Autoimmune thyroiditis

[jacky62]

Hi, I was diagnosed with the above last December. I have been on levothyroxine since January 2018. Before this I was tired, I'd put on lots of weight and felt very depressed. My legs felt weak and my feet, hands, elbows, lumbar spine and fingers ached. Four months in and my symptoms have returned, except the depression. I was fine for about one month. My TPO ab's are off the scale at >1300iu/ml (0.0 - 60), my white blood cell count is below normal range, I feel exhausted. I can hardly walk after sitting down at my desk for half an hour. My weight gain has come back. I'm having more blood tests next week to see if something else is going on, but I would just like some answers.

[Murphysmum]

Sorry to hear you are feeling so rubbish. I’m in a very similar position to you health-wise but nobody has identified anything yet.

I’m sure I have autoimmune (hashis) but no dr has ever confirmed it. I have been hypo for about 13 years but became unwell last sept. My levo has been increased but I’m still not well. Same as you, weak, feeling like I can’t walk far, no energy, no strength and constantly tired.

I’m going to follow your post and maybe once I get further bloods done I can get some help too. I can’t offer anything but a hug at the moment but if I get any info I’ll pass it on.

It’s horrible feeling this unwell constantly, isn’t it?

[jacky62 in reply to Murphysmum]

Hello, thanks for your reply and yes, it is horrible, it seems doctors don't really know what to do. I'll report back after next Tuesday's blood tests and results. In the meantime, take care, I hope you too can get some answers.

[jacky62]

Hi, I'm on 50mcg/day. I was tested after 3 months and here are the updated parameters, I live in the UK re test units used:

Total white blood count 3.7 10*9/L [3.9 - 10.2]

Below low reference limit**

Red blood cell count 4.20 10*12/L [3.9 - 5.2]

Haemoglobin concentration 126 g/L [120.0 - 156.0]

Haematocrit 0.397 L/L [0.355 - 0.455]

Mean cell volume 95.8 fL [80.0 - 99.0]

Mean cell haemoglobin level 30.5 pg [27.0 - 33.5]

Red blood cell distribution width 13.2 % [11.0 - 16.0]

Platelet count - observation 208 10*9/L [150.0 - 370.0]

Plateletcrit 0.190

Mean platelet volume 9.2 fL

Neutrophil count 1.93 10*9/L [1.5 - 7.7]

Lymphocyte count 1.31 10*9/L [1.1 - 4.5]

Monocyte count - observation 0.20 10*9/L [0.1 - 0.9]

Eosinophil count - observation 0.06 10*9/L [0.02 - 0.5]

Basophil count 0.03 10*9/L [0.0 - 0.2]

Thyroid function test symptomatic thyroid disease:

Serum TSH level 0.18 mU/L [0.35 - 5.5]

Below low reference limit**

Serum free T4 level 17.0 pmol/L [10.0 - 19.8]

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODY symptomatic thyroid disease:

Serum thyroid peroxidase antibody concentration > 1300 iu/ml [0.0 - 60.0]

Above high reference limit**

FERRITIN symptomatic thyroid disease:

Serum C reactive protein level < 4 mg/L [0.0 - 6.0]

Serum ferritin level 33.9 ug/L [10.0 - 291.0]

Ferritin rises to an unpredictable extent with the acute phase

response. If CRP is over 30 mg/L, the ferritin result may be high and

uninterpretable.

My TSH level has dropped below normal range, my TPO has remained sky-high. My doctor said to stay on the same dosage, but I don't feel well. My T4 is normal range. I have more blood tests next week, but at the moment I am wondering whether I should up my levo to 75mcg/day myself.

Any advice/help appreciated as my doctor (if I can get in to see him) seems to not have much idea about this. Thanks.

[jacky62]

Thanks for your reply, I will try and get my freet3 done asap. It's such a battle to get these doctors to do anything. I'll ask next week and up my levo, I'll tell the doctor I'm doing that.