it has been some time since I was last here. I am hypothyroid and have problems with weight gain inthat I continue to gain weight
am also suffering hair loss, skin problems with red heat rashes whenever my skin is rubbed I.e.applying cream or dying with towl after bath, my gp says my blood tests come back with nomal ranges but he only tests for t4 and TSH, I have read documentations on the thyroid that state several other tests that should be done to establish the situation so as to be sure how best to treat my condition; such as B12 and T3.
any suggestins ould be greatly appreciated
thank you all.
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Maggimai
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It was mentioned in your last post to test levels for Free T3 along with free T4 and TSH. In addition you need the results for nutrients - folate, ferritin, Vit D, and B12. If you are unable to get free T3 thru your GP there is the option of private lab testing - just go to the Thyroid U.K. site and click on the link there for options.
We need to ignore the mention of "normal" levels in testing the ranges are so broad. A GP will often ignore levels on the verge of deficient - it happened to me and was undiscovered until I demanded my test results. For example: if the posted range for ferritin is (20 - 150) then shouldn't we be aware if we were right at the 20 mark? Nope, it gets ignored. As a Hypo we need to have ferritin levels at a minimum of 70 -100 just to help conversion of our dosage. Your GP won't have a flipping clue about this as we see deficiencies constantly reported here. It's maddening!
So track down your lab results and get those nutrients tested. Then create a new post with all the details. It would likely be lost here within an older thread 🙂
PS Medichecks posts discounted lab rates here every Thursday so watch for that.
The only reason I managed to get Serum Ferritin levels checked, years ago, was because at that time [they don't do it anymore], the doc at the HMO handed me the test requisition form, with what he'd checked of [very little, and unrelated to actual health issues]; whereupon, I carried it towards the lab...but suddenly needed to stop in the lavatory, relieved self, then found a pen with matching ink [I'd come prepared with various colors of ink pens], and checked off a few other tests listed...one being serum ferritin...then took it to the lab.
At the following appt., the Doc looked very surprised to see the other items' results; serum ferritin was low-single-digits..seem to remember it was about 3. Then he rattled-on about how low serum ferritin was measure of body-stores of iron, and, low number could be related to depression, muscle pain, etc....all of which I'd come to see him in the 1st place for, but for which the other tests he'd ordered, were unrelated. He never said a word about the extra tests done, and, suggested I might need to eat liver, or spinach, or take an iron supplement to bring that value up a bit. But he was essentially clueless about nutrition, or finding root causes and treating those, even in the 1980's.
NOW, there's labs anyone can access. Of course, one must likely pay for the tests out-of-pocket. But, one can order them, and pay a local lab to do the draws, and send in the samples for that other lab to run. It's not something those with low-incomes can afford very often, but, it might be something one can reach sometimes, to get a better idea what's going on in their bodies....something too many Docs never discuss with their patients, much less explain things.
Insurance companies dictate what too many Docs do. Pharma dictates the other portions. Those practice medicine without license, literally...they have staff Docs, or, have Docs on contract to spew whatever the company party line is. AgriBiz is controlled by chemical companies, which are in the pockets of Pharma companies.
Bottom line, now regular people do have access to some labs that will do lab tests, because the person is willing to pay out-of-pocket. What might happen to Insurance companies, etc., if they ever experienced loads of people taking control of their own lab tests? They'd start losing profits......And they might wake up to understand that their murderous proclivities to cut populations world-wide, are ethically inherently wrong.....Especially if they themselves get sick from their own mandates and corruptions.
First of all you should get a new blood test. All tests have to be at the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of hormones and the test and take afterwards.
Ask GP to test TSH, T4, T3 (lab may not do T3 if he requests). They have been instructed TSH and T4 is all that is required. They do not know any clinical symptoms whatsoever, and that is what we want - relief of. It can be done with an optimum dose of levothyroine or NDT or T4/T3 but we are refused options.
Ask GP to check B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate and the other tests which aren't taken can be done privately and I shall give you a link. Deficiences cause symptoms.
