Hi everyone, im new to this kind of thing. I have suffered for around 5 years now from so many symptoms that come and go, some in patterns (like changes around menstrual cycle) , some persistent (Chronic fatigue being the worst) or random. Every GP I've seen, and specialists referring back to GP all initially say thyroid issues even my neurologist. However all my test results are apparently normal. I don't know what is normal? I have ranged from TSH being 0.75 - 1.4 and serum free T4 14.1 - 18.6. These have been up and down since 2016. Im not sure if there is something more i need to ask for or do but my GP is just testing these two things and sending me on my way. Im really at breaking point with it all. Is there anything else i can do? Thank you
Hi new member here, advice and experience needed. - Thyroid UK
Hi new member here, advice and experience needed.
Have you not had full blood count done like iron/vitamin D and all the other markers? And you should post ranges of your other results where possible. And thyroid antibodies? this is a good test to check for hashimoto’s disease. Cortisol / blood sugar this is another.
Your GP needs to do more blood tests if you’re still feeling ill. Dont let them go down the chronic fatigue route until they tested for everything! There are lots of things they could be testing.
Hi I’ve put a photo on of the test I had in January. The doctor has only done one test a year. So not sure if that’s enough to really monitor. I’ve had so many people over the years say it’s clear you’ve got thyroid problems but then they do that test in the photo and they say everything is normal. But my symptoms are the same as a thyroid issue. I have chronic migraine syndrome too. docs keep saying it’s depression because my results are normal. But I’m only down because of how I feel. I want to do so much but can’t plan things incase I have a bad day. It all started after having the progesterone only implant put in, which I had removed after 6 months. My symptoms:
Hair loss
Chronic fatigue
Over sensitive to heat ( just walking in a slightly warm room can cause me to become quite ill)
Brittle snapping nails
Heart palpitations (which I was told is anxiety even though it happens randomly and more when relaxed)
Suffer from sinus issues
Tinnitus/ muffled ear
Had involuntary facial spasms
Irregular periods
Had 3 normal pregnancies but now can’t get pregnant after 3 years of trying but they can’t find a reason why.
My body can’t tolerate alcohol
Can’t go an hour without urinating
Body flicks between constipation to diarrhoea
Bloating ( I eat very healthily)
Poor sleep
Very quick Weight gain around abdomen (permanently look 6 months pregnant. This happened after implant. I was lucky to stay stick thin 5 years after birthing 3 children. I was 21 when I had my third child)
I’ve tried everything. I stopped smoking, drinking, upped my water, started taking supplements and live predominantly vegan life with bits of fish and meat to support deficiencies. I did swimming and yoga (as I cant physically cope with anything strenuous).. even after all the changes nothing is making me better 
Hi.
I’m new here to and I’m so sorry you’re not getting any answers.
I do know that you won’t have a true picture without some more tests. The tsh will not give you a true picture and nor will your t4. As Hashifedup mentioned you really need antibodies as well and ferritin at the least if you can’t get a fbc or iron panel.
There are companies that offer private tests and things to do that ensure you get accurate readings like fasting before your test and having it done as early as possible. I have used Medichecks and blue horizon. My last test was BH because it was a finger prick test for pretty much the same as Medichecks but Medichecks want a blood draw. Results were accurate as doctors too.
I will post a link from my post (once I figure out how to do it!) and in the replies is some really comprehensive info for newbies like us.
I will tell you that 25 years ago I was diagnosed with hyper mobility, m.e. And then fibromyalgia. I always refused these diagnosis’s and constantly requested a trial of thyroxine. I was refused until 5 years ago when I became obviously hypothyroid. I wish I had know earlier what to do as it has not been pleasant and it’s still not brilliant but this site is helping loads. So I would only say don’t give up. Your symptoms are not nice and you’ll find people here do understand and are so knowledgeable that you may be able to find a way to help yourself even though doctors frustrate you.
I will try and do the link thing now for you 😊
Thank you Winnie. I’ve been on phone to docs again and they’ve told me to do an e-consultation (Again). However I have also messaged a private endocrinologist for private testing. 
I’m not backing down this time. I went walking on Sunday with my children nothing too hard and I’m still in bed suffering for it..
I feel for you. It’s very hard especially when you have kids and have to get up and function, really all you want to do is go back to bed and cry 😢. Just tell yourself you are taking control of your health. It’s your body and you’re going to make it work better again.
Have a look at the Medichecks and blue horizon websites. If you order tests from them you may find that the private endo will accept them rather than order them through him which may cost more. Where did you get the private endo from? Is he a thyroid one? I have an nhs endocrinologist and he specialised in diabetes which seems common when I read posts on here. I wondered why he’s so flippant and hasn’t been that helpful. Thyoiduk have a list of doctors that are more helpful. Have you got that list? Seriously I have seen private rheumatologists and other doctors. Don’t assume that just because your paying you’ll get anything better than the nhs. Make sure you are paying for someone that knows about thyroid or you’ll just be chucking your money away.
That test result is the one that says normal which is after all the lifestyle changes but I still have all the symptoms.. I can’t upload a pic the other results. Which were all satisfactory or abnormal :/
I couldn’t figure out how to link so I ‘tagged’ you to the post. Hopefully it works. I’m on my phone and so when at the computer later I will check it out.
My posts aside there is literally lorry loads of info on this site. Set yourself some reading time! Lol.
Your nutrient levels are poor and low levels of nutrients will give you many of the symptoms you've listed.
Vitamin B12 : ideally would be close to top of range or around 1000ng/L. Best supplement is methylcobalamin 1000mcg per day.
Folate - 6.6 [5.4 - 24] Optimal is upper half of the reference range i.e. 14.7 - 24. Best supplement is methylfolate. See this link :
chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...
