Aa
help
hi im 28 and last year diagnosed with hypothyroidism. i was taking levothyroxine but always have these dark bags under my eyes and sometimes around my eyes .then switched to synthroid still not helping ..my endo says my tsh levels are in normal rang. anyone have any idea about these bags and dark circles ?
I tried healthcheckusa also,
. both of the labs use popular labcorp local locations for blood draw but privatemdlabs was a lot cheaper with the coupons they offer on top of having lower test price by having a test with tsh ft3 and ft4 combined, which if you are testing out of pocket , can add it quickly. I have used privatemdlabs for 3 years now so they are reliable. Just want to put the word out there for those of us that need to save $$$ but still be able to order our own test to take to dr visit. Also saves on extra dr visits if you take the correct test and saves time.
. both of the labs use popular labcorp local locations for blood draw but privatemdlabs was a lot cheaper with the coupons they offer on top of having lower test price by having a test with tsh ft3 and ft4 combined, which if you are testing out of pocket , can add it quickly. I have used privatemdlabs for 3 years now so they are reliable. Just want to put the word out there for those of us that need to save $$$ but still be able to order our own test to take to dr visit. Also saves on extra dr visits if you take the correct test and saves time.
I only mentioned healthcheck because I personally know members who have used them and found them very reputable. There are many online labs out there. Some are not available in all parts of the country. Any of them would work as long as they are reliable and prompt.
I've never heard of folate relating to thyroid in any way. However, I did find a study that showed that adolescent rats with high folate levels produced less FT4. As far as I know, folate deficiency is important mostly for pregnant women. It could be a lab error.
However, anything that far out of range should probably be investigated further. If she sends you back to the lab, ask for D! LOL
Is your diet high in any or all of these foods that have the highest folate content:
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-folate-vitamin-B9.php
However, anything that far out of range should probably be investigated further. If she sends you back to the lab, ask for D! LOL
Is your diet high in any or all of these foods that have the highest folate content:
http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-folate-vitamin-B9.php
just a multivitamin sometimes ..the doctor called and wants me to do another blood test to check into folate she said ..is that even thyroid related ?
I don't believe she didn't test vitamin D. That's a major player these days.
Ferritin is a little on the low side. Ferritin levels may have to be in the 90-110 range to metabolize thyroid hormones properly.
Folate is high. I know it's water soluble, so it's not of real concern in and of itself. However, I did read that high levels are thought to possibly mask B-12 deficiency.
Do you know why your folate is so high? Are you supplementing?
Ferritin is a little on the low side. Ferritin levels may have to be in the 90-110 range to metabolize thyroid hormones properly.
Folate is high. I know it's water soluble, so it's not of real concern in and of itself. However, I did read that high levels are thought to possibly mask B-12 deficiency.
Do you know why your folate is so high? Are you supplementing?
vitamin b 12 -722 rang 193 - 986 , folate 39.3 rang 3.1 -17.5 , ferritin 64 rang 26 -388 .thats all she checked i guess when i asked to have my vitamin and minerals tested the other day .
As I said, you could try a small increase in your thyroid meds to see if you can nudge your FT3 and FT4 up a little. Some people need FT3 up in the upper third of the range (67+%).
I'd still test vitamins and minerals. When thyroid hormone levels are as good as yours are, you have to start looking elsewhere to explain lingering symptoms. You could try raising your thyroid meds a little first. I don't think it's going to take much of an increase to get your levels up a little higher. If that doesn't help, you can have vitamins and minerals tested.
If I were you, I think I'd do the vitamin and mineral tests first. If they come back clean (remember just being in range isn't good enough), you can try a little increase.
I'd still test vitamins and minerals. When thyroid hormone levels are as good as yours are, you have to start looking elsewhere to explain lingering symptoms. You could try raising your thyroid meds a little first. I don't think it's going to take much of an increase to get your levels up a little higher. If that doesn't help, you can have vitamins and minerals tested.
If I were you, I think I'd do the vitamin and mineral tests first. If they come back clean (remember just being in range isn't good enough), you can try a little increase.
no the only thing i seen was ABS. EOSINOPHILS was 0.6 rang was 0.0 -0.5 so do you still think i should have vitamin and mineral checked ? or even need to be on meds ? what you said about "masked" another deficiency. is what i think might be the case . to me it seemed like it was when i started the meds .they started bringing out more and more symptoms .but then again i try but dont really understand it all. so all your help is really great thank you
Okay, that changes things considerably. Your FT4 range changed from what you posted above. That puts your current FT4 at 40% of range, which is a little bit on the low side. However your FT3 is still at 62%, which is nicely up in the range. It also shows that you convert well...nice balance of FT3 to FT4.
