Over-active thyroid symptoms and Graves

[Swan29]

Hi All

I have been feeling really poorly since early June and have many symptoms associated with an over-active thyroid. I also have protruding eyes classic of Graves disease and have a strong family history of this condition.

I have an appt to see a specialist regarding my eyes but the problems I am having is with my other symptoms. My tsh tests over the past 6 weeks have ranged from 3.1, 2.7 and more recently 2.4 - so within the normal range. However, my body and my eyes are telling me something is not quite right.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do next? Is it normal for the results to differ so much as show above over a period of six weeks?

Thank you all for your time reading this.

[Hidden]

Hi , I also have Graves I was diagnosed last November after having symptoms for around 9 months which were attributed to 'my age'.I am no expert so can only tell you about my own experience. On diagnosis my TSH was less than 0.02, after starting carbimazole it started to move up slowly but never went higher than just over 1.6.My T3 and T4 soon went into range.

What treatment are you on? I see you are going to an eye specialist but are you also going to see an endocrinologist? X

[Swan29 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, I am not on any medication at the moment and have only been referred to see the opthamologist about my eyes. My eyes do look terrible and I am very worried about them. Because my results are in the normal range, they have pretty much said go away even though I have the most awful symptoms.

Do you have any symptoms other than your eyes?

[Hidden in reply to Swan29]

Before treatment all the usual hyperthyroidi symptoms. Palpitations, shakes, aching weak legs, insomnia, anxiety, sweating, hot all the time etc.My eyes are only mildly affected x

[Clutter]

Swan, TSH fluctuates throughout the day so you could have those fluctuations with bloods taken on the same day at different times. This is why we advise members to have bloods drawn early in the morning when TSH is highest.

If you were hyperthyroid your TSH would be suppressed <0.04 and your FT4 and FT3 would be elevated above range.

Your symptoms of feeling hyper whilst having a TSH in range are consistent with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). Ask your GP to test thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies to confirm or rule out Hashimoto's. TSH Receptor antibody is the test for Graves and it may also be worth asking to be tested for TRab as it isn't unknown for patients to have both Hashimoto's and Graves.

It is possible to have thyroid eye disease (TED) without having Graves and it is sometimes experienced with Hashimoto's.

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Thats what I meant lol

[Swan29 in reply to Clutter]

This is really helpful thank you so much. I have never felt so ill and have now been told its anxiety, but I know it is not. I will contact my GP about this tests.

[Clutter in reply to Swan29]

I sympathise, Swan. I spiralled between hyper and hypo for almost 18 months and it was dreadful. I forgot to post these links earlier.

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

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Hidden in reply to Swan29]

Hope you het some help and start to feel better soon x