Hyperthyroid with normal levels?

Question

I have had all the symptoms of an over active thyroid post natal after my first child 4 yrs ago, I'm having more symptoms which have progressed since my 2nd child 8 months ago.  I now have neutropenia and anemia as well as the usual symptoms I began with.  

My thyroids have been checked each time because the Dr's keep thinking it's my thyroid when I see them but them my levels keep showing up "within normal range" so I am really not sure what to think.

They've tested my TSH and my T4 and each time they tell me its normal.

Here are the symptoms I started with post natal:

Elevated heart rate - constant
High Blood Pressure
Visual disturbances
Rapid weight loss
Anxiety attacks
Hot Flushes

I have been treated with beta blockers since then.  

I had my second child this summer and I started having heavy and erratic periods, developed anemia and have had neutropenia (low white cell count) since I had my second child.

I rapidly lost weight again.
Experiencing anxiety again for no reason
Having throat problems
Mouth sores
Trouble regulating my body temperature
I still have to take beta blockers

I have been to my Dr's office dozens of times wanting answers, they're now starting to treat me like its a mental illness because I'm in their office that often wanting a "cure" for this whatever it is.  And I'm now really worried about the neutropenia and its possible causes.

Is it possible to have an overactive thyroid with levels showing up within normal range?  

Dr's often think its my thyroid till they see my results because my symptoms match exactly to it.

telynn · Answer

Hi, Yes i have read to stay away from sugar and I do But i do love Chocolate!!LOL
Thank you and yes it is overwhelming with things always going wrong it is very difficult to know which disease i have is causes things, it seems to be a guessing game, just can go to dr everyday!! 

Hugz Terri

danie17075rm · Answer

For any kind of external yeast, you should treat it internally. This consists of avoiding all white sugar, and even fruit. There are diets that are more specific, and it is usually recommended you take some kind of probiotic or other yeast cleanse. Most health stores have a regimen you can follow. Apparently it's kind of difficult, but otherwise you just kind of keep the symptoms at bay, and don't kill the yeast. I keep putting it off, but I guess its time I try it. I've tried everything else. I hope you find a solution! It seems like its always something going wrong.

telynn · Answer

I do eat yogart everyday, I will have to look into what else to eat. also I have pills to suck on and a mouth wash to rinse with, but only use them when i get Thrush.

Hugz Terri

danie17075rm · Answer

You can google the candida saliva test and do it at home.  I'm not sure how accurate it is, I just heard of it.  They also have the Candida Immune Complexes test.  There are a lot of quizzes and such online if you search "candida".  Again I am not claiming this is accurate or will help, it's just something I am going to try.  I noticed that I had similar symptoms to what the book described above so I figure it can't hurt to try it.  I'm going to go on a candida diet to starve off the yeast.  I have skin rashes that I cannot get rid of.  Hopefully it will help my hashimotos too, but if it doesn't I can at least kill the yeast.  Good luck hashi.

telynn · Answer

How can I get tested to see if yeast is growing on my organs? When I sweat I smell sourdough bread, It is wierd. I do not get BO ever but just a sour smell. Like right now, I was late taking my pills. Iam sweating so much but but hands and feet are ice cubes. One good thing is I do not need to get i Ice Cube just put my hands on my forhead!!LOL

Thanks Terri

danie17075rm · Answer

Barb-- I was not promoting it, as I have not tried it.  I just thought it was an interesting read, and it's worth a try in my mind as nothing else is helping.  Conventional meds are killing me.  I either get too much or too little levothyroxine and there is no perfect in between for me.  But, you are right there is no one cure for all.  It's nice to just explore different options however, and hopefully one day we can stumble on something that works for us.

Barb135 · Answer

Hashimoto's IS an autoimmune disease, in which, for some reason, your body sees your thyroid as foreign, and produces antibodies to destroy it, just as with any other illness.  

The book referenced above has some good points, but as with all books pertaining to Hashimoto's or hypothyroidism, it must NOT be taken as the ultimate authority/only treatment.  If a treatment sounds to good to be true, it probably is!!  

Dr Kharrazian's protocol may not be advantageous to everyone.

danie17075rm · Answer

Hashi-- I read a book called "Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms? When My Lab Tests Are Normal" by Datis Kharrazian.  Basically he suggest that hashimotos is not a problem with your thyroid, it is a problem with your immune system.  He states that he believes one of the causes of developing hashimotos can be systematic yeast.  I really thought about that and before I was diagnosed with hashimotos I developed yeast rashes on my skin and my scalp.  I was breast feeding my son, and he developed a yeast rash on his neck (I hope I didn't give it to him!).  Anyway, shortly after I learned about my thyroid problem.  I still battle with skin yeast!  I looked up candida symptoms, they too list hashimotos as a symptom.  It also has like every other symtoms I have as well.  I'm going to try the anti-candida diet.  It can't hurt.  I was just curious if others had the same problems.  The book is a good read if you want to know more.  He offers solutions to this disease, unfortunately to seek doctors that practice his style of healing it costs a lot of money (which I don't have).  But as you said, maybe we at least can have career in bread baking =).

venusi · Answer

I'm also getting issues with yeast too, I had it recently in my mouth again, it has happened a couple of times so I can sympathize.

Do any of you have low white cell counts also alongside your thyroid probs?

telynn · Answer

OOPS not month MOUTH

telynn · Answer

Hi, I just happen to be read this post and seen that you are asking about problems with yeast I keep ask that same question. I have had yeast inf in my month on my skin and they just keep coming back. I also have Hashi, graves, fibro going on but no one seems to know why I am loaded with yeast.? I feel as though it is growing inside me. Maybe I can make bread? LOL

If you find anything out please let me know.

