Can I get your help

[Lake2]

Hello my name is Sian , been feeling unwell for a few years now but this winter I have felt really bad . I have a cyst on my thyroid but the special advised me to leave it unless it gets worse . I have bloods done for thyroid function and they always come back normal . I started losing my hair about 2 years ago then it started to grow back but it was never the same , now this winter it's starting to come out again and my scalp is itching and burning all the time , it's like little needles being inserted in my head . I have also developed symptoms like a cold but it's lasted about 2 months so it carnt be a cold my head is full all the time . My face always looks puffy around the eyes and my eye lashes has fallen out and every joint in my body aches . Has anybody have any ideas or suffered the same simptoms please . I'm at the end of my teather at the moment . Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Low vitamins are common if Thyroid is playing up

Essential to test thyroid antibodies, FT3 plus vitamins

Low B12 can cause some pins and needles or spiders in your hair symptoms

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Low ferritin can cause hair loss

Private tests are available

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.

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

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

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

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

Or cheapest test for just vitamin D is vitamindtest.org.uk £28 postal kit

[Lake2 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your reply I'm very grateful . I will look into this as soon as possible

[Paula101]

Hi Sian.

I'm sorry you are having a rotten time of it.

Do take Slowdragons advice. It'sessential & necessary.

I too & many others on this forum have felt the same and if it wasn't for the amazing advice & support from this fabulous community we'd be in a much worse state.

When you feel up to it then do a some research too & also use the search bar the top of the screen. I'm never off it!

Knowledge is power as the saying goes.

Slowdragon has given you some brilliant hyper links.

Get yourself started with the tests & post the results back to this site (with their ranges). You'll get the feedback you need from the many 'gurus'. Not from GP I'm sad to say.

All the very best to you 🙂

[Lake2 in reply to Paula101]

Thank you x

[Lake2]

Thank you for your reply , I will look into all this and read it all carefully , will a doctor be able to do these tests for me or has it have to be done privately

[Paula101 in reply to Lake2]

I know Dr's will test for TSH & T4 but that's all I'm afraid. Rare, more likely extinct, is the Dr that tests for the rest. Check out Slowdragons 2nd hyperlink for testing. Medichecks & Blue Horizon seem the popular choices in the U.K. for testing. I hope that's helpful. Just got to get the kids from school but please post back later if you need to 👍🏻