Making Sense of It All!: It's been 3-4 years... - Thyroid UK

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Making Sense of It All!

8 Replies

It's been 3-4 years since I first had a thyroid test, after having just been diagnosed with carpal tunnel. I had a pretty bad flare up and my knees and ankles were playing up too. I was constantly tired, slow thinking and just not feeling like me!

I didn't know anything about thyroid disease except that my aunt had it and she also had a large goiter. I was relieved when my test results came back normal.

The only problem was that I never got back my old self. I seemed to collect new symptoms. My skin's been dry for years, my eyes are very sensitive and dry. My nails, normally so strong, began to split and I started to get dizzy spells, confusion sometimes. Then came other symptoms, each one pointed more and more to thyroid problems, but I was re-tested and each time the results came back normal.

Last year I finished work in September due to chest tightness, fast heartbeat and palpitations. The doc said it is anxiety and I get severe acid indigestion too. Yet another thyroid test came back normal. Still dizzy, still no energy, all the same symptoms. All seems very strange but there we go. Doc wants to stick a depression label on me too, but if I'm mentally ill it's in the doc's head and not mine! I'll take the beta blockers but they can stick their antidepressants.

Looking back down the years, I had loads of symptoms at the age of 34. I was constantly worn out and unwell, to the point where I had to have a hysterectomy. Perhaps all that could have been avoided if the right tests had been taken?

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8 Replies

Sounds like B12 deficiency to me:

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Ever been tested? Also you should post your thyroid results, normal is a bit of a dirty word around here.

Marz profile image
Marz

Never accept NORMAl as being the result for you. We are all individuals - especially when it comes to hormones. Obtaining your results with ranges is your legal right - so as soon as you post them someone will help. The main Thyroid UK website address is at the top of this page - and there you will be able to learn everything you need to know to ask your Doc the right questions. Also there is a place on the drop down menu - Understanding blood tests....

Most - if not all your troubles - could be blamed on the thyroid under-functioning. It is a tragedy that GP's are not listening and understanding blood test results. No worries - many people on here can - and so will help you to be sorted in no time....

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to Marz

Blimey, Marz "in no time" is ambitious! Agree with everything else, though :)

Thank you both for replying. I haven't been tested for B12 deficiency. I eat healthily, but I guess it all depends on whether my body is blocking it somehow. Sometimes I feel so tired of being treated like it's all in my head, I believe that any depression I may have is down to that. I've just had my beta blockers increased because my blood pressure, which has always been low, is now quite high and heart rate was still fast. The problem now is that due to the beta blockers, my Renaud's is even worse than before. You must have heard this story much too often! C'est la vie! Now to pluck up courage to tackle the GP again! I don't know how I coped before I found this site.

summer01 profile image
summer01

Definitely try get your vitamin b, d and ferritin tested. I use to have terrible pains in my wrists which I was told was carpel tunnel but when I started supplementing with vit D (I was only just in range) the pains stopped! If I stop taking it the aches come back in my wrists and fingers. Also my hair was falling out, dry skin etc and my ferritin was only just in range, I know take spa tone and my hair is thicker than its ever been and I have much more energy. I'm not saying that yours will be the same but it's worth looking at. Good luck

I think the others are right to say that you should get all mineral and vitamin levels checked out rather than assuming you have an unidentified thyroid problem. I have RA and Hypothyroidism and I had my own mineral and vitamin levels checked and found I was low in vitamin D and calcium.

Since taking supplements I have found that my RA symptoms have all but gone away and my inflammation levels have dropped hugely. My GP and rheumatologist will try to deny that its because of AdCal D3 but there is no other explanation for why a Disease Modifying drug of low toxicity should work well now having made no difference previously. My TSH has gone from 0.06 to 0.02 and my T4 has risen to a healthier range too since starting the AdCal D3. I'm still looking to get my skin problems addressed and believe chronic hives, very cold extremities and very dry eyes could all relate to my thyroid - but keeping an open mind re autoimmunities generally and am about to try B12 sublingually despite being within range.

So keep pestering doctors and get the minerals and vitamin levels regularly checked if you can.

I have bought vitamin D and kelp from Holland and Barrett, and was dithering about taking them. I too have skin problems, mostly on my neck, back, and upper arms. I have pain in my elbows at night and artritis in my hands and joint pain. My morning temperature ranges from 35 to 36 (can't recall the decimal points offhand).

You've given me the push I needed to start those vits and see if that helps. My problems may or may not be thyroid related - I know that symptoms can mimic thyroid issues, but I also know that I have too much going on to lump all under the mental health umbrella. There's nobody who understands as they think I'm just depressed and anxious and the rest is all down to over fifyt-ness! That's why I appreciate you guys so much, cos you've heard it all before, been there, done it!

Thanks so much!

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

I think you are due another thyroid function test, so make appointment with your GP. These are a couple of links. You have so many clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism its worth another blood test. Carpal Tunnel is also a clinical symptom but many doctors don't take clinical symptoms into account, just the TSH. Never accept 'normal' in blood tests - get a copy of your blood tests, with the ranges, for your own records and also, if you have a query, post them on the Question section for comments.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Also ask for Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, iron, ferritin and folate at the same time.

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