I need your advice...

[Steph1985]

This may be a little long, and may sound strange.
When I was around 12-13 years old I had a flu.  I was at home when this very heavy feeling of fatigue and tiredness came over me. (This had happened to me one time prior, but when away when I wokeup the next morning).  The last time it happened (when I was 12-13) it didn't go away.  I'm 22 and the fatigued/tired feeling has not left me since.  I wake up every day tired/groggy like my head is in a cloud.  I feel like I'm in a dream state (to better explain?)
My aunt suggested it might be my thyroids so I researched it a bit.  I went to my doctor to have him test my TSH levels.  The tests came back "normal" although I did have high cholesterol.  My aunt told me to get tested again since it took her doctor 4 times before he found anything wrong with her thyroids.  I asked my doctor to test me again and the response he gave me was "you're just paranoid, go outside and get some exercise" (I'm not overweight by any means).  I gave up on him.  I went to the walkin clinic who didn't care to find out why I was feeling this way, he just gave me a blood test sheet to have my thyroids checked -- I never heard back from him.
I've just recently resorted to a naturopath.  She's quite certain I have hypothyroidsim, although, I'm hesitant to be tested by her because her blood test costs over $400 and is not covered by Alberta Health Care, SO I turned (yet again) to another (highly recommended) doctor who (yet again) didn't take the time to find out my symptoms.  I told him I've been fatigued for a very long time... he told me it's depression (which I'm POSITIVE it's not.  I'm a very happy person -- most of the time).
This is where I need an opinion.  Have any of you been diagnosed as "healthy" when you were quite certain something was wrong with your thyroids?
My symptoms are:
Fatigue/tiredness,
Forgetfullness, bad memory
Always cold (and when it's cold I fall asleep or get very drowsy and yawn a lot)
My hair is constantly falling out and very thin (it stopped falling out for a while when I started taking iron, that lasted for about a month and has now started falling back out again)
My eyes are always very dry
My outter eyebrows are thin on one side, non-existent on the other,
I have very dry/very itchy skin,
I have low blood pressure
Regardless of how much sleep/exercise or how healthy I eat or how many vitamins I take, I'm constantly fatigued.  I find it's getting worse and worse.
Any insight anyone?  It'd be much appreciated.  Thanks for your time

[Steph1985]

Alright, I just had my bloodwork done today, I should have the results in by Wednesday, I'll be sure to post them.  On Monday I'm going to also call up my (rather ******) old doctor and have him fax me all my blood work results.
I'll be sure to post the old and the new results once they're in.
I hope this is the end of me worrying what's wrong with me.  I'm so sick of doctor hunting, and then waiting only to hear that I'm "normal".  I wish they'd understand.

[skymax2000]

I have PPO so I just go see any doctor plus I'm in a big city so I have many endo options.

Call and have your doc mail your test results and post the results with the range info here. I like kitcurious idea of seeing your gyno too. Or go to another GP who might do other tests. But definitely take your results and go get a second opinion.

[Steph1985]

Hey guys,
after your much appreciated advice, I decided to call an endo here in my city.  Unfortunately, the only way they will take me on as a patient is if my doctor calls to make the appointment -- which obviously he will not.  I'm in a bit of a bind and don't know what to do.  Have any of you had this problem?  Or were you personally able to make an appointment with your endocrinologist?

[kitcurious]

Yes. See an endocrinologist and also have your cortisol checked, and maybe see a rheumatologist and a gyno as well. Gee...there are so many things that can make people tired -don't sentence yourself stay that way just because you (probably) don't need thyroid meds.  
Hope you feel better soon.

[skymax2000]

Yes, I was beyond tired -- like something was sucking the life out of me. And I had times when I was evening questioning reality. I think the dream state you are talking about is 'brain fog'. Brain fog is exhausting. I probably slept 2/3 of the time in ten years. I slept thru my 20's. Now there were times I had energy but then if I did something like go hiking or run, then I was down for a week. I tried to run a marathon where we were suppose to train a minimum of 3 time a week. I could only run every two weeks. And I had extreme anger management problems. I threw alot of tantrums b/c something inside of me needed to be released. Oh, and my hair was brittle, dry, falling out. Had itchy skin and felt like something was pinching my eyes, super-skinny but always hungry. But again, I was hyperthyroid so don't use me as an example to diagnose yourself. My advice is to skip the naturopath and go to an endocrinologist (to see if it's thyroid) with your test results and a written list of your symptoms. Also, if you have choices, pick an endo that specializes in thyroid as many specialize in diabetes.

