Thyroid or mental?

[meli06jags]

I need help.... I have hashimotos but my blood work appears to be within range... I’m having some symptoms but don’t know if it’s due to the same thing... anxiety, depression,energy but lack of motivation can’t seem to focus... I can’t multitask thinking wise like I use to... so can’t think clearly,brain fog headaches cramps.... I could go on...

[shaws Administrator]

Please don't worry. These symptoms are common and it is most probably the antibodies (which wax and wane) are causing these unpleasant symptoms.

If you can post your blood test results, with the ranges members will respond.

Ranges in 'normal' range don't mean we should feel well. We need a TSH of 1 or lower, and a Free T4 and Free T3 towards the upper part of the range (these are rarely tested) and mainly it is T4 and T3 which isn't the same as the FT4 and FT3.

You can help reduce antibodies by going gluten-free and others who have hashi's - the commonest form of hypo will respond. It is the antibodies which attack the thyroid gland until you are hypothyroid. Treatment is the same.

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

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

[meli06jags in reply to shaws]

Will I feel like this until when? I can’t even take antidepressant since I’m pregnant

[shaws Administrator in reply to meli06jags]

You have my sympathy, pregnant and hypothyroid. If you get a print-out of your results with the ranges from the surgery and put them on a new post, members will respond.

Most members know whether or not the person is on a sufficient dose, or insufficient. Many doctors are cautious and I suspect with you being pregnant they may be extra cautious. The main thing is you need to get help to feel better.

Tell your doctor you need a Free T4 and a Free T3 blood test to and both of these should be towards the upper part of the range. These are rarely tested unfortunately but ask the surgery for a print-out of your results.

Do you know the regime to get the best out of your blood test results? it is to always get the very earliest possible appointment, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hour between your last dose and the test and take afterwards.

Our healthy body produces thyroid hormones at the correct amount each day. These hormones drive our metabolism, from head to toe and make us feel well. When these hormones diminish we don't feel so well at all and it has probably taken a few years before we're diagnosed as it happens very gradually. So it is a gradual increase every six weeks.

If GP hasn't tested B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate ask for these at the next test and always get a print-out of your results from the surgery for your own records and you can post if you have a query. Hopefully that wont be too long.

[meli06jags in reply to shaws]

Can you review my blood work?

[shaws Administrator in reply to meli06jags]

I just saw your post. You have to put the ranges of the results because labs differ and it makes it easier to respond.

Post them on a brand new post for more comments. Your doctor probably thinks your TSH is too low but you really need a Free T4 and Free T3 blood test as that will show if you are converting to T3.

He should also have tested your antibodies so that you know if they are high or low. I think your T4 is too low but you need more than a TSH and T4 tested to give you a bigger picture.

In the meantime I will give you a link from TUK which is self-explanatory. It's a pity doctors are not trained well.

If you don't have sufficient T3 circulating in your body you will get lots of weird symptoms.

[meli06jags in reply to shaws]

I posted other result can you check them out?

[meli06jags in reply to shaws]

My TSH is 0.84 and T4 is 1.1

[Cooper27]

I have the exact same symptoms, currently have TPO antibodies over range (showing hashimotos) but thyroid hormones are all in range. It's not just you.

Have you tested you mineral levels recently? B12, vit D etc?

[meli06jags in reply to Cooper27]

Yes low on vit d and good on VIT B12... will I ever feel normal again?

[Cooper27 in reply to meli06jags]

I hope so! I only found out about 2 weeks ago, so I'm working on it.

I am feeling a lot more positive & have more energy since I started taking a D3 supplement 10 days ago.

If you have the test results, post them here - a lot of people on here are very clued up on what counts as optimal - doctors only care about normal, but normal and optimal are very different things.

[meli06jags in reply to Cooper27]

How are you feeling ?

[Cooper27 in reply to meli06jags]

Full of the cold, so feeling rubbish! Haha! I still have more energy than before, despite being ill though, and it's making me a bit happier I'm only taking Vitamin D and a bit of B complex at the moment. I'm a long way from normal, but think I'm on an upward trend.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Cooper27]

Get a print-out of your results and we don't want 'normal' ranges, we want TSH to be 1 or lower and FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the range. These two are rarely tested. Going gluten-free can help reduce thyroid antibodies and they attack.

[Cooper27 in reply to shaws]

I've already had advice on my results - results were optimal, it was just the antibodies that were high (I'm basically early days for Hashimotos, it's not destroyed my thyroid gland yet)

[Rmichelle]

Hi there i too have them symptons apart from the depression bit, just feel sorry for myself some days but i manage to bounce back, but the other symptons are really rubbish and sometimes i have to think quite hard to spell the most simplest of words!! Take care.😊

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Meli06jags.

Can you post your thyroid results and the lab ref ranges (the figures in brackets after the results)?

For a long time I thought I was having a bipolar episode despite being stable for years until it became obvious the symptoms were more physical than mental. I had euthyroid Hashitmoto's (unequivocally normal thyroid levels) and was told my symptoms were non-thyroidal as I wasn't hypothyroid. Funny thing is symptoms were mostly hyper for months until they began to swing between hyper and hypo. Because thyroid levels were normal neither anti-thyroid drugs nor Levothyroxine were likely to have been helpful.

What might have been helpful, had I known then, was that adopting 100% gluten-free diet can help reduce symptoms and flare ups and delay progression to hypothyroidism.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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