I've not posted here for some time and I've NOT been diagnosed by my GP with thyroid issues (yet)!
However, I've just had my annual blood test in connection with my type 2 diabetes which is diet controlled i.e. no meds or insulin. The surgery phoned me a few days after the blood test asking me to phone them. Apparently my serum thyroid is abnormal. I've seen the DSN today and got printouts of the recent bloods which I'll list further down. I was told to get re-tested in 3 months. However, I already have several health conditions which include fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, depression/anxiety, vitamin D deficiency, peri menopausal and recently diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea. In short, I'm struggling on a daily basis so put forward my case to be re-tested earlier. My point is that if I have hypothyroidism, I'd rather be treated sooner than wait another 3 months or so. I agreed with her that I could get re-tested early/mid November. After trying to do some more research on the condition, quite a bit is falling into place as I've been feeling cold for months on end, in addition to the many symptoms and those linked to hypothyroidism.
I'm also taking magnesium along with my D3 and read that magnesium may help improve thyroid function and levels so have stopped this today as it could be masking my true levels.
Hello Tigerlily. I can’t help you with regards to your results, but just thought I’d say hello. We seem to be in a very similar situation. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a year ago, but recently had blood results showing high TSH levels. Mine were about 5.1 I don’t really know what it all means and like you just started to educate myself about the condition. I had a second test after 6 weeks, which came back slightly better, but still outside the normal range. I asked my GP also if I could retest earlier, which she agreed to, but also said it’s take 3 months to get a better picture and so I’ve been asked to do another repeat in 6 weeks time. My GP also said that the level of TSH was not high enough to cause symptoms. So I am guessing my symptoms are fibro related but, like you wondering if I should be on meds. I truly sympathise with your concerns. Let me know how you get on. I feel like I am stabbing in the dark too.
Hi Claire. I think I've not long read your post and clicked to follow it. After about a year of tests, appointments with neurology etc, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia by my GP a year ago tomorrow. So yes, we are in similar situations. I too am wondering if the fibromyalgia is a possible mis-diagnosis.
I've since read that a thyroid result ovet 3 can make you feel very unwell although we are all different. Also, that you can potentially have a lot of symptoms, building up over a long period but it won't necessarily show up in blood tests. My husband does have hypothyroidism and was unwell for quite a long time, not knowing what was wrong as our previous GP was rubbish and attributed a lot if things to his age (he was under 50 yrs old at the time). Once our new GP who replaced him took over and he got the treatment and meds sorted for his hypothyroidism he then started to feel much better!
Your GP - and yours Hidden - is completely wrong about your TSH not being high enough to cause symptoms. I’d be bed-bound with a TSH of 5+ (as would many of us here). At least some of your fibro symptoms are being caused by untreated hypothyroidism and it’s scandalous doctors don’t know more about the effects of so-called sub-clinical hypothyroidism.
Thanks for your reply. Depending on my result when I get re-tested I may push for a trial of levothyroxine esp given the other conditions. After all, the DSN was happy to push statins today due to my slightly raised cholesterol. I declined!
Back in the days when medical training was about understanding the human body and examining and listening to patients, doctors used to know that raised cholesterol was a sign of hypothyroidism. You don’t need statins, you need your hypothyroidism treated!
And I've also read somewhere it contributes to sleep apnea which I was also diagnosed with approx 2 months ago. I don't think I mentioned that in my original post.
No probs. It’s hard to get through to some doctors unfortunately. Commonly, they believe that TSH needs to be over 10 to cause problems but if you were to ask the majority of the people who post here, we’d completely disagree.
It seems we have to join the dots ourselves then fight for answers and testing. If my symptoms are down to hypothyroidism and not fibromyalgia, and if there’s just one tablet that would help, instead of the endless trials of meds I’ve been on for fibromyalgia then surly it would be worth trying and pushing for it. I am so confused!!
I already have several health conditions which include fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, depression/anxiety, vitamin D deficiency, peri menopausal and recently diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea.
Apart from the peri-menopause, these are all symptoms of hypothyroidism - and even the peri-menopause could be connected. So, I agree with you, you should be tested sooner rather than later. However, your doctor is following protocol and not rushing into treatment immediately on the first high TSH just to make sure that it isn't due to something else, like an infection. Six weeks should be soon enough to be retested for that.
You also need vitamin B12 and folate tested, plus ferritin and TG thyroid antibodies
Foor full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
I was prescribed with 50,000 iu of D3 taken weekly for 6 weeks. I now take 10,000 iu daily as per recommendations and protocol from a Facebook group I'm in. GP however has declined to re-test vit D levels to see if I'm now optimal so think I will need to private test.
I unfortunately don't have the lab ranges for the B12 and folate. I'll have a look at the links you posted over the next day or so.
Your FT4 levels are still fairly good, but it would be helpful to know what your FT3 levels are. I doubt your GP would do the test, but could you possibly have a private fingerpick test? Can you remember what time of day your blood was drawn; best done as early as possible, 8 - 8.30am. Your TSH is at its highest in the early morning.
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More blood test results
New to site and would like some advice on results
More question sorry😊
