I have all these following symptoms but my TSH and T4 results have come back normal (these are the only Thyroid tests i've had done). Does anyone have any suggestions what might be wrong? I feel so unwell everyday and can't go to work anymore
Ears - feel like pressure and sensitive to noise
Foggy brain
Very dry hair
Heavy heart beating
Feeling so drugged and dizzy all day and fatigued. Never have a 'good' day. It's everyday.
Hair loss
Shortness of breath & unable to exercise
Acne
Blurred vision
Thanks for your help
Written by
briskate
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Welcome to our forum and the first thing for you to do is get a print-out of your results from the surgery and make sure the ranges are shown. Put them on a new post for comments.
Your experience is quite common, so you will get more responses I think.
Sometimes they don't do all the blood tests for a dysfunction of our thyroid gland and just take notice of your TSH result. TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (from the Pituitary Gland) and if the thyroid gland starts to dysfunction, the TSH tries to flag it to produce more hormones. Never take the word 'normal' 'fine' 'o.k. with regard to blood tests for the Thyroid Gland. We can be in the 'normal' range but at the lower end when we should be towards the top but you will learn all these things as you go on.
Some surgeries ask for a nominal sum for paper/ink. Mine charge 30p.
The best time for a blood test is the earliest possible and don't eat before it, but you can drink water.
If you were given thyroid hormones you'd allow 24 hours from the last dose and the test and take levo (thyroid hormone) afterwards.
Tell your doctor you are quite ill: can you please have a blood test to check your Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate (these can cause symptoms). Ask can he also do a Free T3 blood test as well. If he asks why - tell him that the TSH doesn't always show symptoms and if your Free T3 is low your body cannot function efficiently. Some surgeries wont do a FT3.
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. Much appreciated.
After 5 attempts I did manage to get a list of blood test from my GP. They have done Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate and they have come back normal. (Apart from Vitamin D which was a bit low which I am now taking supplements for)
After asking lots of times they allowed me a Free T3 test which I actually get the results back tomorrow for. I did also ask for a progesterone & estrogen test at the same time in case I had some crazy hormone imbalance even though the doctor said this wouldn't be relevant at all but at least when I see the results I can rule it out in my head.
It's all very confusing as I've seen a couple of GP who have said the Free T3 test isn't needed if the TSH comes back normal and some people say it is! I'm glad I will see the results tomorrow anyway.
Thank you - when I've got my full list of results I will post them on here.
Just wondering do you think it sounds like a Thyroid symptom - fatigue so bad you can't work anymore, disorientated, feel almost like I'm slightly cross eyed, barely leaving my bed (I'm not old!) Can it feel this bad?
Yes it can be exactly like that. If you browse down the forum you will find many reporting exactly those symptoms.
But the problem with hypothyroidism is that none of those symptoms are specific to hypo, they can be caused by other things.
have you lost the outer third of your eyebrows, and do you have a scalloped tongue? Can you feel any lumps on your thyroid?
I personally think that there's a point where so many non specific symptoms are stacked up, plus evidence of antibodies, that it becomes 'beyond reasonable doubt'.
No I don't think I've lost any eyebrows, have a scalloped tongue or have any lumps on my thyroid.
I will wait and see what my free T3 test results say tomorrow and go from there.
Just wondering do some people then decide to buy thyroid medication even though their blood test results were normal just to try it and see if it makes them feel better?
Briskate, there's no such thing as 'normal' when it comes to thyroid, despite what doctors say. We're all different and all need different levels.
When a doctor says 'normal', what he means is 'in range'. he doesn't know any better than that. But, 'in range' is not the same thing as 'optimal'. It's where in the range that the result falls that is important, that's why we ask people to post their results, with the ranges. Some of the ranges are rediculously wide - TSH for example. It can't all be 'normal'. And vit B12 usually has a huge range. And even if it's right at the bottom of the range doctors will say it's 'normal', whereas, in reality, anything Under 500 is dangerously low. Optimal is 1000, which is higher than the top of most ranges. Doctors just know nothing about hormones or nutrition.
