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Advice PLEASE ;) HYPOTHYROIDISM???
I have suffered with Hypothyroid symptoms ever since I lost extreme amounts of weight 3 years ago! The doctor sent me for blood tests and they were all over the place! I saw a specialist at the hospital and underwent a MRI scan to check the Pituitary. My scan showed a small Rathes Cleft Cyst but was not a problem? The hospital suggested I had some Hormone Stimulating injections to see what was going on...I freaked out and quit the investigation...STUPID I KNOW!!! So here I am still suffering with the same symptoms!
I am 39 years old, 5ft 4, weight 8 stone 10
No period for 3 years
Freezing cold all the time - cold hands/feet/mauve lips and finger tips etc
Slight weight gain
Tiredness
Trouble sleeping
Mood Swings
Sudden change of mind on things!
Fluffy facial hair
Trouble growing eyebrows!
No interest in sex at all!
I have been back to the doctor and had more tests! The results are as follows!
SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL - 6.0 (should be 2.0-5.0) I do NOT lead an unhealthy lifestyle and have NO reason AT ALL for High Readings!!!!
SERUM LDL CHOLESTEROL - 3.3 (should be 1-3.0)
WHITE BLOOD COUNT - 3.8 (should be 4.0) not too bad?
NEUTROPHIL COUNT - 1.9 (should be 2.0) not bad either?
THYROID FUNCTION TEST
SERUM FREE T4 - 9.9 (should be 12-22)
SERUM FREE TRIIODOTHYRONINE - 3.7 normal?
SERUM TSH - 0.51 (should be 0.3-4.2) lowish side?
All the other results came back ok...SO please can someone help me out here and give me your views? I have researched so much on here but at times it gets confusing and too technical for me! I really would appreciate some advice asap before I go back to challenge my doctor on this!
Many MANY thanks...Hayley x
I am 39 years old, 5ft 4, weight 8 stone 10
No period for 3 years
Freezing cold all the time - cold hands/feet/mauve lips and finger tips etc
Slight weight gain
Tiredness
Trouble sleeping
Mood Swings
Sudden change of mind on things!
Fluffy facial hair
Trouble growing eyebrows!
No interest in sex at all!
I have been back to the doctor and had more tests! The results are as follows!
SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL - 6.0 (should be 2.0-5.0) I do NOT lead an unhealthy lifestyle and have NO reason AT ALL for High Readings!!!!
SERUM LDL CHOLESTEROL - 3.3 (should be 1-3.0)
WHITE BLOOD COUNT - 3.8 (should be 4.0) not too bad?
NEUTROPHIL COUNT - 1.9 (should be 2.0) not bad either?
THYROID FUNCTION TEST
SERUM FREE T4 - 9.9 (should be 12-22)
SERUM FREE TRIIODOTHYRONINE - 3.7 normal?
SERUM TSH - 0.51 (should be 0.3-4.2) lowish side?
All the other results came back ok...SO please can someone help me out here and give me your views? I have researched so much on here but at times it gets confusing and too technical for me! I really would appreciate some advice asap before I go back to challenge my doctor on this!
Many MANY thanks...Hayley x
Hello ... my test result for SERUM FREE TRIIODOTHYRONINE is 3.7 ...I spoke with the doctor today and he is referring me to the specialist at the hospital, he tried to say everything was fine but NO WAY is it!!!! Oh the doctors here are hopeless!!!!
I was meant to have hormone stimulating injections which involved about 5 hours monitoring me at the hospital, I stupidly backed out but today my doctor has referred me back there! This time I will go ahead with it ;)
Hello Gimel, thanks for your reply! I lost weight and went from 8 stone 12 to 6 stone 12! I was extreme exercising and cut all sugar and junk from my diet, I felt amazing and fit but obviously I wrecked my body! I am now back to 8 stone 10 but my body has not repaired! I have not had any other tests done like you mentioned.
The only results the doctor printed out for me are the ones I have written in my original post. The doctor called me today to say the results were fine!!!!!!!!! He also said the cholesterol was a little high and to chabge my diet!!!!!!! I am the healthiest eater going!!!!!!!!!! I pointed out to him that my results were actually worse than last years and at this point he suggested he sent me back to the endocrine dept at the hospital! Doctors just are not interested!!!!!!!!!
