Is this normal?

[Foxy1971]

Hi All just been diagnosed with over active thyroid. However reading the symptoms says I should have weight loss, I however am overweight and struggle to lose the pounds

Is this possible as I thought weight gain was a symptom of under active thyroid

[greygoose]

It's a huge mistake - and one that doctors often make - to divide symptoms rigidly into 'hypo' and 'hyper'. Many, many of them cross over and can be symptoms of both. Quite a few people with over-active thyroid put on weight. Similarly, some hypos lose weight and can't gain it. And, others find no change in weight at all.

That said, how have you been diagnosed with over-active thyroid? The sad truth is that many doctors do not understand thyroid enough to make any sort of correct diagnosis. Which blood tests did you have? And, do you have the results and ranges? If so, post them on here and let's have a look.

[Foxy1971 in reply to greygoose]

Had blood tests for a whole range of things which indicated thyroid problems. Have had several specific thyroid blood test (so I was told) but not sure if actual names and not given specific results. Am due to gave more in a month but may contact my surgery next week for the exact information.

Thanks for your help

[greygoose in reply to Foxy1971]

I agree with everything SeasideSusie says below. You have to be very careful. We see so many people on here given the wrong diagnosis and the wrong treatment, due to doctors' lack of understanding of thyroid.

[whispers in reply to Foxy1971]

Do you not have online access to your records? If so, your results should be on there,

[Lora7again in reply to greygoose]

I agree greygoose I have been a size 8 and also a size 14 when suffering with Graves' disease symptoms for a overactive thyroid and a underactive thyroid can be very similar imho.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Foxly1971

What were your test results (with reference ranges) on diagnosis?

Have you been prescribed anything?

Do you have any previous test results?

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested?

For overactive thyroid it's Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin (TSI) — presence of this antibody is diagnostic for Graves disease, and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Receptor antibody (TRAb) — less specific than TSI.

For underactive thyroid (Hashimoto's) it's Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) and Thyroglobulin (TG).

These are symptoms of overactive thyroid:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

These are symptoms of underactive thyroid:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

Do you have definite signs of one over the other? Or a mixture of both maybe?

Sometimes we get members saying they've been diagnosed and given treatment for overactive thyroid (Graves Disease) when in fact once antibodies have been tested they've been found to have autoimmune thyroid disease - Hashimoto's - which is where the immune system attacks and destroys the thyroid leading to hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's can swing between hypo and hyper and often starts with a hyper episode. Just wondering if this could apply to you.

[Foxy1971 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Had blood tests for a whole range of things which indicated thyroid problems. Have had several specific thyroid blood test (so I was told) but not sure if actual names and not given specific results. Am due to gave more in a month but may contact my surgery next week for the exact information.

Thanks for your help

[Foxy1971 in reply to Foxy1971]

I have started taking carbimazole today. 20g in 1 tablet

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Foxy1971]

I have started taking carbimazole today. 20g in 1 tablet

OK, so that is the treatment for Graves Disease. If you have not had TSI and TRAb antibodies tested which proved positive then you should not be taking Carbimazole.

It's absolutely essential to know exactly what has been tested, if you don't have positive TSI and TRAb antibodies then they have no business giving you Carbimazole.

[Lora7again in reply to Foxy1971]

You are only just starting treatment so it will take a while for your levels to go down. Just make sure you have regular blood tests because unfortunately my Endocrinologist did not monitor me properly and I ended up feeling really ill because my TSH was 9.

Here is a link about the drug

medicines.org.uk/emc/produc...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Foxy1971]

Best to ring the surgery and ask the receptionist to organise a print out of your results. Don't ask a doctor, they don't like patients knowing and will do everything they can to put you off having the results. In the UK we are legally entitled to them so if you ask the receptionist she will make sure the doctor has seen them (in my surgery they now ask the doctor for permission to give them to the patient) and then print them for you. Don't accept verbal or handwritten results, mistakes can happen.

Post results, with reference ranges, on the forum for comment.

[Foxy1971 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Will do. Thanks again

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Foxy1971]

As SeasideSusie says ....we see many people on here who have Hashimoto's...misdiagnosed as a Graves

Essential to have had TSI or TRab antibodies tested to confirm Graves' disease

Hashimoto's (hypothyroidism) frequently with transient hyperthyroid blood results. Hashimoto's (and Graves) can cause high TPO and/or TG antibodies

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

If Graves' disease is suspected then a TSI or TRab antibodies tested

Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) or Graves' disease

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Hello, Can you tell me how/where to have private tests done?

Even the private Endo I saw didn't request all these, in fact he was clueless about thyroid. Even when my TSH was below the reference range, they say it's probably normal for me. So why bother having a range then?

I do have a multi nodular goitre and mine frequently swells up and I feel generally unwell.

A gp once did the right tests but I'm not sure I still have the results.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

If/when also on T3, make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

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

For thyroid including antibodies and vitamins

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

Cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

[Lora7again in reply to SeasideSusie]

Strangely enough my GP has printed out my results for me in his office while I sat opposite him because he didn't want me to bother the receptionist. I know this isn't always the case but some GPs will do this after they have read your results on screen. Now I can just log into my records online and read them without even asking for a print out which is much better than before.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Lora7again]

I'm in Wales, we don't have online access for anything at my surgery, when I asked about it the reply was that nothing would be done until they could be sure about "security", and nothing ever has been done.

The Advanced Nurse Practioner will give me my results if I ask, the doctors if you dare to ask them (none of them like you understanding anything, after all, "you're a woman and I'm God"!) tell you to ask at reception for anything you want, but the receptionist has to get the doctor's permission to give the results - go figure!

[Foxy1971 in reply to SeasideSusie]

We do have online access. Have just applied for it

[Lora7again]

I would join Elaine Moore's site as well as this one ... she helped me when I was first diagnosed.

Here is a link

elaine-moore.com/

[Battyboy911]

I never lost any weight when h yh they found my overactive thyroid.... unfortunately carbimazole made me put more on. 3 yrs down the line the removed it..... feel much better until the levels drop and more weight goes on 😕. So hard to try to loose any of the weight tho it’s not normal weight gain. Will be trying intermittent fasting this new year