hi there..I posted last year and everyone was so kind with their help because I'm sure I've got secondary hypothyroidism due to 4 blood tests (3 private) showing below range t4 t3 and bottom range tsh pointing to pitituary issue
anyway I've been ignored by my gp surgery because tsh is in range they refuse to refer me to an endocrinologist so this next month I'm making an appt to see a specialist re my thyroid and menopause. my question is ..I had a hormone test done through medichecks and a basic thyroud test was included. my t4 was below range tsh in range but low..their notes said it points to hypothyroidism or hypopitituarisn and to see my gp..I did and surprise surprise not only said as ny tsh was in range that it NOT thyroid but the fact I'm slim it's malnutrition that's causing my levels to drop. so basically fatten up I'll be fine..
the only reason I'm slim is I'm on a strict diet a healthy one and I exercise every day because I can pile the weight on. it annoys me that because I'm slim he writes off hypothyroidism when I have to diet and exercise to stay a size 10.
has anyone found they have hypothyroidism symptoms that were not thyroid but caused by being slim? thank you
Written by
Peroxideblader
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
No, but I miraculously lost weight while hypothyroid, and failed to display one very common sign of hypothyroidism, all while experiencing profound fatigue, provoking two endocrinologists, a neurologist, a cardiologist, and one GP to declare there to be something mysterious wrong with me.
thank you that gives me hope...sadly my gp won't even consider there to be a problem despite all the hypo symptoms and 4 family members have it...2 doctors both said ..oh you're too slim to be hypo you're hyper...even though I told them how hard it have to work to stay slim...
I couldn't believe it when they said my being slim is causing the blood tests to read low....
Oh! once upon a time (before the introduction of Blood Tests and levothyroxine) we were ALL diagnosed upon our clinical symptoms alone and given a trial of NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones).
In these modern days sense has got lost in the nonsense such as you've stated above.
They forget that people are looking to the professionals to diagnose/prescribe instead of themselves having to search the internet for information. At least that way they can self-diagnose and self-treat.
The very sad fact is that if the people didn't search the internet they might well never get proper information in order to turn their health around because it certainly isn't coming from the professionals, whose further studies have been paid by the tax payer.
Oh! and don't forget if we do recover Big Pharma's profits might well diminish as all the 'extras' for continuing symptoms will not be needed.
I noticed the appearance of a hernia, consulted with a medical expert who referred me to a surgeon who has treated hernias for some 30 years. Both experts said I had a femoral hernia. My brother disclosed the both he and grandfather, and possibly Dad, had inguinal hernias. No matter.
I presented myself for surgery as it sounded prudent, given the risks of intestinal strangulation, from a femoral hernia. However when I listened to the surgeon’s plan and confessed I had looked up the involved anatomy in a medical text, he was indignant and expressed how patients need to stay off the internet and leave things to trained professionals.
After all was over and I had my first follow up, surgeon confessed he could not find a femoral hernia anywhere, but dissected me down to my femoral canal, and then proceeded to repair the familial inguinal hernia that in his expert opinion I should not have had.
If there’s such a thing as karma, someday he’s going to need a good specialist and he will encounter a dismissive, narrow minded one like himself.
What led me to self-discover that it was "merely" my thyroid function (which doctors conveniently forget is responsible for supporting all aspects of bodily energy production) was the testing I had done for rT3, and the genetic testing (23andMe), that permitted me to dig through the raw data and find the genetic polymorphisms responsible for my poor conversion and my undetectable Hashimoto's. The antibodies are not ones they test for. Nor do they test rT3 as a matter of course.
Losing weight can be a hypo symptom just as gaining weight can be. Likewise, some people with hyperthyroidism put on weight instead of losing it. And some people in both camps see no change in their weight at all!
The problem is doctors dividing symptoms strictly into hypo and hyper, when in reality a lot of them cross over. I've always had high blood pressure and feel hot instead of cold. So, despite my high TSH, doctors have told me I must be hyper and cannot be hypo because of that. It's madness, but that's the state of endocrinology these days.
It would have been better if you'd actually posted your results, with the ranges, for people to see. But, if you do have a low TSH with under-range Frees then you need to convince someone to look at your pituitary quickly. The trouble is, doctors consider Central Hypo to be rare - so they never test for it. Well, anything can be rare if you never test for it. And, a lot of GPs have never even heard of it. You might even have trouble convincing and endo, because they're not always that clued up on thyroid, they're usually diabetes specialists. So, you need to do your homework. You can only convince them to consider it if you know what you're talking about. If find yourself in front of an endo that just can't be bothered, it's all too easy for him to brush you off if you're not 100% sure of what you're saying. So, do a search on here, type 'Central Hypo' into the search box and read through the posts. Some of them have some good links in them.
First of all - your doctor has looked at the TSH alone and as it is 'in range' considers you to be 'fine'.
Why has he/she ignored your below range T4 (inactive) which should be nearer 22. T3 (active) should be nearer six than below range.
God help us.