[devushka]

I'm bothered by the fact that your doctors never gave you your test results. These places keep records, and it's your RIGHT to call them up and politely ask them to send you a copy of your results. If you have a test further down the line, it will be useful to compare the numbers.  Keep a file, and take charge of your information. Knowledge is power!

[Steph1985]

No, I haven't.  I've been to the naturopath and she's quite certain it's hypo.  I was looking into them this afternoon and may make an appointment.  
I had no idea (until today) that you could even obtain copies of your test results.  The doctors never told me about this (especially my old family doctor (he's very ignorant)).
So did you feel tired for the 10 years throughout?
Does it feel like you're in a dream state (constantly) and you're tired and fatigued 24/7?

[skymax2000]

Hang in there. I went thru many doctors too. Unfortunately, at the time everyone made me think it was in my head. Ten years later I was finally diagnosed with Graves b/c I was pregnant and hyperthyroidism was found by routine bloodwork. Call and have those docs mail you your test results. I keep copies of all of mine. Have you been to an endicrinologist?

[Steph1985]

Hey guys, thanks for your input, I'm a little scared about the possibility of cancer, however.
When I went to my doctor (the one that told me I was paranoid) he never gave me my test results, none of them have, so I don't even know what range I'm in.  It's pretty pathetic.
Skymax, when the latest doctor told me that it was depression, that only made me more frustrated... and I kept thinking the same thing "I wouldn't be depressed if I weren't so damn tired."
I've tried out 4 doctors and one Naturopath so far... I'm going to keep hunting, although it's pretty annoying.  I feel so hopeless.
Yes, I feel the fatigue is getting worse and worse... I'm at the end of my rope here!

[skymax2000]

Can you post your test results? If it's not thyroid, you should still definitely pursue what it is. It's not in your head! You sound like me when I was 22 but I was hyperthyroid. Docs kept telling me I was depressed but I said I felt I wouldn't be depressed if I weren't so darn tired.

[zaksmom]

You're certainly not alone!!!  I've had the exact same reactions from doctors -- we have the same symptoms too.  I've been labeled "subclinical hypothyroid" - which means that lab work doesn't show a medical thyroid condition, even though they're certain it is developing.  I've done alot of searching on this site, as well as lots of others and found that this type of reaction from dr. is more common than ever.  Everything I have found is that you need to keep searching and searching until you find a dr. who will listen.  I am currently waiting for my upcoming appt. at the end of next month at a highly recommended medical teaching university.  Don't give up!  I know you're too tired to even want to think of how much work it is to go from dr. to dr. -- it's exhausting even thinking about it -- trust me!  I know!  The fatigue is just horrible, isn't it?  

Find a dr. who will listen and treat you accordingly -- only you  know how you feel.
betsy

[mamaof5]

I understand how you feel.  I had all of your symptoms plus I could not step up a 2 inch step without pulling myself up.  I even got to the point that I could not roll over in bed without my husband's help.  My fingers, hands, toes and feet felt like they were breaking when I tried to use them.  I had a 5 month old baby and I had just turned 40.  My gp could not find anything wrong.  All my tests during my entire pregnancy were perfect.  I made an appt to see a rheumatologist because I thought I had RA.  She did plenty of blood work and sent me for an ultrasound of my thyroid before the blood tests results were complete.  The next working day she called me and stated that my thyroid was filled with nodules.  She contacted an endo who I saw within the next few days who stated that I was going to have to have my thyroid removed.  The surgery was completed and my family and I were informed no cancer I should be better in a few weeks.  One week later surgeon tells me that he was wrong test results are back and that I have thyroid cancer.  WHAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU IS THIS..... FIND AN ENDO AND DEMAND AN ULTRASOUND.  IF MY RHEMUATOLOGIST HAD NOT ORDERED ONE AND FOUND THE NODULES.  THE CANCER WOULD HAVE KEPT GROWING AND WHEN FINALLY SOMETHING DID FINALLY SHOW UP IN MY BLOOD IT MORE THAN LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE JUST BEEN CANCER IN THE THYROID (THIS IS WHAT MY ENDO TOLD ME).  I will remember you in my prayers.  Also just want you to know I took RAI.  All of this was done in 2004 (my youngest son had just turned 5 months when I had the surgery).  I have been cancer free since 2004.  I see my endo every 6 months.  Please keep me informed.