ANY ADVICE WOULD BE HELPFUL: Hi  I have all the... - Thyroid UK

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ANY ADVICE WOULD BE HELPFUL

gisa12 profile image
10 Replies

Hi 

I have all the symptoms of Hypothyroidism but my doctor will not prescribe any meds.

My latest blood results are TSH 2.79(0.35-5.00mu/l); FT4 12.7 (9.00-22.00pmol/L); FT3 3.9 (3.5 - 7.8); Vit D 59 (50 - 200nmol/L);White Blood cell 3.4 (3.50 -10.00 10*9/L ) (which is higher than normal at 2.8) Cholesterol on the rise at 5.9 (2.00 - 5.00mmol/L) even although I eat a healthy mediterranean diet as advised by all the health books etc. B12 417 (200.00 - 910.00ng/L) . My weight is approx 15 lbs more than my normal and I can't lose weight.

I take vit c; B complex; Vit D3; B12.  daily. 

Any comments on my thyroid would be helpful and even on what I am lacking in vitamins would be helpful. I am now 60 plus, but feel like I have had this problem for 25 years.  My previous doctors have told me I had chronic Fatigue (at that time my TSH was 5.9 and I was told I was borderline); post viral fatigue; Fybromyalgia; Costochondritis etc etc. Over the years I have had so many blood tests; scans and tests and this time I just want to get to the bottom of why I feel exhausted; in constant pain; tearful and all the other symptoms associated with this disease. 

Thank you 

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shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Welcome to our Forum Gisa12,

Your post is quite common. People remain undiagnosed with a myriad of clinical symptoms. 

If you have the ranges of your blood test results (they are in brackets after the result) post them. To edit a post click on the down arrow and press edit and it takes you to a new page of your post and enables you to amend it.

Labs throughout the country differ in their machines thus different ranges.

At a guess I would say you are hypothyroid, due to your apparently low FT4 and FT3 (a guess). Doctors are told if the TSH is anywhere in range that we are fine. The British Thyroid Association have directed that we are not to be medicated until the TSH is 10 (ridiculous) so many struggle for years with symptoms diagnosed instead of hypo.

If you have the ranges it enables members to comment. I'll give you a couple of links as we have to read and learn if we are to get well, despite the guidelines.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

This is from our website Thyroiduk.org.uk:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin... 

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... 

This is a doctor who diagnosed according to how he was taught as a medical student (pity they don't any more) how to recognise a hypothyroid person by sight/symptoms.

Unfortunately Dr Skinner died of a stroke and he tried to engage with the Endocrinologists but they refused any overtures whatsoever by this good doctor:- 

His research has also extended to the clinical arena. Some fifteen years ago he was asked by colleagues to see patients who were considered to have myalgic encephalopathy or chronic fatigue syndrome or post viral syndrome or post viral fatigue on account of his interest in virus disease. He noted that a number of these patients had clinical features of hypothyroidism but had ‘normal’ levels of thyroid hormones which would lead most workers in the field to reject a diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Dr Skinner has since treated and returned to health many patients who were clinically hypothyroid but had normal thyroid chemistry and has reported these results in a preliminary paper entitled “Clinical response to thyroxine sodium in clinically hypothyroid but biochemically euthyroid patients”. He is disappointed that many doctors have little enthusiasm or will to examine this critical shortfall in patient care which in part motivated his book “Diagnosis and Management of Hypothyroidism”. 

worldthyroidregister.com/Go...

gisa12 profile image
gisa12 in reply to shaws

Many thanks for your reply, I have amended my results and I have checked the thyroiduk website. I tick almost all the boxes on the sympotoms list. I also had some tests done at Genova in 2011 and they said "possible low grade hypothyroidism " when I gave them to the doctor I was seeing at that time he didn't even look at them just pushed them away and said"we can't use them". Even the private endo I saw said the results were normal according to NHS guidlines. 

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to gisa12

They don't like patients to bring in 'internet' items. It is reflecting on their inability/knowledge to make patients well.

I always post as they might read it then and don't have time in the Consultation. 

Just say I am not improving, so I have been researching to see if I can find an answer.

Clutter profile image
Clutter

Gisa12,

You haven't included lab ref ranges (figures in brackets after results) so it isn't possible to see whether FT4 and FT3 are good or bad.  TSH 2.79 indicates your thyroid is struggling but you won't get a NHS diagnosis until TSH is over range or FT4 below range.

Vit D 59 is suboptimal.  75-200 is replete and most people are comfortable with vitD around 1.0.  Supplement D3 5.000iu for 8 weeks then reduce to 5,000iu alternate days.

B12 is optimal at 1,000.  Supplement 1,000mcg methylcobalamin with a B Complex vitamin.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

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.

gisa12 profile image
gisa12

Thanks, Still don't understand why my vitamins are low even although I take them daily. Vit d has dropped over the past 2 years from 128nmol/L to 59nmol/L same with bit B12 from 680 ng/L to 417. I should add that I have monitored my temperature over the past month and average is 35.3.  lowest was 35.0 and highest 36.2

in reply to gisa12

Have you ever tested for thyroid antibodies? Available with a private test. Would help towards an answer, you'd know if u had Hash's. You could try self-treating, carefully, with levo, spect someone here knows where to find it, and see if you feel better. 

gisa12 profile image
gisa12 in reply to

Thanks for your input. I'm waiting for antibodies results. Don't like the idea of self treating but if it's the only way after all tests are done I'll try to find a sympathetic doctor. 

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Hi Gisa,

I self-medicate with NDT (recently T3) as I have had symptoms of hypothyroidism since 1979. I have a pituitary adenoma, which I'm sure is the cause of secondary hypo, which can't be diagnosed with the TSH tests that doctors wrongly rely on. Like a lot of people on here, I buy my own meds as my symptoms are ignored.

Try doing The Barnes basal body temperature test, to see if that confirms your suspicions. It's easy to do, & only involves taking & recording your temperature every morning, before you get out of bed, for a few months. If it's consistently low, you are likely to be hypo. However, it may still not help with getting your doctors to take notice, which is much harder!

Mx

gisa12 profile image
gisa12 in reply to BadHare

Thanks for the info. I take my temperature every day  and the average is 35.4 but docs don't take any notice. Im waiting for a referral to chronic fatigue clinic. I've heard that the doctors there are more likely to help with the correct meds. 

BadHare profile image
BadHare

Sorry you're chilly too.

I'm not sure what you can take for CF, though NDT ot T something would probably help if you can persuade them.

M*

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