Hi all new here, I havent been diagnosed yet and had a full blood count taken on Wednesday along side a ecg.
Since March I havent been feeling my normal self. It first started off with shakey sensation in my hands and internal upper body. I started to track my heart rate to find I seem to rest at 90bpm and can shot up to 146bpm not doing exercise. I can sit here and walk to the toilet and my heart rate will go to 106bpm.
Last few weeks things started changing, my sleeping got worse I was finding I was going to sleep late (once I finally switched off) to find i was back awake a few hours later. More so around 5am to 6am.
I have been feeling freezing cold in the days and evenings to the extent my nose will be like ice like iv been out in the winter months. Then soon as i get into bed i will have like hot flashes and be soaking wet in sweat and have to have a fan running and bedroom window open.
Iv also recently been diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and am to wear a splint for bed.
My last 2 periods have become so light and this is not my normal I'm usually heavy and last 3 days now I can last up to about 5 days with very little flow.
When I try and clean my house even the simplest of chores I find I'm getting exhausted really quickly and just want to go sit back down. I get boiling hot and sweat again and heart rate races and the shakes become more noticeable. My legs will ache and I will feel like iv done a 12 hour shift already.
I find I am weeing more than what I normally did and can get to the point I'm nesrly wetting myself because it feels like my bladder has no control.
My father checked my bp and I am having readings 137/99 etc. So I have been told by the gp to monitor my BP every morning and night for 7 days. So far I have these readings
Tuesday
Am: 143/86 pulse 93 PM: 133/94 pulse 87
Wednesday
Am: 133/93 pulse 85 PM: 145/95 pulse 75
Thursday (Period arrived)
Am: 137/89 pulse 69 PM: 125/87 pulse 93
Friday
Am: 133/99 pulse 90 PM: 124/94 pulse 84
Saturday
Am: 131/91 pulse 90 PM: 120/89 pulse 77
Sunday
Am: 124/90 pulse 93
My father was hypothyroidism and had his thyroid removed about 2 years ago and is doing better now. But also suffers with hypertension which they said was part of the thyroid issue.
My sister is also hyperthyroidism and is still on medication for hers. And also my mother is hypothyroidism and still receiving medication for hers.
Here where I live doctors have upped the ths level to get any diagnoses to 10. My father and sister think I'm showing signs if thyroid problems. The nurse who did my ecg and bloods said the ecg showed my heart was resting at 90bpm so I dont know if that's good/bad.
As much as I can feel pretty awful some days and so exhausted and all these symptoms I have a feeling regardless of my bloods if my tsh level is not over 10 these doctors down here will not touch me. Is this normal protocol? I am due to phone the gp on tuesday to have a phone consultation about my bp measurements and see what the bloods say. Does anyone think my symptoms sound like the start of thyroid issues? And if there is anything I should ask the doctors if they state blood tests came back okay? Am i allowed to know the tsh levels as well as the t3 and t4 or even the antibodies. Or can they not disclose this information.
Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance if anyone takes the time to read this and reply.
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Cara34
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You are legally entitled to your blood results. Ask for them and the ranges as well. The ranges tell you the normal spread of results for that particular lab and area of the country.
I suspect your problems are thyroid. Even if your tsh is not 10 if you have eabti bodies you can argue for levo if you are hypo and have hashimoto's aka autoimmune thyroid.
If the Dr thinks you are hyperthyroid remember that hypo hashis often starts with a hyper phase. So the antibody result is important.
Are you in the UK? If so, the law says you are entitled to a print-out of your results, which should give all the details. I think that's true in other parts of Europe, too. But I don't know about the rest of the world.
Is it normal for your TSH to have to get to 10 before they will diagnose you? No, it isn't! What's the point of having a range if you just ignore it? But, it's usual in the UK. In some countries, you would be diagnosed when your TSH went over 3, because that's where you start to be hypo. But in the UK they will use any possible excuse not to diagnose you. They will also do things like just testing the TSH, even though the TSH is not a good indicator of thyroid status. So, be aware that that may be all your GP will test.
You may already know about the procedure for getting blood tests re the thyroid gland, i.e.
All blood draws should be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between each daily dose of thyroid hormones (when prescribed).
