TSH change, extrem fatigue, hypothyroidism,

[finchigirl]

I have been on 50mcg of levothyroxine for the last 5 or more years. My labs when drawn have always been in the normal range. I have also been told I have a very small pituitary tumor, I have had a MRI of my brain every few years for I think a total of 3 MRI's. In october I had a ultrasound of my thyroid after my provider felt my thyroid slightly enlarged, the result was a small nodule on or next to my thyroid. I have since found very small lumps in my neck,about the size a peas. For the last month or so I have felt so run down it is all i can do to get up get dressed and go to work. I usually wear make up and do my hair which has gone out the window, I am lucky just to actully show up to work. My symptoms are as follows: Swollen glands in my neck, major fatigue, swelling around my eyes with dark circles, sore throat, achey all over, I cant think of the rest at this time but the list goes on. I went to my provider who I felt acts like i am over reacting but it is starting to effect my parenting because I am to tired to do anything. She ran my blood work and everything was normal except for my TSH was 0.19 which she said is low and now is droping my levothyroxin to 12.5 mcgs. I am already fatigued and now I am afraid it will make me even worse droping my medication. My labs for my thyroid have always been normal. So my question is could my pituitary tumor possibly be getting large and now making my body produce more thyroid hormone and would be possible me the case of me feeling so bad. I work in a infirmary in a prison around medical providers all day, my boss who is a MD said maybe I am clincly depressed which I am going to see a MH ARNP next week because I am game for any thing I can not continue to feel this run down. I am starting to get depressed because I wonder if it is all just in my head (no pun intended). But I feel like I am getting the brush off and I am researching on my own what it maybe. I have not discussed my symptoms with my boss he just notices the extrem changed physical and mental in me and he sees me every day. Any help or input would be greatly appriciated. Maybe I am just crazy but I want to make sure it is not medical before I go strait to the funny farm.
  

[acker]

hypothyroid makes you feel BAD! - anxiety, TIRED, disinterested, generally crappy. i don't think the pituitary growth is helping either - wiiild guess. it can be linked to ADRENAL health.

you will know yourself if you're depressed or not. i just am a bit tired of people thinking i have depression; i have HAD depression - the hypothyroidism will make you pretty depressed! - but that's not why i wasn't going out the door for errands/ social/ relaxing walk/ etc - it was because i was physically unable to!

there's a Brain/pituitary forum here. also maybe a quick look at pituitary . org.

you don't present as funny farm-ready. good luck at the MH ARNP [don't know what that is].

(forgive if dumb suggestion: can you cut back on work - one day less a fortnight? dunno if that's negotiable. who knows - it might even suit everyone better? i say this because i had continued to work all i could cause i thought i couldn't afford to take a minute off work, then i collapsed terribly and couldn't work at all.)

[goolarra]

Yes, I couldn't agree more with annamae.  If they are only testing TSH, especially in light of a known pituitary tumor, then they are flying blind.  Also, just being "in range" on labs does not guarantee that you will be asymptomatic.  Many of us have to be in the upper end of the ranges (FT3 and FT4) to feel well.

I doubt your pituitary tumor is making your thyroid produce more hormone.  Much more likely is that the tumor is causing your pituitary to produce less TSH.  This is not a "true" TSH reading.  This is why we hate to see thyroid conditions being monitored on TSH.

[annamae26]

YOU ARE NOT CRAZY!  can you get your dr or your boss or someone to order a ft3 and ft4 with your tsh and then post the numbers on this board?  if your ft3 is low that could cause depression and other symptoms.  they tried to give me antidepressents for years and i threw the script in the trash on my way out of their offices- finally 15 years later i found out it way my thyroid all those years- so sick and not knowing what was wrong with me.  try and get those labs ordered and then post them here there are so many informed people here who can help you.  get the numbers!!!