I was hoping for a little guidance - I went to see my doctor a few weeks back to have my b12 tested, as it's been up and down over the past year. My b12 results came back as normal - however my thyroid came back as 5.5. I was quite shocked, and didn't quite take in what the doctor was telling me, or get my full results. The doctor said something about my brain/thyroid connecting - and how my brain is working overdrive meaning my thyroid is probably actually more underactive than it seems. Not sure how he got this from a blood test? I called after and asked for my full results, but was told that I couldn't have them over the phone, and that I would need to make an appointment with the doctor.
My symptoms over the past few years have fluctuated a lot, they have included -
Anxiety
Low mood/lack of interest
Nervousness/constant butterflies in belly
Random insomnia stemming from adrenaline rushes when trying to sleep
Frequent/loose bowel movements
Irritability/mood swings
Face burning up/getting very red for no reason
Eyes stinging/burning
Hypoglycemia (resolved by eating sugar)
Fatigue
Brain racing/can't concentrate on simple things i.e watching tv
Impossible to put on weight
Hair comes out in handfuls
I do also have endometriosis, and currently have a cyst on my ovary which i'm hopefully being scheduled to have removed soon. I was so shocked to find out that my thyroid is underactive? It showed up at overactive a few years back but then regulated itself. My doctor has said to book in for 3 months to be retested, and offered nothing to ease the current symptoms.
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melodyxo
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The pituitary gland in the brain senses when circulating thyroid hormone in the blood is low and produces thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) to nudge the thyroid into producing more hormone. The lower the hormone the more TSH is produced.
An infection, virus or cold at the time of testing can cause TSH to rise which is why testing is repeated 3 months later. Have your next thyroid blood test early in the morning when TSH is highest as this will help you get a diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism and Levothyroxine hormone replacement. You should also ask for thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies to be tested to rule out autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's) and because you were previously hyperthyroid, TSH Receptor antibodies to rule out Graves.
Although you were previously hyperthyroid and subsequently regulated, it may have been your thyroid was doing a dying swan act as it became hypothyroid. Autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) can make you feel hyper and hypo, sometimes both at the same time, but FT4 and FT3 are usually low/normal which rules out hyperthyroidism.
If you have a practice manager it may save you making a GP appointment if you request a printout with your results and lab ref ranges (the figures in brackets after your results). Patients are entitled under the Data Protection Act to see their results but GP receptionists don't seem to be very aware of this.
These links will explain hypothyroidism more fully:-
I have a lot of your symptoms. The anxiety and constant butterflies in tummy being the worst.
I am hypothyroid and now on a trial of T3 only. Previously I had been on levothyroxine for 28 years.
I am also getting hot flushes and sweats.
I have difficulty getting off to sleep too.
Maybe a trial of levothyroxine would help. Your TSH should be at 1 or slightly under. You need to ask for complete TFT blood test including free T3 T4 and the common TSH
I have a lot of your symptoms. The anxiety and constant butterflies in tummy being the worst of all. I am also getting hot flushes and sweats. I have just been put on a trial of T3 only. Previously I had been on levothyroxine for 28 years.
I'm not sure if you are taking any levo at the moment. You need to ask for complete TFT blood test including free T3 T4 and the common TSH blood tests.
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