Ferritin 34 [10 - 322] 7.7% of the way through the range - much too low.
Optimal for ferritin is roughly half way through range or a little bit more, i.e. with the range you've given you would want a result of 166 - 220 (approx).
The problem with supplementing to improve ferritin is that under some circumstances it can go wrong and since iron is poisonous in overdose this is something to be very careful of. See this thread for more info :
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Iron can be supplemented safely, and iron supplements can be bought without prescription. But people need to know more about their iron and ferritin before supplementing because getting it wrong is bad news. If you can get an iron panel done and post the results and reference ranges you can ask for feedback and we can tell you what supplements are available, what dose to take, what results to aim for, etc.
I gave some more useful info and links to another member earlier today :
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
I was told to supplement from my gp and have done from the age of 16/17.. as every blood test said I was anemic.. the last couple of tests I’ve had have been low folate :/
GPs have little knowledge of nutrients, and little knowledge of levels which are optimal. Once a low level of any nutrient is supplemented and ends up in the reference range doctors think they've done their job and take people off supplements. But if the conditions that made the patient low in some particular nutrient haven't been fixed then they will fairly quickly become low in it again, and their levels will go up and down like a yoyo as they start and stop supplementing. But they will never actually be optimal or anywhere close to it.
Just to use iron and ferritin as an example, doctors rarely test both even though knowing both will tell the doctor something about the patient's health.
You can fix your anaemia (probably). But you would almost certainly have to take a fairly high dose of iron for a long time, then once you'd reached optimal you'd have to find your own maintenance dose to keep your levels optimal.
I never found a doctor who would do that for me, so I had to learn how to do it for myself.
Presumably you are not on levothyroxine?
But trying to get diagnosed ?
What your diet like.....are you vegetarian or vegan
B12, folate and ferritin all on low side
Suggest you test vitamin D too
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
No I’m not taking anything. My levels have got higher going more vegan which I was surprised at.. the pic on here is the highest I’ve had them in years. But I still have eggs, fish or some red meats every 3 days but I can’t eat most meats or big meals as my body crashes after I eat anything bigger than a child’s portion. I track everything I eat and had friends who are specialists and some nutritional scientists check my diets and they say I’m eating more nutrients than most animal produce eaters. I have literally done everything I’ve been told and my symptoms haven’t changed. My gut is telling me it’s some form of hormone issue but keep being told my results are normal and nothing else needs to be done :/
Could be low stomach acid
Gluten intolerance
Hidden Coeliac disease
Lactose intolerance
I’ve been tested for all that they said it was normal. I’ve had test after test for different things.. there’s results here and there for different things that are too high or too low or borderline /satisfactory but the doctor says it’s in normal range so I don’t need to do anything .
I also don’t eat gluten :/
The ONLY way to know if you have lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance is to try 3-6 months without
Suggest trying one at a time
Low stomach acid - test
healthygut.com/articles/3-t...
I don’t have dairy or gluten in my diet haven’t for nearly 2 years this is why I’m confused as I’ve done literally everything I can think of :((
Did gluten free or lactose free improve symptoms
Have you looked at improving low stomach acid
Slippery elm or Betain HCL or apple cider vinegar with mother
Some symptoms got a little better but others have progressively got worse. The fatigue, hair loss, sensitivity to heat, ear problems, irregular periods and abnormal bleeding (which gyny can’t find anything) hot flushes. These are the worst atm
Roughly what age are you
Menopause?
Have you done cortisol and dhea test
regeneruslabs.com/products/...
cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...
Considered gut infections like SIBO or H pylori
Glandular fever
hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...
Anything significant happen just before symptoms started?
My last test for them was a random blood test: oestradiol : 177 pmol
Serum progesterone: 1.4nmol
Serum cortisol: 177 nmol
Serum prolactin: 296mu/l
Serum follicle stimulating hormone level 7.1 iu/L
Serum LH level 3.1 iu/L
I’m 33 and had all this start when I had the implant progesterone only put in 7 years ago and then it got severely worse after the second implant in 2016. I’ve not been checked for the other things.
Also I have had something in my urine for nearly two years. They keep saying to do a clean catch retest I have done that 5 times in a year and taken anti bioticw and it returns straight away. Some kind of bacteria that is in the urine.. it’s like now I’m laid up in bed my head is on fire and feels like I’m full of flu and I’m due on in 2 days this happens every time I’m due on. My body hurts all over.
Sounds like chronic UTI infection
Tests mean nothing without ranges
Can you add ranges please (figures in brackets after each result)
What time of day was cortisol test done?
Should be before 9am
Spoke with another GP and manager. They have all said none of my results are low everything is perfectly normal so obviously I’m wasting my time even trying. Thanks for everyone’s advice obviously it’s all in my head!! All the best to you all
Sorry don’t know anything about oestrogen/progesterone treatment
Look at seeing a hormone specialist perhaps
Serum follicle stimulating hormone level 7.1 iu/LFemale follicular and luteal phases: FSH 1-8 iu/L LH 1-10 iu/L
Serum LH level 3.1 iu/L
Serum prolactin level 296 mu/L [< 600.0]
Oestradiol 177 pmol/L
Oestradiol: adult female pre-menopausal range 200 - 2000 pmol/L
Serum progesterone level 1.4 nmol/L
Progesterone greater than 30 nmol/L consistent with ovulation
if sample taken on day 21 of a 28 day cycle
Serum cortisol level 177 nmol/L
Random cortisol is dependent on time of sample:
0900h cortisol 150 - 600 nmol/L
2400h (midnight) cortisol <50 nmol/L excludes Cushings
The test was done around dinner time. Can I ask I’ve ordered the test but I’m due on tomorrow or the day after could that effect the result? *this was last year in July not been retested since.
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