Plus I am exhausted, got joint pains, muscle pains (+ numerous other symptoms).
I got tested:
THS 0.44
T4V 11.4
T3V 5.5
Dheas 2.18
Ferritin(fS-Fe) 22
My doctor could not figure out what´s wrong. Can u help me, please?
And if there´s something wrong with my pituitary gland (tumor?), is MRI the only way to find out?
I also have coarse skin on my shins, puffy eyelids, uneven, reddish color on my face -this all makes me want to hide away from the world! My husband thinks I am just plain lazy and I guess we will end up divorced. We do not talk to each other any longer...
And no wonder: I no longer feel like a human being any more!!!
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autumnchill
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Hi autumnchill A little more information would be helpful
Do you have reference ranges for your tests? Although your TSH is low (generally a good place to be if we're talking hypothyroidism) it's difficult to comment on the T4 and T3 without ranges. And what does the V mean after T4 and T3. Is it Free T4 and Free T3?
Ferritin would appear low if it's a range we generally see here, but again we need to know the range to comment with any accuracy.
Have you had thyroid antibodies (TPO and TG) tested?
Joint and muscle pains are often associated with low Vit D so it would be an idea to get that tested, along with B12 and folate. Are you in the UK? We can point you in the direcion of private testing if your GP won't do it.
Why was DHEAs tested? Was cortisol tested too?
Are you anywhere near menopause and that could be a cause of the sweating? We're sex hormones tested?
Oh yes, the V means "free". The doctor suspected adrenal exhaustion and that is why she ordered cortisol and dhea(s), but no antibodies (TPO, TG). The reference rates vary in different clinics, but for tsh they r about 0.3-4.5, for T4F ranging from 9-16 and for T3F I´ll have to check.
Cortisol was within range (365) but then again it was not taken early enough (I woke up at 06 that morning and the test was taken at 8.20 a.m.). Yes, I am a menopausal woman (aged 53), but I had HRT for 3 years and it did not help at all. I tried pills, creams and plasters. This GP I visited told me to stop the HRT in case I got too much estrogen... (and now I am puzzled and uncertain: to use hrt or not to use). I will ask for sex hormone testing for sure!
I live in Finland and boy, am I ready to pack my backpack and get treated somewhere else! But then again I have read thyroid problems are not easy to solve anywhere. The riddle of my illness may be never solved !!!
But any help/support I can get here is useful, so thank u all!
I'm afraid that's not good enough for ranges, to say that 'they generally are...' You need to know the exact range for the machine used in the laboratory where your blood was tested.
Estrogen dominance is a big problem. You realize we get estrogen from outside sources including estrogen based pesticides on food. Perhaps Finland is doing better than other countries. Here are a few notes about progesterone:
In a progesterone deficiency, we produce too much cortisone which causes osteoporosis, aging of the skin, damage to the brain cells, and the accumulation of fat, especially on the back and abdomen. Experiments have shown progesterone to help control hot flashes, PMS, depression, relieve anxiety, improve memory, protect brain cells, and even prevent epileptic seizures. It promotes respiration, and has been used to improve emphysema. In the circulatory system, it prevents bulging veins by increasing the tone of blood vessels, and improves the efficiency of the heart.
It reverses many of the signs of aging in the skin, and promotes strong bone growth. It can relieve many types of arthritis, too, and helps a variety of immunological problems.
Estrogen promotes cancer and progesterone does the opposite.
I'm sorry you are having a very rough time at present. Unfortunatley not everyone is sympathetic and have no idea how very, very unwell we can feel if hypothyroidism isn't under control.
SeasideSusie has made good suggestions.
To get the best from blood tests (and you may already know this):-
Levothyroxine should be taken on an empty stomach first thing with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. Food interferes with the uptake of the hormones.
It can also be taken at bedtime as long as you've last eaten about 3 hours previously.
When you have blood tests for thyroid hormones, they should be the very earliest possible, and fasting although you can drink water. Leave about 24 hours between your last dose of levothyroxine and the test as this allows the TSH to be at its highest and that is mainly what the doctor uses to adjust hormones. Always get a print-out with the ranges.
Oops, I forgot to mention I have no medication whatsoever for thyroid problems. I have been just struggling with these symptoms since my last childbirth 13 yrs ago! I have been treated for the symptoms -fatique with modafinil, pains with painkillers ect. My condition got so much worse about two years ago -that is why I am here now.
