I'm new here with hypothyroid symptoms & unhelpful dr

[sarahlclc]

Hi, I would appreciate any advise on my symptoms and test results. In Jan 2017 I had half of my thyroid removed due to large 4.5cm diameter lump which was benign. Before this my TSH was .75 mu/L (.34 - 5.6). My test results are now: TSH 4.07 mIU/L (.27 - 4.2), Free thyroxine 14.1 (pmol/L 12 - 22), Total thyroxine T4 87.5 nmol/L (59 - 154), Free T3 5.5 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8), thyroglobulin antibody <10 IU/ML (0-115) and Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 11.4 IU/ML (0-34)

Dr says all thyroid tests are within range so there is no problem. I have several symptoms of hypo: Huge weight gain, tired and no energy, hair thinning, occasional visual disturbances, pins and needles, brain fog difficult to concentrate, low libido.

I am 54 went through menopause 8 years ago and am on losartan and bendroflumathiazide for high blood pressure. Any advise would be gratefully received as dr seems totally unconcerned. Thanks

[shaws Administrator]

I am assuming you haven't been diagnosed yet as being hypothyroid.

Many doctors make the mistake of believing that if our results are 'in range' everything is fine. Not so!

If you were in another country you'd be diagnosed due to your TSH being 4+.

In the UK we have not to be diagnosed until TSH is 10!.

Your FT4 is not high enough but I am surprised that your Free T3 is good.

Unfortunately for us doctors know no clinical symptoms which are below:

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

Did you have your blood test at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and when you are given thyroid hormones you've to allow a 24 hour gap between last dose and test and take it afterwards.

[sarahlclc in reply to shaws]

Thank you for your reply - no I'm not diagnosed hypothyroid. Dr also told me it did not make any difference when blood test is done or if after fasting or eating. Didn't think he really knew what he was talking about! Thanks again for your help

[diogenes Remembering]

1) Your TSH is within the last 1% of the normal range. This means you are less than 1% likely to have the correct value for health. 2) Your FT4/FT3 ratio is 2.6/1 - this is a bit low - above 3/1 up to 4/1 is generally held to be OK. 3) FT4 is low in range - around the 10% mark. The numbers indicate you have a struggling thyroid which is desperately trying to keep your FT3 as normal as possible. With your symptoms a T4 trial is indicated.

[sarahlclc in reply to diogenes]

Thanks for your reply I did think my thyroid was struggling. Dr has no intention of giving me any medication for this at the moment. I think I might wait a bit longer then get a full blood test done to see if anything has changed then try to insist on something. Thanks so much for taking th etime to reply to me.

[shaws Administrator in reply to sarahlclc]

diogenes is a doctor and a researcher who has proven that many may need the addition of T3 added to T4.

You can source your own levothyroxine if you wish but you may prefer to wait until the doctor will. If in the UK, they've been told not to prescribe until TSH is 10 and I can only assume whoever made this decision was suffering from hypothyroidism themselves as he/she may have had brain fog.

In other countries we're diagnosed around 3+.

[sarahlclc]

Thank you for your reply and confirming what I thought. Now I just need to get my dr to listen maybe after another blood test to confirm figures or as you suggest find another dr who is more knowledgeable. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me.