Hypothyroidism??

[Jjane2020]

Having bloods on Friday to test but feel like a fraud and that doctor is just going to say I am fat and Lazy and eat too much!!

My symptoms are (and have been for years so have lost sight of what is ‘normal’!!)

Tired, even when I wake up from a full nights sleep I could just keep on sleeping

Foggy head, headaches, trouble focusing.

Pins and needles in hands, sometimes in legs but I would say in hands several times a day.

Hands and feet are always really cold. Even in summer I have to wear fluffy boot slippers and work got my fingerless mittens so I could type but still keep hands warm!

Hair falls out in handsfulls (but I am the hardiest hobbit you’ve ever seen so the hair falling out doesn’t really make a difference to thinning my hair out)

Dry skin. Not excema like but skin on shins goes shiny and lizard skin like if I don’t moisturise daily.

Constipation

All of my Nails have vertical ridges and are brittle and constantly breaking and splitting

Loss of libido

Anxiety, wake up at night with panic attacks. Breathless

Anemia, have had iron this year after was refused to give blood.

Lethargic and grumpy

Feel like one of my eyes protrudes more than the other one!!

[jimh111]

Almost certainly hypothyroidism, I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t. Patients can be hypothyroid with normal blood test results but doctors don’t recognise it.

Make sure you get a copy of your blood test results and post them here.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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

Ask GP to include testing vitamin and 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)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

Are you currently taking any vitamin supplements?

Ever had vitamin levels tested before?

[shaws Administrator]

If your doctor says you are fat and lazy, just tell him that it is his fault that he hasn't treated you optimally. The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and a Free T4 and Free T3 in the upper part of the ranges. The majority of doctors have no idea what FT4 or FT3 mean.

Always make the very earliest appointment for a blood test. It should be a fasting test (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. This helps our TSH to be at its highest. Change your blood draw date and time, if it isn''t at the very earliest and fasting.

Always get a print out of your results and Post them onto a new question, with the ranges for comments.

Unexplained weight gain is common, but due to not being on a sufficient dose. Our metabolism is supposed to be raised when we take levo. Our weight can reduce.

[Venicefan]

This is a link to a list of hypothyroidism symptoms. It’s a good idea when visiting the GP or Endocrinologist, to print it off, tick all of the symptoms you have and give it to them. You’ll probably find you have even more symptoms than you thought. If you haven’t yet been referred to an Endocrinologist, it’s time to ask your GP to refer you for a second opinion.

thyroiduk.org/signs-symptom...

[MCR77]

I would also make sure that you get your B12 tested, very similar symptoms. Get a printout of your all your blood test results, post them on this sight, and someone will help.

[Yoll]

Yes check B12

BBC Inside Out (Oct 2006) have made a few documentaries on this, check it out on YouTube

[jean66]

In addition to all these great suggestions, a sleep study may be in order to rule out sleep apnea. Do you snore?

[Obvs]

Sorry to read your post. You have come to the right place, and you will soon start to feel better. It takes a long time, but the changes (hormones, dietary, supplements ) will make you sharper and will enable you to deal with your own health. Wishing you well