I think I have a problem with my thyroid

[Domi1304]

Hi, I am new. Not yet diagnosed though I have things like recurring iron deficiency, vitamin deficiencies and also cystic ovaries. I have symptoms like swollen neck at the front, difficult swallowing, feeling cold from the air conditioning at work, constipation, fatigue, muscle spasms, muscle cramps, dizziness, tinnitus, headaches, sore feeling eyes, breathlessness, pains in joints and bones, dry skin, white patches of skin on arms, depression, memory loss, hair loss. I am quite slim but have been gaining more weight despite not eating as much as usual. Is it worth exploring whether I have a thyroid issue or not?

Thank you for reading and replies.

Oct-2017

TSH 45.5 mIU/L (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 10.7 pmol/L (12.0 - 22.0)

Free T3 3.1 pmol/L (3.10 - 6.80)

TPO antibody 905.4 IU/mL (<34)

TG antibody (private result) 275.3 IU/mL (<115)

[Mary-intussuception]

Yes. Write a list of your symptoms as you have in your post and take with you to see GP. Hopefully you should have full Thyroid Function blood tests. You could try asking for the following : Thyroid Antibodies - TPO & Tg; FreeT3, FreeT4, TSH, T4 and T3.

What is the situation with regards to your Iron and Vitamin deficiencies? ie - when were you last tested and what supplements are you on,.do you have Pernicious Anemia, have you ever been tested for it?

Do you have any blood tests results you could post on here? Always give full info - dates of tests, results with 'normal' ranges in brackets and any comments made by lab or GP.

xx

[Domi1304 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Thanks for reply, I had a scan of my thyroid which showed lymphocytic infiltration, was enlarged, had vascularity and hypoechoic texture.

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Domi1304]

Who sent you for the scan? The same GP? Why didn't he refer you to Endocrinologist in October? You should have been seen by now and on treatment.

Did the GP do all these tests apart from the Tg? Have they even looked at the results? Why are you not on Levothyroxine?

Have you any other medical conditions or on any other meds? Have you had Adrenals checked?

I would see a different GP asap and ask for urgent, no, IMMEDIATE referal to Endocrinologist. Ask them to phone Endo. You could look up NICE guidlines for treatment of overt Hypothyroidism and print off to take with you if you wish.

Or arrange to see Practice Manager.

Are you under any hospital Consultants? Are you under Haematology department?

If you had started Levo 50mcg in October after the bloods you should have been retested by now and going on to 75mcg and, hopefully starting to feel better.

Did you have loading doses of Vitamin D ie 280,000 to 300,000 IU in split daily or weekly doses over several weeks, before going onto the 800 IU daily maintenance dose ( which can be even higher for some people) ?

You could also look at the NICE guidelines for treatment of Vitamin D deficiency. Print and take with you to GP / Practice Manager.

Is there anyone you can take with you to these appointments for a bit of support? A witness? How are you feeling? Please eat properly, Full healthy diet is essential for us Hypos - don't fret about the weight gain. Your metabolism is slowed because you don't have enough Thyroxine for your body to function properly. Every cell in the body needs Thyroxine. That's why we have so many symptoms. No organ can funtion well without sufficient Thyroxine. You won't be able to lose weight until after established on correct dose and stable. Only then, when feeling better, you could start healthy reducing diet and gradually increasing gentle exercise, never strenuous.

Do you have Pernicious Anemia? Are you going to have regular injections? Are you on Folic Acid? Are you about to have Nutrients levels tested again? Thyroid tests as well. At least TSH, Free T3, Free T4,T3 & T4.

You need full and proper care and immediate treatment.

Hope you get it.

xxx

[Domi1304 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

GP sent me for scan and when I came to discuss them she said the thyroid looked fine. GP did all tests but I don't know if she's seen them. Not on levothyroxine. No other conditions or take other meds. Adrenals not checked. Under no consultants. Will speak to different GP about other things thanks

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Domi1304]

Hi Domi

The Thyroid certainly isn't fine. You really need to speak to a GP about all your Thyroid blood tests results as well as your nutrients asap. Make sure you take ALL your results with you, then you can point them all out. As well of your list of all your symptoms.

