Thyroid symptoms? Possibly?

[quarterhorselady]

Ok, here goes...

I've read and read so many of your comments, and things all over the net, I really feel like you folks have the best grasp on this, better then dr's it seems!

I'm begining to feel as if I'm crazy, or a hypocondriac (sp?) Since a teenager, and I'm 33 now, I've not felt...well..NORMAL! I'm so tired, when I see others never tired. I want a clean house, I crave a clean house, but darn if I'm just not sooo tired all the time, so I do a lil', then a lil' more, then exhausted. No matter how much I exercise, I ride horses, I farm...and I see how MUCH others eat, I never eat near that much...and I gain, or stay at the same weight, about thirty pounds over. ..
My chest, and the area around my left breast, is always tight, sore, odd feeling. My ears itch....all the time.
I have pimply skin break outs, even at my age.
I have terrible migraines, Terrible, throwing up, can't live, four five times a month, migraines.
My period has NEVER been normal, it's usally 5-6 weeks in between.
I can't sleep, it's the weirdest thing...I always feel...um...awake, lots of times at night, where I'm soo tired during the day...
Then the worst...the moodiness. I FEEL like I want to be happy, I love my life..but ohh do I get moody at the drop of a hat...

So about six months ago, when I would lift my chin, or stretch, I felt like...um something tight, at the base of my throat. It really scared me for a few days, weeks. Sometimes I almost felt like I was choking.
I asked the dr. to do test, he just wanted to put me on depression medicine, though, honestly, I love my life, it wasn't quite a depressed feeling, it's just a feeling I've learned to live with. I can't explain it. Then as I was "ticking" off they symptoms, I felt almost like, he was internally rolling his eyes...saying "ok...this woman is a tad nuts"...
Which didn't help, because I was begining to questions myself, like maybe I WAS going nuts. SOOO finally he did the blood test to check my thyroid. Called me back two days later, said "it's fine, your levels are normal"...I think you need to be on depression meds.
So I've been reading, and reading, and reading ....and your all's comments and questions have OPENED my eyes. It's like "wow, these folks could be ME!" in alot of your forums.
All this being said....Some honest opinions on whats going on with me, well it would be great. Really great. Does anyone out there have ALL these things also? Ohhh theres more, odd, weird things. Like the fact that I sit on the inner porch at my mom's, because it's soooo hot in her house...or atleast, I seem to think so all the time. I get soo hot, and light headed soo easily. And the weirdest one, I've never much, but more and more in the last few years, I've sorta STOPPED sweating. I know that one sounds crazy...but I don't seem to sweat! Or prespire I guess....I would so appreciate some advice on this, or steps in a direction that could help. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, to anyone that does.

[toni2251]

Hi it's probably free t4 and its on the low side. Ill let the experts address it better. You have a right to good health care. Do not let these doctors or nurses intimidate you, and I will tell you I have learned not a lot but everything from this website. Don't let them tell you you shouldn't listen. If I would have listen to them I would still be on antidepressants. No thank you!

[quarterhorselady]

ok, sooooo...I called, I demanded another blood test, along with all the ones you all advised. The nurse was really short with me, told me I outta not listen to online dr.s that it's ridiculous it image someone behind a key board knows more then my long time dr. I politely told her to shove it, I pay almost $500 a month for insurance, and I want my test. I then I asked her for the last blood work. She quickly went through them, and this is what I wrote down, Hoping I wrote it down correctly :)

Ohh..and she told me again....these are normal.....if they weren't normal..the dr. would know....But they seem odd to me :/

TSH - 1.27   *and I think this is the rang part right? .49-4.67
3T4-  .90  .   *.61-1.12

Do those make anysense to anyone? They are just numbers to me, I don't quite understand them. Thanks!!

[Barb135]

If your doctor refuses to do the necessary testing, there are online sites from which you can order the tests as well.  A thyroid panel (TSH, Free T3 and Free T4) costs about $85.   Unfortunately, these tests aren't covered by insurance, but sometimes, getting them done, then taking the results to your doctor will get their attention.

Because of the extreme fatigue, do make sure you get that vitamin B12 done.

