Help please

[Myriad1966]

Ok so went back to docs and they sent me for more blood tests. They put me on high blood pressure Med's 3 weeks ago as very hight blood pressure..

The 21/3 and 10/09 tests were taken before I was put on high blood pressure Med's

21/3/2013 test taken

serum TSH level =5.6 (range 0.30-6.00)

Serum free T4 level= 12.6 (range 10.0-22.0)

10/09/2014 test taken

serum TSH level =9.2 (range 0.30-6.00)

Serum free T4 level= 13.2 (range 10.0-22.0)

After taking high blood pressure Med's for 3 weeks results are

02/10/2014

serum TSH level =8.3(range 0.30-6.00)

Serum free T4 level= 14.1 (range 10.0-22.0)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody level: 1235 (<60U)

Plasma Oestradiol level:1979

Serum LH level:26.0

Serum FSH level:23.4

Prolactin:242 (<500U)

No idea how to interpret these results but need to get to the bottom of it- I have the following symptoms

Thinning hair

Aches and pains in arms and legs

High blood pressure

Weight gain (gone from size 10 to a tight size 12)

Not menstruated for over a year just stopped (I am 47)

Dry skin

Suffer from cold

Have felt slightly better on the high blood pressure Med's

Any help gratefully received as I am going back next week to docs

Thanks

Reply

[Clutter]

Myriad,

Your elevated antibodies mean you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) which is causing your thyroid to fail. It is likely that your hypothyroidism is causing your blood pressure to rise and treatment with Levothyroxine will go some way to improving it. Please take the advice given in your previous post and see another doctor at your practice for a second opinion if your GP refuses to prescribe Levothyroxine despite your high TSH.

I provided a link to Dr. Toft's comments in Pulse Magazine stating that Levothyroxine can nip in the bud the ultimate failure of your thyroid gland. Print it off and show it to your GP.

[Marz]

Did your GP not mention that you have Hashimotos ? Cannot see any results for B12 - Folate - Ferritin - Iron - VitD. They need to be OPTIMAL and NOT just in range......

[Heloise]

It's bad enough that they just use a basic TSH test to determine hypothyroidism but they are not even doing THAT with you. You have many of the symptoms and several progressive tests of your thyroid which shows lower levels. Your T4 is near the bottom and should be nearer the top. As Clutter mentioned, your high BP is probably due to those factors.

My thyroid failed when I hit menopause as well. They don't mind waiting and watching evidently until your TSH rises to 10 but find someone who is not clinging to that old school notion, you will continue to become more ill.