Desperate!

[Solomon73]

Hi all,

I have been to my GP on numerous occasions as I really feel desperation now. I am 45 year old female who has been told that I have gone through the menopause (my gynaecologist isn’t 100% certain). I have gradually gained weight over the last 6/7 years and am so fed up. I am exhausted all the time and can sleep for 14 hours plus a night. I have just about all symptoms but my GP insists that my levels are ok (I’m not sure what they are).

I wouldn’t mind if I was overeating, I don’t. I used to be very thin. My lifestyle has not changed so I can’t understand it.

My Grandma, Brother, cousin and two Aunts have it (at least). I’m so convinced but don’t know what else I can do? I’m not the same person anymore.

Any advice on next steps would be very much appreciated.

[QandA]

I'm sorry I can't help, but I feel exactly the same right now. Everything, plus family history and weight gain for no reason, which I cannot lose no matter what, points to hypothyroidism, but I can't get anywhere with the GP as my blood results are "normal", so she has put it down to stress. Very frustrating.

[Solomon73 in reply to QandA]

I know. I even have a scalloped tongue. I’m so fed up. I have always been active but I can’t be bothered. It gets put down to depression and it’s a chicken and egg situation.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Solomon73

Please ask at your surgery's reception for a print out of your results (don't accept verbal or hand written results, mistakes can happen). It is our legal right in the UK to have our test results. Then post them on the forum.

Once we can see your results/ranges we can comment further.

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum Solomon73

First of all, you are not alone in remaining undiagnosed as a Full Thyroid Function Test is rarely done. At the most, probably TSH and T4 which isn't informative enough. I shall give you some hints and as I know your doctor will not do all of the following, we have private labs which will do them and I'll also give you a link.

First of all - blood draw has to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between dose of thyroid hormones (if you were taking any) .

Early a.m. allows the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) to be at its highest and it is from the pituitary gland (not thyroid gland) and it rises if our thyroid gland is struggling to produce thyroid hormones and it is hormones which run our whole metabolism.

Another problem if you are in the UK, is that it has been deemed that the TSH has to reach 10 before we're diagnosed - despite clinical symptoms. Whilst in other countries we're diagnosed if TSH goes above 3+ with clinical symptoms.

Unexplained weight gain is a clinical symptom of hypothyroidism (one of them) but in these 'modern times' doctors know none at all it appears when reading posts. At one time in the past we were all diagnosed upon our clinical symptoms and I'll give a list below and you can tick off the ones you have - although doctor might pay no attention.

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

You need - and it has to be at the earliest possible:-

TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Frree T3 and thyroid antibodies. If antibodies are present one of our endorinologists states that if they are present, we should be prescribed. You can have a copy of the article if you email Dionne at TUK and ask for a copy of Dr Toft's Pulse online article - email [e-mail]

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges. Ranges are important to enable members to respond.

Also make sure you are well-hydrated a couple of days before pin-prick private tests (if you decide to do them) and the earliest blood draw and make sure hands/arms are warm so blood lows easily.

QandA

[klr31]

As well as getting a printout of your results ask your GP to test B12, D, folate and ferritin. Scalloped tongue can be a sign of B12 deficiency which can go hand in hand with thyroid disease.

Karen