Don't hesitate to find a different doctor, if yours won't pay attention.

[quarterhorselady]

Lord, I can't explain how good it feels to "hear" your words. I really appreciate every single sentence, and the minutes you took to tell me all this. Now darn, stop crying! lol, Alright, I am literally writing down everything ya all said, along with the test I should ask for. It is such a great feeling to have someone else tell you "ok, thats not right, you need to do this!" First thing tom. morning, I'm calling, I'm going to tick down these things, and tell them I want them done. If he refuses, I'll go elsewhere. This is what I needed to get a backbone I suppose, where as I've felt embarrassed, like some sort of weird sick person, to push the issue. Thank you, each and every one of you. Thank you, I took it all to heart, and I'm going to follow through with these test. I'll also ask for my numbers of my "normal" blood test, and let you all know, your right, maybe they are all that "normal" :)

[gimel]

I seriously doubt that your thyroid tests were as "perfect" as the doctor described.  Your doctor should have reacted to your having all those hypothyroid like symptoms and done more testing.  Likely you would have found out that you were starting to have symptoms due to the most frequent cause for diagnosed hypothyroidism, which is Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  With Hashi's the autoimmune system erroneously identifies the thyroid gland as foreign to the body and produces antibodies to attack and destroy.  this results in diminishing production of thyroid hormone as the gland is destroyed over an extended period.  Along the way, increasing dosage of thyroid med is required, as necessary to relieve symptoms.  

If your doctor only tested for TSH, that is totally inadequate as the sole diagnostic for thyroid status.  If further testing was done, but results fell within the lower half of the ranges, then that is frequently associated with being hypothyroid.  The ranges are far too broad.  Members say that symptom relief required Free T3 in the upper third of its range and Free T4 around the middle of its range.

A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation.  The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment.  In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate
criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

So, if you haven't been tested for Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, Vitamin D, B12, ferritin, and tests for the thyroid antibodies, TPO ab and TG ab, then you should insist that those be done right away.  If already tested, then please post results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  You should also pursue getting started on thyroid medication.

[Dream_ers]

Hi, im no expert but i believed for the last year that i was having hypothyroid like symptoms. I was feeling so tired and exhausted but i couldnt pinpoint anything as i had so many symptoms. I was gaining weight and i could never keep it off even though before I could eat what i liked. I even took it upon myself in the last month to eat less and less and still the weight stayed. Through out the year they tested my blood and thyroid was fine everything was fine bar my platelets  due to platelet problem. I was told that wouldnt make me tired. Anyway, i was feeling worse and at the end of they year my vitamin d was lowsuddenly(get that checked) and then a month later my thyroid came back border hypothyroid. Sometimes it may take a while for that to show up. I was told four years ago that my eye looked puffy and he felt my hands said they were cold. But all my tests were fine. Though at the time i was perfect. You should get vit d and thyroid again, Hope you feel better.

[gimel]

I agree with toni2251.  You have a lot of symptoms that we often hear about from hypothyroid patients.  Make sure they test you for Free T3, Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and T4), Reverse T3, and TSH.  To determine the possibility of Hashimoto's, the most common cause for hypothyroidism, the tests are TPO ab and TG ab.  Need both of those done.  Since hypo patients are frequently too low in the range for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin, you should also get those done.  If the doctor resists and says these are not necessary, you should insist on all of them and don't take no for an answer.  

[toni2251]

Your thyroid can throw off many things in your body. My sinuses wouldn't heal. Who would have known it was my thyroid?  They told me I was fine even after testing me for antibodies and confirming I had hashimotos. They did not medicate me for six months then undermedicated me for almost a year. Call your doc and ask for your lab work results then post them on here to get advice. Also I would get a CBC ( complete blood count done) to check your blood levels and I would ask for a full thyroid panel blood test and make sure that includes your antibody test. A lot of docs will try to put you on antidepressants. Don't let them.  Be your own advocate and ignore them when they treat you like your crazy. You know your body. Remember you are your best advocate and don't be intimidated by anyone when it comes to you health. Oh lastly, keep stress and worry to a minimum. Stress will really mess your body up. Keep us posted.