Is there a problem

[Lanvere]

My son who is 20 has just had the following test results TSH 1.50 T3 4.6 and T4 13.2 he did not ask why but she wants a full thyroid panel done ... What is she thinking ?

[SmallBlueThing]

I've heard that men need a lower TSH than women to feel right, and it may be the case that even lower would be expected in a young man, in which case his TSH is getting high.

It's best to state the ranges, but his T4 is quite low.

It looks like his Doc is on the ball and will be checking antibodies next, and maybe vitamins B12 and D plus ferritin and folate. Let's hope any treatment does the job.

[Lanvere in reply to SmallBlueThing]

We are at the doctors now and she's not running any more tests because all the bloods results are normal !!! Apparently he does have antibodies in his blood so will need monitoring but not yet ... I don't know what to do now ... My son suffered dreadful anxiety attacks hardly ever leaving the house ... He cant go into college and is quite depressed at times it breaks my heart

[Lanvere in reply to SmallBlueThing]

We are at the doctors now and she's not running any more tests because all the bloods results are normal !!! Apparently he does have antibodies in his blood so will need monitoring but not yet ... I don't know what to do now ... My son suffered dreadful anxiety attacks hardly ever leaving the house ... He cant go into college and is quite depressed at times it breaks my heart

[SmallBlueThing in reply to Lanvere]

Poor chap - and tough on you, too. The watching and waiting is par for the course. In my case I now realize I've swung between hypo and hyper several times since childhood. I was being monitored last time I went hyper but made excuses not to get treated, partly due to the condition. Then I was found to be hypo a year later when being treated for hypertension. Since starting treatment I've had some anxiety issues.

Encourage your son to eat a wholefoods diet with minimal sugar, cola, coffee, pizza etc., to get him on an even a keel as possible. Wheat flour, particularly white flour products, may be best avoided to keep the antibodies down, by minimizing gluten.

[faith63]

what are the ranges? the Free t3 and free t4, are the more accurate ones to get.

[Lanvere in reply to faith63]

After a bit of a row with the doctor which I actually feel really bad about she's agreed to run more tests and refer him to endocrine clinic ... It's so hard ...,he suffers real problems mentally and all she wants to do is push him down the mental health path which is fine once they've ruled out everything else ... I pointed out that despite blood results being within normal range there could still be a problem if taken together with symptoms which she has never asked about what's really annoying she admitted if we lived in a different area with different ranges it would show a problem with the results and that statement is what made me cross ... It's so unfair

[greygoose in reply to Lanvere]

Umm... I Don't think she's quite right, there. If the ranges were different, so would his results.

The reason for the different ranges is that the labs use different machines, and the results have to be judged according to those ranges. But, I can't imagine anywhere where a doctor would diagnose a thyroid problem with a TSH of 1.50, given that they only really look at the TSH. His FT4 may be low enough to make him feel bad, but for a doctor, it's in range, so it's 'fine'. That's how I see it, anyway.

[Lanvere in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for reply grey goose but can I clarify ... Are you saying that in your opinion he had a problem somewhere with thyroid because his T4 is low and that maybe what's causing his problems ... He's really upset today and ranting at me for suggesting that it could be thyroid ... He now saying he doesn't want to do anymore blood tests or take the referral because if I am wrong and the doctor is right in that there's nothing wrong "what then" will endocrine specialist treat him any different from the GP .... I feel bad for giving him false hope ... He says he just wants to feel normal and be normal

[greygoose in reply to Lanvere]

I'm saying that his T4 is possibly low enough to cause him problems, but he really does need more testing.

He should have his antibodies checked - TPOab and TgAB. And his FT3. He should have his vit D, vit B12 and ferritin checked. All these things could cause problems if they're not right.

But what I was actually saying in that comment was that you shouldn't feel angry because of what your silly doctor said about testing in another area, because she was wrong. I was thinking more about you in that comment. Don't get upset because of some stupid remark made by an ignorant doctor, because I doubt if he would get diagnosed in another area on the basis of those labs. Her reasoning is all off.

I can completely understand his frustration. But, if all else fails, and the other tests do show a thyroid problem, and a so-called 'endocrine specialist' (is there really such a thing?) won't treat him any different to the GP, then there's always self-treating.

But, he'll never know if he doesn't do the tests.

Please Don't feel bad for giving him 'false hopes'. They haven't yet been conclusively proved false. And, if one is feeling ill, one has to try everything - and I mean everything, no matter how out-landish it may sound - to feel better. And if I could convince my children to get tested, I'd do exactly the same! That's what mothers are for, and you're just being a good mother.

Hugs, x

[Lanvere in reply to greygoose]

Thank you so much for your support ... I have just read my son this comment feed and i think it has had a positive impact on him and made him feel a bit better xx

[greygoose in reply to Lanvere]

Well, that's good! And I hope it encourages him to continue researching his problems.

Lots of hugs to you both.

[faith63 in reply to Lanvere]

Ginny..They even have testing the poor guy can do at home..from Blue Horizon ..or so i have read. I am deathly afraid of blood draws now, after having developed scar tissue and being left so ill, for so long. Besides, truthfully, the endocrinologists are no better than the rest, maybe worse actually.

Ask Grey about Endocrinologists.

Hi GG!!...check your email.

[Lanvere]

I started my son on the B12 supplement a couple of weeks ago and I can't believe the transformation in him ... He's like a different person can I just ask though would it be worth giving him 5HTP too