A Full Blood Test consisits of TSH, T4,T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.
Ask GP to also test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Everything has to be optimal.
Always get a print-out of your results, with the ranges, for your own records and post if you have any queries and members will respond.
Put your results with the ranges onto a new post for comments.
If you are in the UK you can get private home blood tests and I'll give you a link. Make sure you are well-hydrated:-
Thanks for all this information. The doctors was doing all vitamins too they said as apparently vitamin deficiency can cause all my symptoms. Also testing for diabetes.
You definitely sound as though you have a thyroid issue. My Dr too wouldn’t do anything about it for me leading to the diagnosis of Hashimotos. Finally they helped me when my TSH was 36! (0.35-5.50 range). I was in a terrible way by then. Please press them for help before it gets to 10 as this is only when they’ll do anything. It’s awful in the UK how thyroid patients are dealt with.
Also request your vitamins are checked for B12, D, ferritin and folate. These vitamins really help your thyroid levels to work as optimal as they can. Also get your T3 as well as T4 and TSH tested. T3 is often left out as they don’t like prescribing T3 medication due to its cost but it is vital. Levothyroxine T4 sits in your body waiting to be converted to T3 which is the hormone we need for wellbeing.
If your Dr refuses to help and test you can go private but will need a GP referral letter. If you are really not getting the help you need there is always PALS a service to liaise with Drs.
Can i ask are you old enough for maybe perimenopause? It definitely could be thyroid related but ive had nearly all your symptoms in past 18 months and believe im in perimenopause?
Low vitamins are extremely common when hypothyroid
Low stomach acid when hypothyroid CAUSES low vitamin levels.....it’s not coincidence
Essential to get thyroid antibodies tested too
Come back with new post once you get results
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.
Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet
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
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
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 .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
The majority on this forum have been let down by their doctors or by the 'guidelines' laid down for diagnosing those who have a dysfunctional thyroid gland.
Many of us have had to diagnose themselves.
Doctors appear to only take a TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test but we, the patient need more than this. I shall give you some information:-
All blood tests for thyroid hormones has to be at the very earliest possible. It is a fasting test but you can drink water.
Request, TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.
If you were diagnosed and taking thyroid hormones (usually levothyroxine) you'd allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards. Always get a print-out of your results for your own records and ensure that the ranges are also stated and post them here if you have a query. Ask also for vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.
It is shameful today that the majority of doctors have lost the skill of diagnosing those with a problematic thyroid gland by touch and clinical signs. Doctors used to hold your hand and could tell if it is was a possibility.
In other countries we'd be diagnosed if TSH is lower than 10 - probably around 5 and who also take into account clinical symptoms. I had to diagnose myself when TSH was 100 and I was quite unwell.
Not one of any doctor I paid or didn't pay thought of hypo. I even had an operation on my throat to remove a 'web'. The doctor didn't see me after the op as would be usual. In fact I didn't see him at all until the following week when he told me I didn't have a web. What was on the barium swallow? I asked. He couldn't respond but you don't get your money refunded and I was too ill to bother and didn't know where to go next.
This link will be helpful and doctors in the UK used to practice similar to the one in the link before blood tests were introduced :-
We have to read, ask questions, and get a diagnosis and all our members are helpful and the majority have gone through all of the stresses/strains due to many doctors not understanding anything at all about dysfunctional thyroid glands.
Request, TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies. B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.
Hi Cara34, sorry to hear you are having some health problems. I too suspected I had an issue with my thyroid over the past couple of years. Doctors kept telling me my thyroid was ok but I followed the advice given to me by this amazing knowledgeable chat room. I started to to do thyroid home testing kits and plotted the results in a table and took them to my GP. I too never thought I could get medication as my TSH was only 7.5. That meant I had subclinical hypothyroidism but NICE guidelines says GP's can offer a trial on Levothyroxine if TSH is between 5-10. I went in armed with my results ,asked and got a trial on Levothyroxine. Eighteen months on and my GP said she could see the difference it made to me. You need to be pro active and take control, find out about your vitamin levels so you have some baseline figures to work off . Use this chat room to find answers to your questions they offer great advice. It worked for me .
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