Aa
Newly Diagnosed
Hi, I've just been diagnosed with a thyroid problem. I've had symptoms for quite some time and my doctor did blood tests which came back on the borderline for hypothyroidism but no mention of antibodies. He wouldn't treat me and tried to tell me I was depressed, which I didn't agree with. I've recently changed doctors and she has done another set of tests.
Thyroglobulin ab 84 Uml ( 1300 U/ml (<60 ) H
Free T4 14.0 pmol/L (10.0-20.0)
TSH 5.9 mlU/L (.30 - 4.00) H
I've been prescribed Levothyroxine 0.05mg once daily which I've just started taking (4 days now). I've done some reading and am a little confused exactly what the blood tests mean and how long it will take before I start to feel better or how serious it is. Symptoms include tiredness, memory loss, anxiety, lack of concentration, feeling cold, puffy eyes, muscle & joint aches, tingling hands from time to time. I am relieved to find there is something that could be causing my symptoms and really hope that I can feel some relief. Any thoughts would be gladly received. Thanks
Thyroglobulin ab 84 Uml ( 1300 U/ml (<60 ) H
Free T4 14.0 pmol/L (10.0-20.0)
TSH 5.9 mlU/L (.30 - 4.00) H
I've been prescribed Levothyroxine 0.05mg once daily which I've just started taking (4 days now). I've done some reading and am a little confused exactly what the blood tests mean and how long it will take before I start to feel better or how serious it is. Symptoms include tiredness, memory loss, anxiety, lack of concentration, feeling cold, puffy eyes, muscle & joint aches, tingling hands from time to time. I am relieved to find there is something that could be causing my symptoms and really hope that I can feel some relief. Any thoughts would be gladly received. Thanks
i have hypothyroidism and im feeling pooped this really stinks . i cant concentrate worth a lick . i have a research paper and completely indecide what ro do im lost
COMMUNITY LEADER
I'm happy to hear that you have a doctor who is willing to treat you.
It takes 4-6 weeks for the levo to reach full potential in your system, but you may start to notice some alleviation of symptoms before that. The first one of mine that went away was the puffiness under my eyes, within a couple weeks.
Quick run down on the tests: TSH is a pituitary hormone that signals the thyroid to produce more hormones. When the thyroid doesn't respond adequately, the pituitary puts out more TSH; yours is high, which indicates this is what was happening and while your thyroid is producing some hormones, it's not enough.
Free T4 (FT4) is one of the actual thyroid hormones. This is considered a storage hormone and must be converted to Free T3, which is the hormone that's actually used by the individual cells.
Once you've been diagnosed hypo, TSH becomes of little benefit and FT3 and FT4 become even more important. Next time you get testing done, ask for both FT3 and FT4, because not everyone converts the FT4 properly, and sometimes a separate source of T3 must be added, in order to alleviate symptoms.
You should also ask for antibody tests. The ones you will need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TGab). You need them both, because some people have just one or the other, some have both. These will determine if you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or not and without them both, you could fail to get a proper diagnosis. Hashimoto's is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world; and while a diagnosis won't change your treatment, knowing whether or not you have it, will give help determine future treatment.
It takes 4-6 weeks for the levo to reach full potential in your system, but you may start to notice some alleviation of symptoms before that. The first one of mine that went away was the puffiness under my eyes, within a couple weeks.
Quick run down on the tests: TSH is a pituitary hormone that signals the thyroid to produce more hormones. When the thyroid doesn't respond adequately, the pituitary puts out more TSH; yours is high, which indicates this is what was happening and while your thyroid is producing some hormones, it's not enough.
Free T4 (FT4) is one of the actual thyroid hormones. This is considered a storage hormone and must be converted to Free T3, which is the hormone that's actually used by the individual cells.
Once you've been diagnosed hypo, TSH becomes of little benefit and FT3 and FT4 become even more important. Next time you get testing done, ask for both FT3 and FT4, because not everyone converts the FT4 properly, and sometimes a separate source of T3 must be added, in order to alleviate symptoms.
You should also ask for antibody tests. The ones you will need are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPOab) and Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TGab). You need them both, because some people have just one or the other, some have both. These will determine if you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis or not and without them both, you could fail to get a proper diagnosis. Hashimoto's is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in the developed world; and while a diagnosis won't change your treatment, knowing whether or not you have it, will give help determine future treatment.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
