So frustrating

[mysterio]

My 14 year old daughter has ALL the signs of an underactive thyroid, e.g. lethargy, depression, anxiety, no energy at all, pins and needles, cold hands and feet, losing her eyebrows, rashes and dry skin, extreme mood swings, muscle cramps, brittle nails, etc. We are absolutely convinced that she has this condition as she feels so unwell and is so unlike her old self. Yet when blood test results come back, they all say "normal" or "satisfactory". It's so frustrating. I am trying to find a privaate paediatric endocrinologist in the South West to do further investigations but am not having a lot of luck. Does anybody know of any? We are prepared to travel and to pay for somebody who will listen and be sympathetic. We are at our wits end and our daughter is feeling just awful, can barely up in the morning. I'm new to allt his but the blood test results read as follows:

Serum Ferritin normal no 23 ug/L 13.00 150.00 ug/L

Serum TSH level normal no action 2.9 mu/L 0.27 4.20 mu/L

Serum C reactive protein level normal no action 1 mg/L 0.00 - 5.00mg/L

Serum vitamin B12 420 ng/L more than 180.00ng/L

Serum Folate more than 20.0 ug/L 3.90 -- 20.00 ug/L

Please enlighten me! Does this make sense to anybody or am I barking up the wrong tree? I have also heard that there is often a link between thyroid problems and ASD/ADHD which my child has. Any help, advice or suggestions would be hugely appreciated. Many thanks, Sheryl

[Marz]

Ferritin is too low - so you would need to have a FULL Iron Profile. I am far from an expert but read here lots. Also a FBC - or Full Blood count. You need to rule out Iron Anaemia ,,,,, Lots of information here on the Forum.

Ferritin is stored iron in the liver and as it is low - needs to be halfway in the range - may indicate the Serum Iron is also Low indicating the possibility of anaemia. Very common these days due to changes in the diet.

VitD also needs to be tested - results should be around 100

You also need the FT4 - FT3 tested - along with Thyroid anti-bodies TPO and Tg.

[mysterio in reply to Marz]

Thank you so much for your prompt response. I will definitely get her a full iron profile done and go from there.

[Triciatextiles]

My daughter was 14 when she became very ill, has asd, could not cope, couldn't get out of bed,had all the signs of hypo but doctor said her bloods were normal. I insisted that her antibodies were tested and eventually he agreed to treat her as they were 'borderline' (actually they were over the range). I suggest you ask your doctor for a full thyroid profile , including antibodies and t3 if he refuses you could get these done privately. My daughter eventually got a lot better once she was on levo.

[mysterio]

I really appreciate your reply, thank you. We have been looking for a private endocrinologist for the past month or so (paediatric) but there are none around here (South West UK). DD is on a waiting list to see one with the NHS but goodness knows how long that will be - meanwhile her life is going by. As I said before, it's so frustrating and she's still feeling so very poorly. Did your daughter end up seeing somebody privately and if so, who and where? Thanks again, Sheryl

[Marz in reply to mysterio]

Triciatextiles will not have seen your reply as you need to click onto the Reply button below the post to which you are responding. Easily done 😊

Hope all goes well for your daughter ...