The only results the doctor printed out for me are the ones I have written in my original post. The doctor called me today to say the results were fine!!!!!!!!! He also said the cholesterol was a little high and to chabge my diet!!!!!!! I am the healthiest eater going!!!!!!!!!! I pointed out to him that my results were actually worse than last years and at this point he suggested he sent me back to the endocrine dept at the hospital! Doctors just are not interested!!!!!!!!!
I have no idea why you would not be able to get onto a website that is on the world wide web. Unless your government restricts it or something. That makes no sense to me. it is a website just like any other website.
Of all the sites I've gone to and read about thyroid, the national hypothyroidism dot org site may be the best one I've ever found.
This forum is by far the best discussion board.
Of all the sites I've gone to and read about thyroid, the national hypothyroidism dot org site may be the best one I've ever found.
This forum is by far the best discussion board.
I'd love to be able to access that website but it's clearly not available in Australia. I have thyroid resistance as well as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I was in a moderate/severe hyperthyroid state for two months (hashitoxicosis) when two symptom (over 24 years and approx 10 years) vanished a month into this flare up then returned when the flare up was over. *sigh*
I suspect you are very Hypo (low) thyroid.
The very low in range Free T4 test is common.
Like gimel above stated need the Free T3 test range. But I agree with him, based upon your Free T4 level and all your symptoms it would suggest the FT3 to be low in range if not below range.
"They" are saying everything is "normal" for Thyroid only because your TSH is low.
TSH is a virtually worthless test. yet the medical industry in the USA as well as Britain and most other places seem to use it as the ONLY test.
EVERY single symptom you list is consistent with Hypothyroidism. And the lack of eyebrow growth especially the outside 1/3 is maybe the single most classic symptom of pretty significant Hypothyroid there is. Sometimes referred to I believe as Queen Ann's syndrome. As portraits of her show her without the outer 1/3 of her eyebrows combined with reports of her symptoms clearly indicate she was Hypo.
Please post the reference range for the Free T3 (listed as SERUM FREE TRIIODOTHYRONINE on your lab report).
You may have to ask your Dr if he/she were to only look at your symptoms and your Free T4 and Free T3 tests and DISREGARD TSH what conclusion would he/she come to. If the Dr is worth their salt, they should come up with Hypothyroid.
Now maybe you have a pituitary issue that is causing the Hypo. But the end result is that you most likely need Thyroid medication. No sense remaining to live with feeling terrible when potentially the proper dose of medication will make you feel well!
Be prepared however and not be surprised if you have resistance by your Dr's. Several members here from the UK have found getting proper treatment and medication difficult. it is hard enough in the USA. But is considerable more difficult it seems from the UK and other nations with government run healthcare systems.
Finally I will give you a website. On that website it discusses with medical journal research backing it up about certain conditions which cause a sort of resistence of thryoid in the body. What this means is that a signifcantly HIGHER blood level of thyroid is needed in order for your body to actually get sufficient thyroid hormone into the cells. And one of these conditions that lead to this situation is a significant amount of weight loss (dieting).
The website is: http://nahypothyroidism.org
On the left hand side under topics. Look under "thyroid Hormone Transport" The entire section is a great read. But look specifically under; "conditions associated with abnormal thyroid transport" and also the section under "Dieting/weight loss/obesity/insulin resistance".
The article is backed up and footnoted extensively. And would or should lend you some support I would hope to indicate that you need to have your thyroid levels up higher than what otherwise would be deemed "normal" since you qualify for one if not more than one of the conditions that would contribute to abnormal thyroid transport.
Hope this helps
The very low in range Free T4 test is common.
Like gimel above stated need the Free T3 test range. But I agree with him, based upon your Free T4 level and all your symptoms it would suggest the FT3 to be low in range if not below range.
"They" are saying everything is "normal" for Thyroid only because your TSH is low.
TSH is a virtually worthless test. yet the medical industry in the USA as well as Britain and most other places seem to use it as the ONLY test.
