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Help with lab results
Hello Everyone,
A few weeks ago I went to see my doctor because my neck looked kind of swollen (and it still does). My doctor sent me to get ultrasound and blood work done. The ultrasound showed increased vascularity that is consistent with autoimmune thyroiditis and possible slight increase in the size of the gland.
My labs came back normal. Here are my lab results:
TSH: 2.7 uIU/mL, range:.4-4.5
Free T4: 1.05 ng/dL, range: .8-1.7.
I also have thyroid antibodies (TPO 420 IU/mL range:<34 and Tg 83.9 IU/mL range: <19).
My current symptoms are excessive sleep, black circles under my eyes and a swollen neck. If I don't get 10 hours of sleep I wake up very very sleepy and tired. Before my thyroid problems started I used to get around 5-7 hours of sleep. Even as a kid and a teen my body didn't need SO MUCH SLEEP. I really hate having to sleep so much because I spend nearly half the day sleeping. Could these symptoms be thyroid related?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
A few weeks ago I went to see my doctor because my neck looked kind of swollen (and it still does). My doctor sent me to get ultrasound and blood work done. The ultrasound showed increased vascularity that is consistent with autoimmune thyroiditis and possible slight increase in the size of the gland.
My labs came back normal. Here are my lab results:
TSH: 2.7 uIU/mL, range:.4-4.5
Free T4: 1.05 ng/dL, range: .8-1.7.
I also have thyroid antibodies (TPO 420 IU/mL range:<34 and Tg 83.9 IU/mL range: <19).
My current symptoms are excessive sleep, black circles under my eyes and a swollen neck. If I don't get 10 hours of sleep I wake up very very sleepy and tired. Before my thyroid problems started I used to get around 5-7 hours of sleep. Even as a kid and a teen my body didn't need SO MUCH SLEEP. I really hate having to sleep so much because I spend nearly half the day sleeping. Could these symptoms be thyroid related?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Wow what a crazy story... Too bad they didn't catch it on time. I feel like doctors always try to medicate the symptoms without trying to understand the cause of the problem(s).
I saw an endocrinologist today and she said that my symptoms and palpitations are most likely not thyroid related. I asked her about the new ranges and she seemed to be aware of them. She also said that my TSH values are normal for someone with Thyroiditis/Hashimoto's antibodies and that people who don't have Thyroiditis/Hashimoto's antibodies generally have lower TSH values (.5-2.5). Apparently my thyroid is also slightly enlarged and that's also normal for people with thyroid antibodies.
It seems that my endo is just going to be watching my thyroid levels at this point. I don't know how others manage to get a thyroid medication trial when their test results are within the lab's normal range, but my doctors don't seem to think it's a good idea. So I guess I'm just going to have to suffer the symptoms until my thyroid destroys itself completely and my values go out of range :(.
I saw an endocrinologist today and she said that my symptoms and palpitations are most likely not thyroid related. I asked her about the new ranges and she seemed to be aware of them. She also said that my TSH values are normal for someone with Thyroiditis/Hashimoto's antibodies and that people who don't have Thyroiditis/Hashimoto's antibodies generally have lower TSH values (.5-2.5). Apparently my thyroid is also slightly enlarged and that's also normal for people with thyroid antibodies.
It seems that my endo is just going to be watching my thyroid levels at this point. I don't know how others manage to get a thyroid medication trial when their test results are within the lab's normal range, but my doctors don't seem to think it's a good idea. So I guess I'm just going to have to suffer the symptoms until my thyroid destroys itself completely and my values go out of range :(.
"One more Hashi’s case unrecognized by physicians", but she had no sign of visible goiter!!
My TSH was around 1.5 mU/L before Hashimoto's thyroiditis showed up. So many people are suffering from hypothyroid symptoms and not being diagnosed. One high profile case is Anna Nicole Smith who died from the combined effects of 9 different prescription drugs; those drugs were treating symptoms of undiagnosed Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
Thyroid Sexy's facebook page mentions this...
"Did you know that at autopsy, it was found that Anna Nicole Smith had untreated Hashimoto's Disease? Depression, Anxiety, Weight issues, described as a borderline personality (1/3 of borderlines have thyroid antibodies) Migraines, respiratory problems, seizures, and more. One more Hashi’s case unrecognized by physicians. She was medicated for the symptoms instead of treatment for the origin of the problem. Written off as a tragic joke in the media.
