I've had many tests due to an anxiety and depression that has gone on for almost 4 years.
In the midst of this I recalled that by beard growth had slowed down from an every day shaver (male!) to once every 14 days with the growth being significantly slower. I them asked the GP to do some hormone checks, and he found low Testosterone, low Lutenizing Hormone, and Low Follicle Stimulation Hormone too. These tests have been carried out repeatedly and they are consistently low. I also had my cortisol levels checked over 24hrs and that is normal. Vitamin D is normal too, and I supplement with it anyway.
I had prior thyroid panels done after the anxiety situation got severe, and also a chest CT scan with contrast. The thyroid bloods showed that I could be sub clinically hyperthyroid, but this was post loading with the contrast medium from the CT scan, so as a precaution they did a scan on my thyroid and found a 5mm nodule but didn't consider it clinically significant.
Since that time, I have tried 12 different antidepressants with little benefit, and have had counselling and CBT with little improvement. My life is not the same. I am not working and am fearful of many things....
I have gained weight and am bloated, no energy, forgetful, apathy, poor memory, loss of interest, tremors, confusion, paranoia, depressed, anxious, etc.
I have had scans on pituitary and other tests but nothing significant was found to explain low results or low normal results....
I have been monitored for thyroid levels recently again, and in the past two bloods, my results come back (repeatedly) similar to the following (UK values)
See link below to comprehensive excel file with all bloods including ranges. It is easier than transposing here...
I was checked for antibodies in NZ when this first occurred and it was negative. Not sure they are on the file but they were definitely negative.
I'm led to believe that the results are an anomaly when you look at the T4 and T3 alone. I don't trust the TSH as other hormones from the pituitary are low or abnormal also, and nobody can find the reason for this, yet I suffer on each day with no life at all. I'm unable to convince anyone that this may be worth looking into, yet my metabolism is so slow ('slow metabolizer 4' according to hair mineral tests).
Is there anyone out there that can point me toward answers or offer further help? I'm back in the UK now, and have nothing left to show for 25 years of work because I'm so unwell and have almost lost everything.... I'm living with my elderly parents as I am too unwell to look after myself right now.
EDIT: On a PC now, so I have decided to upload a history of all bloods to Google Drive for ease. Took me a while but feel free to look (in excel file uploaded to Google Drive) - link below
Mbarber Something definitely seems to be wrong. In order for members to help can you please post your test results with their reference ranges (numbers in brackets). As the ranges differ from lab to lab it's not possible to get an accurate picture without them.
Also, you say your Vit D is normal and that you are supplementing anyway. What was the result? Excess Vit D isn't excreted, it gets stored in the body, so we need to be careful not to overdose as there is a danger of toxicity. Once I reached a good level I lowered my dose to a maintenance dose during the winter and have reduced again now we have some sunshine.
It may be worth getting your growth hormone levels checked. The normal range for IgF1 (insulin growth factor) is 9-31. If you're deficient in IgF1, it will cause many symptoms similar to hypothyroidism. These include depression, weight gain, fatigue, muscle aches and pains and a general poor quality of life. Unfortunately it is not something that is automatically tested for either. I'm deficient myself and have to take daily injections of growth hormone. Hope you get sorted.
I had a growth hormone stimulation test to check why the pituitary hormones were all low but it came back normal, so they passed me back to my GP with no answer for me. The best they can say for me at the moment is that I may have to take testosterone for the remainder of life to get me back into range. I have a feeling that something else is untoward and that is the root cause.
With depression they blame it on your thinking patterns but I've experienced the reverse of this. My symptoms and thinking changes came on simultaneously, but the thinking was like a snap - one time positive and upbeat, the next injected thought was negative and like someone flicked a switch inside me. Very odd...
Could be pituitary problem - lots of low hormones inc not enough TSH to produce enough T4 to keep you going (secondary hypo). You need to see a decent endo. Most stimulation tests just mean that the gland works when kicked - not that it works under normal circumstances or that there is anything there to kick it.
Dexamethasone Suppression Test (suppressed to less than 30)
9am cortisol (all good)
Growth Hormone Stim Test (growth hormone and cortisol normal).
