help needed to understand seasonal changes in TSH please

[suzy01]

hello everyone, been back to the docs again re the dizziness and told him how this affects my life to the point where I don't want to leave the house .I live with this dizziness all year round but every so often I hit a point where im so bad im actually fainting and this usually lasts 4 to 5 weeks and then it passes back to *normal * dizziness

A conversation at work made me realise that these episodes happen each year at around the same time - march, april or may.I didn't realise ( until I researched it a bit ) that thyroid levels can indeed fluctuate with the seasons.and that " TSH can naturally rise during colder months, and drop to low normal or even hyperthyroid levels in the warmest months. "

my question is, I feel so much better if im slightly underactive so would I need a slight increase or decrease in thyroxine to feel better and maybe avoid this yearly hell.

thankyou

[galathea]

You feel better under active? You sure? If so then you need to decrease your meds so the tsh rises.

If its happening every spring, when the new grass and new pollen from trees is around are you absolutely certain that you don't need anti histamines? I used to have to take cetrizine every spring .

G x

[suzy01 in reply to galathea]

I think I feel better under active ? maybe im confused by TSH levels ? I only realised this morning that the lower the TSH is the more hyper you are , you wouldn't think id been a sufferer for years going by my lack of knowledge

I just know that I sat in his surgery last week and cried my eyes out for 30 mins saying I couldn't go on like this.

could an allergy cause fainting spells though ? i just don't know anymore, i feel like im clutching at straws hoping for an answer.

[galathea]

When you cried your eyes out and said you felt terrible, what did the doctor suggest doing? Have you looked at the main website to get an idea of how all this thyroid stuff works? Www.thyroiduk.org.uk

The difference between underactive and over active is too important to get wrong.

[suzy01 in reply to galathea]

he agreed that enough was enough and ordered bloods, ecg, 24 hour urine test and 24 hour heart montitor.

the problem is i very rarely get to know what my results are, so im going by what little i do know. If my results fall within the normal range then i don't hear from my doc.I just remember a few years ago when i was on 6 weekly blood tests being told i was underactive and by my next blood test i was normal but felt rubbish again. Between the two tests i had a few days where i felt flipping fantastic and i worked it out that at that time i would have still been slightly under still.( hope that makes sense )

ive convinced myself over the years that this dizziness is down to so many different things..... high blood pressure, low magnesium or calcium, poor circulation etc. my latest theories have been peri menopause or anxiety.I really do feel like im clutching at straws as theres an answer to it but i just cant find it

thankyou for your time, i do appreciate it

[greygoose in reply to suzy01]

Suzy, dizzy spells can be a symptom of under-active thyroid. I think the most important first step for you is to get your blood test results. It is your legal right to have them. Ask for a print-out, they can't refuse even if they ask for a small fee for doing it. Then, maybe, you can match your symptoms to the results and see just when you feel good and when you feel bad. It is very rare for someone to feel good when they are under-medicated. If you have trouble understanding them, just post them here and someone will help you. But do make sure you get the ranges, that is most important.

Having said that, it is true that some people do feel a difference with the seasons - I don't, but we're all different and maybe you're one of those that does feel it. So what these people do is to increase their dose slightly in the winter, and decrease it slightly in summer.

But please get your test results first, before deciding anything. I'm sure they will shed some light on the subject.

Hugs, Grey

[suzy01 in reply to greygoose]

thankyou, all these tests are happening next week so i'll pay careful attention to the results. Hes told me im to go back and see him no matter what the results are i don't even know what they test for with a 24 hr urine test, its a new one on me. just hoping against hope that something shows up

[greygoose in reply to suzy01]

Suzy, don't just pay attention, get a print-out. Because if there's anything they don't want to talk about, they don't mention it. Also, get the back-numbers, a print-out of all your blood test results since you were diagnosed. You need to keep your own records. It's the only way.

[galathea in reply to suzy01]

The urine test is to see if you are actually using the hormones you have in your blood. You sound under medicated tbh. But as grey goose has already said, det the test results or the past few years, post them on here and we can see what's been going on.... If the octor asks which tests you want all the tsh, the free t4 and free t3, ferritin, iron and b12 tests,( for starters.)

[Heloise in reply to suzy01]

stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

Maybe this will help you understand your tests.

Changes in dose are not unusual but it's more likely to need an increase than a decrease.