Teenage daughter hypo?

[Melodica8]

Hi,

My almost 13 yo daughter has always struggled with her weight, despite our best efforts to feed her healthily. She also walks 2 miles every day for school, and regularly walks the dogs. She has recently been complaining of headaches, fatigue and lacking motivation. She also suffers from anxiety and bouts of depression. Her bowel movements have always been sluggish, and she has generally always been a bit sloth like!

We went to our GP to discuss our concerns re her weight (she is over 14stone and around 5ft6) and she ordered some blood tests. Her T4 has come back under but only just, and despite everything she knows about my daughter has said normal, no action. I can’t get an appointment for another two weeks and I’m pretty bloody furious tbh! I’ve recently been put on levo with higher T4 levels than her by a private endo- and I feel so much better. What are your thoughts? Is it different with children?

T4- 11.9 (12.6-22)

TSH 3.6 (0.27 - 4.20)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Was blood test done early morning? This gives highest TSH

Ask GP to test thyroid antibodies for autoimmune thyroid disease and vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 too

[Melodica8 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes it was fasting at 9am. I’m doubtful that my GP will order more blood tests seeing as she doesn’t think there’s a problem. Do you think she’s hypo?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Melodica8]

Difficult to say...loooking at your previous posts, you don't have high antibodies. But some people with Hashimoto's never have raised antibodies

Private tests with a minor are difficult

You could test her vitamin D via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Easy four drops of blood test

But probably would have to not put correct DOB

Alternatively see an endocrinologist privately

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Melodica8]

You might consider DNA testing for yourself (and your daughter....if your DNA shows issues)

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

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

[Melodica8 in reply to SlowDragon]

That looks really interesting, thank you- bit too much money atm but I’ll definitely do it in the future.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Melodica8]

Blue Horizon one sometimes on offer at £99

The other is £87 plus £65

[HughH]

You and your daughter seem to have the same condition, which is unlikely to be Hashimoto's. It points to a genetic thyroid condition - Impaired Sensitivity to Thyroid Hormone, sometimes called Thyroid Hormone Resistance.

With the condition you require very high levels of thyroid hormones to overcome the resistance and T3 generally works best.

[Melodica8 in reply to HughH]

Thanks, I’ve not heard of that before- I’ll check it out. Do you think our GP would consider putting her on t4? Or referring her to an endo?

[HughH in reply to Melodica8]

It is unlikely that your GP will help but you could ask for a referral to an endocrinologist.

As it is genetic if there are other family members with thyroid problems, fibromyalgia, CFS, ME, Coeliac Disease, MS, Heart Disease or depression this would further support this possibility.

[Melodica8 in reply to HughH]

Yes I think I will, I’ll take her privately if I have to.

The only person I know in my family to have thyroid issues was my great aunt. But my Grandma and Uncle had/has MS. Both sets of grandparents had heart disease. And my cousins daughter has CFS. Pretty much everyone in my family both sides has problems with depression and anxiety, and schizophrenia on my Dads side...😳 healthy bunch!

[HughH in reply to Melodica8]

Your family history pretty much confirms Impaired Sensitivity to Thyroid Hormone/Thyroid Hormone Resistance.

It would be useful to document the family history and take it to the endocrinologist, to show that there is something unusual in your family. It is not likely to be easy to get treatment.

[jimh111]

Children of her age have similar thyroid hormone levels to adults. I don't think she has resistance to thyroid hormone as this presents with elevated fT3, fT4 with a non-suppressed TSH. Her TSH is inappropriately low for an fT4 of 11.9. There can be many causes, such as a pituitary problem, very strict dieting or depression. In any event she need to see a helpful endocrinologist, perhaps a paediactric endocrinologist. It would be really useful to have TSH, fT3 and fT4 measured, I suggest you get a private test so as to save time.

[HughH in reply to jimh111]

Some people with resistance to thyroid hormone do present with the pattern in jimh111's post but others can have very different results.

There are few conditions which would cause such similar thyroid symptoms in a mother and daughter.

[jimh111 in reply to HughH]

RTH doesn’t explain the low fT4 which is why I queried it. I think getting an fT3 result is very important because it will tell us if the pituitary is responding normally.

[HughH in reply to jimh111]

RTH has many causes, some of which have specific patterns of thyroid hormones, but most do not. In some cases the body converts as much T4 as possible to T3 and can cause a low ft4. I agree a ft3 result would be useful.

One crucial aspect of RTH is the genetic cause, which is generally dominant. A high incidence of thyroid or autoimmune conditions is a strong pointer to RTH.

[Kipsy]

So very sorry to hear about your daughter. Blue Horizons are happy to test children under 18 whereas Medichecks won’t. Good luck

[Melodica8 in reply to Kipsy]

Do you agree that her low t4 needs investigating/medicating? It’s so frustrating!

[Kipsy in reply to Melodica8]

I think that you should get her T3 and thyroid antibodies tested and, if you can afford the extra bit, her vitamin D, B12, folate and ferritin done too as per SlowDragon ’s advice. If she has Hashimoto’s, it’s likely that those vitamins will be low in range and benefit from supplementation.