Underactive Thyroid help talking to docs please!! :)

[LoopyLuP]

Hi everyone! This is the first post I have put up but have been looking at your posts for a while and have seen some fantastic advice so thought I would see if you can help me too?

I was diagnosed around 3 years ago at the age of 23 with and under active thyroid after years of complaining about tiredness weight gain etc… it was only when I threatened to go anorexic that they did the blood test! Now I don’t know what the original results were as I thought (stupidly) that the doctors knew what they were doing… Anyway they started me on 25 mg of levothyroxine and I had regular tests and I apparently stabilised at 125mg of levothyroxine, although I didn’t much if notice any change in tiredness levels still aching and generally feeling unwell but thought I would feel better eventually.

It’s now 3 years on and I’m feeling worse than ever  I have been to the doctors 4 times in the last 6months or so saying about this and they took more bloods in sept of 2013 and said they were all normal but not sure if they are doing my T4 and T3 separately and I have seen that there are other hormones/vitamins that may be low due to my thyroid which I doubt they have checked.

I’m also wondering how common do you guys think it is that the adrenal glands aren’t functioning properly when having a thyroid problem? Only asking as I had a very stressful childhood and adolescent years, and still have plenty of stress in my life now!

I have got some of the results of my blood tests that I can post up later although they were taken in 2012 and 2013. In 2012 my THS was 2.4 and in 2013 it was 1.9 but I’m pretty sure I took my medication before both tests as they didn’t tell me not to.

I just don’t know what to ask my doctor tomorrow ? I want to ask him to do a more comprehensive set of blood tests but not 100% sure what I should be asking him to check, I am sick of feeling like a hypochondriac all of the time.

Thanks Lu

[Clutter]

LoopyLu, We can't see whether you are optimally medicated without seeing your recent thyroid blood results. Most hypothyroid people are comfortable when TSH is just above or just below 1.0 but some need it lower, or suppressed, to fell well. FT4 and FT3 will ideally be in the top 75% of range.

TSH, FT4, FT3 and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOab) are the thyroid tests to request for a full picture. Unfortunately, some GPs decline to test FT4 when TSH is in range and rarely test FT3 unless TSH is suppressed. You can order private tests from Blue Horizon and Genova via thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Hypothyroid patients often have deficient or low vitamins and minerals so you should also request ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate be tested. Deficiency/low levels often present symptoms similar to hypo symptoms.

Make sure to get a printout of your results with the lab ref range from your GP or receptionist and post them for comment/advice.

[LoopyLuP]

Thank you for the reply Clutter i have the results here i dont understand most of the jargon but hope you guys do

Here are the results from 29/11/2012:

AST Serum level = 23 iu/L <38

Alanine aminotransferase level = 20 iu/L <38

lactate dehydrogenase level = 216 iu/L (200-520)

gamma-glutamyl transferase level = 33 iu/L <40

Total bilirubin level = 5 umol/L <17

alkaline phosphate = 74 iu/L (35-100)

total protein = 84 g/L (60-80)

serium albumin = 51 g/L (35-50)

urea level = 3.3 mmol/L (2.5-7.5)

serum sodium = 141 mmol/L (134-146)

serum potassium = 4.3 mmol/L (3.5-5)

serium creatinine = 71umol/L (44-85)

plasma glucose level = 4.1 mmol/L (3-7)

Thyroid function test - tell patient normal

serium THS level = 2.4 mu/L (0.25-5)

And the results from 05/09/2013

Here are the results from 29/11/2012:

AST Serum level = 20 iu/L <38

Alanine aminotransferase level (ALT)= 17 iu/L <38

lactate dehydrogenase level (LDH) = 202 iu/L (200-520)

gamma-glutamyl transferase level = 32 iU/L <40

Total bilirubin level = 8 umol/L <17

alkaline phosphate = 65 iu/L (35-100)

total protein = 78 g/L (60-80)

serium albumin = 49 g/L (35-50)

urea level = 5.4 mmol/L (2.5-7.5)

serum sodium = 143 mmol/L (134-146)

serum potassium = 3.7 mmol/L (3.5-5)

serium creatinine = 70 umol/L (44-85)

plasma glucose level = ? mmol/L (3-7)

serum C reactive protein level = 5 mg/L <4

(SM) - Satisfactory

Thyroid function test - tell patient normal

serium THS level = 1.97 mu/L (0.25-5)

Hope that makes some sense to you? thanks Lu

[Clutter]

LoopyLu, Your TSH of 1.97 plus your ongoing symptoms suggest you are a little undermedicated and should request an increase in Levothyroxine. As I mentioned above, some people need a lower TSH to feel well.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is produced by the pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine (T4). T4 is an inactive storehouse pre-hormone which is converted in the liver and other organs to produce T3. T3 is the active hormone needed by every cell in the body. TSH rises in response to the body's demand for more T3.

Your other blood results are called a full blood count (FBC) or complete blood count (CBC). I'm not very au fait with these but they appear to be in range so unlikely to be responsible for your hypothyroid symptoms.