Tsh 6.66 borderline..

[Pf13]

Hi I posted yesterday with struggling my results doctors said I was borderline underactive doctor said there was nothing they could do till it happened. I really struggling with the symptoms fatigued, hair loss, weight gain, sore dry skin and more. The only result the receptionist could see was tsh was 6.66 any advice or help please

[Clutter]

Pf13, TSH 6.66 is quite high. If it's the first abnormal thyroid result you have had your GP will want to rule out a virus or other illness at the time of testing which can elevate TSH and this is why you have been advised to retest in 3 months.

[Pf13 in reply to Clutter]

Hi clutter no this is a a repeat I had my first bloods for thyroid taken it was 6.64 i think .. 3 month ago said it was borderline then so I had to go back for more last week for repeat and 6.66 was the result I got on Monday but doctor said until I tip over into a definent underactive result there's nothing they can give me. It's just things are getting worse my hair is really falling out my weight gain is really getting me down as is the fatigue, I have 2 very energetic boys and I'm really struggling to keep up with the usual daily routine. I'm just so low. I just don't understand how I'm supposed to go on. The doctor said to go back in a year for a repeat bloods..

[Jazzw in reply to Pf13]

Your doctor's telling you porkies - of course there's something they can give you. It's called thyroid replacement hormone. Your results show that your thyroid is struggling. Try asking for a trial of Levothyroxine.

[Clutter in reply to Pf13]

Pf13, it sounds like your GP is waiting until you have overt hypothyroidism ie TSH >10.

Is there another GP at the practice you can get a second opinion from? Most GPs will treat hypothyroidism when TSH is >5 or 6. If there isn't another GP you can see in the practice you may want to consider changing GP.

The information in these links may help you get a diagnosis.

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

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

[Pf13 in reply to Clutter]

Yeah I think that is what he is waiting. The way he explained was I'm on a tip and just waiting to fall, but I already feel like I have fallen it's just ridiculous. I'm going to try another doctor next week see if this one is a bit more sympathetic. Is eptopic heart rate common in thyroid I have been put on beta blockers. Along with creams and lotions for skin and hairless.

[Jazzw in reply to Pf13]

Honestly. You have all the symptoms but your blood results don't tally with his tipping point. Since when did we become numbers not patients?

Yes, find another doctor. I think this one might be hoping you die before he has to treat you.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Pf13]

My heart played up before I was diagnosed. Thyroid hormone as well as running our whole system enables our heart to pump efficiently. You doctor is going wholly by the inhumane guidelines I think in the whole world, where some patients have to wait till the TSH rises to 10 some people never have a TSH that high but have a myriad of symptoms.

Why let patients suffer/ How they make us wish the symptoms belonged to them instead of us remaining untreated.

Change your doctor.

[Clutter in reply to Pf13]

Pf13, Your GP is a dinosaur. Ask for thyroid antibodies to be tested. If they are positive you should be treated when TSH is >5 to avoid progression to overt hypothyroidism.

Palpitations and ectopic beats are very common in untreated and undertreated hypothyroidism.

[marram in reply to Clutter]

I don't wish to be argumentative, clutter, but surely when a person has symptoms, don't they already have overt hypothyroidism? Let us not fall into the trap of thinking that hypothyroidism exists only when the TSH has reached a certain level. That's what most of our doctors do.

By the same token, anyone calling it 'subclinical' hypothyroidism when there are quite obviously clinical signs and symptoms - which the modern-day medical profession does - simply because the numbers do not tally with the symptoms, is surely incorrect? In the days before the TSH test, this person would have been diagnosed as hypothyroid, on the basis of the signs and symptoms.

Pf13, clutter is right in suggesting testing for antibodies.

xx

[Clutter in reply to marram]

Marram, I've not fallen into a trap, I'm aware symptoms can precede abnormal bloods by years. I find it ridiculous that symptoms are dismissed as non-thyroidal when TSH is <3 but with the same symptoms a clinical diagnosis is made when TSH is >5 or >10.

[Heloise in reply to Pf13]

I agree with jazz, and perhaps it's not an exact science to diagnose hypothyroidism but they don't use proper scientific evidence anyway. There can be many reasons for low thyroid symptoms but since they refuse to investigate them, they should at least give you some support with hormone replacement in the meantime.

Here is one explanation.

youtube.com/watch?v=nZ_CP7l...(Not working as expected?)

There are 20 more if you go to youtube.

[Pf13]

Thankyou all for your help and advice. First point of call on Monday is doctors no nonsense thankyou all..

[Hidden in reply to Pf13]

It may help to write a letter to your GP, copy to Practice Manager, stating that he/she is doing nothing to help you regain your health. State all your symptoms in the letter.

Sometimes it's the only way to get these useless and lazy GPs to take notice.

[Pf13]

I asked the receptionist if there were any other results ie T3 and T4 but she said there was just the tsh 6.66 or what she could see. I'm going to see another gp on Monday. Thankyou for getting back to me.

[Muffy]

Doctors are supposed to treat if you have symptoms with a TSH above the reference range.