Advice would be great

[Angel-23]

Hi all, I wonder if anyone would give me some advice?

I'll give you the story

Back in January 2013 I started feeling ill, very, very tired even after a 10 hour sleep etc.. I went down hill rapidly and by April I was getting the following symptoms (not the full list but the most troublesome!):

Tiredness

Lightheaded and dizzy

Pins and needles in the lower half of my body every time I moved

Double vision

Feeling of a lump in my throat and tightness around the neck area

Lack of motivation and concentration

Foggy thinking

Bumping into things

Digestion and bowel problems

Balls of my feet feel swollen and very sore

The doctors carried out various blood tests including thyroid and all came back normal apart from vitamin D. When I started taking vitamin D and my levels started to go up I did feel a little better but still didn't feel right.

The pins and needles and the double vision disappeared although my eyes feel very tired and blurry at times but all the other symptoms remained with the added symptom of my hair falling out.

Apart from the tiredness, digestion and bowel problems and the balls of my feet which are with me permanently, the other symptoms seem to come and go.

My thyroid function test back in April was TSH 0.9 (ranges not known). My vitamin D is now normal at above 75 nmol.

My questions are

If this is a thyroid problem would all the symptoms be present all of the time, am I barking up the wrong tree?

My doctor will not do a full thyroid check on me i.e. t4, free t4 and free t3 because my tsh is within the normal range he says that this test is only for people who have been diagnosed with a thyroid problem.

He has said that all my symptoms relate to stress, I did state that I'm not stressed but I know something is not right and his answer was 'you must be stressed otherwise you wouldn't keep coming back!' Brilliant!!!

I really don't know where to go from here as I know something is wrong but just can't get to the bottom of it.

Any advice would be great

[Sue777]

Hi well it certainly sounds like you are having thyroid problems. I think you should ask for a further test as your last one was nearly a year ago. Be insistent. I ignored my symptoms for many years just thinking they were part of the aging process. I regret this now as I could perhaps have avoided some of the symptoms I am now experiencing. Good luck

[Sue777]

Also go for blood test early in the morning as other helpful people on here have advised TSH levels will be higher then.

[Heloise]

Hi Angel, It appears your GP is part of what seems to be a majority of them who resist thorough thyroid testing. He does slightly acknowledge a thyroid problem though when he suggests it is due to stress. Cortisol and glucose may be some triggers for thyroid dysfunction. Stress (and there are a variety like food sensitivity stress, not necessarily emotional stress) can cause your adrenals glands to malfunction. Glucose levels going very high to very low stress the body as well. I'm interested in your one symptom of bumping into things. I noticed I wouldn't quite clear a doorway and crash a finger or an arm going through. And (I'm not that wide, lol)

Some people resort to doing their own testing through Blue Horizon and you can get a complete panel done including antibody testing. Another aspect are the cofactors that support thyroid function like ferritin, folate, and iron. It's good you have raised your D level optimally. This is what Stop the Thyroid Madness Now website recommends: stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

Keep reading and researching. My belief is that hypothyroidism is a deteriorating condition and has lasting effects.

[Hidden in reply to Heloise]

In the meantime it may be worth supplementing your Adrenal glands and see if that helps. What your silly doctor means by stress isn't necessarily what your Adrenal glands mean when they're stressed out (and not functioning properly). If you google 'Adrenal supplements' you should get good hits to choose from.

[shaws Administrator]

If it is possible for you to get your own T4 and T3 tests, it may be worthwhile. Some of the labs offer a discount if you put Thyroiduk. I remember Blue Horizon (they do pin prick tests too) that it is cheaper if you get more than 1 test. You can always phone and speak to a couple of labs.

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