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Hypothyroid in Men - What's Normal?
My husband was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about seven months ago, although I suspect he has suffered with it for years. His doctor is treating him with Levothyroxine. According to blood tests, his thyroid levels are now where they should be, but he is still experiencing symptoms of hypothyroid. Most of the symptoms he is still suffering with seem to be mental in nature - depression, irritability, and 'brain fog'. He is in the I.T. field (mainly database stuff) and these symptoms have severely hampered his ability to work. He can't seem to focus or problem-solve. This has been a nightmare for both of us.
Is this normal? If so, how long might it take for these symptoms to go away? If not, what else should we be doing?
Is this normal? If so, how long might it take for these symptoms to go away? If not, what else should we be doing?
Hi,
I am based in the UK and have had symptoms of hypothyroidism for years. Diagnosis for men is the big hurdle. I collapsed in California and the Director of emergency medicine said I should get tested when I got home to UK for hypothyroid.
GP wouldn't listen and was fixated with diabetes as TSH was in normal range. 6 years later when I'm at the point of having to resign from work an immunologist spots the cause and I have been receiving treatment for 3 months. It is essential your husband gets tests for TPO-ab Free T3 and Free T4. From the men I've heard from with this a more complex pathology seems to occur in men which centres upon Auto Immune Dissease and the symptoms are a-typical and strongly psychological in character.
TSH seems pretty useless in men. Mine was always pretty normal, but the hypo was so bad that I have nerve damage in legs and hands which reulted in balance problems.
The symptoms list got huge but anosmia, tinitus, weight gain and the full range of psychological effects are beginning to improve, My levothyroxine dose is double what my doctor would normally give and still not responding terribly well so will go even higher.
It is a foot race now to get the meds right, which in the UK seems to be a 6month series of testing and dose changes and then a period of recovery beyond that as symptoms had gone untreated for may be 7 to 8 years.
So keep with the meds and get those auto-immune indicators checked they do more damage than just your thyroid!
Paul
I am based in the UK and have had symptoms of hypothyroidism for years. Diagnosis for men is the big hurdle. I collapsed in California and the Director of emergency medicine said I should get tested when I got home to UK for hypothyroid.
GP wouldn't listen and was fixated with diabetes as TSH was in normal range. 6 years later when I'm at the point of having to resign from work an immunologist spots the cause and I have been receiving treatment for 3 months. It is essential your husband gets tests for TPO-ab Free T3 and Free T4. From the men I've heard from with this a more complex pathology seems to occur in men which centres upon Auto Immune Dissease and the symptoms are a-typical and strongly psychological in character.
TSH seems pretty useless in men. Mine was always pretty normal, but the hypo was so bad that I have nerve damage in legs and hands which reulted in balance problems.
The symptoms list got huge but anosmia, tinitus, weight gain and the full range of psychological effects are beginning to improve, My levothyroxine dose is double what my doctor would normally give and still not responding terribly well so will go even higher.
It is a foot race now to get the meds right, which in the UK seems to be a 6month series of testing and dose changes and then a period of recovery beyond that as symptoms had gone untreated for may be 7 to 8 years.
So keep with the meds and get those auto-immune indicators checked they do more damage than just your thyroid!
Paul
The symptoms can take months to go away. It may be a matter of giving it a few more months.
It may also be that he is still slightly Hypo. His TSH needs to be around 1.0 or 1.5. if it is above 3.0, he needs a stronger dose of meds. He may be slightly hypo with a TSH of 2.5.
The sweet spot is very narrow, and slightly different for each of us. It may take a while for him to find his.
What can you do? Get copies of his tests when they are run and look them over. What the doctor calls normal is not always good enough. Sometimes you have to become the boss and tell the doctor what is right rather than let the doctor tell you what is right.
It may also be that he is still slightly Hypo. His TSH needs to be around 1.0 or 1.5. if it is above 3.0, he needs a stronger dose of meds. He may be slightly hypo with a TSH of 2.5.
The sweet spot is very narrow, and slightly different for each of us. It may take a while for him to find his.
What can you do? Get copies of his tests when they are run and look them over. What the doctor calls normal is not always good enough. Sometimes you have to become the boss and tell the doctor what is right rather than let the doctor tell you what is right.
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