Hi. New here.

[Bj72]

Hi.

For the last few years I have wondered if I may have an underactive thyroid. I am on beta blockers and have been for 10 years. I have been told these can hide your symptoms as well as effect your blood tests.

I am type 2 diabetic and my blood sugars are under control. I am on a keto type of diet but I still can not lose weight.

I am b12 deficient and have to have injections every 3 months.

I feel very slow and my thoughts are blurred. I forget things and I am very depressed. I am so tired all thr time. I qas diagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome many years ago but this GSM are just getting worse.

I am on very strong painkillers killers for pain on my body. I have carpel tunnel on both my wris ts. Trapped nerve in my elbow and a frozen shoulder.

I have no sex drive what so ever.

I have had blood tests which sometimes indicate I have an underactive thyroid but thrn it comes back normal. Being on propranolol 160mg I've read it can hideliver the symptoms and hinder blood tests

I have 3 generations of my mom. My grandmother and my great grandmother who all had underactive thyroidso and needed ops.

I've had alot of operations over the last year and I am just not recovering from them. I keep getting major infections and my skin isn't healing. I feel so tired and can not get my life together. I need one last op but I've been told I've need to lose weight and sort out my infection risks. One gp said it seems like I've fiction Ave an autoimmune issue but that was all nothing g else has been said or done about it.

I am at a loss what to do. I don't know ivenfectionf nylon one has any advice. I can not stop my beta blockers as thry are for my migraines.

[Mary-intussuception]

Can you get copies of your blood test results including normal ranges in brackets?

I had Hypothyroid Blood results in 2008 but they were overlooked looked , no one told me. I was ill and under a lot of stress at the time also bowels not working normally.

A different Consultant noticed these results on the computer 18 months later and retested. However I was feeling better then (2010). These came back 'normal ' so he said 'Thyroid's OK '

In 2011 following advice of a helpline and discovering that my 'normal' results were in fact low in range T4 and high end of range TSH, I asked my GP for an Ultrasound scan of my Thyroid. The following morning he made urgent referal to Endocrinologist.

My diagnosis -

Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroiditis & Hypothyroidism.

With Hashimoto's bloods can fluctuate. Mine were really bad in 2008 also had deranged Liver Function results.

Ask for urgent referal to Endocrinologist given your symptoms or ask for Ultrasound scan. You could ask for Thyroid Antibodies blood tests but in my area I think they are only done by Hospital Consultants usually.

Hope you get diagnosed son.

🐥

X

[Bj72 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Thank you for your reply.thank you for thr information. I have an endo dealing with my diabetes. Not seeing him for another 6 months though. I never get to see my blood tests at all. I will try to get a set if results from my GP.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Bj72.

Do you have any recent thyroid results and ranges you can post? If you don't have them to hand you can request them from your GP receptionist and post them in a new question. Propranolol and Metformin (if you take it) can both lower thyroid hormone levels.

[Bj72 in reply to Clutter]

No I don't have thrm you hand. My GP doesn't like to give blood results out to me but I could ask. Yes I am on metformine and gliclazide.. thank you for your relp

[Clutter in reply to Bj72]

Bj72,

The Data Protection Act entites patients to their blood test results. Ask your GP receptionist for a printout of the results and ranges and post them in a new question for advice. If you've been tested for ferritin, vitamin D and folate ask for those results and post them too.

Make sure you take Levothyroxine at least 2 hours away from Metformin and Propropanol

[Treepie]

I suggest you have your blood tested privately by e.g.Blue Horizon.

Carpal tunnel and tiredness can be caused by an underactive thyroid and beta blockers do interfere with the absorption of levothyroxine which is prescribed for hypothyroidism.

[Bj72 in reply to Treepie]

Thank you. I've been to gp today and he was concerned I might have an underactive thyroid but he said my blood test looks ok. I am going back in a week as in feel very depressed with integrated all.

[Treepie in reply to Bj72]

OK. ,or "normal" i.e. within range is not necessarily optimum for you . Most GPs have little knowledge on thyroid issues.

Always get the test results with the ranges and post for comments.

[shaws]

When you have a blood test for thyroid hormones it has to be at the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and if you were taking thyroid hormones you'd allow 24 hour gap between last dose and the test and take afterwards.

If you didn't have an early test request another one. Doctors confuse us when we have blood tests. For instance if they are referring to the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) as 'normal' that could mean anywhere between 1 and 5 but we have to have a TSH when on treatment as 1 or lower. The guidelines say we have to be diagnosed as hypo when TSH reaches 10 which is beyond ridiculous. In other countries we'd be given a prescription if TSH is around 3.

Ask for another test if yours wasn't a fasting one. Ask for TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, and Free T3 and thyroid antibodies, B12, Vitamin D, iron, ferritin and folate. Get into a habit of getting a print-out from the surgery. Mine charges 30p for paper/ink.

[shaws]

Tick off your clinical symptoms. If you have some, all should be relieved when on an optimum of thyroid hormones.

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

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

Blood tests shoud be at the very earliest, fasting and if you were on thyroid hormones you'd allow 24 hours between the last dose and the test. This method helps to keep the TSH at its highest as that seems to be all doctors look at.

You need, TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3, and B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. The lab may not do them all if TSH and T4 are o.k.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

Get print-outs with ranges for your own records and post if you have a query. We are entitled to a copy of our blood test results. My surgery charges 30p.

[Bj72]

Thank you. I'm not on any medication for thyroid function. My bloods arnt fasting. My GP said my TSH levels were normal but didn't mention a nvery to me. My GP surgery arnt keen on giving you your blood test results. I have a right game getting them. I have had problems before with some results and my GP hasn't pick up on the results till I was really unwell. I don't feel to good now. I would say my depression is getting worse and I am tired all the time. I have no sex drive either. I can lose days at a time. I forget alot. I'm only 45 but feel 95.