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Light almost missed period.. should I got back to doc?
I won't bore you with my long story. My goiter has been diagnosed as Hashimotos but I haven't received treatment as my blood tests are within normal ranges. My TSH was first 0.9, then 0.5, and 6 months ago 0.3. My acne has worsened in the past 6 months terribly around my jaw line. Now I am on meds for that along with meds for high triglycerides, high blood pressure, OCD, Vitamin D deficiency, heartburn, and allergy injections. I am 31 and up until the past year or so my periods were very heavy lasting around 7 days and came like clock work. This past year they are only lasting about 4 to 5 days with only 2 very heavy days. This month...on the day it was to come.. I have only had 4 days of very light what I think was old blood (brownish / gooey) (sorry to gross you out) .. so light a panty liner would have been sufficient. That was a week and half ago. I am not scheduled to go back to my endocrinologist till the Fall of the year. Should I call him and get my bloodwork checked again? Or just wait it out?
Goolarra has give you some very good info. Just wanted to add to make sure the doctor checks for free T3 and free T4, along with TSH. If he resists, then you should insist on it and don't take no for an answer. Remember that you are the customer.
I even go so far as to ask the lab people what thyroid tests they are to run for me. You'd be surprised how often they operate on auto pilot and just test the usual, and you only find out later that the wrong tests were done. Just confirm with them that it is FT3 and FT4, not total T3 and total T4.
Also a good idea to always get a copy of lab reports and write on there how you were feeling at the time and what meds/supplements your were taking. these then become very valuable references for the future.
I even go so far as to ask the lab people what thyroid tests they are to run for me. You'd be surprised how often they operate on auto pilot and just test the usual, and you only find out later that the wrong tests were done. Just confirm with them that it is FT3 and FT4, not total T3 and total T4.
Also a good idea to always get a copy of lab reports and write on there how you were feeling at the time and what meds/supplements your were taking. these then become very valuable references for the future.
My regular family doctor wants to run some more bloodwork after he found out about my missed period and the bad acne. Also, I am having trouble focusing and my anxiety issues seem much worse. And I feel like I need to sleep all the time. I had lost a few pounds too when I went yesterday and I haven't been trying at all. In fact, I've felt so bad that I haven't felt like exercising or eating right. So tomorrow I am going for more blood work. I'll let you all know how it turns out.
Thank you so much. I am going to wait a month or so and see if my cycle will go back to normal and if not I am calling the Endo and making him test me for everything you mentioned. Also, if it does go back to normal I will make him check what you mentioned on the next rountine check up. Thank you so much!
I have read that it's possible to have Hashi's and not have the tests confirm it. However, I have never met anyone who reported that as having been the case with them, personally.
Hashi's can behave eratically, especially in the early stages. There's often an initil hypER stage, which can be followed by swings from hypo to hyper. When the thyroid is destroyed, or nearly destroyed, hypo becomes permanent.
Changes in periods are symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. Both thyroid hormones and reproductive hormones are part of the endocrine system, which is all interrelated. Disturbances in one area can cause problems in other areas. So, it's not "normal", but it's not an unusual symptom by any means.
It sounds like your aunts had Graves' disease, which is hyperthyroidism. It can be treated with meds, surgery and/or RAI, which is probably the treatment your aunts are talking about. It doesn't make you infertile, but it may have been trickier to do when they had it done than it is today. Actually, your symptoms would indicate Graves' to me more than Hashi's, but they are both autoimmune diseases, so antibodies (sure you had both of those?) are usually elevated in both. With Hashi's, your TSH usually move up, not down, as you lose more and more thyroid function.
To be absolutely certain, you might request TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin), which is the definitive test for Graves'. Although quite rare, it is possible to have both Hashi's and Graves'.
Autoimmune diseases run in families, so your history is important. After having surgery and/or RAI, both your aunts must be on Synthroid as well as your grandmas.
I think you should find a realy good thyroid doctor and explore what's really going on with you. It might be time to repeat whatever antibody tests have already been done and add in any that haven't been done. It's absolutely crudial to have FT3 tested. It's the test that correlates best with symptoms, and it's very important in diagnosing and treating Graves'. All your symptoms sound very thyroid-related to me. Don't let an inadequate thyroid doctor ruin your life...find someone who will order the right tests and find the cause of your thyroid dysfunction. You'll feel much better once it's treated.
Hashi's can behave eratically, especially in the early stages. There's often an initil hypER stage, which can be followed by swings from hypo to hyper. When the thyroid is destroyed, or nearly destroyed, hypo becomes permanent.
