Am I hypothyroid not yet diagnosed

[Arosa]

GP says I am not thank you for reading

TSH 10.6 (0.2 - 4.2)

FREE T4 9.3 (12 - 22)

FREE T3 3.0 (3.1 - 6.8)

[Clutter]

Arosa,

See another GP at your practice or change your GP practice. You are overtly hypothyroid with TSH >10 and FT4 and FT3 below range. You need Levothyroxine replacement to restore your FT4 and FT3 and then TSH will come down.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

[Arosa in reply to Clutter]

Ok thank you I have symptoms of sweating, constipation, puffy eyes, gaining weight, losing hair, feeling cold, tiredness, recurring infections, pain in joints, dry skin, heavy periods, muscle cramps, flaky nails and joint stiffness and memory loss

[Clutter in reply to Arosa]

Arosa,

You will be very symptomatic because you are very hypothyroid. When you see another GP ask for ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate to be tested. Hypothyroid patients are often low/deficient and pain in joints may also be due to vitamin D deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia can cause heavy periods.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Arosa]

I am sorry you are hypothyroid but as Clutter states, change your GP. It's bad enough to get diagnosed but not when the doctor says you aren't hypothyriod when your TSH is over 10 is ridiculous.

This is a list of symptoms and they should reduce/be relieved when you reach an optimum dose. Unfortunately it has to be slowly increased.

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

All blood tests for thyroid hormones have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow 24 hours gap between last dose and test and take afterwards. This helps keep TSH at its highest as doctors wrongly adjust dose according to the TSH. Also levo should be taken on an empty stomach, usually when we get up with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating. Food interferes with the uptake of the hormones.

Your aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and a Free T4 and Free T3 in the upper part of the range.

[Marz]

Do ask your GP why he thinks you are not Hypo ? Would love to know his reply ! Please also ask to have anti-bodies tested so you can rule out Hashimotos - anti-TPO & Tg are the two test required ....

[Arosa in reply to Marz]

TPO >1200 (<34)

TG 566.3 (<115)

[Marz in reply to Arosa]

You have Hashimotos and need treatment .... the longer you leave it - the more danage will be done ....

[SlowDragon Administrator]

See a different GP urgently, before Christmas.

Essential to test thyroid antibodies, so you know if cause is autoimmune thyroid disease (also called Hashimoto's)

Ask for vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin to be tested too

Extremely common for these to be very low and it stops thyroid hormones working

You should be started on 50mcg dose of Levothyroxine. Bloods retested after 6-8 weeks and dose increased in 25mcg steps until TSH is around one and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results

Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime

verywell.com/should-i-take-...

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.

[Arosa in reply to SlowDragon]

TPO >1200 (<34)

TG 566.3 (<115)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Arosa]

Extremely high antibodies, so very definitely Hashimoto's, which UK medics tend to call autoimmune thyroid disease

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels stop Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...