So, in answer to your question is : yes. If people have a TSH over three, and FT4 and FT3 at the bottom of the ranges, they will probably be ill, but doctors will say their results are normal. So, out of desperation, they buy their own and self-treat. BUT, self-treating is not for beginners, you have to know what your doing, or have someone who does know, to guide you. So, lets see what the results are, and then someone will advise you.
Hey Greygoose....thank you very much for your reponse.
I did already post my results above on this thread but here they are again for anyone that missed them. Thank you
T3 = 5.6 Range 3.10 - 6.80
T4 = 14.7 Range 12.00 - 22.00
TSH = 1.1 Range 0.27 - 4.20
Ferritin = 57 Range 30.00 - 400.00
Folate = 12.1 Range 4.60 - 18.70
Vitamin B12 = 209 Range 180.00 - 900.00
Vitamin D = 39.3
Range
<25 severe Vitamin D deficiency
25-50 Vitamin D deficiency
50-75 Vitamin D may be sub-optimal & long term may
lead to clinical effects
75> Adequate vitamin D
I know I am low on the vitamin D - I am now on supplements for this now. (This test was done end of last year and these supplements have made no difference to the way I feel)
Well, I Don't think you did post them... I can't see them, anyway. lol
So, your TSH is, unequivically, 'normal'. Cant dispute that.
Your FT4 is a bit low, but your FT3 isn't too bad. Could be higher - perhaps you need it higher, I Don't know - but at least you are converting correctly.
However, your B12 is way, way too low! You must bring that up quickly. If I were you, I would take 5000 mcg sublingual methylcobalaming daily, with a B complex to keep the Bs balanced. A B12 that lw will cause a lot of symptoms - very much like hypo symptoms. And that could very well be your problem. Certainly, your symptoms sound like B12 deficiency.
Your ferritin is also a bit low. You could do with supplementing that, too, along with 1000 mg vit C to help absorption.
If you are taking vit D3, you should also be taking vit K2, because vit D3 increases absorption of calcium from food, and the K2 makes sure it goes to the bones and teeth, and not the tissues.
It's also a good idea to take magnesium when you're taking vit D3.
Once you bring your levels up, you should feel very much better!
I've already ordered the supplements and they arrive tomorrow! So I will start on them tomorrow and praying this is the problem and it will all be solved
A word of warning : do not start on several suppléments at the same time. Because if one of them should disagree with you - and that can happen - you won't know which one it is. Leave at least two weeks between starting each one.
If I were you, I would start on the B12, because that's the most urgent.
Does anybody know why I might be low on these things? Is this something I need to be investigating in case there is a problem somewhere else. I have a generally healthy balanced diet!
You could have low stomach acid. Or, you could have leaky gut. Have you ever been tested for Coeliac disease? Or, maybe it's something to do with your diet. Could be all sorts of reasons.
You haven't had your antibodies tested, have you. Might be an idea to get TPOab and TgAB tested. If these are positive, you might have autoimmune thyroiditis - Hashimoto's - where the antibodies themselves can cause symptoms, but sometimes the thyroid blood tests never show deficient. Just an idea.
Yes I have been tested for Coeliac disease and it was negative. I've started taking the B12 now, not sure long how it will take to start to feel better if that was the problem but I'm giving it a go! Meanwhile I might have my TPOab and TgAB tested. Many thanks for your help.
I'm taking 5000 mcg of B12 a day. I have got myself a B complex too but will start taking these in a few days just to check no side effects from B12 first.
I know I am low on the vitamin D - I am now on supplements for this now. (This test was done end of last year and these supplements have made no difference to the way I feel)
How much do you take? And when do you take them? They are best absorbed if taken with your fattiest meal of the day.
Be aware that US and UK units of measurement are not the same. There is a converter part way down the right side of the page. Once you have it in US units you can work out the dosage you need to get it to optimum.
You wouldn't have to take this amount forever (probably). You could reduce it when your levels had increased.
I've had a GP tell me my B12 and ferritin were "normal" but I was at the lower border of the range. I've also been told that other measurements that are out of range aren't to be worried about when they are an indicator that another result is not high enough e.g. ferritin
What is not realised is when they do lab ranges they choose the 95% of people who aren't seriously ill. So people who have mild symptoms of deficiency are included in the normal range. The possible exception to this is vitamin D where they upped the optimal range a few years ago.