Take a copy of the following to your doctor. They say 'ignorance is bliss' but definitely not where a patient is, who cannot get diagnosed through incompetence. Ask him/her to reconsider their diagnosis. If they don't say you will be forced to treat yourself (which you do not want to do).
*sigh*. If you have low cortisol as well (ie other pituitary problems) you will be thin. So how to explain your low free T4 as TSH would rise if it was working correctly.
according to them my being slim makes my levels fluctuate and it's all down to time of bloods even though I've taken them at the same time every time..because I'm in perimenopause they say it's just my age and I don't 'look' hypothyroid...
I am slim because when I eat a normal diet I gain weight seriously like 4 family members with hypothyroidism they are all big ladies like I'd be if I didn't exercise so much and diet..
Well, extreme dieting will reduce your thyroid hormones and make you worse, so they are sort of correct. It's not being slim that does it - it is not eating.
I know what you mean but I have had to diet since I had my children as I piled on the weight and I prefer being slim..but I have size 10 friends that don't have all my symptoms and feel so poorly so surely everyone on a low calorie diet would become hypo according to my doctor. he just won't look at my blood tests that scream out secondary hypothyroidism 😏
Doesn't follow at all. Some people are naturally small and eat enough for their size - someone my size on a keto diet, for example, only needs about 1200 kcal. And I think everyone who stays on a low calorie diet for any length of time does get ill as it causes malnutrition. If you deliberately restrict your food intake to stay small you will get side effects - that's why people diet, get fat again - or even fatter and so on. GPs can't deal with central hypo, you need an endo, so get the list of sympathetic doctors and endos from TUK and book an appointment. But if your doctor thinks you have an eating disorder, which is affecting your hormone balance, what is s/he doing about it
thank you everyone..I'll reply longer tomorrow I'm having a crisis with my son so I won't get much chance til tomorrow to reply to it all.
I've seen 4 different doctors all called me a hypochondriac and that I suffered health anxiety and was trying to find a medical reason for feeling so I'll when in their words it's just my time of life and we all have our off days...I was livid to say the least..I've waited 6 years of feeling so poorly so I'm no hypochondriac!!
I am changing doctors in a few weeks and intend to go see them before my private appt with my print outs and like you say tell them if they won't refer me I'll self medicate.
last doctors laughed when I wanted them to read my info saying they were medically trained they didn't need any extra help thanks !@
how did you get diagnosed in the end? I've taken info in but they sneered refused to read it said they're the doctors not me and Dr Google knows nothing...patronising a***holes...my tsh is lower than yours and both t3 t4 below range but I'M FINE says doctor just my age!!
Sorry you were told such nonsense. Being slim has nothing to do with it, of course. BTW, I'm thin, my mother's thin & so is my sister. We all have Hashimoto's.
exactly...I'm not thin I'm slim size 10 to 12 but it's only hypo if I'm overweight according to my gp or hyper if I'm thin...I can see me self medicating it'll be the only way sadly
thank you i wish I had your balls lol..I turn into a mumbling wreck I get fobbed off and come out getting nowhere. my parents don't have thyroud issues but my paternal grandma had a goiter and hypothyroidism my paternal uncle secondary hypothyroidism and paternal 2 cousins both hypothyroidism..my mum is type 1 diabetic dad has heart issues and cancer but heart disease runs in the family another reason I want this diagnosed as I have high cholestrol and being looked into for chest pains
thank you..my son suffers from dspd like me and has add and my oldest has mild autism but health wise no problems so far.
the fact I have high cholestrol borderline type 2 diabetes when I'm slim exercise don't drink is another worry plus my suspected angina all can be affected by hypothyroidism..
I've had a reply back from the private endocrinologist it's £350 for a short consultation plus to pay for any tests on the day. it's not the money if I thought I'd get anywhere but so I've heard they're pretty useless on secondary hypothyroidism too.
I don't have any friends I lost the few I has when I started to get ill because I look ok they think I'm making my long list of symptoms up and they just see a tearful antisocial woman so dropped me and I've no other family.
I would take my partner but he agrees with the doctors what they say is gospel in his eyes sadly
I've asked everyone if they can tell me where to buy ndt what dose and an idiots guide to taking it but please feel free to pm me if you'd rather tell me privately..I'm very scared but quite relieved ..I might actually get my health back 😏
No, I have always been slim and without a thyroid now too.
I am going to screen these to show my partner he won't read them but just in case so he knows how the doctor is wrong and what I just know is thyroid problems is making me so ill.
I'm looking at around £700 for consultations and blood tests now so because I don't hold out much hope of getting anywhere I'll try some ndt and see how I get on. I'll ask anyone who self medicates can you advise me where to buy it what dose and how yo use it/monitor please..thank you
I totally agree so why can 4 doc6ors and apparently an endocrinologist they spoke to say they don't see a thyroid issue?? when you me and others can see its so obvious..
I think like people have said I need to start ndt myself as the medical professionals will never acknowledge I have an issue or my family
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Free T3 below the range :(
Levo increased - T4 now decreased & T3 below range 
HELP - TSH still below range, advice please.
Medichecks results - not as expected - thyroid all seems in range
