Hypothyroidism and feeling crazy

[Bridie-1]

I have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism , however my results have come back normal , my TSH levels have risen since last test , please help , I'm tired of picking my self and my hair off the floor

[hebden]

Ditto. Like banging your head against a wall isn't it.

Sorry not much help Im in the same boat without a paddle.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Bridie-1 Can you post your results, with reference ranges, please so that members can comment. If you haven't got them then ask your surgery for a print out, it's your legal right under the Data Protection Act 1998 another can't refuse although you may have to pay a small amount for printing. No need to tell them what you want them for other than 'For my own records'.

It would be wise to ask for all the following:

TSH

Ft4

Ft3

TPO antibodies

TG antibodies

Vit D

B12

Ferritin

Folate

If your GP won't do them we always suggest getting them done privately through Blue Horizon bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T... as that gives a complete picture. Your hair loss could well be due to low ferritin but getting all those tests is a good starting point.

[Bridie-1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

My levels were 0.40 now they are 1.8 , does that make sense

[shaws Administrator in reply to Bridie-1]

Bridie,-1 we need the ranges of the results and they are printed in brackets usually.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bridie-1]

Is that your TSH? AsShaws says, we need reference ranges to make sense of any results. Were there any results of other tests?

[Bridie-1]

On the printout it says TSH level 1.8 04 - 5.00

[shaws Administrator in reply to Bridie-1]

That's good and your TSH level is 1.8 and the ranges 04 - 5.00 so your TSH is low and you wouldn't normally be given levothyroxine until it reaches 10 although some doctors will prescribe around 5 with clinical symptoms.

Do you have clinical symptoms (by the way) next time ask doctor to check for thyroid antibodies as that would mean (if you have them) that you have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease called Hashimoto's. Belowis a list of symptoms.

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

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Bridie-1 and I see you are a new member today so, Welcome.

We have a big learning curve if we want to get well and I'll give you a couple of hints to get the best out of your treatment.

First, when taking thyroid hormones it should be the very earliest with one full glass of water on an empty stomach. Most take theirs before they get out of bed. You then allow about an hour before you eat so that food doesn't interfere with the uptake of the levothyroxine.

Some prefer to take theirs at bedtime, so you have to have an empty stomach so you should last have eaten about two hours previously (some of us have a low digestion so may have to leave 3 hours).

If you are having a blood test (fasting) (you can drink water) don't take hormones before it and take it afterwards. Allow about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. If you take a bedtime dose, miss this one and take after test and night time dose as usual.

This procedure allows the TSH to be at its highest as late blood tests and or food will reduce the result and then the doctor may reduce your hormones too.

[Bridie-1]

Ok , yes this is very new to me , thanks so much for speedy replies , I guess what I'm asking is , can the results be wrong ? Could I still have a thyroid problem even if my results don't reflect that ?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bridie-1]

Your results could be skewed if you didn't do a fasting test first thing in the morning. TSH is highest in the early hours of the morning and starts to lower during the day, eating also lowers it. So if you had blood drawn, say, lunchtime after you'd eaten this would give a low TSH so no help towards a diagnosis.

You could have antibodies which is a common cause of hypothyroidism which is why TPO and TG antibodies should be tested.

Have a read through ThyroidUK's main website, some articles to get you started:

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

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

[TupennyRush]

Hi there

They really need to test you ft4 and ft3. I had low tsh but below range ft3 and ft4; this is a rare form of hypo (secondary) where your pituitary is not telling the thyroid to make enough t3/t4. So, suggest you go in and ask for these to be tested not just your tsh. If they won't test suggest you look at a Blue Horizon test.

I was symptomatic for 6.5 years and had to change GP practices before I was diagnosed. The NICE guidelines do cover secondary hypo but most docs don't know about it.

So yes you can be hypo with a 'normal' tsh.

[Bridie-1]

Hello so if I want my T3and T4 testing do I have to ask my GP for a referral ? Or is it just another simple blood test xx