testing

[emmamc1986]

always felt i have had issues with an under active thyroid. had last test in late January this year but GP did not test the whole of my thyroid only tsh. I went a couple of weeks ago and asked that I still cannot lose weight she said the only thing that could cause it would be my thyroid but said it was said too recently and would not show much change. I am very frustrated i have helped myself to lose weight without the nhs help in over a yr and a half lost 2 stone but stopped losing after 6 months on the diet. I have carried on with diet as I do not want to put any more on but I am left with that the only option is surgery,

[silverfox7]

I don't suppose you were told what your TSH reading was or if so you can remember it but I suspect it wasn't the figure that we would agree to call 'normal'. From her comment your doctor is expecting you to have something very different if that is your problem. Also it's nearly a year since that test. If you look on Thyroid UK's site there is an extensive list on thyroid symptoms. I would print that off and tick the ones that apply to you and ask for another test to include FT4 and FT3. You probably won't get them but if you don't ask you certainly won't! Ask for a printout of any tests and then post thse with the ranges for people to comment and hopefully help you. Ranges are important as labs vary. The doctor cannot refuse to give you these though there may be a nominal charge to cover the cost of paper and ink. Good luck

[Jackie]

Hi My Endo recommends ever 3 months but if a problem straight away.

Jackie

[Hidden]

Wel done you, with the weight loss, Emma. Your thyroid will be working against you all the way. But I don't think you can just stay on the diet - it will (as you have found) start to lose effectiveness, as well as being a bit depressing (you are still dieting; weight does not come off - indeed, in the end weight may start to go on). Trying a different diet might help. Stopping for a while and going back on the old one might help. Coming off it, but changing your eating habits might help. Might you, for instance, do well on a gluten-free diet? Or the paleo diet? those are food choice regimes, rather than weight loss regimes. Often people with Hashimoto's hypothyroidism feel much better on a gluten-free diet. Just some suggestions. It's awful how the medicos just leave you to cope with the weight gain. For a lot of us its the single most horrid symptom, and the one hardest to shift.

[shaws Administrator]

On this link, look down the left-hand side and Click on Getting a diagnosis etc and also Testing:

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

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

There is also a symptoms list you can print off.