Feel ill every day

[jojoc37]

Can having an under active thyroid make you feel this bad every day? I unfortunatly have not been diagnoised with anything yet, my last tsh test came back within the normal range, it was 4.14, yet i feel so ill every day, I often stay in bed for most of the day only getting up to go to the bathroom or make myself a drink, when i do i go dizzy feel very light headed and have to go straight back to bed, I have aches all over something simular to having flu, i get frequent headaches, i feel short of breath, my eyes feel very heavy, does this sound typical of a thyroid problem or could it be something else, doc is sending me for a thyroid antibody blood test, what will this prove if my tsh level is normal, Thanks Jo

[Cynnieb4]

I think your levels are to hight. The goal of thyroid is 2.0,  You need to have them check it again.  Also have them run a t3 free and t4 free.

[jojoc37]

Hi, I had my T4 done at the same time that came back at 12, so would you say what im feeling is normal for a thyroid sufferer? I also have very dry skin on my face and forehead, I often get a feeling of not being altogether with it, i cant concentrate for long and when someone is talking to me just feel like telling them to go away cos i cant be bothered talking back, its very frustrating, feel like i should be carted away somewhere, Thanks, jo

[laura1967]

Hi Joe....first of all you are not crazy but hypo at a tsh of anything over 3.0. Second...if you have hashimotos then anything over a .50-1.0 and you will feel sick. It is very important to have the Free T4 and Free T3 tests done as well as the tsh and antibody tests. You cannot look at a patient by the tsh number. You said your T4 was a 12? Was this a Free T4?? What were the lab ranges?  Any of the other tests other than the free's are obsolete.
Yes hashi's with hypothyroidism will make you feel like you have been hit by a mack truck! It stinks! But.....you will start to feel better with time and meds. Your symtoms are right on track. I would be shocked if you do not have hashimotos.  Let me know what you find out....just try to be patient and be kind to yourself. It is easier said than done for me to tell you to be patient I know....been there done that and I still get episodes. I always wonder if I will ever be normal again.

[jojoc37]

Hi Laura, Thankyou for that, that is exactly my thoughts will i ever be normal again, the decline in my health is so shocking to me, i have gone from such an active and bubbly person to bein a miserable person, my problem is i cant get my doctor to start me on any meds cos he keeps saying im borderline and if he gives me anything he could be struck off, what can i say to that, i just keep going back insisting on more tests, Yes it was the free T4 but i dont know the range, i know the range for the tsh is 0.5-5.0 so i fall within this, how can i get my doc to start me on meds before i totally give up.

[Barb135]

Isn't your T-4 rather high at 12?  The range at my lab is only 0.8-1.8.  
If your dr won't do anything to help you, you might have to think about a different dr.  
Good luck.

[stella5349]

No those ranges are outdated. You are getting the typical song and dance as millions do.

AACE is .3 to 3.0 now and has been for a couple of years.

Your doctor is going by a bad range.

It's an easy fix..... pull up the new AACE ranges on hypothyroidism. Make an appointment and tell him here - look!

"I am hypothyroid - let get on some meds!"

Oh and by the way - as Laura said - have him run the Free T3 and Free T4 too.

[jojoc37]

Thanks for that Stella but unfortunatley here in the uk the docs still go by the old range, I have mentioned these new ranges to him but all he says is our ranges are higher and you fall within them its like banging my head against a brick wall, I also said if im not hypothyroid then im dyeing cos thats how i feel, like my body is slowly shutting down and i swear he laughed at me, I am waiting on my antibody test to come back but if he says that is normal i really dont know what else to do. Thanks for all the advice it helps to talk to someone who understands and dosent think im just a hypercondriact.

[stella5349]

Geez that darn UK stuff!!

You have no idea how many people are there getting treated like that.


Hopefully a member named Rite will pop on here.

If you search for her name you could find her and PM a message to her.

She has found some wayts in the UK to get help. She's not by no means 100% but she is fighting back and learning what doctors there will really help.

[redheadaussie]

In Australia depending on which pathology company is used you will find some still use the old standards and some the new. Which makes me wonder how many Aussies are like jojoc37. We too have to kick, scream and gouge to get any action done. Alot of tests are not allowed by a general practitioner by our Medicare system..so unless they really truly believe you have that disease/illness wil you get tested. I think UK is no different to us.
  Migrate to us jojoc37..hee hee... just kidding! Maybe you can look up on the net to see any good thyroid doctors or an endocrinologist. I know its a pain to find someone but honestly I think it is worse for you to go on being miserable.
Chin up!

[jojoc37]

I was seriously thinking of migrating but dont have the energy for it, I really do think unless you crawl into the docs office and cry then they think your fine and can deal with it, my hubby said last time i went i put on some make-up so looked rather healthy, so next time i wont and because im quite pale well really pale i will look like im on my last legs, isent it stupid the things we have to do to get noticed, i asked to just try me on a trial of meds to see if anything happened and he said because im thin to begin with they could make me lose weight and it would be dangerous, feel like i cant win no matter what i say, will try once more to get through to him then i think i will try a differant surgery altogether, its so hard to keep your chin up when i feel i will be spending the future in bed, thanks so much everyone for your kind words, jo

[Kaz1969]

Hi I know how you feel I live in the Uk and am fighting against my own GP to see a specialist.  Bit of History considered border line Hypo last nov with TSH of 5.2 because my mum is hypo convinced the gp to treat my symptoms, although she didn't really want to . 6 months later suddenly had a lot more symptoms particulary anxiety which I have never suffered with before, and a fear of dying for know apparent reason.  Went back to GP tested TSH 7.2 increased my dosage, 6 weeks later TSH 0.84 all other symptoms have gone apart from the anxiety but I am hoping these will fade as my body becomes used to my new levels. Don't give up listen to your own body, finnally after my last visit it appears my GP has done some research of her own and seems to be happier to discuss my symptoms as if they are real  and not just blame stress.  Good Luck.

[tiggyG]

I'm in UK too. These doctors often won't be moved. If mine do more research instead of thinking me a perfect pain it would be better for us. My TSH came out first test at 7.17 T4 10.4 so I didn't have much trouble. BUT I will digress here if you can put up with this -  I have a daughter in Hong Kong who was diagnosed Fibromyalgia some years back, nothing showed up on every test you can think of, including a full body scan! she checked out hypothyroidism and ticked all the boxes. Went for a test. TSH 1.34 (ranges 0.3 - 3.) with T3/T4 on low side, but she doesn't know what they were. She was refused treatment. She was so ill and desperate that she bought some Levothyroxine over the counter and started on it. Was a bit scared of going it alone, so found another doc who is willing to test her now and again. Says she doesn't seem to have Fibromyalgia at all now and feels great, and her TSH is down to .47

What is the opinion of 'going it alone' if the doctors flatly refuse treatment? What else can we do?

[jojoc37]

Hi, I have heard that if we have a trial on a thyroid med then the worst that can happen is we go a bit hyper then obviously we can stop using it, i didnt think we can walk into a chemist and buy it over the counter, my only concern is that i am really skinny i mean really skinny and am worried i could lose weight, i havent lost weight i have always been skinny, but am worried i may lose some if i go on meds, feels like im fighting a losing battle,