin and after extensively googling as to what it could be I have narrowed it down to vitiligo or morphea which I believe are both caused by autoimmune illness. I don't see my doctor about this until Thursday so that he can know for sure what my skin problem is.
Other symptoms I have:
Heavy periods
Painful periods
Increase in vaginal discharge (white and thick, to the point where I can feel it coming out)
Diarrhea but mostly constipation
Noisy stomach, mostly at night
Difficulty swallowing
Irritated feeling at front of neck, sometimes progressing into temporary hoarseness
Pains in my hips
Acid reflux
Insomnia
Fatigue
Sore tongue after eating a lot of acidic foods, mostly with citric acid.
Weight loss but most recently weight gain.
Cravings for ketchup (a bit of a weird one I know!)
Autoimmune Hypothyroidism (not sure if this is another word for Hashimoto's?)
Thankyou
Other symptoms I have:
Heavy periods
Painful periods
Increase in vaginal discharge (white and thick, to the point where I can feel it coming out)
Diarrhea but mostly constipation
Noisy stomach, mostly at night
Difficulty swallowing
Irritated feeling at front of neck, sometimes progressing into temporary hoarseness
Pains in my hips
Acid reflux
Insomnia
Fatigue
Sore tongue after eating a lot of acidic foods, mostly with citric acid.
Weight loss but most recently weight gain.
Cravings for ketchup (a bit of a weird one I know!)
Autoimmune Hypothyroidism (not sure if this is another word for Hashimoto's?)
Thankyou
You need the rT3 as well as the T3/rT3 ratio is probably the most reliable marker for low cellular thyroid function.
Look for a ratio of over 20 for healthy thyroid function. (divide Free T3 by reverse T3, but make sure you are in the same unit measurement for both.)
Should your T3/rT3 ratio be below 20, then you may want to ask for natural
desiccated thyroid ( I know NHS prescribing guidelines do not allow NDT) however, should you have an issue with Levothyroxine effectiveness, an exception would be warranted under the circumstances and you should be
allowed to get a prescription for NDT.
There might be other underlying factors, but first things first.
Let me know your results, should you decide to go ahead with that and I can
give you my opinion.
Best wishes.
Niko
Look for a ratio of over 20 for healthy thyroid function. (divide Free T3 by reverse T3, but make sure you are in the same unit measurement for both.)
Should your T3/rT3 ratio be below 20, then you may want to ask for natural
desiccated thyroid ( I know NHS prescribing guidelines do not allow NDT) however, should you have an issue with Levothyroxine effectiveness, an exception would be warranted under the circumstances and you should be
allowed to get a prescription for NDT.
There might be other underlying factors, but first things first.
Let me know your results, should you decide to go ahead with that and I can
give you my opinion.
Best wishes.
Niko
Thankyou for getting back to me, my latest thyroid function tests have come back normal - TSH: 2.50 normal range 0.2-4.2, Free T3: 4.6 normal range 3.9-6.7 and Free T4: 15.7 normal range 12-22.
The nurse I spoke to at the time of the blood test was shocked that I was on as much Levothyroxine as I was on and she said I was on a lot for a small person like myself. (100mcg)
I'll look into the temperature test.
The nurse I spoke to at the time of the blood test was shocked that I was on as much Levothyroxine as I was on and she said I was on a lot for a small person like myself. (100mcg)
I'll look into the temperature test.
Hey Jaysee4. Welcome to the forum.
Look (deeper) into untreated or under-treated hypothyroidism,
as many of your symptoms including vitiligo, are typical signs
of hypothyroidism.
If you're getting treatment based on T3, T4 and TSH serum testing,
you may be getting inadequate thyroid treatment, since these tests do not necessarily indicate cellular thyroid function.
NHS may not cover Free T3, Free T4 and Reverse T3 for proper thyroid testing. If not covered, you should consider getting them done, anyway,
even if must pay for them or at least consider doing the Dr. Barnes Basal Temperature self-test.
Just do a search and follow the simple instructions precisely.
Hope this helps, however, my comments are not intended as a replacement for medical advice.
Cheers!
Niko
Look (deeper) into untreated or under-treated hypothyroidism,
as many of your symptoms including vitiligo, are typical signs
of hypothyroidism.
If you're getting treatment based on T3, T4 and TSH serum testing,
you may be getting inadequate thyroid treatment, since these tests do not necessarily indicate cellular thyroid function.
NHS may not cover Free T3, Free T4 and Reverse T3 for proper thyroid testing. If not covered, you should consider getting them done, anyway,
even if must pay for them or at least consider doing the Dr. Barnes Basal Temperature self-test.
Just do a search and follow the simple instructions precisely.
Hope this helps, however, my comments are not intended as a replacement for medical advice.
Cheers!
Niko
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