Both Blue Horizon and Medichecks are recommended and have a selection of tests.
In the USA, Docs have been pressured to only run TSH. ONLY. They deemed all other Thyroid tests excessive. Many refuse to do labs, especially if the patient refuses to take drugs the Doc can RX....one Doc literally told me that..."Why should I order lab tests, if you refuse to take the drugs I can RX?"....I felt abused and abandoned....and have avoided going there since, only going briefly when I knew that Doc was not there, and, only for emergency conditions.
It's been a few years since that, and it still feels horrific. Low thyroid function can also include perseveration on a thought that's been upsetting....It's more likely related to deficiencies of nutrients the body has trouble absorbing, converting, or using. THAT is a rampant condition among populations in probably all developed nations, as well as others.
Very good to keep repeatedly printing lists of tests, so people know what to press their Docs to order. And, look online for outside labs you can order tests from, in case your Docs refuse lab tests...be prepared to pay out-of-pocket for those...but at least you will have the information, and can take copy of that to the Doc, when there's something skewed....THEN they might step-up to do something to treat it...maybe...unless it's nutritional...then, you need really need good alternative practitioners.
It might also mean malnourished...which can tilt Thyroid function too. Minerals, trace minerals, and B vitamins, are commonly deficient, due to poor dietary choices, GMO foods, and tens of thousands of chemicals we are all drenched in daily. Find savvy alternative practitioners, if you can, to help with nutritional approaches, detoxing options, etc.
Usually, weight gain is the first noticeable symptoms people notice before they are finally diagnosed. They are puzzled as eating habits haven't changed.
Yep. Except people are more commonly unaware that they eat more calories, or, the wrong ones that jack-up weight....and often, that's triggered by malnourishment.
The body sends out chemical messengers to the brain, to motivate a person to seek whatever foods the person might recognize as food...it's uncanny, that they also at some level, understand that, for instance, avocado has magnesium, so they crave some, when low magnesium happens, or grains when they need B-vitamins [except most breads now lack those]....or any number of other nutritional components they need....somehow, bodies know at a very basic level, where those nutrients _should_ be found.....and push the person to eat something that should have them in it.
Unfortunately, these days, foods are stripped of their best nurien ts, and/or grown in dead soils therefore deficient, or the person has had chemical exposures that block the body accessing or using hormones, or nutrients.....and, then, all calories become fat, as the body stores every calorie it can, thinking there's a famine, due to the body's inherent systems sensing malnutrition conditions...it doesn't matter if one eats 1000 calories daily, or 5000, nor what kind of calories they are, unless drastic changes are instituted to correct dietary problems. ALL calories, mostly store as fat, at that point.
Hormone interrupting chemicals in the tens of thousands; nutrient-deficient pseudo-foods; famine-like conditions the body thinks are happening...and a-presto'!...obesity.
Actually you can have an excellent diet, with no GMO foods (this is after all a UK based site and we have very few of those) and still have serious deficiencies. With hypo and especially hashis, these are usually due to damaged intestines due to unidentified food intolerances. Also due to the associated typical low stomach acid failing to dissolve food properly. These combined can lead to major malabsorption problems.
So please don't assume that anyone with nutrient deficiencies has got there through poor food choices or through some sort of "big business/pharma" conspiracy type theory, that will only make people blame themselves when what they need is proper help in understanding the implications of their condition.
Chemicals interrupting hormone activities, too. Tens of thousands of them. IDK how to avoid them, as they are pervasive in almost all environs, particularly urban, and much of rural.
I agree with Rusty64, before you can treat your condition properly, you need a much clearer picture of what is going on. The best investment you could make for now - if it could be in any way affordable - is to get a comprehensive blood-test. Suitable ones that are commonly used are Blue Horizons Thyroid plus 11, or Medichecks thyroid ultravit. Look out for special offers from both by subscribing on their websites/facebook pages. These usually run to £100-120. Either of those will give all the figures you need for a proper insight into your condition and allow the many experts in this forum to give you proper advice on how to recover your health.
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