Autoimmune?

[Angelaska]

Hi I have the result of my TSH for July - TSH: 0.36 normal range 0.2-4.2. Doctor's notes - "this confirms you are on the correct dose". I am on 125mcg Levothyroxine.

Lately I have been getting very strange, what I have tended to call, "hyper" attacks. I have been losing weight, feeling more on edge, finding it hard to keep still, a tremor in one hand, headaches (pain behind my eye), pains in my hips, itchy skin on my arms, dry skin on my fingers, a very long period of 7 days (usually come every 5 days) and sweating a lot more than usual. I cannot even tolerate a hot shower whereas before I would feel akin to living under one.

I have ordered a FT3, FT4 and antibody test and this is booked in for next week. I am also getting a sex hormone profile, vitamin and mineral screen done, too, to see why I am still tired and not getting a refreshing sleep every morning I wake up.
The minerals being tested are: ferritin, magnesium and zinc. Selenium was a mineral the doctor could not test, I think she said it was reserved for other patients. She suggested that if I was worried my selenium levels are low I could get a multivitamin supplement.
Sex hormones are being tested to see if I am tired because of them. Only sex hormones I have had tested in the past were LH, FSH, Prolactin, Calcium and Testosterone. No Estrogen or Progesterone. I thought they are hormones? Why were they not tested when the aforementioned were?
FT3, FT4 and antibodies are being tested as well.

If I decide to take a multivitamin now, would it affect my mineral/vitamin screen next week?

Do I need to avoid taking any medications when having the antibodies, FT3 and FT4 done?

Are my symptoms pointing to an autoimmune cause - or will the antibodies confirm that?

Thanks.

[Angelaska]

Thanks for your reply. :)

I had an anti nuclear antibody profile done, that was positive. Not sure what for because not every single antibody was checked.

antibody test for thyroid is pending.

[JTurner86]

You are taking too much thyroid hormone. A TSH of 1 is ideal for most people and I am sure that's what is causing your symptoms. Your doctor should run a thyroid antibody panel and ANA profile. that will tell you if its autoimmune. the treatment will be the same though - you will want to decrease your dose of syntheriod. I hope you start to feel better! I know how miserable that can be.