- I have been advised to see a shrink (depression?) and indeed I did!
He offered me SSRI`s but when I asked for thyroid hormone testing, he refused. Of course I am depressed, but as I tried to explain to him why (if you are tired all the time and miss the best bits and pieces in life, if your marriage is going downhill, if you suffer from headaches all the time, who wouldn´t be depressed...) he just refused to prescribe me a small dose of Thyroxin (that is the most common thyroid med here in Finland -it´s only T4 and it doesn´t suit everyone, as we already know.
So here I go again and I am determined not to give up!
And -I will get a printout of these latest tests. They´re so new (29.9.2016) I got them via e-mail...
I don't know what is causing your problems but I would definitely suggest getting the reference range for your results. Your ferritin being at 22 will give you lots of symptoms if the reference range is one of the standard ones used in the UK.
Have you had B12, folate and vitamin D tested? If not, you really need to get them done too. Low vitamin D is a major cause of joint and muscle pain.
Oh, just noticed you live in Finland. So we can't assume your reference ranges will be familiar to UK members. So, get the ranges as soon as possible, then we can hopefully give you some suggestions about what to do next.
Thank you all for your replies, advise and encouragement! I think my doctor will order some more tests when I ask her, but I´ll have to wait till Oct the 18th for her phone consultation. I feel sad about the "lost time": I have been exhausted when my kids needed me most.
Yes reallyfedup123: I think this might be a central hypo problem. Any answer is better than no answers at all!
Yes, Sandy12: I would like to give T3 a try! Life like this is not worth living without trying all the "tricks" u can discover! I will be brave and ask for T3 just for testing... (I`ve also read that symptoms may become more intense after starting T3: isn´t this what they call "clearing"?). Well, clearing sounds good to me even though I´d have to suffer.
My doctor (in another town; I could not get even basic tests here where I live!) has been quite silent in giving answers. She did not say directly that my values are ok, but she said she cannot make any diagnosis based on these blood tests only. So I am hopeful. Maybe she´ll order a list of other tests. Private clinics like hers sure know how to make a patient pay !!! Very expensive!
With heat intolerance your doctor probably assumed you were heading for hyperthyroid, and your lowish TSH could have triggered the free T3 test. This is what happened for me in the UK, although my TSH was definitely under-range.
Taking T3 now could be very dangerous for you.
I am not medically trained, but please understand your rationality can be compromised when hyperthyroid.
I am not rushing into things, I just cannot imagine being hyperthyroid because of my weight gain and flabbiness, slow movements and fatigue, among many other not-so-hyper symptoms.
I cannot have T3 prescribed here, so no worries. Maybe my posts show how desperate I am with these endless symptoms, trying to look for an answer. Any answer would be welcome. I try to be rational and careful.
Maybe my condition is not primarily about thyroid or adrenals -maybe it is something else. But I need to find out and start getting healthier. That includes my own efforts as well: trying to relax and so on. With the family situation being so stressful it is not an easy task for me since no-one near me really cares about me/supports me. But I hope everything will turn out just fine and I realize nothing is solved with "a magic pill"!
Best wishes to you, too and everybody reading this discussion!
Weight gain can certainly occur with hyperthyroidism, due to increased appetite. Muscle and joint pain, too.
When I was tested as hyperthyroid (although I'm now hypo) I had three rising above-range free T3 results at six week intervals. I felt better than I had two months before (when under extreme stress), and went to my doctor about suddenly dry mouth after small increases in stress, such as walking up a short slope.
Prior to that, I'd had a TSH of 5.5 followed by 0.42 six months later, both tests prompted by rare (at that time) visits to the doctor (who should've ordered tests every six or 12 weeks).
So, hang in there, and make sure you get re-tested.
Oops I forgot to tell that both my parents suffered from heart disease. My bro is diabetic 2. My dad also had melanoma. So this kind of disease runs in the family...
I think I´ll give HRT a new chance...maybe a milder product than I used to have would work best. I´ll have to write this down before I forget -did I tell you I also suffer from brain fog (no big news!)
Good luck and patience to all the brave people suffering from thyroid problems or any health problems! Luckily we are not alone and can turn to each other for support! Love this site (even though I am sweating while writing this... :)!)
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!!! Very expensive! 
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