Can I be imagining it?

[HarryE]

Hi. Feeling really quite distressed at the moment. I have lump in my thyroid which is being scanned next week. TSH was 3.3 & lab refused to do any other testing. I feel terrible, with practically every hypo symptom on the list. My eyes particularly look awful, so swollen. Can I really feel this ill because of my thyroid or am I deluding myself? Doc was insistent it is fine, despite the lump.

[Confused77]

Hi Harry, I know it's easy for me to say but try not to worry until you get the results of your scan. I'm sure you're not imagining your symptoms and they could be due to your thyroid even if your TSH is within the reference range, especially as 3.3 would be considered just above the 'normal' range in the US but, sadly, not in the UK. Have you had any other blood tests done e.g. for T3, T4, thyroid antibodies, Vit D and Vit B12 etc?

[HarryE in reply to Confused77]

The hospital lab refused to T3&4 cos the TSH was in range (0.5-5). I work at the damn hospital so am particularly naffed off about that!! I've had loads of others, liver, coeliac, diabetes, kidneys, blood count etc. When I went back to GP on Tues he mentioned possibly doing vitD, but just signed me off sick with laxatives!!

[Confused77 in reply to HarryE]

My local hospital lab is the same - they even refused to test for T4 when my GP wrote on the form that it was required by my Endo! I think it would be worth asking your GP to test for Vits D and B12 and for folate, ferritin and calcium. Good luck!

[fixit]

Hi Harry, you sound just like me. I have many symptoms of hypothyroidism and am having an ultrasound scan done in Feb. I have a puffy swollen neck. My TSH is 3.5 which my says is OK. I am convinced that many of my problems are hypothyroidism but my GP insists that they are due to CFS. I have paid privately to have a full thyroid profile done through Medichecks. Think it cost £99. It showed a low Free T4 of 11(range 12-22). So when I next see my GP I will ask for a trial of Levothyroxine. I agree that we shouldn't have to pay for our own blood tests but it will be worth every penny if it enables me to get treatment and improve my health. You may also like to look on the Thyroid UK site as they have loads of helpful information also if you join you get a very informative info pack. Good luck with your scan.

[HarryE in reply to fixit]

Thanks - you too! I just got the info pack yesterday. I ended up coming out of the docs with a sick note & some laxatives - if it wasn't so annoying it would be funny!!