Advice please

[Katlady1]

I wonder if someone maybe able to help me? For the past 4 years or so I have been suffering a range of symptoms, mostly weight gain, chronic fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, joint pain, muscle weakness, depression, complete sessation of menstruation etc

I have been screened for a number of illnesses, all come back clear. However I have started perimenopause which may have made this worse.

I am utterly convinced some of my symptoms are down to my thyroid, I have had goiters in them (apparently I have four!) and the doctor testing them said my thyroid didn't look 'too good' but did not elaborate!

Blood tests have revealed the following results:

Serum free T4 level - 13.700 pmol/L Normal - 9 - 19 pmol/L

Serum TSH level - 0.440 mu/L Normal - 0.35 - 4.94 mu/L

Thyroid peroxidase antibod lev1.000 U/ml Normal - 5.6 U/ml

I have been to my doctor who says, glibly, everything looks fine and I don't need help. Can someone advise me please, I think my TSH is a bit low, am I right?

Also what is this Thyroid Peroxidase thing? I am 1.000 but normal is 5.6. Is this good or bad.

I am going to return to the doctors next week and beg them to trial me on Thyroxin, just to see if this is what it is. As it is I am surviving on drinking energy drinks and taking adrefinil (a stimulant) which I buy from Canada where it is sold. Unless I take these I am completely helpless, I just want to sleep all day and I cannot function, so please do not judge me for this. I work full time in a demanding job with two kids so I need to keep going.

Can anyone advise on my test results, what do people think?

Huge thanks for any help!

[shaws Administrator]

You have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease - also called Hashimotos - the commonest form of becoming hypothyroid.

I shall give you some links. Due to your high antibodies these attack your gland and sometimes there's too many and at other times less. Going gluten free should help reduce these.

Email [e-mail] and on Monday ask her to send you a copy of the Pulse Online article by Dr Toft. Highlight what he recommends if we have antibodies. You should be prescribed levothyroxine.

nebula.wsimg.com/e0c9c9ed95...

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

Dr Toft was President of the British Thyroid Association.

[Jazzw in reply to shaws]

I read that antibody result as 1.000?

Was it 1000 or 1.000 Katlady1 ?

[Katlady1 in reply to Jazzw]

1.000U/ml

[Jazzw in reply to Jazzw]

Right. So respectfully (very respectfully cos shaws rocks ) your blood test didn't show Hashimoto's.

Not that it definitely isn't - those pesky antibodies don't always show up first time.

[y2KiUua9]

Weight gain is one of the classic symptoms of an underactime thyroid gland. Are your thyroid checks up to date?

[greygoose]

How long ago was that test done? If it was more than a couple of months, it might be time to do another one, because things change with Hashi's.

When you go for your next test, make your appointment for early in the morning - at least before 9, earlier if possible - and fast over-night. That way, you will get the highest possible TSH. Because, at the moment, your TSH is low, but so is your FT4. So, you need to catch your TSH at it's highest in order to get your doctors attention - they only tend to look at the TSH.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Katlady1 Have you had vitamins and minerals tested?

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

"hair loss, joint pain, muscle weakness" - these can be indicative of low levels.

[Katlady1]

Thanks everyone. I thought these readings were out as well but the doctor keeps saying they are ok..

Thanks yes I have had everything else tested and told it's fine..

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Katlady1]

Katlady1 Can you post your 'fine' vitamin and mineral results (with ranges). When a doctor tells us something is fine, they just mean that they are in the range somewhere. That doesn't mean they are optimal though. Symptoms caused by low nutrients can be similar to symptoms of Hypothyroidism.

[jimjam15]

i had my thyroids out for the same reasons, the goiter was growing inside and blocked my wind pipe same symptoms now on thyroxine for life get the level checked evrey month if over or above ideal in australia is 2,5 if i dont get enough i get so tired goiters grow and can turn to cancer, i finished getting hashimotos hyperthyroidism. have you had an M,R,I may need to see a specialist

[Katlady1 in reply to jimjam15]

Thanks jimjam, I have a goitre right by my windpipe. Funnily enough I can feel it growing again :-(. I think my TSH is too low, a test done on my TSH a year ago showed both that and T4 level much higher, I think it is declining.

I might ask to be referred to a specialist if they wont give me thyroxin, I suspect some of this might be due to menopause, but I think some things, such as goitre growing and hair falling out, and such sudden weight gain, is due to my thyroid.

[jimjam15]

you need to see a specialist they do continue to grow if you have not had them out and will affect other glands. i am having test now on on other glands due to my t,s.h t4 t3. our out of control and i have lost 11 ky and storing iron, before having my thyroids out i had the same problems as you