Treatment for Hypothyroid

[AMSibal]

My TSH w/ reflex tested at 4.044  (reference range 0.358-3.740).  I had a referral to an endocrinologist and my GP decided that the endocrinologist could handle my case.  The endocrinologist performed other blood tests which she described as "normal" and will not prescribe any medicine for the hypothyroid indicated by the previous test.  I'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.  Are there any doctors who would prescribe medicine for the aforementioned test given a patient's fatigue, nightly hives and sudden weight gain (12 lbs in 2 weeks despite running 15 miles/day)?  Where are these doctors?  I'm running out of patience...and energy.

[Barb135]

Will look forward to seeing actual labs.  There are a lot of things that can contribute to thyroid-like symptoms, so I'm glad you finally got someone to prescribe med for you and to do more extensive testing.

Do be sure to get copies of all your labs and keep them for your records; they should become the running record of your disease/treatment.  I note on each lab report, what med(s) I was on, at the time of the blood draw and how I felt.  That's how I know what numbers to target.

You should be getting tested for Free T3 and Free T4 every time you get a TSH test.  TSH neither causes, nor alleviates any symptoms; it's simply a pituitary hormone, trying to stimulate the thyroid and a lot of things can affect it, besides actual thyroid hormone levels.

[AMSibal]

Thank you both for your advice and guidance.  My GP referred me onto another endocrinologist who has since prescribed .50 of synthroid and ordered additional tests.  Over the last several months (early June to current), three separate blood tests revealed low blood sugar, high cortisol, elevated liver enzymes and lower iron levels.  For almost a year I've experienced severe tiredness in addition to the significant decrease in my ability to train at my usual pace (I raced a 3:03 marathon almost one year to date and last December began a rapid, almost abrupt inability to run/train.  Since beginning the medication my joints and muscles have felt much improved.  I'm picking up speed....though no where near my former racing self.  The doctor believes there may be other issues, including an imbalance between estrogen/progesterone and testosterone levels that might be at play.  I will locate my old test results and share.  In the meantime, thank you, again, for your kind assistance and insight.  Any and all information is so greatly appreciated.

[craigdog]

I'm no expert, but I feel terrible when my TSH approaches 4 and really terrible at 6 or higher.  I would expect a doctor to get you on .25 of synthroid to start and retest you every 6 weeks or so..  It's not easy to hear, but it takes weeks and months to feel better.  Of course, I thought I would be the exception when I started meds, but it just doesn't happen that fast for the vast majority of people.  Good luck!  PS  When I get better, I get completely back tonormal, so there is hope.

[Barb135]

What other tests were run, besides TSH?  Yours is higher than normal, but not alarmingly so.

If you have a copy of your lab report, please post the tests, results and reference ranges, so we can see just where your levels are.

Do you know if you've been tested for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?  With Hashimoto's, it's very common for symptoms to appear, long before traditional labs indicate a problem.

You're in the same boat many of us have been in -- sick and tired of being sick and tired.

There are doctors who will prescribe medication under your circumstances, but they are few and far between.  Typically, a D.O. or functional medicine doctor might be more willing to prescribe, based on symptoms, than an M.D or endo.

Please post your actual levels, from your lab report and we can go from there.  If your didn't give you a copy of the report, and you are in the U.S., the doctor is required, by law, to provide a copy, upon request.