I have had various symptoms of hypothyroid for years, building up in little bits since I was about 16. Inability to lose weight, even though I had a very small appetite and exercised a lot. I feel the cold even with the heating on and a blanket round me. My hair is shedding an awful lot more than it should. I'm exhausted to the point where I'm falling asleep on the bus, in lectures. I've had fainting/collapsing episodes. I ache all over constantly. I'm mentally sluggish. Dozens of symptoms. The doctor only recently tested TSH alone, which came back normal. Prescribed me vitamin D pills, to boost my deficiency and help with the depressive symptoms. interestingly enough, some research says 92% of Hashimoto's disease a most common cause of hypothyroidism, suffer from vitamin d deficiency. I have so many symptoms that are affecting my day to day life, but my doctor doesn't seem to be taking me seriously. Am I a hypochondriac rather than hypothyroid?
Please, some advice would be great. I'm losing my mind
Written by
mittens95
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Mittens95, Do you have the TSH range? TSH 5.2 is high in range, if not over, and is by no means normal. TSH > 2.0 indicates your thyroid is struggling. Your symptoms are hypothyroid and when your TSH is over range your GP should make a hypothyroid diagnosis and prescribe Levothyroxine.
Hashimoto's causes hypothyroidism. Your GP can check whether you have autoimmune thyroid disease by testing thyroid peroxidase antibodies.
Hashimoto's and hypothyroid patients often have deficient or low ferritin, B12 and folate as well as vitamin D deficiency. Worth asking GP to test. If she insists your symptoms are non-thyroidal she should be willing to investigate further to see whether low vits/minerals are responsible.
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.
Thank you for replying so promptly. My doctor said that the normal range was between 1.0-5.0 for TSH, but so many places and sources say its lower and much smaller a range. He also reckons that my TSH is so 'minimally over the edge' it'd be 'negligible' to diagnose me or give me medication
I'm going back on the 30th because I'm not happy at how my illness is being handled, and I want a second opinion and to hand him my A4 both sides covered list of symptoms. I feel like I'm being neglected by the NHS. Thank you though, I feel like I have a legitimate illness rather than "being a usual young woman"
Mittens95, TSH ranges vary but in the UK are usually between 0.35 - 5 or 6. Some doctors won't act on the first abnormal TSH result and will want to retest in 3 months because it can be elevated due to non-thyroidal illness like a cold or virus . If TSH has been rising over months, in my opinion, it is negligent to refuse treatment when TSH is over range, no matter how little.
I hope you'll have a better response when you get a second opinion.
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.
I was called hypochondriac for 30 years until GP tested for hypothyroidism and if you are falling asleep that way, something is wrong.
Others will advise better than I can but might this be a deficiency of some of the vitamins that are important for the take-up and conversion of thyroxine? B12, D3, Ferritin, Folate (which can mask B12 deficiency), Iron (maybe more, see what the others advise) - or - deficiency of zinc or magnesium which are essential for conversion?
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