Seeing Endocrinologist on 5/12/2013. What to expect?

[shorty1979]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum, but could really do with some advice.

I've felt shattered for a long time now, but put it down to having 3 daughters, youngest is 3 yrs and bad birth with her, she came very fast, but then I ended up in surgery as the afterbirth would not detach (sorry TMI), Basically, my doctor agreed to start testing me for my thyroid (hypothyroidism) even though she did not agree with me and tried to say it was depression.

My test results are:

TSH, 1.5 (0.2-5.5)

FT4, 12.2 (10.0-24.5)

FT3, 4.6 (3.9-6.7)

Serum Cortisol 1097 in the morning (morning range 170-540)

C reactive protein level 9mg (<5) High

TPAB <20 (<60 negative)

Also had thyroid scan and all came back normal, TAT, hair falling out, excessive sleepiness, 2 stone gained in 2 months (diet still the same), toenails crumbling, dry itchy skin, swollen scalloped tongue, headaches, dizziness, feeling of something in throat, low body temp 34.8-35.9, low pulse rate 54bpm, massive night sweats, heart palpatations. Please help!!

Thanks in advance

Carrie

[Moggie]

So sorry you are feeling so ill and no wonder with those blood results. Your thyroid results don't look to good and neither do your cortisol results. Have a read of this link.

patient.co.uk/health/cushin...

Moggie x

[shorty1979 in reply to Moggie]

Hi Moggie, thanks for the reply and the link. Will my endo be able to see this, or have I got another battle do you think? My 1st doctor said i had viral fatigue syndrome, even though i haven't been ill, apart from sinus, which i've suffered with for years. Makes me so angry the doctors don't listen. Apparently because my tsh is in the normal levels, it can't possibly be my thyroid according to her (but she's still referred me to the endo) ? confused.com

[Moggie in reply to shorty1979]

No your endo should automatically start looking into adrenal testing and should also pick up that your C reactive protein is also totally out of range - if he doesn't mention this protein result then I would be pointing this out to him.

I am going to see if any other admin's came come in and offer you any more advice.

I'll keep an eye on this post to see if anyone else has come in with further info.

It might also be useful if you could copy and paste this into the questions section as in may receive a lot more answers in that section.

Moggie x

[shorty1979 in reply to Moggie]

Thank you so much. It's great to have someone elses opinion and to know i'm not insane! thanks again Carrie xx

[Moggie in reply to shorty1979]

Your very welome Carrie - but I dont feel that I have been of much help so far - have a look at my last reply as I have updated it and asked you to copy and paste your main question into the questions section to get a better response.

Lets hope this will bring lots of worthwhile advice.

Moggie x

[Hidden]

Hi Carrie,

I wish there were a quick and simple answer to your question, but so often there has to be a period of investigation and elimination before discovering why you feel so bad. Your symptoms certainly suggest that you have a thyroid problem and probably an adrenal problem too. Sometimes when your thyroid is not working well the adrenal glands try to thrash it into action and they become exhausted too.

You may have a sympathetic endo but be prepared for him to suggest as your GP has done that your symptoms are not thyroid related. This happened to both my husband and daughter and we had to go to a private doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Firstly, however let's try to eliminate some other possible culprits. Ask your doctor to check your B12, folate, ferritin and Vitamin D levels as deficiencies of any one of these could be a reason for your ill health. See this page from the main Thyroid UK site:thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno... Also check intracellular magnesium levels. Heart palpitations can be caused by magnesium deficiency.

You may find that rectifying any deficiencies is all that is required, but failing that get back to us and we can think again.

Don't ever think you are insane. There are many people on this site who feel as you do, and there are solutions. It's just a matter of tracking them down.

Jane x

[shorty1979]

Hi jane, thanks for the reply. I was told my b12, vitamin D etc are all fine (although they prescribed me vit d supplement and also iron tablets) it's all just so confusing. My sister has an overactive thyroid and it took them years to diagnose her, don't think i could cope for that long thanks carrie x