Changes in periods are symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. Both thyroid hormones and reproductive hormones are part of the endocrine system, which is all interrelated. Disturbances in one area can cause problems in other areas. So, it's not "normal", but it's not an unusual symptom by any means.
It sounds like your aunts had Graves' disease, which is hyperthyroidism. It can be treated with meds, surgery and/or RAI, which is probably the treatment your aunts are talking about. It doesn't make you infertile, but it may have been trickier to do when they had it done than it is today. Actually, your symptoms would indicate Graves' to me more than Hashi's, but they are both autoimmune diseases, so antibodies (sure you had both of those?) are usually elevated in both. With Hashi's, your TSH usually move up, not down, as you lose more and more thyroid function.
To be absolutely certain, you might request TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin), which is the definitive test for Graves'. Although quite rare, it is possible to have both Hashi's and Graves'.
Autoimmune diseases run in families, so your history is important. After having surgery and/or RAI, both your aunts must be on Synthroid as well as your grandmas.
I think you should find a realy good thyroid doctor and explore what's really going on with you. It might be time to repeat whatever antibody tests have already been done and add in any that haven't been done. It's absolutely crudial to have FT3 tested. It's the test that correlates best with symptoms, and it's very important in diagnosing and treating Graves'. All your symptoms sound very thyroid-related to me. Don't let an inadequate thyroid doctor ruin your life...find someone who will order the right tests and find the cause of your thyroid dysfunction. You'll feel much better once it's treated.
Also I have a strong family history of thyroid problems. 2 of my aunts and 2 of my grandmas had them. They can't remember which but they think it was Hyper .. My aunts remember having to have the thyroid taken out or some sort of treatment that would make you infertile to treat. Both of my grandmas are on synthroid.
The doctor did check the TPOab and TGab when he first saw me. I remember seeing them on the lab sheet I had to take it to the lab. I believe all of these were normal.. didn't find out numbers but the doctor said they were all normal ranges. Is it possible to have Hashi and not have the blood tests confirm it? With Hashi is it normal to have lowering TSH... and is missing a period normal? I've never missed one before. But like I said.. my acne has worsened in the past 6 months and this time for my period... it was what looked like old blood only and not very much.
If your FT4 was midlevel, that's good. FT3 is the other piece of the puzzle. Your cells can't use T4 until it is converted to T3 (mostly by your liver). Some people convert too slowly, and even though their FT4 level is fine, they are still hypo because cells can't get enough T3. FT3 and FT4 should be tested every time TSH is tested.
There are also blood tests to confirm Hashi's. These are thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOab) and thyroglobulim antibodies (TGab). Has anyone tested these?
If your doctor just tests TSH and infrequently FT4, it might be time to find a more thorough doctor. It sounds like you have a lot of symptoms that he's ignoring.
There are also blood tests to confirm Hashi's. These are thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOab) and thyroglobulim antibodies (TGab). Has anyone tested these?
If your doctor just tests TSH and infrequently FT4, it might be time to find a more thorough doctor. It sounds like you have a lot of symptoms that he's ignoring.
I looked back at my notes and it says my Free T4 were mid level. I don't know the exact numbers though.
When my OBGYN found my goiter, she sent me for testing to look at it, the radiologist read it as 2 cm nodules on it then I was sent to a surgeon who said it didn't look like cancer to him and if it wasn't bothering my voice or swallowing and such then it didn't need to come out right now... then he sent me to the Endocrinologist who started taking my blood work and looked at the goiter hisself and said the radioologist had read it wrong.. that it was no 2 cm nodules.. it was filled with many smaller nodules typical of Hashimotos. He checked my TSH every 6 months and the last time at 0.3 he told me I could wait a year to come back. He said he wanted to keep an eye on the goiter. He also found my Vitamin D deficiency. He checked one of those others that you mention too.. I think it was Free T4 but he said it was within normal range. He has also checked me for Cushing's which turned out fine too. I have real trouble losing weight.
Have they been testing free T3 and free T4 along with TSH? If so, please post results and ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own lab report.
TSH is a pituitary hormone, and a very poor diagnostic, when used alone, of thyroid function. FT3 and FT4 are the actual thyroid hormones and give a more complete profile.
The trend in your TSH, downward toward the hypER end of the range, is not typical of Hashi's. On what basis were you diagnosed with Hashi's?
TSH is a pituitary hormone, and a very poor diagnostic, when used alone, of thyroid function. FT3 and FT4 are the actual thyroid hormones and give a more complete profile.
The trend in your TSH, downward toward the hypER end of the range, is not typical of Hashi's. On what basis were you diagnosed with Hashi's?
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