I have been experiencing a lot of weird symptoms. I have done a lot of blood work, which all have come back normal, which I’m thankful for but still feels like somethings off. I do suffer from Rhumetoid Arthritis but this issue that I’ve dealt with feels entirely different from RA. For the last seven months I have experienced increased hunger and extreme fatigue. The fatigue has gotten so bad I feel like I can barely make it through a full day of work and I’m only working 60hrs. I keep eating a lot of food but no matter how much food I intake I’m still super hungry. I use to fluctuate with weight all the time but now my weight does not budge. No matter how much I eat I can’t gain a single pound. I am petite at only 5”1 and 110 but I don’t understand why I can’t put on weight even if I eat a lot of junk or processed foods. I use to always gain if I ate bad so I find it weird that at 24 I can’t gain any weight no matter how many calories I’m in taking. My fatigue is so bad that there are times I’m almost falling asleep behind the wheel of my car! I have to work. I live on my own and have to provide for myself. I want to get a new job to make more money but with the way I’ve been feeling I don’t see how I could ever work full time agian. Another thing I’ve realized is if I’m outside in the sun for a long period of time and get a mild sunburn or if I’m outside in the sun all day the next day or that night my body aches and I’m extremely exhausted. I’ve been tested for other autoimmune disease such as lupus which have all come back negative. They also have tested my thyroid twice which also came back normal nothing different. I’ve done some research on my own to figure out what might be wrong and Graves’ disease keeps popping up as a huge possibility that this could be it. I also suffer from anxiety and depression which what Evers going on has made it worse. I just don’t know what else it could be and I feel at this point my primary doctor just thinks it’s my anxiety and depression which it’s not! I know my body and somethings just not right. I use to be able to stay up till two am and work a full eight hour day tired but had no problem. Now I’m falling sleep at 8 and staying alsleep until 8 or 9 am the next day and still feeling exhausted. I have never expirenced this much fatigue ever! This whole situation is causing me to withdraw from friends and family and all I want is to be my normal self agian. Does anyone think if I see an encrinologist that they might have more luck finding out if it actually is a thyroid issue? What are your thoughts on this?
Graves’ disease or Hoshimotos? I’m desperate fo... - Thyroid UK
Graves’ disease or Hoshimotos? I’m desperate for answers and tired of dealing with this.
First thing is, do you have any actual blood test results? if not will need to get hold of copies. You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need enhanced access to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up. They can make nominal charge for printing but many will do so for free (£10 max and can not charge at all after May 25th 2018 - that's today!)
Can you add most recent results and ranges for TSH, FT3 and FT4, plus have you also had thyroid antibodies tested
It's possible you only had TSH or FT4 tested. That's not enough
FT3 and both thyroid antibodies need testing.
Also helpful if had vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested. Add results and ranges if you have them
So for full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies
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, lowest FT4 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. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances too, especially gluten. So it's very important to get antibodies tested.
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_...
Thankyou slowdragon! Just posted my blood results of what they tested for on my thyroid. I will also be using medi check thyroid plus to do more testing on my thyroid. Hopefully I can get to the bottom with this and continue on in my life happy and healthy!
Hi Mariah24,
Take advice from SlowDragon.
If it wasn’t for the people on here and advice, I would of not made as much progress.
I have Hashimoto’s and I’m now on Levothyroxine, (underactive Thyroid)
it’s still early days, but I’m far more educated in my illness.
I’ve been told my results were ‘normal’ by the GP receptionist.
I asked for a copy of my results (official lab copy) and yes they were in range with the NHS guidelines, but, not the results to feel normal.
Get private bloods done if the GP isn’t willing to help.
Best Wishes
Peanut31
Slow dragon has said it ALL ... that is the best advice you will
get ! From anyone ! Including an Endocrinologist ...
please read through it carefully to better understand your problem .
Blood results will enable to even more help on here .
Stay with us for more support.
Best of luck Luvvie
Mx🌹
Yiu
Welcome to the forum. Could you add in your latest thyroid results and the ranges please. Rangesare important as they differ from lab to lab.
Being new to us means you may not be aware that many doctors say you are fine because you are within the ranges but it's where in those ranges that is so important. So your thyroid results are important to have evaluated.
Sorry posted this earlier on the wrong thread!
Just posted blood results for what test they did on my thyroid. Thankyou silverfox7 for listening
I was diagnosed with Graves some 15 years ago, and yes I see signs " of me " in your story, However until the necessary bloods are done it is all a " guesswork " simple because the support you have been given isn't addressing your health issues. Get the tests and the detectives on here will be able to work through with you, a plan of action, Good job you found this site so soon in your journey, take good care, listen and trust yourself, you are in the right place now to get " on the right track " now.
Just posted what the doctor has tested for on thyroid. Thankyou pennyannie glad to know there’s more people out there like me. It’s become to the point where my whole family except for a select few think I’m crazy. It’s a hard place to be in emotionally and phsysically
Hmm sounds extremely familiar. I was told I had anxiety and depression for almost three years before I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. You need to get a copy of your blood results including ranges so that we can have a look at them. Anxiety and panic attacks are symptoms of thyroid disease and looking back at results and symptoms it was all there but the doctors just never put them together. I’m six years into my journey (3 undiagnosed) and am just beginning to make progress. It does seem hopeless at the beginning but you will make progress BUT it will take time. Looking back I don’t think I realised just how ill I was. There is lots of good information and advice on here so please do use it. You need to educate yourself as I have yet to meet a doctor (specialist or otherwise) who actually know anything about thyroid disease especially Graves and Hashimotos
That sounds like a good weight for your height. Why do you want to be fatter? Weight training might put on some muscle and make you heavier (and stronger) if that is what you want. The younger you are, the less likely junk food is to make you get fatter, but poor vitamin and mineral levels, coupled with bad blood sugar control can make you quite ill and exhausted. I could eat anything at your age without putting on a pound, but didn't have Graves.
It sounds more like Grave's than Hashi's. And, to test for Grave's, you need TRAB or TSI tested. Do not let anyone try and 'diagnose' you for Grave's without those tests! 
I also suffer from graves disesa. Your thyroid is the engine to ur body. You have to born with the gene for graves and trauma or stress sets the gene off in your body.
It seems the situation is rather more complex than having ‘the gene for Graves’, but there does seem to be a hereditary element. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
The triggers may include stress,but again, a range of environmental factors have been implicated.
My endo could not figure why i haves graves and no one else on either side of the family has it but the thyroid problem is on both sides of my family. I have no doubt that the enviroment we live in plays a part.
The problem with Graves’ symptoms is that few of them are specific to Graves’ alone. However, from the tests you published, it seems unlikely.
People with untreated Graves’ would usually have a TSH well below range , and FT4 well above - maybe double the reference range or even more. Admittedly you haven’t had your FT3 tested, but although that could be raised by itself (ie while FT4 is within range), the excess thyroid hormone would normally lead TSH to be suppressed.
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