Why does my thyroid do this ?: Hi Friends, OK... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,151 members160,830 posts

Why does my thyroid do this ?

dgleds profile image
24 Replies

Hi Friends,

OK...im hypothyroid.,.been since so 41, and now Im 57 and a half...

The menopause thing really ended in 2010, I was 53 and a half..

In 2009 so much stress and stuff was going on, plus menopause...my old hypo thyroid got odd too...made it seem like I was overmedicated, yet my T4 test was climbing to where it was telling my body to make more TSH..a paradox ..it climbed to almost out of range...I was also moving house at this time too, so was told about this by gp in old town, but new gp brushed it off. New gp just changed my meds every 2 months, and monitored it.

Things went up and down...then sort of stabilized, but other stuff happened then, and they thought I might have mild lupus. I don't have a gp of my own now, so its frustrating.

Im feeling ok, more energy than ive had in a while, but ran out of pills so off to rookie gp, who was good enough to also check my t4...Here we are 4 years later and my thyroid is doing it again..see following results...do they just leave it and current med? Why does it do this? still menopause stuff?

Thyroid Function

TSH

L

0.16

0.34-4.82

mU/L

T4 Free

18.7

10.0-20.0

pmol/L

T3 Free

4.3

3.5-6.5

pmol

Written by
dgleds profile image
dgleds
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
24 Replies
Clutter profile image
Clutter

Dgleds, I see no reason for meds to be reduced. TSH is low but not suppressed, FT4 is good but FT3 is a little on the low side and will drop if your meds are reduced. As you're feeling okay you should resist any attempt to reduce your dose. Scroll down to read Dr. A.Toft's comments on TSH levels in Treatment Options thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to Clutter

I was lucky to get a hold of my rhumetologist, cause they think I have mild lupus(I tell him everything, incase its to do with anything he's checking out)..He is in another town, but wrote me back right away...He said,"Thyroid tests are not very abnormal"...Im assuming he means mine..lol...Yes, I don't wanna play around with my meds like before...I was up to 125 and down lowest ive ever been to 0. 50mg on synthroid, in quick time too...The student gp I saw by sheer luck, gave me an extra paper to be checked again t4 and tsh, so I will do that in 3 months...(that was good luck, hey?) and I have the prescription for same med, but was waiting for result online (we can see results on line here in BC)....Now im gonna read what info you sent Clutter, and thank you:)

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to dgleds

wow..by coincidence the student doctor just called me...she received the results...she said if I feel ok, to just leave the meds where they are, and check my thyroid and t4 in 4 weeks...(bummer she is leaving, she is better than the old gp.)

puncturedbicycle profile image
puncturedbicycle

Those results look great, esp if you're feeling well. Your t3 is fine, not high. Clutter is right.

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to puncturedbicycle

just the t4 was inching up to the 20. and my tsh is a bit hypy over medicated, was most worrying...

Heloise profile image
Heloise in reply to dgleds

Usually your free t3 is what indicates whether you are over or under medicated. STTM suggests you should be in the upper third of the range and that would be 5.00. Many people here post a 4.8 level and don't feel that well.

This video may give you some information about low conversion.

youtube.com/watch?v=k_Kr5Rx...

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to Heloise

Good to know...they rarely check anything but the TSH. If I get a student gp, they often check..yayy for student gp.

Heloise profile image
Heloise in reply to dgleds

stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

dgleds profile image
dgleds

Thanks:)

Banjogirl profile image
Banjogirl

My tsh is lower than yours. My ft3 and ft4 levels higher. Its how you feel that matters. My gp thankfully asks how I feel. Though he wont go so far as to prescribe my NDT. Still buying that.

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to Banjogirl

I just wish mine would stay still for a while....it kinda did at one point...