You could try a slight increase in levo to try to nudge your FT4 up closer to midrange, or even a little above. Your FT4 was low before you started meds, assuming 1.0 was when you were diagnosed. Your FT3 level looks really good, but some people have to have it higher in the range for symptom relief. If I were you, I'd try to get your FT4 up to around 1.26-1.36 and see if that helps.
Unless anything is wildly out of range on your CBC, I don't need to see details.
You could try a slight increase in levo to try to nudge your FT4 up closer to midrange, or even a little above. Your FT4 was low before you started meds, assuming 1.0 was when you were diagnosed. Your FT3 level looks really good, but some people have to have it higher in the range for symptom relief. If I were you, I'd try to get your FT4 up to around 1.26-1.36 and see if that helps.
Unless anything is wildly out of range on your CBC, I don't need to see details.
ok sorry this may help i have all my records now tsh this is everytime ive had it checked rang is 0.35 -3.74 4.66, 4.54 ,2.54, 3.34 4.24 2.54 1.17 1.43 free t 4 rang 0.76 - 1.76 1.0 , 1.2, 1.2 , 1.16 also i have cbc WITH AUTOMATED DIFF - Details if that might help
It could be food allergy/sensitivity. It could also be vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Have you had your vitamin D level checked? D deficiency is rampant in the higher latitudes, especially during the winter. B-12 is another that can cause fatigue. Both of those should be well up in the ranges, not just in the bottom of the range. Iron/ferritin deficiency is another. So, a complete iron panel would be a good idea. Magnesium and potassium can both contribute to heart palpitations.
As I said, your FT4 is on the high side. You're on a very low dose of levo. To tell you the truth, I'd question if you even need to be on thyroid meds. Your blood levels are not the slightest bit hypo. All our current tests can measure is the hormone circulating in the blood. However, there's one more step to go...thyroid hormones have to get into cells. If they don't, you can be hypo on the cellular level, even with perfectly good blood levels. In order for thyroid hormones to get into cells, vitamin D, ferritin and magnesium all have to be present in sufficient quantity.
You might have had some symptom relief when you started levo because it "masked" another deficiency. Were you originally diagnosed hypo based on TSH alone? Do you know what your TSH was?
As I said, your FT4 is on the high side. You're on a very low dose of levo. To tell you the truth, I'd question if you even need to be on thyroid meds. Your blood levels are not the slightest bit hypo. All our current tests can measure is the hormone circulating in the blood. However, there's one more step to go...thyroid hormones have to get into cells. If they don't, you can be hypo on the cellular level, even with perfectly good blood levels. In order for thyroid hormones to get into cells, vitamin D, ferritin and magnesium all have to be present in sufficient quantity.
You might have had some symptom relief when you started levo because it "masked" another deficiency. Were you originally diagnosed hypo based on TSH alone? Do you know what your TSH was?
ive been taking the half of 50 for about 3 months . yea dizziness and just run down and tired feeling most of the day ..you think it could be gluten or maybe other foods thats could be causing the symptoms ? or even ask to be put on some other thyroid meds ?
Some people are sensitive to the dyes or the other inactive ingredients in some of the tablets. You might try asking your doctor to write your script for half a 50 mcg Synthroid, because those are white and have no dyes. However, if you went off meds for a month, that's a pretty good indication that it wasn't anything in the tablets.
During the month you were off all thyroid meds, did your palps and dizziness come back?
During the month you were off all thyroid meds, did your palps and dizziness come back?
yea .25 mcg symptoms before meds was heart palpation and feeling dizzy ..witch the meds helped with that ..but right after i started the meds always have these under eye bags ,sometimes pale face or red cheeks .those have not improved really at all ..so i thought maybe it was the meds .so i switched to synthroid and something about the dye in the pills.then even went off my meds for a month ..not any of it helped .
Those labs actually look really good. FT4 is at 60% of range, which is a little high of the 50% guideline. FT3 is at 62% of range, and FT3 guideline is 50+%.
You are taking 25 mcg, correct? What were your symptoms before starting meds? Have any improved or gone away?
You are taking 25 mcg, correct? What were your symptoms before starting meds? Have any improved or gone away?
free t4 1.16 rang 0.76 - 1.46 ) (free t 3.. 3.3 rang 2.18 - 3.98 ) tsh 0.744 rang 0.358 - 3 .74
It might be a really good idea to get your testing done online. That was, at least YOU'LL know what you need to do and what you need in a doctor.
