Ongoing health problems and doctors seem to have given up.

[StrangeKoala]

Hi, this is my first time posting on a website like this but I am getting desperate.

I am a 28 year old woman with a healthy lifestyle (no alcohol, no smoking, balanced diet, regular exercise) but I have been struggling with the classic signs of hypothyroidism (fatigue, weight gain, frequent illness, feeling cold all the time etc) for at least the last 10 years and it only seems to be getting worse. I have had hundreds of blood tests over the years which have all come back 'normal'. My doctor has given up and is now referring me to a chronic fatigue clinic. I know people with chronic fatigue/ME and this doesn't seem the same to me. In fact everyone I know tells me it seems thyroid related.

I have been more proactive over the last year and demanded the full results for everything. To my shock my various GPs have only really ever ordered TSH tests for me and although they are in normal range they have fluctuated over the years from 0.91-2.5.

TSH is currently 1.9. (taken a few weeks ago)

My last FT4 test was in 2014 and was 12 (range 8-21) - although I notice a lot of people here give the range 12-22 which would make this borderline?

FT3 has never been tested. B12 and ferritin were last tested in 2016 and were mid-range.

I went back to the doctor today and requested that these various test be done and he essentially said there was no point as TSH was normal. He said that if it isn't ME then the chronic fatigue clinic would pick it up. It feels very much like they are just trying to rid of me onto someone else.

I am thinking of doing home testing - which test (and which company) would people recommend? Also do GPs actually take notice of these results?

Thanks in advance!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

StrangeKoala

My last FT4 test was in 2014 and was 12 (range 8-21) - although I notice a lot of people here give the range 12-22 which would make this borderline?

No, it doesn't make your result borderline. Ranges vary fom lab to lab and you can only use the range from your lab, you can't mix and match.

What you need is full thyroid testing, all done at the same time, plus vitamins and minerals for current levels.

I would suggest you do the Medichecks Thyroid UltraVit test which does the following

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies

Thyroglobulin antibodies

Vit D

Active B12

Folate

Ferritin

medichecks.com/thyroid-func...

Use code MED99 before the end of October for 20% discount.

You can do the test by fingerprick or venous blood draw (extra cost).

Some people find the fingerprick test easy, some have difficulty.

This is a video of how to do the fingerprick test

youtube.com/watch?v=InHBLT-...(Not working as expected?)

Make sure you do the test early morning, certainly no later than 9am. Have your evening meal the night before as normal, then water only until after the blood draw, delaying breakfast. This is because TSH is highest early morning (and you want TSH as high as possible for diagnosis) and eating can lower TSH, coffee can affect TSH, etc.

Post results, including reference ranges, on the forum in a new post and members will comment.

Some GPs are happy to accept private test results, others wont but it can be a springboard for inviting them to do their own tests

[ShinyB]

I had the same problem with my GPs over the years, as I had all the symptoms of hypothyroidism but my TSH was always around 1 - 1.5. When I did a private test last year via medichecks.com, my FT3 was low below range, and my FT4 was pretty low in range.

As far as the GP was concerned, and even an endocrinologist I saw, I still didn't have hypothyroidism as my TSH was normal. So, in my case, a private test didn't get me a diagnosis or treatment.

Some GPs and Endos are better than others, so it's worth seeing what help you can get on the NHS (I'm assuming you're in the UK?), but there are a fair few people on this forum, myself included, who are having to self medicate.

The FT3 is important as T3 is the active hormone. T4 is like a storage hormone, and has to be converted to T3 in the body. Some people can't convert well (and you can even have a gene that prevents you converting well).

Another thing to perhaps consider, is your adrenal health. I started on thyroid replacement but felt worse on it - apparently if your adrenals are suffering, it can affect how easily the thyroid hormones can get in to your cells. If you've been feeling awful for some time, I'd recommend getting an Adrenal Stress Index done via somewhere like Genova Diagnostics. You can get this done via Medichecks too, but the Genova test also includes DHEA.

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Try a medichecks or blue horizon blood test yourself include everything I usually do a thyroid plus 11 then post the results with the ranges on here for answers.