Severe Muscle loss and tiredness

[mohitky2k]

Hi,
I am a healthy very active 27 year old male.
From the past 2 months I have been having very frequent motions and have been using the loo for like 5-6 times a day.
There is NO blood in the stools though.Yet they are semi solid always in constituency.
Have done a number of antibiotic courses along with a Deworming cycle.
Have significantly lost muscle mass and nothing seems to going into my body and working for it.
Have got my ultrasound done for stomach,liver function all are normal.

As I was also complaining about tiredness and fatigue hence my Doctor recommended a Thyroid test to be done.
The following were the results:
T3 - 0.71, T4 - 5.20, TSH -11.4
Also to re-confirm the same I got myself tested again.
T3 - 0.65, T4 - 4.75, TSH - 9.9
ANTI-TPO ANTIBODY - 79.0

He has recommended a dose of 25micromg of Thyroxine for the treatment of Hypothyroid.
Along with Colonology.
Would like to have a second opinion for the same.

Thanks and regards

[goolarra]

What are the ranges on your T3 and T4?  Also, do they say FREE T3 and FREE T4 or FT3 and FT4?  If not, they are total T3 and total T4.  Ranges vary lab to lab, so you have to post them with your results.

Aso, what's the range on your TPOab?

For most people, constipation is a symptom of hypothyroidism.  

Have you been tested for celiac disease?

[mohitky2k]

T3,T4 ARE REPRESENTED AS TOTAL VALUES

Also the normal values RANGE as per the lab are:
T3 -  0.6-2.10
T4 -  4.50-12.5
TSH(CLIA) - 0.3-5.0
ANTI TPO ANTIBODY - 0.00-65.0

[goolarra]

Unfortunately total T3 and total T4 are considered obsolete tests.  Free T3 and free T4 are much more useful.  The totals tell you the total amount of the hormones in your blood, but much of that is chemically bound by protein and unavailable to cells.  The frees tell you what's available.

That being said, both T3 and T4 are very low in the ranges.  Ranges are flawed for many reasons, so the whole lower half of the range is suspect.  

In addition, your TPOab is elevated though only marginally.  Elevated TPOab indicates Hashimoto's thyroiditis, autoimmune thyroid disease.  Has your doctor diagnosed Hashi's?  We often see antibody counts in the hundreds or even thousands, which is why I say yours in marginal.

I think you might feel better on meds.  If I were you, I'd do as your doctor suggests and see if it helps your fatigue.  Once on meds, you have to wait 4-6 weeks before re-testing, re-evaluating symptoms and deciding if an increase is in order.  Next time, ask your doctor to test free T3 and free T4.

[mohitky2k]

The reason i am avoiding this medication is that it Will stick with me through out my life n dependence on some thing is not what i want..
Especially after the kind of a strong diet i have been following..
I am trying to play around with my diet and have increased the complex carbs by around
10%.. have felt better a little bit after that...
Will keep a close watch on my fat%,weight n strength in terms of poundages so that i can work this out...
Will try so for like another 10days time n would get my tests done again..
if nothing seems to work out would have to be on the pill then i guess...

[goolarra]

None of us want to be dependent on anything, but letting your body go without thyroid hormones is not an option.  Low thyroid hormones affect every part of your body.  One consolation is that thyroid hormones are not drugs, but a chemically exact replacement of the substance our bodies produce naturally if they could.