Don't know what to do?

[ambershell_1]

Most days I just feel like I am dieing! I have an occassional few days where I actually feel good. I have been having lots of problems since may 2010 and actually probably since I was pregnant with my son in 2009. I have rapid heart rate almost all the time especially upon any kind of exercise ( picking up my son, walking from point a to point b, standing, etc...), shortness of breath, muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, heart palps, disoriented sometimes, headaches, joint aches, swelling of fingers, dry skin, hot flashes, reoccurring yeast infections and vaginosis, anxiety, emotional, insomnia, shakey and mood swings. I am sure I probably left something out, I am forgetful too, lol!! I went to the ER in september, everything checked out except for my thyroid levels were off. They were TSH 4.22 (0.270-4.20) Free T4 1.05 (.90-1.90) T3 free 3.08 (2.57-4.43). I finally got into a free clinic in february 2011 they ran labs on me and everything checked out good. They only did a TSH test which came back normal  2.15 (0.34-5.60) They put me on zoloft, and zantac for acid reflux and are referring me to a cardiologist. Well the zoloft made my anxiety worse, I had to quit taking it. I have taking zoloft before and it worked great, so I don't understand that! When I went back to Dr. for follow up I told her about everything and she put me on a beta blocker propanolol for heartrate and did more labs to see if I am magnesium deficient. It has been 2 weeks now and I haven't heard anything about my test results, so I am guessing they are normal. The propanolol works as far as lowering my heartrate, but I still have all these other symptoms. I don't understand if I don't have a thyroid problem what could be causing all of this??? I am 28 years old and I feel as though I were 80. I can't do things I should be doing with my son and it is breaking my heart. Does anyone on here have any insight as to what this could be? I have done lots of research and keep coming up short! If anyone has any advice or insight at all I would very much appreciate it. Thanks :)

[ambershell_1]

I have had some good days. On the good days, I always question myself wheather this could just all be in my head or not. There are more and more bad days now and hardly any good days left. It doesn't help when your own fiance questions whether you are really sick or not. I feel like nobody is listening to me and I am never going to get any better. I am going to try to find a good doctor who will actually listen to me. I want to thank everyone for the advice and all of the help you all have given me. This is the only place I have to talk about it, and you all have made me feel very welcomed! Thank you, so much!

[SassySharon]

I wish you all the luck in the world.  I too suffer most of the symptoms that you have described!! Go find a good thyroid doc like the member suggested.  Do not wait til you are older and have missed out on so many joys in your life.  My good days were good so I put off going to doctor.  I just thought I had normal pains like others and just hated to complain.  Now I know that there is help out there and these symptoms are not normal.  I too am just starting this journey and wish I had taken the steps many years ago.  Do not walk...run to your nearest or bestest thyroid guy in your area...even if you have to go outside your area.  GO!!!     =sass=

[ambershell_1]

Thank you for taking the time to do that for me! I will definately look into it!

[gimel]

You have a lot of hypo symptoms, consistent with your FT3 and fT4 being too low in the range.  A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically, by testing and adjusting FT3 and FT4 levels as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  Symptom relief should be all important.  Many members here report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of the range and FT4 adjusted to at least midpoint of its range.  

About a year ago I got my meds messed up and got back into being hypo again and had the worst acid reflux you can imagine.  I was having to take two Prilosec daily and even that did not completely take care of it.  As soon as I got onto Armour thyroid, which is a combo T4/T3 med, and started raising my FT3 level, the problem was gone in 2-3 days.  

I firmly believe that you need to go back and get the testing recommended by other members here, and while you are there you should insist on being treated clinically, for your symptoms and your low levels of FT3 and FT4, as I described above.  Once you get all that done, then I think you will find that most of your symptoms are relieved, and then you can focus on any remaining problems.   If your doctor is unwilling to treat you clinically, then you need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.  In case you need a recommendation for such a doctor, I have sent you some info by PM.

[ambershell_1]

I had to go off of the zoloft because it felt like it made things worse instead of better. The zantac helps alot with the acid reflux, so I don't think I want to go off of that. The doctor never gave me any thyroid meds because she doesn't think that my thyroid is causing the problem. If it is not the problem I don't know what could be. I feel as if I am going crazy! All of my labwork is good so people think this all in my head. While I have anxiety I didn't have it bad like this until all of these things started happening with my body. I have even thought about going back to the ER, they seemed like this listened to me more than this doc does and actually did the right tests.

[danie17075rm]

My case is similar to yours.  My tsh often registers closer to a typical hypo reading, but my symptoms are hypo and hyper.  I recently had an uptake done, and with my labs they found out I have hashimotos toxicosis.  I fluctuate back and forth ALL of the time between hypo and hyper.  Even when my tsh registered slightly hypo, my uptake showed I was hyper.  My doc has told me that my choices are thyroid removal or RAI.  As mentioned, it would be wise to get your antibodies tested.  I am 32 so I know what it's like to not be able to have a life.  Mine also started after having my son.  The beta blocker is the only thing that helps me.  Like the others, I do not believe zoloft and zantac is your answer.  Good luck!

[FTB4]

Based on the Free T3/Free T4 Ratio done in September your Free T4 is 15% and your Free T3 is at 27%, it would seem that if you are not taking any thyroid medications, your Free T4 % should be higher than your Free T3%, I would request your Free's be done again to see what those levels are now. Barb is right that your symptoms seem to be both Hypo and Hyper. Are you taking any thyroid meds at this time, or at the time of your last blood work?  FTB4

[ambershell_1]

I have pretty much most of the symptoms everyday except for a few like joint aches and hot flashes. I don't have those everyday! They haven't tested me for antibodies or done any ultra sound. Do you think this could be something other than thyroid? I am just ready to find out what is going on with me. I have been suffering like this for a while and it seems like it is just getting worse and not better.

[Barb135]

In Sept, your FT4 and FT3 were very low in their ranges and your TSH was high, which indicates that you were hypo then.  It would be interesting to see if your FT's corresponded with the TSH in Feb (i.e - TSH goes down, FT's come up).  

Some of your symptoms indicate hyper, other indicate hypo.  Are you having all of the symptoms, all the time or do they kind of cycle?  I'm wondering if you are swinging back and forth between hypo and hyper.  I feel strongly that Zoloft and Zantac are not the answers to your problem.

Have they done any antibody tests to see if you have an autoimmune disease or an ultra sound to check for nodules?