EVERY single symptom you list is consistent with Hypothyroidism. And the lack of eyebrow growth especially the outside 1/3 is maybe the single most classic symptom of pretty significant Hypothyroid there is. Sometimes referred to I believe as Queen Ann's syndrome. As portraits of her show her without the outer 1/3 of her eyebrows combined with reports of her symptoms clearly indicate she was Hypo.
Please post the reference range for the Free T3 (listed as SERUM FREE TRIIODOTHYRONINE on your lab report).
You may have to ask your Dr if he/she were to only look at your symptoms and your Free T4 and Free T3 tests and DISREGARD TSH what conclusion would he/she come to. If the Dr is worth their salt, they should come up with Hypothyroid.
Now maybe you have a pituitary issue that is causing the Hypo. But the end result is that you most likely need Thyroid medication. No sense remaining to live with feeling terrible when potentially the proper dose of medication will make you feel well!
Be prepared however and not be surprised if you have resistance by your Dr's. Several members here from the UK have found getting proper treatment and medication difficult. it is hard enough in the USA. But is considerable more difficult it seems from the UK and other nations with government run healthcare systems.
Finally I will give you a website. On that website it discusses with medical journal research backing it up about certain conditions which cause a sort of resistence of thryoid in the body. What this means is that a signifcantly HIGHER blood level of thyroid is needed in order for your body to actually get sufficient thyroid hormone into the cells. And one of these conditions that lead to this situation is a significant amount of weight loss (dieting).
The website is: http://nahypothyroidism.org
On the left hand side under topics. Look under "thyroid Hormone Transport" The entire section is a great read. But look specifically under; "conditions associated with abnormal thyroid transport" and also the section under "Dieting/weight loss/obesity/insulin resistance".
The article is backed up and footnoted extensively. And would or should lend you some support I would hope to indicate that you need to have your thyroid levels up higher than what otherwise would be deemed "normal" since you qualify for one if not more than one of the conditions that would contribute to abnormal thyroid transport.
Hope this helps
Secondary (or central) hypothyroidism (caused by disorders of the pituitary gland) is suspected with low or normal TSH along with low free T4 levels and hypothyroid symptoms. A thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test can confirm the diagnosis.
Rathke Cleft Cyst is a benign cysts (fluid filled growth) in the pituitary gland. This cyst may or may not by symptomatic. An excerpt from the study "Symptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts: a report of 24 cases"...
"Symptoms at presentation included headaches (83%), hyperprolactinemia (38%), central hypothyroidism (21%), galactorrhea (13%), diabetes insipidus (13%), IGF-1 deficiency (13%), central adrenal insufficiency (8%) and visual loss (8%). In total, 37% of women had irregular menses and 60% of men sexual dysfunction and hypogonadism."
Hypothyroidism is the second most common cause of elevated cholesterol after a poor diet. Treatment for secondary hypothyroidism is to monitor free T3 and T4 levels along with the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism. TSH (a pituitary hormone) should not be used to monitor the treatment of secondary hypothyroidism.
Rathke Cleft Cyst is a benign cysts (fluid filled growth) in the pituitary gland. This cyst may or may not by symptomatic. An excerpt from the study "Symptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts: a report of 24 cases"...
"Symptoms at presentation included headaches (83%), hyperprolactinemia (38%), central hypothyroidism (21%), galactorrhea (13%), diabetes insipidus (13%), IGF-1 deficiency (13%), central adrenal insufficiency (8%) and visual loss (8%). In total, 37% of women had irregular menses and 60% of men sexual dysfunction and hypogonadism."
Hypothyroidism is the second most common cause of elevated cholesterol after a poor diet. Treatment for secondary hypothyroidism is to monitor free T3 and T4 levels along with the signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism. TSH (a pituitary hormone) should not be used to monitor the treatment of secondary hypothyroidism.
What caused the weight loss you mentioned, that occurred 3 years ago? Dieting, or other?
Have you ever been tested for the thyroid antibodies associated with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis? Those tests are TPO ab and TG ab.
Please post the reference range for the Free T3 test result. I expect the result is low in the range,but need to confirm.
Have you ever been tested for the thyroid antibodies associated with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis? Those tests are TPO ab and TG ab.
Please post the reference range for the Free T3 test result. I expect the result is low in the range,but need to confirm.
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