But good to know Banjogirl...I feel fine..no skippy heartbeats, sleep ok...not speedy.

weg1 profile image
weg1

Hello similar state to myself hypo thyroid 14yrs up and down all over the place have seen endo no help at all and was signed off once rhmy diagnosed mild lupus 2yrs ago which isn't to be scoffed at, it may only be mild but during flare ups it's crap! I take hydrochroychlorinne ( not spelt right!) for the lupus which helps the joint pain. Also have to take tamoxefen for breast cancer which has brought on symptoms of menopause, maybe even menopause only 41. I have a very stressful long hard job which i love and with this bad health in the last 2 years have felt very unwell and I now believe it's adrenal fatigue not thyroid, am waiting for new endo appointment to investigate this, apparently it's to specific for a GP to do! I'm still in early days of investigating and really hope new endo is open minded. Think what I'm trying to say is if the thyroid treatment is not working for all the symptoms perhaps look for another cause. good luck

Heloise profile image
Heloise in reply to weg1

weg, sorry about your breast cancer. Breasts and thyroid both need different forms of iodine and I still think that may be related to our problems but you may be on the right track about your adrenals.

It's easy to take T4 but what happens after is often dependent on what cortisol is doing and other autoimmune issues. I've been posting videos by a functional neurologist who points out all the other factors.

youtube.com/watch?v=qYeFh06...

Also: stopthethyroidmadness.com/a...

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to Heloise

will watch this after shopping today...

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to weg1

Hi! Weg1.,

Im still in shock about my mild lupus diagnoses...I still think its not right, but im going with it for now...Friggin stress, and also lack of sleep so bad for lupus...my middle name often is Stress...

I thought maybe the lupus was making me have wacky thyroid probs, but I sent results to Rhumetologist yesterday, and he said he really doesn't think so...Im 4 years past menopause, for me 53 and half ...I think that threw things wacky, but male gp don't seem to consider that..

Oh ya the lupus part...They say its not a thing you get as you age....lol

Mostly younger hormone situations help bring it on...lol

Well...for me it was menopause, ton of stress, and that 5% hereditary factor...plus already have 1 autoimmune problem...they run in packs at times...

Rhumey seems to think I had a virus, but I don't remember one...

As for other bad things we can get now...it gets us at the cell level....big fat bummer when a person has always looked after themselves.

Hugs to you Weg1....

weg1 profile image
weg1 in reply to dgleds

For some reason just seen your response, how are you getting on? I was in denial about my lupus too but it's in my blood somewhere, have reduced hydroxy to 1 a day now, had rhumy recently and she wants me to continue as it's lowering some raised levels?! and it's supposed to help with fatigue too, have just been tested for celiac, if we've got autoimmune disease like you say no reason not to have several! have found avoiding wheat was the biggest bestest thing i have done for myself, all joint pain has gone, also changed my stressfull job, giving my body a chance to recover, no doctor could do this for me. had the adrenals tested and b12 at the endo apt. am now learning how to supplement myself, haven't really tackled the iodine issue except to filter my water and make sure my toothpaste doesn't contain fluride. all hard work when you're not feeling great but been suffering for years so may take some time to get right x

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to weg1

im doing ok Weg1....trying to balance one thing, so other thing stays good...For me its stress and lack of money (probably for most)...All my stuff like b12, ferritin, cholesterol all ok...Just the rotten ANA and inflammation...Right now no pains, but gp did put me on high vit D (I was moderately low)....Im so certain menopause screwed up my thyroid more, because i look back at paperwork can see that....at the same time Mum was dying, daughter was dating loser,(me single parent, and looking after Mom)...no other family around...then i moved to new town...and i worked with children(but co workers were the prob..yuk!)...Im just trying to figure whats next...what direction to go...I woke up this morning part deaf in my ear, that not happened for 2 years....but i had learned someone i use to know had died last night, so again stressed....It will be ok...

weg1 profile image
weg1 in reply to dgleds

dgleds on a positive, glad to hear the vit d is working, found for inflammation cutting out wheat was the key for me.

Hope things will work out job wise, I'm self employed and have had to start paying someone else to do my job, so i can rid myself of the long hours and stress.

