Newbie: Please help me with my results.

[yarafakhir]

I am a 24 year old female, with a history of being underweight, thinning hair, horizontal ridges of fingernails (and mildly on toes) consistently for the last three years. I can't sleep on time if not for sleeping pills, and my concentration levels are atrocious. My favourite thing to do is to read, and I haven;t been able to do that! I am only 24 and I feel like I am 60. My body aches, I am always tired and my feet and hands are always cold!

I recently got a blood test for my thyroid and this was the result.

TSH: 1.47 mu/L [0./3-4.2]

Free T4: 13:1 pmol/L [0.9-23.0]

I don't know anything about the thyroid so I have no idea if these results are ideal. My Dr claims they are fine though.

Any help would be grateful!

[Heloise]

I would not call your blood tests fine, particularly not with those symptoms. Your thyroid is not producing enough hormone. A doctor will probably avoid doing anything until your blood tests are much worse. (It doesn't seem to matter how you feel.) Admittedly, any thyroid problem needs more discovery than they wish to make. It is complicated so it's much easier to send you home. We can't tell if you have an autoimmune condition without antibody testing. It's annoying when you can't get doctors to do more and that's why many people here do private testing and even go further and figure out their own treatment.

Some people go for years before being treated. Can you insist you want more tests, at least the antibodies. If you want to pursue it yourself, people can now purchase tests online. This video helps you understand the thyroid/adrenal issues.

youtube.com/watch?v=SDphVgA...(Not working as expected?)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

GP only tested TSH and FT4. This is common and not enough to determine what's going on

You also need FT3 testing and thyroid antibodies, ideally both sorts - TPO and TG

Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. These can give symptoms in own right or can significantly affect thyroid uptake

Under weight can be symptom to Thyroid and or gluten intolerance or coeliac

You don't have to have any gut symptoms to still have leaky gut or gluten intolerance

If you can't get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw or

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting

[dtate2016]

Heloise gives some of the best videos and educational advice - keep listening to her . The other reply is also right on.

Some of things you can do in the meantime is add selenium to your diet . Do a six weeks experiment on gluten-free . Many people with borderline thyroid problems ( which is what a doctor might say you’re experiencing right now ) Are experiencing auto immune disorders. We don’t really know what causes it for sure . But doing the experiment with gluten-free and with selenium will help . It certainly won’t hurt . Selenium should be taken at least 200 MCG‘s per day - And some say 400 but be careful don’t overdo it you can overdo selenium. There are some supplements that combine vitamin E with selenium and I’ve had very good results with that combination but if not and if you can’t find it like that - selenium is the most important . Another thing to try is vitamin D3 most people with borderline thyroid problems are deficient in vitamin D. I recommend another experiment with up to 2000 mg of vitamin D3 per day . (My functional doctor has me on 5000 mg of vitamin D3 per day! It sounds crazy but I was tested as low when taking 2000 mg per day) Those of us with thyroid problems have to watch what we eat and take supplements to feel normal . Buy good quality supplements and not the cheapest you can find. Having said that they don’t have to be the most expensive either . We have to be careful about which brands we recommend on this forum or I would name specific brands.

I know this sounds like many many layers and in fact it has often been said that thyroid disease is like that - and finding your way to good health is likewise many many layers. Another layer is digestive issues most people that have thyroid problems also have low stomach acid’s and enzymes. I highly recommend finding digestive enzymes or other things like lemon juice and water organic or fresh is the best. Many functional doctors have long recommended starting the day with 8 ounces of warm or tepid (not boiling) hot water with a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. I love it! It’ a wonderful way to start the day. Gives me energy starts the digestion on a good foot for the day - another experiment you must try.

I live in the United States so the things I have access to and depending on where you live - the things you have access to my not be the same. We don’t really have a national health resource here in the states - But we do have the same DYSFUNCTIONAL / INEFFECTIVE medical system when it comes to thyroid problems. The only doctors who will work with us and help us are what is known as functional doctors, practicing functional medicine. Many times they’re also known as osteopathic doctors.

Stay tuned to this resource it is solid gold! Keep reading, keep asking questions, keep sharing what you learn. And you will very likely feel better and soon! Please share with us even any small improvements.

Until someone in that big giant medical world figures it out we’re mostly on our own - But we’re doing well! 😎

[klr31]

Have you had your iron and ferritin levels checked?

Karen