plz help

[nichola79]

Over a year and a half I found a lump on my thyroid It turned out to be a nodule I had a biopsy and a scan they said non-cancerous I now am due to have my yearly checkup, I have been having loads of symptoms of thyroid disease e.g anxiety, muscle pain, overally hot, swallowing difficulties, nervousness, foggy head, depression, dizziness, neck pain, palpatations the list goes on, the thing is ivve recently had two tsh tests one coming in at 0.85 and the other 1.1 which is in normal range, the doc won't perform t3 and t4 due to my tsh being normal he done a full blood count and my blood glucose fasting is slightly high? Am I right that thyroid probs can cause this? I'm at my witts end I have 4 kids who I love dearly but I can't cope with all these symptoms and the doctors just shruggging me of because of my tsh! Please could someone help me I really need some advice on how to get them to listen and where to go from here, sorry for sounding so desperate....many thanks nichola x

[nichola79]

Well I've just rang the doctor cause I wanted my results all in depth so they are going to photocopy all my results on all the blood work they have done so if poss could I post it all on here obviously I haven't had the t3 and t4 but I'd like to see it.

[nichola79]

Is there someone from uk that can put me in the right direction for a private endrocologist?

[Barb135]

Both the thyroid and pancreas are part of the endocrine system, so yes, your endo would deal with the blood sugar issue, as well.  In fact, many endos specialize in diabetes and are not good thyroid doctors at all

I don't know how you can get them to listen.  We've had some members who had to go private, in order to get adequate testing/treatment.

[nichola79]

How can I make the doctors listen 2 me and do the t3 and t4 I'm feeling really bad today and its making me so depressed I have my ultra scan on the 23rd of this month will they know anything? I can't afford to always be this low and depressed my children are suffering and I just can't pick myself up :-(

[nichola79]

Thanks I really do appreciate your imput back, would the endo help with blood sugar I thought they was only for the thyroid? I looked up and seen that thyroid probs can raise your blood sugar levels slightly and mine is very slightly, its very depressing and very tiring trying to get the help that's needed most of the docs I've seen has just shrugged me of as having just panic attacks and depression, I've had e.n.t appointments plus heart tests to rule out things and I'm never close to what it can be all I know is that a lot of the issues always comes back to thyroid and I have a nodule which to me makes sense, I've been told if tsh is normal then they generally won't do any other tests so I can't see how I'm possibly going to find anyway through this, if my nodule has grown then they have been talking about removing half my thyroid but I have also read up there are meds 2 try and reduce it before even contemplating a operation, do these people really have any conversation or imput on reality and what we have to deal with I ask myself lol, I did feel about giving up and hoping that eventually (hopefully sooner rather than later) my tsh level maybe changing but on a serious level I just don't wanna sit back and wait for things 2 happen I just want to be taken seriously.

[Barb135]

Your pancreas puts out insulin to regulate your blood sugar.  If the pancreas isn't working properly, your blood sugar will be out of whack.......  thyroid puts out thyroid hormones, that have different functions.

While both thyroid issues and type I diabetes (don't know your age, but type II diabetes is not autoimmune) are endocrine issues, thyroid levels don't really raise your blood sugar.  Increase in blood sugar means that either your pancreas is not producing enough insulin to metabolize your sugar intake, or your body is resistant to the insulin (insulin resistance).

You might want to visit the endo regarding the blood sugar issue, but stick with the doctor who cared and might willing to stick his neck out and do additional tests for your thyroid.

I find it amazing that some of the best studies that show TSH is not the "end all, be all" of thyroid, and that FT3 and FT4 are more important, come from UK, yet UK is the most unyielding, when it comes to testing/treatment, simply because of the NHS guidelines.   I can't help wonder if we, here in the U.S. will have the same issues when our health care plan takes full effect.

[nichola79]

I've been 2 several doctors in my surgery and although the last one seemed 2 of cared and said he is as frustrated as me he still never found the need 2 do t3 and t4 he has said 2 see my endo when I go for my furthur scan but when I seen her to talk about it 2 weeks ago she swears by the tsh, there is just no getting through 2 them, I do have another doctor that really sympathises with me on a lot of things maybe I could play on his heart strings but the new doctor from the same surgery said I should just stick to the 1 but really should I if he promised he would get to the bottom of this?, I've got to go and have a glucose test cause my sugar levvel was slightly high but basically I think its thyroid related its just being able 2 get a doctor 2 listen.

[Barb135]

We hear from many of our UK members that they have a hard time getting adequate testing/treatment, due to the NHS guidelines, which allow only for TSH and sometimes, Free T4.  

Some members have had to go private in order to get testing.  I think there's also a way to get your doctor to request special treatment -- but of course, the doctor has to believe you need it. You may have to find a different doctor, who will be willing to go out on a limb for you.

[nichola79]

I am from the uk and they won't give me the t3 and t4 cause of a normal tsh I'm at my witts end with all this and my endo won't do it all she is going to do is a furthur scan 2 see if my nodule has grown x

[blsdnsvvd]

You can still request these tests from your doctor and tell him that they are for your purpose, as i did. Your insurance co. is paying for these tests, not the doctor. And, I agree with Barb as far as finding another doctor, but, after these tests are complete. yes, thyroid issues can cause a host of other issues including a higher glucose level. I experience that as well. The key here, is to get a diagnosis and educate yourself about thyroid issues and finally, take one day at a time.

[nichola79]

Thanks no I haven't been tested for anything other then my tsh they just don't seem to be interested x

[Barb135]

Yes, thyroid could cause those symptoms, but without testing for Free T3 and Free T4, we can't really tell you anything.  

Fasting blood glucose would be a separate issue, but diabetes can also cause some of those symptoms.

Have you been tested for thyroid antibodies, to determine whether or not you have an autoimmune thyroid condition?  It's not unusual for symptoms to show up, long before blood tests indicate an issue and since your doctor is testing only TSH, it could be a while.  

You may have to think about finding a different doctor, who will be willing to test adequately, to determine the cause of your symptoms.

Best way to get them to research and be your own advocate. Don't give up; some of us have had to go through several doctors before we found one willing to help.