Lab Results please help

[Chris669]

I've been suffering countless symptoms that are associated with thyroid problems (fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, joint pain, etc.) My tests appear to be on the low end of the reference range. Do you think I could suffer from hypothyroidism?

TSH: 1.79 uIU/mL (ref: 0.4-4.0)

FT3: 2.9 pg/mL (ref: 2.3-4.2)

FT4: 0.9 ng/dL (ref: 0.8-1.8)

ATA <20 IU/mL (normal)

Thyroid Peroxidase <10 IU/mL (normal)

Cholesterol: 226 mg/dL (ref: <200)

LDL, calculated: 129 mg/dL (ref: <130)

I'm a 25 year old male. I work out 6-7 days a week. I haven't felt 100% in about 5 years but my old GP made it seem like it was my fault. Finally got blood test results from another GP. are the results alarming, normal, or worth getting a second opinion? Thank you!

[greygoose]

Have you tried stopping the work-outs, to see if you feel any better? The level of your FT3, there, is not high enough to support all that strenuous exercise. Especially as your FT4 is also low.

Your TSH is what might be called 'normal', so you will never get a doctor to take it seriously. Unless... you try suggesting central hypo, where the problem lies with the pituitary, or the hypothalamus. There are other tests that can be done to investigate that.

On the other hand, have you had your B12 tested? If that is low, it can cause symptoms similar to low thyroid. Are you a vegetarian? Might be worth testing that.

[Chris669 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for the reply. I used to lift weights and do cardio and now I mainly just run with my dogs to exercise. I'm going to suggest central hypo and also suggest getting more tests. It's disheartening because I feel terrible, yet my doctor didn't even CALL me. The results were posted online and that was it.

[greygoose in reply to Chris669]

Doctors only tend to look at the TSH. They know very little about thyroid, and need to be guided by their patients! lol

Running does use up a lot of T3, and you don't have a lot.

[7jaie in reply to Chris669]

Im getting the same treatment from doctors they by and large too busy writting out prescriptions.best to find a doctor who is an endo and uses natural treatments as well as clinical they are few and far between but u wil need to source them.its not your fault this genetic disposition is genetic.also. u can feel beter but u need to find out vall u can about the thyroid may god bless u

[Chris669 in reply to 7jaie]

Should I ask for a referral to an endo even though I haven't been diagnosed? Or should I see another GP?

[shaws Administrator]

greygoose is correct. Doctors don't know much about diagnosing except by the TSH alone.

T4 is inactive and it's job is to convert to T3. T3 is the active hormone required in all of our receptor cells from head to toe and runs everything in our body (metabolism). If our T3 is too low, we don't feel so good due to not having the energy required for normal activities.

Both FT4 and FT3 are at bottom of range, whereas they should be towards the top.

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

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

You have to read and learn to recover your health and be back to normal.

As our body struggles without sufficient T3, exercising etc depletes it even more.

Blood tests should be the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and if you are taking hormones allow 24 hours gap between last dose and test.

Doctors only take notice of the TSH and it drops throughout the day which may mean not being diagnosed or medication adjusted unnecessarily.

[Chris669]

For what it's worth: It's very light jogging. Usually after about a quarter mile I feel like i'm going to vomit. ~3.5 miles per day, most of which is walking

[bluebug in reply to Chris669]

It would be worth you getting folate, ferritin and vitamin D levels tested with the vitamin B12. Though you may have to do it privately. Regardless make sure you get the test results and ranges.

I appreciate your dogs need daily walking but is there someone who can help you out a few times per week until you sort your health out? Exercising while ill isn't going to help regardless of what is wrong with you.

[Chris669 in reply to bluebug]

Sometimes my dad tries to help but he is recovering from stage 2 lung cancer so I feel guilty. Should I go back to my GP? Or maybe ask for an endo referral (may be premature but I really don't know) He didn't even call me after my results came back. I just saw them online.

[Chris669 in reply to Chris669]

Also this blood test took place around 1230 if that changes anything

[bluebug in reply to Chris669]

As far as your GP is concerned everything is in range so s/he has no reason to contact you. The slightly higher than range cholesterol will be ignored unless you have high triglycerides and blood pressure.

Unfortunately due to your age you are going to have to do some work in trying to figure out what could be wrong with you and if you find anything that matches go back to the doctor.

[bluebug in reply to Chris669]

Have you asked your dad if he likes walking the dogs? Find out if he likes doing it and if he does let him help as much as he physically can.

Also see if you can get someone else to walk them as well. I know there are websites where you can get local people without dogs who like them to walk them for free but only expect that person to walk them once a week. The people I know who have done it have either found the dog lazy and refused to walk or stopped doing it because the owner was exploiting their good nature.