You should see an Endocrinologist urgently. My Endo arranged to have my Adrenals checked before I started my Levo.

You really need your Levothyroxine started asap. It should only be the starter dose of 50mcg because it's harmful to start on full dose and has to be increased gradually at intervals of several weeks. You should be retested then increased to 75mcg and this continued till stable . I was left on 75mcg but usual dose is 100mcg I think , however many people on here need more and some need T3 also.

It takes a while before you feel the benefits of your Levothyroxine, it's very important that you are presrcribed it very soon.

You also need to be retested for your nutrients levels as you need them all improving. So the correct response to them is necessary.

I was left undiagnosed and untreated. Eventually asked for the scan and refered to Endo, diagnosed and treated in 2011. My Endocrinologist wrote my GP that my target therapeutic level of TSH is maximum 2. However I have read on here the opinion that we would feel better if it's kept to maximum of 1. As you can see, your TSH is so high, you have a long way to go.

I didn't know about the nutrients until I read it on here and asked for tests earlier this year. Am now on Folic Acid and Vitamin D supplements.

xx

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Domi1304]

ps

It really doesn't make sense to me that a GP who knew all the tests to do and actually did all the necessary Thyroid function tests would not follow this through with diagnosis and/or Endocrinologist referal / treatment? ?

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Domi1304]

Domi,

I've just looked again at your scan results. When you saw GP to discuss them , did she actually have the Radiologist's report?

[Domi1304 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Yes

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Domi1304]

How are you now Domi?

Are you getting anywhere with GP or Practice Manager?

Will you be seeing an Endocrinologist?

Have you been presribed Levothyroxine?

Have you been presribed any supplements?

Has anything been arranged to check out your adrenals?

xx

[Domi1304 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Also there were hot areas on the scan?

[Domi1304 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Results added.

[Domi1304 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

I supplement iron with 1 iron tablet/folate with 5mg folic acid/vit D with 800IU/B12 given as B12 injections as well. GP retested me for pernicious anaemia.

August 2017

Ferritin 15 ug/L (15 - 150)

Folate 2.3 ug/L (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 226 pg/L (190 - 900)

Vitamin D 25 OH total 33.8 nmol/L (25 - 50 deficient)

[shaws in reply to Domi1304]

Why hasn't your GP given you levothyroxine?

[Domi1304 in reply to shaws]

GP says I don't need thyroid hormone replacement thanks

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Domi1304]

Your GP is an idiot, You have overt primary hypothyroidsim and a student would know that. Make a complaint and see another doctor

[shaws in reply to Domi1304]

The person who you consulted with is dangerous in that he is incapable of reading blood test results. Change your doctor as the consequences of untreated hypothyroidism is not pleasant and why should you become far more unwell because of his wrong diagnosis.

[shaws]

You are extremely hypothyroid to have a TSH of nearly 50. You need to get a prescription immediately for levothyroxine. Which country are you in?

You have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease due to high antibody levels. This is the commonest form of hypothyroidism but treatment is the same. The antibodies attack your gland and wax and wane until you are hypothyroid.

You have to start on 50mcg of levothyroxine immediately with blood tests and increase of 25mcg every six weeks until your TSH is 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the range.

PCOS can also be due to hypothyroidism and I will give you an excerpt I copies a while ago.

Why hasn't your doctor diagnosed and prescribed for you. Hypothyroidism is a very serious condition if not given thyroid hormone replacements as the hormones enable our whole body to work efficiently. Yours is struggling and you have all those symptoms because your body isn't producing sufficient.

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

Levothyroxine should be taken first thing with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating as food interferes with the uptake of the hormones.

All blood tests for thyroid hormones should be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours from your last dose and the test and take afterwards.

[Domi1304 in reply to shaws]

I am in UK. GP says I don't need thyroid hormone replacement

[AmandaK in reply to Domi1304]

Shaws is correct. Your GP is wrong. You most definitely have hypothyroidism/Hashimotos and your GP is reneging in their responsibility.

You need to see another GP immediately to start treatment and for a referral to an endocrinologist. You should be given priority given that you have not been diagnosed properly.

You should not have been put in this situation by the GP.

[sweetpea21 in reply to AmandaK]

Totally agree.