Look after yourself, all very well doing the giving but sounds like you can now be a bit selfish and concentrate on what's good for you, maybe that's why you've cocked a deafen, body saying can't listen to any more bad news.

xxx

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to weg1

Yes....I think you may be on to something there Weg1..."maybe that's why you've cocked a deafen, body saying can't listen to any more bad news." I think with diclofenac and not steroids, i have the ear thing under control this morning...As long as i dont have anything extra noisy to irritate it,....flushing the toilet in my tiny bathroom, becomes like the echo chamber....So avoid wheat...does that go for Rye bread as well?

rimmer profile image
rimmer in reply to weg1

Hi weg1. Just read or post iv been through hell this last two years diagnosed with overactive thyroid last year step/Oct,,doc just left me I had to have six weeks bloods done and after about twelve wks the bloods came bk as normal,,but I was not, ad same symptoms of overactivity ,the doc said it was the menupause as I started to go threw it in the Jan,,but the symptoms we slight just a bit of lip sweat n red chest small raised heartbeat,,cud cope with it,,then in the march/April all hell broke loose in my life,,I started with fast hard heartbeats clocked them at 145 beats per min,,I couldn't breath then I had servers tremors /shaking sweating like I'd just done the London marathon fast breathing,,like I'd just ran round the block a couple of times pins n needles in my arms face n legs ,,it lasted around seven to ten mins, cud also last longer,,I needed to sit down as I cudnt stand through weakness n total fatique,,when it did eventually ease off it felt like I was totally fatiqued weak n just wanted to sleep..,,iv been on every pill they can throw at me n nothing as worked,after months of fighting with my doc I have now got an app with the endo..as I do not except his diagnosis of it only being the menopause I mentioned that it feels more like adreanal,,, I am at my worsted when I'm trying to do things like housework,shopping ect,,that's when the sweats shaking are at their worst,,I'm so bad I need to change my clothes n need showers all day,,as I'm bothered about body smells,,,,,I hope u get sorted,,,and hope I do too :-) :-)

weg1 profile image
weg1 in reply to rimmer

Hello

Have had some experience of hyper in my teens and that sorted itself out with pills after about a year, too long ago to remember. your symptons are looking like you are still hyper and i think it is the stress of not being listened to and the scaryness of not being able to control your own body which makes it worst! I brought and read the stop the thyroid madness book to educate myself, also the thyroid uk website is full of usefull stuff, It is so fustating to be told you are within normal range when we read everywhere there is no normal range and to go by the symptons individually, the endo was addiment I would be B12 deficient and guess what it came back normal, hence the adrenal testing, which i had to ask for, now have to wait 8 weeks for results, you can get a saliva test to do yourself, which i hear gives you a more accurate result, but isn't offered on nhs. still to young to have my menopause but they seem happy for me to be having symptoms of it whilst on tamoxefen!

It helped at the appointment to be very prepared and not to be fobbed off, B12 is very important and hope your doc has tested this for you, i'm going to look out for the patches and give myself the boost i think i need.

Feel lately that the doctors aren't giving us what we need because of thier budgets. hope you get a forward thinking endo (don't be affraid of educating them) and good luck x

dgleds profile image
dgleds in reply to weg1

i totally agree...gp in canada see you about 10 minutes...thats how long it takes to look you up on their computer!

mistydog profile image
mistydog

I don't know. I think when we go through menopause the progesterone lowers. Now I had a Mirena coil with progesterone (slow release) and no problems. Had coil out and hysterectomy due to fibroids. From then things have got steadily worse (5 yrs). Breast cancer and was feeling ok with levo but GP got very concerned about everything and lowered from 175 to 125. I felt fine. Anyway, you trust the GP so you do what you're told. Started to feel very lethargic and put on LOTS of weight. Anyway, came here, found out info and now slowly upping vits and minerals. Research is key. GP is still unhappy, but it's not his body.

dgleds profile image
dgleds

I don't think the gp's are as good anymore....

You may also like...

Why do doctors ignore the thyroid?

is the thyroid causing the problem? Also, why do they not usually test for autoimmune thyroiditis...

Possible reasons why my thyroid nodule is growing?

50-175) 67.4nmol/L TSH (Range 0.27-4.2) 0.86mlU/L Free T3 (Range 3.1-6.8) 4.17pmol/L Free...

What should I do about my thyroid test results - is it high?

functioning thyroid gland. I had a test 1 year ago - they were Serum free 16 pmol/L T4 level...

why does my heart beat so loud?

with an m.e dietician specialist. My thyroid results were: 0.01 TSH 1.8 T4 6.2  T3 range up to 6.9...

Why does my private thyroid test differ from nhs one?

short, i recently had some private thyroid tests done which showed.my tsh as 0.9 range to 4.2 ......