i need help

[luvmypaint]

I feel terrible,fatigue,very sleepy all the time,20 lbs overweight,dry skin,brittle thin fingernails,no hair on my legs or armpits and thining dry brittle hair. I've been having headaches daily and vision disturbances.Had my thyroid checked again and again and it always was fine. just had it checked again and have a low T4 free.I have constant joint pain and leg and feet swelling.I can't find a good Dr to treat my symptoms.What can I do to get some help. My job is affected and my life.I have brain fatigue and feel like a zombie somedays and depression.Should i start on my own and take Iodine and kelp maybe to help? I'm desperate for some relief.

[gimel]

Don't understand the advice to wait for two months.  What is the risk to starting you on a low level of meds and then test in two months and see if it has improved your symptoms and raised the T4 level?  Your low temperature is yet another indicator of low metabolism/hypothyroidism.  
Is there no other doctor you could go to?

[luvmypaint]

i went and talked to my dr and he says yes my t4 is very low but we will retest you in 2 months and see if it goes up.arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!so i guess in the mean time beings im getting swelling, severe fatigue,daily headaches and dizzyness feeling like i could pass out means nothing.he says that it is probly just a reaction to the cold weve had here.well anyways i did put myself on kelp.hopefully this helps out a little because i did cut my self off salt 3 yrs ago.so im hoping this is the cause.sometimes i wonder why even go to the dr just lay down and die or help yourself they dont do a thing for you.blowing off steam is all.by the way temp in am before i get out of bed is 95.

[gimel]

Not surprised that you were not tested for free T3.  Unfortunately, this is very normal procedure.  Your free T4 is at the very low end of the usual range I'm familiar with.  In view of this and your symptoms,  you should insist on a free T3 test.  You might get some useful info from this link, and then give a copy of it to your doctor and discuss it.   Some doctors are offended by you questioning their actions, others are sometimes willing to at least discuss it.  

http://www.hormonerestoration.com/Thyroid.html

Good luck and let us know how things go.

[luvmypaint]

thanks for all you comments.my T4 free was 0.7 my tsh was 1.43 and they didnt check my T3 for some reason.i get so frustrated i have 32 symptoms of hypo and no one will listen or even try and treat the symptoms.some of my symptoms are controlling my life and its getting very hard to go to work.no history that i know of in my family but we all have some kind of autoimmune disease thats undiagnoised.do any of you take iodine and kelp? i read that may help. Should i try it or will that ruin my labs and chances of getting help.thanks for listening nice to know someone will listen. shellie

[acrogirl]

Definitely don't give up trying to find out what is wrong.  Do you see an endocrinologist?  Not that they are perfect, but are definitely better trained at dealing with hormone issues.  I was recently diagnosed with acromegaly (pituitary tumor that secreted growth hormone).  Pituitary tumors can cause the symptoms you are describing as well so make sure they are looking at more than your thyroid as well.  Pit tumors (benign) are extremely common and are in most cases overlooked.    Stay strong and keep us updated!   I definitley know how you feel.  My fatigue has been terrible for quite a while and is definitely affecting my quality of life.  

[gimel]

Before you get concerned about anything worse than hypothyroidism, we should have a look at your lab test results and reference ranges.  If you don't have these, then you need to get a copy and post these data here for review and comment.  You would not believe how many people we hear from who have been told that their thyroid is "normal", but who have many symptoms of hypothyroidism.  I'd be willing to bet you a good cup of coffee that you haven't even been tested for free T3, which correlates better to symptoms than any of the others, by far.

[MANmom]

Try to convince your doctor to do a thyroid ultrasound...my hormones were all within normal range, yet I still had 4 nodules that turned out to be cancerous.  The only hormone that too high was my TPOab, which was positive.  It is sometimes an indication of cancer, in my case that was true.  My symptoms were higher than normal blood pressure, tiredness, no ability to regulate my temperature, night sweats, foggy brain and horribly clumsy, joint/tendon pain in my elbows, swallowing and hoarseness difficulties, but I actually lost weight.  Do you have any history of thyroid disease in your family?  I do, two of my brothers and my dad were all hypo.