New to thyroid

[Hongcp]

Hi all I m cp from Malaysia and new to this forum. Glad that I joined this forum as there are pretty much information on thyroid.

Was diagnosed with low TSH <0.01mIU/L 2-3years back but didn't bother so much about it and didn't go for any medication. I have started to notice constant weight gain then and had difficulties to shed pounds. Early this year, I have ridges on both my thumbnail, my heart beat was irregular as if sometimes I didn't feel any heart beats and at times it palpitated badly; hair falling and thining has been observed in recent months. This keeps me worry. I am thinking to see endocrinologist again to seek proper medication.

Can advise what should be tested from blood sample? All the type of hormones? TSH/T3/T4? What about pituitary gland? Any kind of test? Can we get a rid of this thyroid problem permanently? Must medication the only choice available to control the proper function of our thyroid problem? What would be the period of medication? Life time? Any side effect?

Appreciate feedback. Thank you all.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, HongCP.

Ask for TSH, FT4, FT3 to be tested. TSH is a pituitary hormone which responds to T4 and T3 thyroid hormone levels. Suppressed TSH <0.01 with high (above range) FT4 and FT3 indicates hyperthyroidism (overactive) and high TSH with low FT4 and FT4 means hypothyroidism (underactive). Post your results with the lab ref ranges (figures in brackets after results) in a new question and members will interpret and advise.

Hypothyroidism is generally a lifelong condition requiring daily thyroid replacement but hyperthyroidism can be transient and may resolve 9-18 months after regulation with anti-thyroid drugs.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[Hongcp in reply to Clutter]

Meeting my endo in the afternoon. Will pose the result, thanks for reply!

[Hongcp in reply to Clutter]

Hi, the result

TSH <0.01 (0.35-4.55)

T3 5.5. (3.5 - 6.0)

T4 16.4 (12.2 - 22.4)

T3 & T4 normal, TSH abnormal. What does it mean? Neither Hyper or Hypo..😶

Further check on thyroid antibodies done, result be out next week.

Any comments?

[Clutter in reply to Hongcp]

Hongcp, TSH is very low which means you may be becoming hyperthyroid. At the moment FT4 and FT3 are within normal range so you are not hyper yet, but FT3 is close to top of range and once it is over range you will be diagnosed as hyperthyroid. If your antibody tests are positive for Graves disease (autoimmune thyroid disease) it is likely you will become hyperthyroid sooner or later.

_________________________________________________________________________

I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[greygoose]

If you had a suppressed TSH 2/3 years ago, and now you are experiencing hypo symptoms (hair-loss, weight-gain, etc) it is possible that you have an autoimmune problem : Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. In order to find out, you should as to have your antibodies tested : TPOab and TgAB.

Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease where the antibodies attack the thyroid gland, and eventually destroy it. But in the meantime, people experience swings between hypo, euthyroid, hyper and back again. Until the gland is totally destroyed and the person is definitively hypo. Starting treatment early can limit the damage.

Take care.

Forgot to say, the treatment is not a medication as such, it is thyroid hormone replacement. And it is not to control the workings of the thyroid gland, but to replace the life-giving hormone that our glands can no-longer produce in sufficient quanties - if at all.

[Hongcp in reply to greygoose]

Hi, thanks for great piece of information. What could be done to stop the antibodies from attacking the thyroid gland ? Any side effect when on thyroid hormone replacement?

[greygoose in reply to Hongcp]

As things stand, there is no treatment or cure for autoimmune diseases - and there are lots of them.

With Hashi's, some people find that a gluten-free diet helps lessen the attacks and reduce the antibodies. Others find that supplementing with selenium helps - but get tested first because you Don't want too much selenium. Apart from that, all you can do is take enough thyroid hormone replacement to suppress the TSH. But doctors tend not to know any of that.

As to side-effects, if the correct dose is taken, there should be no problems - but finding the the correct dose can take a long time of trial and error. The protocol is to start on a low dose of 50 mcg, and take if for 6 weeks, then get retested. You will more than likely need an increase of 25 mcg - no more! And you repeat the process until your symptoms have gone.

However, some people find they react badly to the fillers in the tablets - not the hormones themselves - in which case, it is necessary to find a different brand of tablets with different fillers.