I have also done
24hr salivary cortisol all very good including DHEA privately.
They it's stress but how can that be if everything is normal in cortisol. I have a feeling that adrenalin is pumping hard causing the panic and anxiety, but have read that this is also the backup system for thyroid issues within the body.
Pulse was first low before major anxiety issues, now very high at rest, 90-110 bpm.
I asked for a second opinion and got to see someone at Addenbrooke's but they focused on low Testosterone and didn't have any records for thyroid history from first endo or GP..
Yeah.. and I ended up with the whole nine yards. Depression, anxiety, low Testosterone, Thyroid issues, and a load more.
Hello Mbarber, something else you could have a look at is ATP (mitochondrial failure).
Have a look at Dr Sarah Myhill's website and put ATP into the search. It has loads of information on how this can account for brain fog, memory, depression etc. along with magnesium deficiency which can make you really anxious.
Will look. My magnesium levels are about 650 (0-9999999) and I'm led to believe that under 800 isn't good. Hair mineral didn't pick up magnesium as an issue but I'm taking a supplement. Thanks for the new info!
Did you have a serum Mg test, or RBC? Serum Mg does not reflect what's happening in the body. Serum levels are tightly controlled and will be maintained at the expense of the body. A better way of getting Mg into your body is transdermal, Mg Chloride 'oil'. The hair analysis test I had done showed Mg as a deficiency - but I am one of life's sceptics - I have long forgotten how to truly trust anything!!!!!
That's strange, just tried it myself and all is okay. I use Windows 10 Microsoft edge, so perhaps the problem is with Google search. Not sure, I am not much into IT.
Think you have given a range - rather than a result for the TSH above Did you have B12 - Ferritin - Folate tested as well ? May also be a good idea to have the thyroid anti-bodies tested again - Anti-TPO and Anti-Tg.
LOW B12 can produces so many similar symptoms to Thyroid - and you need a level of around 1000. Low levels are certainly involved in low mood.
Please scroll down in the above link to find the signs and symptoms. Good levels of B12 are VERY important and little understood by GP's.
Ferritin - is stored iron - and is called upon when levels of iron are low in the blood. Oxygen sticks to iron in the red cells - so low iron = low oxygen = low energy ....
Hope you soon find some answers and begin to feel stronger.
No the TSH values given are a range based on a number of repeat tests. The range is in brackets. The value is between 0.3 and 0.5 with the other T4 and T3 remarkably similar in the low end of normal. Hence how I wrote it up...
B12 is 685 and 985 respectively (tested twice, second time supplementing B12)
Ferritin 292 (0-400)
Folate 13.3 (4.6 - 18.7)
Iron - 19 (10-30)
Hope this helps.
The new bloods I have requested are a comprehensive Thyroid panel includes iron, b12, vit d, anti bodies, and reverse t3. Takes about 10 days to get results.
B12 testing is of little or NO value once you have supplemented as it can remain in the blood for ages. ( As told to me by the Chairman of the PAS Society - Martyn Hooper )
Your Ferritin is quite high and may suggest some inflammation somewhere in the body.
If you have had multiple tests fir one thing it is better for each result to write the test with result and range plus the date.
Believe it or not posters on here are quite good at working out something is going wrong that way. However if you group test results together like you have they become meaningless.
The point on the spreadsheet that everything goes haywire (early to mid 2013) was the start of the anxiety and depression. I had one panic attack in 2012 but everything else seemed hunky dory at that time.
Would be grateful if you could explain your deduction of T3 in the upper range. What ranges are you using, and did you look at the spreadsheet?
The only Free T3 in the upper range on my spreadsheet is when I was given contrast medium as a result of CT scan (mentioned in the sheet as a comment). After that time I went 'loopy', but my T4 is now low, and T3 doesn't get a mention because the good old NHS won't test it! I am getting private tests done this week.
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Did you have B12 - Ferritin - Folate tested as well ? May also be a good idea to have the thyroid anti-bodies tested again - Anti-TPO and Anti-Tg.
Advice on ACTH and thyroid results please
Blood test results.
Meaning of Thyroid test results
Updated TSH, Ferritin, Cholesterol
