Doctor says that my thyroid is normal

[Pastelart]

Went to the doctor today for ongoing muscle pain and extreme fatigue when exercising and he asked what I thought was wrong with me. I said that I believed that I had a thyroid problem, as I have lots of symptoms and consistently over range TSH. His reply was that if my thyroid was struggling the TSH could go as high as 60 and that 5.9 is normal. God forbid! What hope is there for us😩

[tattybogle]

Oh for crying out loud ... please will someone remove this mans thyroid with blunt spoon and ask him to comeback in 3 months and we'll tell him his TSH of 49 is not bad enough yet , and perhaps he's just depressed ?

[shaws Administrator in reply to tattybogle]

I think the majority on this forum wonder who this man is supposed to be. Is he a clown to make such stupid comments to a patient who's suffering? Is he qualified as a doctor or does he fill his time to amuse himself pretending to be qualified.

[shaws Administrator]

There's no hope for you if this doctor makes stupid comments like that. God Forbid as you say that he is happy for some patients' TSH to go to 60+ before he prescribe levothyroxine.

Go to another surgery.

[Pastelart in reply to shaws]

I don’t think he meant that I had to have a TSH of 60, but was pointing out that mine is nothing compared to some! I am in the UK and the reference range that comes back with results is .2-5.5 I despair that anything will ever be done for me and am going to put it to the back of my mind and move on. Getting so frustrated and negative that it’s making me ill. I can’t believe how knowledgeable and helpful you all are and that you care what happens to a total stranger. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support 🤗

[shaws Administrator in reply to Pastelart]

Let him have a TSH of 50 and he will be squealing to get someone who knows how to diagnose him.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Pastelart]

Well - I can certainly tell him from my own personal experience of diagnosing myself - eventually - TSH was 100. It you click on my name you can read my 'story' and thousands of people remain undiagnosed due to the ignorance and theories the majority of the medical professionals seem to believe. 'Old Wives Tales Don't resolve symptoms'.

[Pastelart in reply to shaws]

Oh Shaws, what a horrible experience, I feel awful for complaining about my problems when there are people like you out there. How could they have been so negligent. I wonder if your doctors have learned something from your case. They have a way of absolving themselves, don’t they, like them not picking up on my low iron till I was gravely ill. One wonders how they can sleep at night. 🤔 🤗🤗

[tattybogle]

Have you shown the Doctor this graph ?healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

.... obviously needs educating about what normal TSH really looks like...

Also , have you asked what is the reference range that came with your 5.9 result ?

most UK TSH ranges now have 4 .something at the top , mine has 3.6

I'd be surprised if 5.9 is actually within range for TSH so if it is over range , you could ask him what he think's the purpose of the range IS.

If you've now had two over range TSH tests, 3 months apart , then NHS guidelines for subclinical hypothyroidism say that if you have symptoms of hypothyroidism ,they MAY offer you a trial of Levothyroxine .... these NICE guidelines are up to date, so if he is not following them and believes over range TSH does not require attention you could ask him why he is ignoring the guidelines .

(Sorry . just went off on a rant without checking if you are actually in the UK )

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What’s the range on TSH?

See both flow charts on here

gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...

See different GP and request 50mcg trial of levothyroxine

[MissGrace]

Funny how so many GPs ignore the ranges when diagnosing with TSH, but stick slavishly to them when prescribing medication despite how the patient might feel. The hypo paradox! 🤸🏿‍♀️🥛

[Pastelart]

I think I messed up again. Please all read my reply to Shaws. Thank you and keep safe, everyone. This too will pass.

[tattybogle in reply to Pastelart]

I totally understand how you feel, too much focus on this without getting anywhere, can cause frustrated and negative state of mind that is no good for us either. Sometimes it is worse for your mental health to keep focussing on something, and getting nowhere , and told you are just being daft by Doctors , than it is to focus on what happiness you can find and accepting how things are for the time being. And maybe that is the right thing for you to do at this point. BUT... don't u dare let them make you believe it's all in your head., and you're making a fuss. it's Not, and you're Not.

And keep an eye on your thyroid results every so often, cos even though yours is wandering around a bit , and not going quite high enough over the range to interest most Doctors at this point, neither is it happily sitting under 2 , which is what it would be doing if there was 'nothing to see here'.

If you happened to live somewhere else there are probably plenty of Doctors who would treat you already to see if it helped.

All the best too you, and in the words of Norman Stanley Fletcher.... Don't let the B*****ds Grind you Down.

tat

x

[Pastelart in reply to tattybogle]

Thank you tattybogle, sound advice. I just wish my symptoms could be put to the back of my mind as easily. Getting old sucks! Oops, I’m being negative again, but was so strong and healthy till a couple of years ago, that I thought I could be that way throughout my 20+ years ahead.

[Hidden]

It is my belief that anyone with untreated hypothyroid symptoms, whether taking levothyroxine or not, leaves themselves open to other diseases including cancer. Believe me or disbelieve me but I lost a kidney that way, nearly losing my life as well in surgery.Having your TSH at ANY level is simply NOT enough to avoid this possibility. Mine was well under 1 at that time. Now, taking NDT and no residual hypo symptoms, TSH last time checked was 0.05. Cancer completely gone.