This disease is no joke, if she had been properly diagnosed and treated, she may well have lived."
Thyroid Sexy's facebook page mentions this...
"Did you know that at autopsy, it was found that Anna Nicole Smith had untreated Hashimoto's Disease? Depression, Anxiety, Weight issues, described as a borderline personality (1/3 of borderlines have thyroid antibodies) Migraines, respiratory problems, seizures, and more. One more Hashi’s case unrecognized by physicians. She was medicated for the symptoms instead of treatment for the origin of the problem. Written off as a tragic joke in the media.
This disease is no joke, if she had been properly diagnosed and treated, she may well have lived."
Thank you for your informative response. Interesting articles... I really do have some of the symptoms mentioned in 300+ Hypothyroidism Symptoms…Yes REALLY. Most of them started after my thyroid started acting up. All the strange new symptoms and medical conditions I've been experiencing are definitely on there, which is kind of encouraging. I just hope they all go away one day or once I get on thyroid medication.
I looked at my old records before my thyroid issues started and my TSH was generally around 1.7. Now it's definitely above 2.5. Seems to be consistent with The TSH Reference Range Wars: What's "Normal?", Who is Wrong, Who is Right... .
I looked at my old records before my thyroid issues started and my TSH was generally around 1.7. Now it's definitely above 2.5. Seems to be consistent with The TSH Reference Range Wars: What's "Normal?", Who is Wrong, Who is Right... .
Yes, palpitations are a possible symptom of hypothyroidism. If you want to read up on a long list of symptoms google: Hypothyroid Mom - 300+ Hypothyroidism Symptoms…Yes REALLY.
Excerpt from the article: The TSH Reference Range Wars: What's "Normal?", Who is Wrong, Who is Right...
"...the decision as to whether to initiate a trial of levothyroxine therapy is based more upon the 'art of medicine' at this time than the science."
In their article, they point to some key facts, including:
* In an iodine-sufficient population, the mean TSH is 1.5
* In African-Americans with low incidence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the mean TSH is 1.18, which suggests that "this is close to the true normal mean for a normal population"
* When people with positive antithyroid antibodies or family history of autoimmune thyroid disease are excluded from the "reference range" cohort, the normal reference range becomes .4 to 2.5"
Excerpt from the article: The TSH Reference Range Wars: What's "Normal?", Who is Wrong, Who is Right...
"...the decision as to whether to initiate a trial of levothyroxine therapy is based more upon the 'art of medicine' at this time than the science."
In their article, they point to some key facts, including:
* In an iodine-sufficient population, the mean TSH is 1.5
* In African-Americans with low incidence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the mean TSH is 1.18, which suggests that "this is close to the true normal mean for a normal population"
* When people with positive antithyroid antibodies or family history of autoimmune thyroid disease are excluded from the "reference range" cohort, the normal reference range becomes .4 to 2.5"
Thank you so much for your responses. I actually have lots of energy when I'm awake and I am very active. It's just that I need to get insane quantities of sleep in order to be able to get out of bed in the morning without feeling extremely sleepy. The thing is that doctors seem to think that my thyroid hormone values are normal so they don't think I should take thyroxine.
My TSH was rechecked a few days ago and now it's 3.6 (and still considered normal). I've also experienced additional symptoms such as heart palpitations over the past few days and they're worse than they've ever been. Is this a thyroiditis symptom too? Can thyroxine help make my palpitations go away?
My TSH was rechecked a few days ago and now it's 3.6 (and still considered normal). I've also experienced additional symptoms such as heart palpitations over the past few days and they're worse than they've ever been. Is this a thyroiditis symptom too? Can thyroxine help make my palpitations go away?
Swedish researchers investigated 219 patients (90% women) complaining of chronic fatigue for more than 1 year. Of 219 patients, 87 (40%) were diagnosed with definite cytological lymphocytic thyroiditis (autoimmune thyroid disease). The distribution of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) reference range 0.1 - 5 mU/L. In patients with chronic fatigue and lymphocytic thyroiditis, TSH values were scattered (median 3 - 8 mU/L). Clinical response to thyroxine was equally favourable among patients with lymphocytic thyroiditis irrespective of initial TSH levels. This study was published in The lancet - Volume 357, No 9260, 24 March 2001
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