Like you I too have many symptoms that I've endured for over 4 years now & I'm getting nowhere fast with my GP because my results are in range. I've just ordered T3 & i'm going to give it a trial run because I have no other choice really. Lost count how many times I've gone to see my GP with the same symptoms month after month, year after year, blood tests for this & that only to be told all is in range & I'm in good health 'on paper' when you know instinctively there's something wrong. It's a personal decision & only you know how you feel right now compared to how you felt when healthy. Try & read as much as you're able to & ask questions on this very helpful forum because there are some very knowledgeable people who can answer your questions. There's a check list of symptoms on Thyroid Uk that you can print out & tick the relevant symptoms you have & show this to your Gp on your next visit. Don't worry if you haven't ticked them all, my daughters hypo & only ticked 82 of them.
My GP tried telling me I probably have ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy) but I'm not sure my symptoms in my first post really match ME symptoms. I never have a cold, flu type symptoms or a sore throat. I've read people with ME have 'good days'. I never have a good day....I feel drugged, dizzy fatigued & generally unwell all day.....everyday so not sure it's that at all!
Could it do any harm taking the medication just to see if it helps and if it doesn't then stop taking it?
briskate have you posted your results & ranges for your vitamins ferritin & folate? Even if they're in range you might still benefit from supplementing because they need to be in the upper range to be optimal.
I have flue like symptoms as in aching heavy limbs, headaches & weakness, but no sore throat or cold. I've looked into several other possible causes but like you my symptoms seem to lean strongly towards the thyroid gland, my daughters hypo & she thinks my symptoms mirror hers when she was first diagnosed. The only difference being she was 14 at time of diagnosis & going through puberty & I'm 50 & post menopausal.
I'm just leaving a comment here so I can see how your results go. I'm in a very similar boat at the minute, but with a painful thyroid when my neck is touched. 25 year old male
Hi briskate I am exactly the same as you and all doctors results came back "normal" GP refused a T3 test referee me to an Endo who was also only interested in the TSH...I went to blue horizons and did my own full panel and posted them up here...have had amazing support...I started myself on levo weeks ago and I'm not dead yet...lol...no change as yet but am considering changing to T3 due to my test results showing I'm not converting so currently researching that..
You are certainly NOT alone here you will discover what IS normal is patients not being listened to and taken seriously and being kept ill be a use of a totally unreliable TSH test that doctors regard as God himself!!
If you are on fb there are many thyroid groups on there also vit B12 and vit D all very informative and supportive
I've just got my Free T3 blood test result back - once again like my other thyroid tests it's come back as normal when I'm showing all the symptoms of a problem! Anyway here are my results:
T3 = 5.6 Range 3.10 - 6.80
T4 = 14.7 Range 12.00 - 22.00
TSH = 1.1 Range 0.27 - 4.20
Ferritin = 57 Range 30.00 - 400.00
Folate = 12.1 Range 4.60 - 18.70
Vitamin B12 = 209 Range 180.00 - 900.00
Vitamin D = 39.3 Range <25 severe Vitamin D deficiency
25-50 Vitamin D deficiency
50-75 Vitamin D may be sub-optimal & long term may
lead to clinical effects
75> Adequate vitamin D
I know I am low on the vitamin D - I am now on supplements for this now. (This test was done end of last year and these supplements have made no difference)
I might post this again on the main page depending on replies.
Your ferritin (needs to be 70) , B12 (needs to be over 500) and D (needs to be over 90) are much too low. Low B12 can cause permanent neurological damage and the symptoms are very like hypo.
Your first sentence "I have all these following symptoms but my TSH and T4 results have come back normal " sounds like it came straight from stopthethyroidmadness.com! Please post your TSH and T4 (FT4?) results. Chances are you aren't converting T4->T3 and/or have high rT3. You will probably end up having to find a doctor who understands why you need to have the full test suite TSH FT3 FT4 rT3 TPOAb TGAb. Check out the video I posted here a couple days ago: youtube.com, search for #17yearsahead .
Thanks for your reply. I have posted my results (3 messages before this one).
I am new to all of this but I have heard of the Reverse T3 and antibodies test. Should I be getting these tests done then if nothing is showing up on my TSH test and T4 and free T3. Or are these then irrelevant if I passed the others?
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