How tired do you have to be to have thyroid issues?

[Caroline369]

I have posted a few questions several weeks ago and I decided before I can ask for my yearly blood test from GP (it's a year just now since last test) that I would add in some summplements as recommended here. My previous bloods indicate low FT4 that a person here kindly pointed out. The vit d helped alot but I'm starting to feel tired again. It's like low level fatigue, I can go out for walks but it can be a drag and sleep isn't refreshing. I can't do high intensity exercise like I used to several years ago as it gives me post exertional malaise even after a short run and that also results in a sore throat for a few days. I have other symptoms but I'm wondering about the fatigue. Can you have low level fatigue and function OK but still have thyroid issues??

Oh regarding my blood tests, I know you have to stop a supplement which contains biotin for a week which I have, but what about the vit d, do I need to stop that too?? Thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Caroline369

No you don't have to stop Vit D. The only supplements you discontinue are Biotin for 7 days before any blood test and iron for 7 days before any iron test. The rest you continue with but take after the test on the day.

Low ferritin or iron deficiency can cause fatigue.

[Caroline369 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Seaside Suzie, very helpful as always ❤️

[jrbarnes]

I had low level fatigue for 13 years before I was diagnosed with a growth on my thyroid due to hypothyroidism and was totally functional and lived a normal active lifestyle.

[Caroline369 in reply to jrbarnes]

Oh really jrbarnes! That sounds exactly like me. How did u get diagnosed?? Thyroid ultrasound??

[jrbarnes in reply to Caroline369]

I had a golf ball size adenoma on my thyroid and it made me bloat up 10lbs and break out in horrible cystic acne. They removed half of my thyroid and a few years later I was told that I should go on Levothyroxine. That's how my diagnosis went. I was in my 20s and didn't know what a thyroid was!

[Caroline369 in reply to jrbarnes]

Oh I see, that's terrible but glad they found it. How did the Levothyroxine help with the fatigue??

[jrbarnes in reply to Caroline369]

Levothyroxine is life changing for many but it was nothing dramatic for me. I didn't have extreme fatigue or aches and pains prior so going on Levothyroxine was uneventful but each person has their own story.

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

Important to test folate, B12 and vitamin D

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water

[Caroline369 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you Slow Dragon, yep I remember someone on here several years ago telling me that so every since I get my appointments for 9am on empty stomach. Yes will get foliate, b12 and vit D done too. I will be ringing on Wednesday morning after Easter holidays.

[greeneyes31]

Hi, I haven't yet been diagnosed with anything , but I have had the exact same symptoms as you for a long time. It's got worse over the past 2 yrs. Every GP I've seen in this time has told me I'm fine. No thyroid issues, yet I have all the symptoms. I took a private blood test in January and was found to have very high cortisol levels. GP still said there was nothing to worry about? I can function on a daily basis but some days, maybe a couple of times a month, the tiredness is just overwhelming. I would love to have even a fraction of the energy I used to. I too take supplements but to be honest I haven't really noticed much difference so I'm assuming there's something else going on. I have managed, through finding this site and getting the help of the wonderful people here, to see a private Endo. He has had me get a whole host of different blood and urine tests over the past 3 weeks and I'm hoping to get all the results tomorrow. Keeping everything crossed for some sort of answer to what's going on. Hope you get some answers too.

[Redlester in reply to greeneyes31]

Good luck greeneyes - if you have all the symptoms I'd be very surprised if, when proper TFT [and possibly cortisol] testing and other hormone testing is done if you DON'T have a thyroid issue. I was in a similar position, and took a host of supplements in order to help myself function, as doctors were doing nothing for me and leaving me to rot basically. Turns out that those supplements were propping me up and in some cases masking a thyroid problem by messing with the testing - and the testing was never done properly so was always generating "false" results allowing the NHS to proclaim my thyroid function to be "normal" just by going solely on the result of my TSH. So hopefully the endo you are seeing will be able to get to the bottom of what is ailing you.

[Caroline369 in reply to greeneyes31]

Good luck for your blood test results tomorrow Green-eyes, I hope you find the answers you are looking for. I understand your frustration my GP has always said I'm OK because I am in normal range. After I get my bloods I'm definitely going to go private to an endocrinologist.

[jiankang]

I suffered from bad fatigue and terrible brain fog. My doctor recommended I try an elimination diet to see if I had food sensitivities. I started by going gluten free and that worked instantly. What also helped I felt was the collagen peptide supplement which my doctor recommended. My B12 and Vit D were low and I supplement those too. I'm feeling much better now. I can function most days although I still have a few bad days here and there.