Thank you Terri

danie17075rm · Answer

Just out of curiosity, have you had any problems with yeast?  I mean any kind of yeast infection, feet, skin, scalp (dandruff), or any digestive problems such as heartburn?

stranazingarella · Answer

Your symptoms point to some sort of auto-immune disease.  Get checked for Hashimoto's, Celiacs, Lupus, and Sarcoidosis.

danie17075rm · Answer

I wish I had an answer, but I have your exact symptoms and I have hashimotos hyperthyroidism.  My docs just keep treating me like its all in my head.  I have panic attacks constantly and I have never had one before I swung to hyperthyroid recently.  I am not back to hypothyroid but I keep having all the symptoms you mentioned.  I am also on a beta blocker but that isn't really helping.  I too am having visual disturbances AND hot flushes.  This sounds so much like me!  I wish I had an answer to make you feel better, but I just posted something myself. This started after I had my child as well.  I know this is not in my head!  It's not a panic attack that is caused from something such as stress.  My body is just in a physiological state of panic.  I have been trying to explain this to other.  I will keep you in my prayers, and feel free to message me if you need help with the panic attacks.  I don't know what stops them, but I have things that kind of helps such as magnesium.  

Danielle

Barb135 · Answer

It would be extremely helpful if you could get an actual result and reference range for the FT4, without that, I can't really say a whole lot more. 

You should always ask for a copy of your lab report, whenever you go to the doctor.  Some doctors like to "hold" the reports and not give information, other than "normal", etc.  Maybe it makes them feel "smarter" when they are the only ones who have the results, I don't know.  I don't know about UK, but in the US, our doctors are required by law to provide a copy of lab reports/medical records upon request.

You really should get vitamin B12 tested. 

Are you taking iron supplements to bring your levels up?

venusi · Answer

It was Free T4 I had done, T3 was not done.  Typical UK and NHS.  I definately want to ask the Dr about these levels.  

My HB level was 11.5 and my ferritin was 5? (or -5 I can't remember, it was low anyway).  They have not tested B12 I don't think, they might have, I'm not sure, I have had blood tests done at the Dr's office and not been told what some of the tests included are.  I will have to ask at my next appt.

Barb135 · Answer

Do you know if the T4 was for "free" or "total"? Please clarify and provide a result, with reference range from your lab report. 

Yes, I know your ranges may be different, but even at a TSH of 4, yours is too high, which would indicate that you are hypO, not hypER. 

Did they not actually check your iron levels?  Can you get that tested?  Can you get B12 tested?  

We've heard from others in UK that getting a Free T3 done is very difficult, due to your NHS (it's also difficult in the US, but only because most of our doctors wear blinders).  Can you try to get one?  It's very important to have the entire thyroid panel, which includes TSH, Free T3 and Free T4.  What about the antibody tests or ultra sound?

venusi · Answer

In addition... my hb was borderline normal and my ferritin was really low, I think it was 5.  So I think it is iron deficiency.

venusi · Answer

I'm in the UK so the "normal" ranges are approximately 0.4 to 4.5 but I understand they're different in the US and in other countries.  I think my level for TSH was 4 if I remember rightly.

Barb135 · Answer

Sounds like you've been through a lot and you have a lot of symptoms indicating thyroid issue, so we'll start with some basics.  

The first thing we'll need to know is the exact levels of your TSH and T4, along with reference ranges since these vary from lab to lab.  In addition, we will need to know if that T4 is for "Free" or "Total"; if your lab report doesn't specify, it will be total, which is considered obsolete and of little value, but it's a start. 

Is your anemia caused by iron deficiency or lack of B12?  Have you had those levels tested?  

Have you ever had a thyroid ultra sound to check for nodules?  

There are a couple of things I'd like to point out - 1)  it's totally possible for your levels to be "in range" and you still have a thyroid problem.  It depends on where you fall within that range; if your FT4 is way at the top, that may be too high for you, even though it's "in range"        2)  If you have nodules, it's possible for them to leak hormones separately from your thyroid and there's no way to control it.   3)  You need to have antibody tests done to see if you have an autoimmune thyroid disease.  This could be either Graves Disease or Hashimoto's Thyroiditis; some people have both.  Both conditions are where, for some reason, the body sees the thyroid as "foreign", so produces antibodies to attack it.  With either of these autoimmune diseases, your thyroid will eventually stop producing hormones and you will need to be on daily medication to replace them.  

Grave Disease is most often connected to being hyper, while Hashimoto's is most often connected to being hypo; however, with Hashi's it's entirely possible to swing back and forth for some time before becoming completely hypo. 

You need to have a Free T3 test done; that's the active thyroid hormone in your body that's just "sitting there waiting to be needed".  Free T4 is a "storage hormone" that must be converted to Free T3 before the body can use it. 

So - here's a list of tests you need: 
TSH
Free T3
Free T4
TSI - Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (to test for Graves)
TPOab - Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (to test for Hashimoto's)
TGab   - Thyroglobulin Antibodies  (to test for Hashimoto's)
Thyroid Ultra Sound (to check for nodules/swelling/inflammation)

Do make sure they run both the TPOab and TGab to test for Hashi's because some patients have one or the other, some have both; so testing for just one, is inconclusive, unless it's positive. 

Rest assured that a lot of us have been where you're at, so we know you aren't a "mental case"...... Nearly every doctor I saw before I was diagnosed, wanted to throw antidepressants at me and I refused.  It was a struggle, but I now know that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, my thyroid has stopped producing hormones and I'm on daily replacement medication.  That was another struggle, but I think I've won because I feel better than I have in years.