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Hypothyroidism and Memory
Hi, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism almost three years ago. For the past five years though I have been having trouble with my memory, I am only 23 years old so it's not related to my age. According to all my blood work I am healthy with the exception of my thyroid. The levels aren't terrible but they aren't perfect either. I have tried exercise, diet, omega fatty acid supplements, vitamins (for long periods of time) but none of it has helped my memory. It only helped improve my lab results. Generally it is just very foggy and I can't remember detail, or I completely can't remember an event or someone saying something. It's really annoying and I'm tired of living with this problem. It is interfering with almost every aspect of my life on a daily basis. I really need some advice from someone about this. I decided not to take the medication from my endocrinologist last time I went because I wasn't going to have insurance to follow up. But I have saved the money and plan to get my results read and am hoping that the medication he gives me will improve my memory. To be perfectly honest I'm not exactly sure what all these results mean, but here are my most up to date labs I have older test results available if it'll help):
12/09:
Free T4 0.9
Tsh Third Generation 3.7
T3 Uptake 36
6/10:
Free T4 1
Tsh Third Generation 2.01
7/10:
Tsh Third Generation 2.35
I also have eight nodules which were checked with an ultrasound and seem to be fine.
Thanks for any help.
12/09:
Free T4 0.9
Tsh Third Generation 3.7
T3 Uptake 36
6/10:
Free T4 1
Tsh Third Generation 2.01
7/10:
Tsh Third Generation 2.35
I also have eight nodules which were checked with an ultrasound and seem to be fine.
Thanks for any help.
My doctor put me on injections of B12 and on 70mg of Vyvannse which helped greatly improved all functions.....i originally started on provigil but not much success....i'm not ADHD....so the Vyvannse accelerates all brain activity and the B12 improved the fatigue for me...
It is true that once you're on thyroid meds, it's usually for life. Whether you take meds or not, those hungry little antibodies are going to munch your thyroid up eventually! The difference is that you'll be a lot more comfortable on the meds. The meds don't make your thyroid weaker (it's the antibodies that do that), they just supplement the hormone that your thyroid is producing. Eventually, when all thyroid function is destroyed, you are on 100% replacement.
Best of luck, and let us know how it goes...
Best of luck, and let us know how it goes...
Thank you so much for all the info. My doctor never told me I have Hashimoto's but I am going to bring it up at our visit. But you're definitely right about my levels not stabilizing on the meds. I just have this strange fear that if I go on the medication and ever end up stopping it that my body will just collapse without it. I guess the way I looked at it in the past is that if you're on hormones than your thyroid will become weaker and always need an increase. Whereas not being on it you will probably slowly lose function but maybe not as much. I think I am looking at it backwards. Thanks again though you've been a great help.
Ignore the fifth one, Thyroglobulin 414 H Range <35. That's wrong, the correct level is at the bottom.
I went to the hospital today and picked up a copy of my most recent labs from two weeks ago:
FT4 0.92 range [0.89-1.76]
TSH3G 2.55 rang [0.35-5.5]
I called my endo and they said that if he wanted FT3 it would have been on the paper, and that I would have to bring back the script. Only problem is that I already had the blood done so I can't do that. I will ask him for an additional script when I speak to him and hopefully he doesn't tell me no also.
Here are the results of the other labs, I'm going to post the most up to date ones I have rather than every one I've had. These are all from Summer of 09:
ANA Screen- Positive
ANA Titer- 1:160 Diffuse/ Homogeneous
Thyroid Peroxidase AB 414 H Range <35
Heterophile Screen and Titer Negative
Thyroglobulin 414 H Range <35
Rheumatoid Factor <15.0 range [0-25]
DNA AB (DBL Strangd/ Native) <1 Range <=4 Negative
SM AND SM/RNP SM AB, EIA <1.0 Negative Range <1.0
SM/RNP AB <1.0 Negative Range <1.0
Thyroglobulin 16 Range 2.0-35.0
Thyroglobulin Quant & ATA Thyroglobulin AB <20 Range <20
Thyroid Peroxidase AB 414 H Range <35
I am supposed to go back to my doctor on March 9th and am hoping I can be prescribed medication. How long does it really take to being working, is it different for every person? I am still reluctant to go on medication for this...but I just need to see if this is the cause of my memory problems. Is there anything I should ask my doctor additionally when I speak to him? It seems he's always in a rush and I feel like I am nagging him when I ask him questions. Not once did I even remember him actually explaining the process to me, rather just reporting the labs to me, and laughing at me when I mentioned that my levels got better when I changed my diet and was thinking it could be due to that. I think I should probably change doctors lol.
FT4 0.92 range [0.89-1.76]
TSH3G 2.55 rang [0.35-5.5]
I called my endo and they said that if he wanted FT3 it would have been on the paper, and that I would have to bring back the script. Only problem is that I already had the blood done so I can't do that. I will ask him for an additional script when I speak to him and hopefully he doesn't tell me no also.
Here are the results of the other labs, I'm going to post the most up to date ones I have rather than every one I've had. These are all from Summer of 09:
ANA Screen- Positive
ANA Titer- 1:160 Diffuse/ Homogeneous
Thyroid Peroxidase AB 414 H Range <35
Heterophile Screen and Titer Negative
Thyroglobulin 414 H Range <35
Rheumatoid Factor <15.0 range [0-25]
DNA AB (DBL Strangd/ Native) <1 Range <=4 Negative
SM AND SM/RNP SM AB, EIA <1.0 Negative Range <1.0
SM/RNP AB <1.0 Negative Range <1.0
Thyroglobulin 16 Range 2.0-35.0
Thyroglobulin Quant & ATA Thyroglobulin AB <20 Range <20
Thyroid Peroxidase AB 414 H Range <35
I am supposed to go back to my doctor on March 9th and am hoping I can be prescribed medication. How long does it really take to being working, is it different for every person? I am still reluctant to go on medication for this...but I just need to see if this is the cause of my memory problems. Is there anything I should ask my doctor additionally when I speak to him? It seems he's always in a rush and I feel like I am nagging him when I ask him questions. Not once did I even remember him actually explaining the process to me, rather just reporting the labs to me, and laughing at me when I mentioned that my levels got better when I changed my diet and was thinking it could be due to that. I think I should probably change doctors lol.
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Your FT4 is very low; it's almost on the floor of the range. It should be much closer to midrange. I'm sure that you'd feel much better on meds once they're adjusted properly and your FT3 and FT4 levels are higher in their ranges.
It takes a while to get levels adjusted properly. We're usually put on a starting dose. Then we have to wait 4-5 weeks before we can re-test and re-evaluate symptoms. It takes that long for the meds to build up in your body. After that, this process has to keep being repeated until we are symptom-free. Some of us find our optimal dose realatively quickly, some struggle with it.
Seriously, you might consider changing doctors. It was not at all nice of him to laugh at you, and he should be answering your questions. Also, it sounds like your levels were never adjusted propery (to the point where your symptoms went away). However, since your appointment with your current endo is relatively soon, you can probably at least get a starting dose from him since he's already said he wantted you to stay on meds.
Once you get that, you might try to find a doctor you can work with better. Hashi's is for life, so it's worthwhile to find a good doctor to help you manage it.
Although it's best to have FT3 tested every time, your FT4 is so low currently that it's going to be a bit of a non-issue anyway. If he'll order it, fine, otherwise I think it can wait until your next blood test, which should be 4-5 weeks after re-starting meds.