You might check healthcheckusa. I only suggest them because some of our members have had good luck with them. You order your own tests, they send you to a local lab for the draw and then they send results directly to you. Last I knew, the package of FT3, FT4 and TSH was $135. I don't know how much TPOab is. (They, or some other online lab might have a package that includes TPOab.) Just be sure you order FREE T3 and FREE T4.
We can help you interpret them when you get them.
You might check healthcheckusa. I only suggest them because some of our members have had good luck with them. You order your own tests, they send you to a local lab for the draw and then they send results directly to you. Last I knew, the package of FT3, FT4 and TSH was $135. I don't know how much TPOab is. (They, or some other online lab might have a package that includes TPOab.) Just be sure you order FREE T3 and FREE T4.
We can help you interpret them when you get them.
i take .25 mcg .levo then switched to synthroid told me it would help with the symptoms .didnt help any .prior to meds i dont remember .it was just barley out of range tho they told me .im willing to do what ever . the doctor just always talks like nothing else is needed and i would just be wasting money .but yet she dose nothing for my symptoms
Saying your FT4 was "checked before and its in normal rang" is a little like telling a diabetic to just check his blood sugar once a year. What if your thyroid dysfunction is progressing, and your thyroid is producing less and less hormone all the time?
Whether you have Hashi's or not, the treatment (meds) is the same. However, the big catch is that Hashi's is progressive. If you know you have Hashi's, you know you can expect further deterioration of thyroid function, so meds will have to be periodically increased.
Do you know what your TSH was prior to meds?
If FT3 is too low, and you still have symptoms, then you might need to take T3 along with your T4. I guess she's assuming that you'd not be willing to pay for T3 meds.
Would you consider ordering FT3 and FT4 online? TPOab is also available online.
Whether you have Hashi's or not, the treatment (meds) is the same. However, the big catch is that Hashi's is progressive. If you know you have Hashi's, you know you can expect further deterioration of thyroid function, so meds will have to be periodically increased.
Do you know what your TSH was prior to meds?
If FT3 is too low, and you still have symptoms, then you might need to take T3 along with your T4. I guess she's assuming that you'd not be willing to pay for T3 meds.
Would you consider ordering FT3 and FT4 online? TPOab is also available online.
couldnt really get any where with my doctor ..she just said my free t4 was checked before and its in normal rang .free t 3s, TPOab and TGab .would not change the medication any and since i dont have insurance. it would be up to me to go pay for it . tsh was .7 rang was .3 -3
For years, doctors have been taught in med school that TSH is the gold standard in thyroid testing. One generation of doctors perpetuates this myth into the next.
TSH is a pituitary hormone. It causes no symptoms. It's nothing but a messenger from your pituitary to your thyroid. The theory is that TSH perfectly reflects thyroid hormone levels. In the real world, however, we know that many factors, other than thyroid hormone levels can effect TSH. Among many others, thyroid meds can effect TSH. If nothing else, when doctors look at TSH only, they are assuming that the pituitary is functioning properly. TSH also has a circadian variation of up to 70%, so it can look quite different just depending on what time of day the blood was drawn.
FREE T3 and FREE T4 are the actual thyroid hormones. They are a direct measure of what your thyroid is doing. Once on thyroid meds, it's essential to monitor FT3 and FT4 ever time blood is drawn.
"im just wondering why she has never checked anything other then my tsh before told me checking my free t3 and 4s woudnt be necessary if my tsh are in rang"
She's obviously not a really good thyroid doctor. If she treats based on TSH alone, she is going to keep you feeling less than 100%. Once you establish at which levels you feel best, you can used FT3 and FT4 to guide you.
TSH is a pituitary hormone. It causes no symptoms. It's nothing but a messenger from your pituitary to your thyroid. The theory is that TSH perfectly reflects thyroid hormone levels. In the real world, however, we know that many factors, other than thyroid hormone levels can effect TSH. Among many others, thyroid meds can effect TSH. If nothing else, when doctors look at TSH only, they are assuming that the pituitary is functioning properly. TSH also has a circadian variation of up to 70%, so it can look quite different just depending on what time of day the blood was drawn.
FREE T3 and FREE T4 are the actual thyroid hormones. They are a direct measure of what your thyroid is doing. Once on thyroid meds, it's essential to monitor FT3 and FT4 ever time blood is drawn.
"im just wondering why she has never checked anything other then my tsh before told me checking my free t3 and 4s woudnt be necessary if my tsh are in rang"
She's obviously not a really good thyroid doctor. If she treats based on TSH alone, she is going to keep you feeling less than 100%. Once you establish at which levels you feel best, you can used FT3 and FT4 to guide you.
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