Thyroid advice

[1cookie]

Hi for a few years now I have experienced symptoms of fatigue', feeling cold, constipation, body aches, my hair comes out very easily and my pillow is always covered in the mornings. I have mood swings and often feel very low. I have had my thyroid checked approx 3 times over the last few years but doctors always say my results are normal. I was recently checked again just the other week and again was advised that my results are normal. I am on anti-depressants however I do not feel this has helped with feeling low or my moods. I asked the doctor last week if we could do the t3 test as it was only my tsh and t4 that was tested. He refused and said that there was no requirement to do this. My tsh was 1.58 and my free t4 was13. I was advised that the normal tsh range is 0.27-4.2 and free t4 range 12-22. Can anyone please give me some advice on where to go from here. Thanks

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, 1Cookie.

Your TSH is in the 'euthyroid' (normal) range but your FT4 is very low, almost at the bottom of the range which means it is very likely that your FT3 is also low. As your GP won't test FT3 you can order a private test from Blue Horizon and Genova via thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin... but I would wait until you speak to your GP and ask him to consider secondary hypothyroidism.

Secondary hypothyroidism is caused by hypothalmic or pituitary dysfunction. Commonly the thyroid gland is healthy but is unable to produce sufficient hormone due to lack of TSH stimulation. Treatment is Levothyroxine to replace low thryoid hormone but when testing TSH can't be trusted and dose should be guided by FT4 and FT3 only. Management is usually via an endocrinologist who will check pituitary and hypothalmic function and hormones. Your GP can order pituitary function tests.

cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid...

patient.co.uk/doctor/hypopi...

patient.co.uk/doctor/pituit...

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

[Marz]

...also results can be skewed by taking AD's - slightly suppressed I believe....

[Aurealis]

A different GP.? Can you afford to go private for a GP appointment if necessary then referral to Endo?

[1cookie]

I've made an appointment with a different doctor but it's not till 28th of April. If she refuses i will need to look at going private but not sure of the costs involved. If i go private and results confirm there is a problem can i go back to my Gp and get them to treat me?