Whats wrong with me?

[suspect under active thyroid]

Hi, I am 25 years old, very, very hairy, i control it by grooming myself. I sometimes feel very tired some days, some times even feeling slightly depressed, but have previously put this down to working too hard and trying to hard to take care of my family. I love to exercise, but find it really hard lose weight, when i do lose weight I easily put it back on again! its like i'm up against a brick wall all the time! I also dont eat too much.

I never really paid any attention to my over hairyiness or tireness, although the weight problem has always been frustrating! But my mother has recently been diagnosed with an under active thyroid, and after taking medication she has lost weight and feel miles better in herself.

I am starting to wonder now if this could be a problem passed down to me from my mother, could this be? I was hairless until i was 16 and then it all just came from no where! and when i think about it, the weight problem started shortly after.

It was only after my mother was diagnosed with this problem that i started to piece the jigsaw together, i am reluctant to go to my GP, i hate wasting peoples time and i am not to keen on the visiting the doctors.

Is there any one with any advice for me and i am getting rather tired of the whole situation.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

In order to diagnose a thyroid condition - you need to have testing.  Tell your GP your mom's story and your symptoms and thyroid will likely be tested.  Given the hair growth, the GP may also refer you to an endocrinologist for additional testing.

[cosmicsoul]

hair problem may have to do with hormonal inbalance especially testosterone level and lack of progesterin?
get a comprehensive thyroid panel test (TPO antibodies, T4, T3, FreeT4, FreeT3 and TSH tested.). TSH should be lower than 2. Lab range says that up to 5.5 is normal. For this reason many people are under treated. Many doctor believes that (including the one on this forum) that a TSH is high or borderline high above 2 or 3. Check into these things! Good luck!

[1547]

cosmicsoul, are you an MD?  If so, keep on dispensing advice.  If not, please let the MD do the diagnosing on this forum.  I don't know why you think you have the right and/or expertise to diagnose people by reading a few lines they type on here.  

You are playing with people's health here.  Please confine your "diagnoses" to the regular forum and let the doctor do his thing here.  This forum does not benefit from your internet medical advice.

[alaw37]

In Nov. '06 started with symptoms - fatique, heavy men. pd.- hair loss,weight gain and edema - had just had a baby in June - 06 - so attributed all to that.  Then I started having a cough and wheezing - non-smoker or other pulm. problems - worsens for several hours after eating. Hoarseness, ear pain and stuffiness - feeling of lump in throat.  Went to ENT - CT scan done and thyroid blood work - diagnose with hypothyroid with a nodule on posterior right side of throid (exactly where I feel fullness) started on synthroid 25mcg in April - no improvement in symptoms after 9 wks - back to ENT - levels redrawn - meds increased to 50 mcg.  - on that since June 22 - no improvement - swallowing is harder and throat and neck pain worse - got a referral for endocrinologist but can't be seen 'til August 15 - really feel I need a biopsy.  What is recommendation?  All I have researched says not to treat a symptomatic nodule with Synthroid.  I just don't seem to be improving.  Am I being impatient?  ENT did not rec. biopsy due to odd location and diff. access to nodule.  I am very frustrated and fear this needs to come out!  I have a host of symptoms from joint pain to skin problems - but wheezingn is most disturbing
-Hashimotos ruled out with antibody test. Help!  Thank you!!!