Looking for advice

[feelgfrustrtd]

Hello, I'm new to this community. I'd like to ask for your advice. I recently went to my GPA for routine bloodwork and my TSH was 3.29. I have elevated eosinophils as well at 7. She said I was fine and everything was normal. Since I've been not feeling well, having extreme fatigue (even though I get 9-10 hours of sleep a night), sluggish, cold/heat intolerant, difficulty comcentratting/foggy, brittle nails, loosing hair, wrist pain, body aches, abdominal bloating so bad it looks like im 4-6 months pregnant, irratable, etc...) So I went to a functional dr who is testing me my TSH, T3, T4, antibodies, adrenal function. I'm just wondering if any of you had these symptoms but TSH was in 'normal range' like me. Waiting for test results to come back. Thanks in advance!!

[Pastille]

Hi feelgfrustrtd ,Welcome most people that come to this forum come because they are under medicated or the medication isn't working for them. Also, most of them are told by their doctors that their blood results are 'normal'. Their normal means within the range but most of us only feel a relief from symptoms when our TSH is at the bottom of the range as in 1 and below. I felt terrible when my TSH was at your level. On the bright side, you have had all the required thyroid tests done by the functional doctor to show what is going on with you, as soon as you get these results, re post here with all the results including ranges in brackets. Then the people here can help you get well. Basically it sounds like you are under medicated. Also the test results will help people here to see if you are converting well and then advise you on that. I also always have a high white blood count and I believe it is quite common with people with Hashimotos. Hashimotos isn't treated in itself, but the resulting under active thyroid is. A lot of people find that going gluten free helps to reduce antibodies and flare ups of symptoms. You really need to also be tested for Folate, Ferritin, B12 and Vitamin D. These levels are also often told by doctors to be 'normal' too, but we need them 'optimal' to absorb thyroid medication properly. Sufferers of thyroid disease usually have low stomach acid which inhibits the absorption of nutrients, therefore low levels of the above which also leave us feeling awful. Don't despair, you can and will feel better and you are on your way, there are some members on this site with a lot of knowledge who are willing to help. Wishing you a speedy recovery x

[barbara2 in reply to Pastille]

I agree with what Pastille said, above. You're probably under medicated even though your numbers fall within the normal range. My symptoms (when under medicated) are very similar to yours and I feel much better when the numbers are at low normal.

[radd]

FF,

Welcome to our forum and sorry to hear you are not feeling well.

TSH of 3.29 may indicate your pituitary is working a little harder to encourage further thyroid hormone but without the ranges and T4 & T3 results is it difficult to tell.

All your symptoms could be attributed to low thyroid hormone. It is possible to have "normal" thyroid blood test results and still be symptomatic as there are numerous reasons why your bodys cells aren't receiving the right amount of hormone.

Ask your GP to test Vit B12, Vit D, folate and ferritin as these are commonly deficient in people with low thyroid hormone.

Post all results & those from your functional doctor, complete with ranges (numbers in brackets) for members to comment.

[shaws Administrator]

Blood tests (fasting) for thyroid hormones should be the very earliest possible - you can drink water. If on thyroid hormones allow 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards.

This allows the TSH to be at its highest and doctors mainly take notice only of the TSH.

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

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

p.s. also get thyroid antibodies tested - if you have these you will have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease called Hashimoto's.

[olliemoo]

I am feeling exactly the same. Had my routine blood tests this week and waiting for results. Going to ask for print out this time to show on here for help! Think i will find decent endocrynologist!!! Good luck

[LAHs in reply to olliemoo]

A decent endocrynologist? Good luck with that.

[feelgfrustrtd]

Hi everyone, thank you for your replies! You've given me hope that the dr will find something and can treat me and make me feel better. Just looked at the notes from my visit wth him and he tested me for TSH, FT3, FT4, RT3, thyroid antibodies, adrenal (ASI saliva test), DHEA, pregnenolone, nutrients and homocysteine. When I meet with him in a couple of weeks I'll get copies of my results and post here. The waiting part is hard but at least I'm on the right track. Thaks again!

[Heloise in reply to feelgfrustrtd]

Hi fgf, we are all frustrated for you. I've been here for three years reading posts and they are almost all along the same lines. Person feels terrible, goes to doctor who says they are fine everything is normal. Person can go for months this way, waiting for the doctor to be satisfied that there is a problem. Of course, in the meantime the patient becomes more and more ill. When your body tries to produce thyroid hormone, particularly FT3) and falls short the vulnerable areas do not receive enough thyroid and things start going wrong. This is dismaying because this continues downward as you wait but your body keeps struggling and there may be better days and worse days.

Ultimately many of us have decided we don't want to wait until we have lost our jobs or our mates or our social life which can happen. Keep in mind that you have options if your doctor remains apathetic.

[barbara2 in reply to feelgfrustrtd]

If/when the doc increases the mg of your thyroid meds, it will take a while for you to notice the difference...two-three weeks or longer. The change is gradual. It is advised to take them on an empty stomach. I keep a small 7 day pill sorter for my thyroid meds in the bathroom, so when I get up in the night to potty, I take a pill. That guarantees it is taken on an empty stomach!

[sweetsusie]

Welcome, feelgfrustrd....make sure when you go for retesting that you do it on an empty stomach and as early in the morning as possible. My range was "normal," too with my first test, but when I went in the morning it was high enough that my doctor started to prescribe levo. for me. I was also had very low Vitamin B12 and am receiving monthly shots for that. I was so exhausted I could barely get off my couch! Hang in...this takes awhile...and these people on here are WONDERFUL!!! I've learned so much from reading it every single day!

[feelgfrustrtd]

Thank you!! I already feel better just being here and getting the support. I also can barely find energy for anything. I force myself to workout with the promise I can take a nap after but I'm so tired that I'm like in slow motion doing the workout. I'm just outside of Boston and we've had a hot and humud this summerer and I try to put AC on to get comfortable but then I have to turn off b/c I can't handle the cold. My fasting blood draw was at 8:20am so Im glad i had it early after hearing about how it can fluctuate during the day. My follow up appointment is the 22nd when I'll get my results of all the tests and hopefully get on some medication and I'm counting down the days. Thanks for the advice and support!!

[Hidden in reply to feelgfrustrtd]

You need plenty of rest when ill like this. A workout will deplete your thyroid hormones further and worsen your symptoms. When you feel better you can start to take some gentle strolls.

[barbara2]

Here in the US we are told it is not necessary to fast before measuring the TSH. I copied a remark from the Cleveland Clinic... "This test may be measured any time of the day without fasting. The brain regulates the amount of thyroid hormones in the blood. When the hormone levels are low, the brain sends a message to send out TSH. This causes the thyroid gland to send out more hormones. "

[shaws Administrator]

Just for information:-

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

[LAHs in reply to shaws]

That's a really good article. It did not, however, answer the question to fast or not to fast (before TSH testing). I do not fast because that is what I was told. I have no argument with that because I can go without lunch, I can go without dinner but to go without breakfast is to render me a non functioning idiot. GOTTA have me brekkers!

[feelgfrustrtd]

Hello everyone,

I went back to the dr's today for Allergy Testing (environmental: molds, dustmites, etc...) and while there I got some of my results that were available from my blood draw last week. Here they are:

Ceruloplasmin 46.0 (range: 19.0 - 39.0)

Copper Serum 182 (range: 72 - 166)

Zinc Plasma or Serum 94 (range: 56 -134)

Any help determining what they mean would be greatly appreciated. My follow up appointment isn't till the 22nd.

Thanks!!