Possible Hypothyroidism - urgent referral for tonsil cancer 🤷‍♀️

[Funkygibbons]

since having covid 2 years ago (twice) my asthma has been worse and had a funny lumpy feeling in my throat.

Anyway went to Drs for problems with my hands (it’s an age thing 🤦‍♀️) blood tests showed thyroid level 6.6 but hormone levels ok. I asked is this why I’ve been feeling so tired all the time? No you won’t have symptoms as hormone levels are ok.

Spent most of this week in bed , absolutely no energy, feel generally crap, temperature all ok, and this lump in my throat again. Went to Drs, right tonsil larger than the left (which is normal when older apparently, with regards to the left) and has a white lump on it but no puss. Referred to ENT for urgent cancer check 🤦‍♀️ now got yo wait for an appointment. Can’t have another blood test until end of November to see if levels are going up.

From what I’ve found on the web hypothyroidism can be the problem for a lot of things, has anyone had similar problems?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

welcome to the forum

As you have asthma and presumably use an inhaler regularly this can lower TSH as contains steroids

TSH - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone is the messenger from pituitary to tell thyroid to work

ESSENTIAL to get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once for autoimmune thyroid disease

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

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

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

See detailed reply by SeasideSusie

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

GP should also arrange ultrasound scan of thyroid

[humanbean]

blood tests showed thyroid level 6.6 but hormone levels ok. I asked is this why I’ve been feeling so tired all the time? No you won’t have symptoms as hormone levels are ok.

On this subject you'll get a lot of disagreement on this forum. Various points on the subject worth knowing :

1) A TSH level of 6.6 will give many people hypothyroid symptoms.

2) In healthy people with healthy thyroids the average TSH is about 1.25 or possibly 0.5 - 2.0

3) Many people are hypothyroid with a TSH of 3 or over.

4) Doctors often won't treat until TSH is over 10.

This link has some interesting statistics on it :

web.archive.org/web/2004060...

I am cynical about the treatment of hypothyroidism. I think that because women are many times more likely to become hypothyroid than men, it is given low priority. And of course because women are often believed to be making a fuss about nothing that also slows down diagnosis and treatment. Also, delaying diagnosis and treatment saves a lot of money.

Regarding the hormone levels, it is likely that you had Free T4 measured, but not Free T3. This is complete idiocy on the part of the medical profession because T3 is the active thyroid hormone, not T4.

And a point which is true for many blood tests, not just thyroid...

If X (which can be many things) gets tested and the reference range is 10 - 20, doctors will say that having a result of 11 is "fine" or "normal". If the patient has a test result of 18 doctors will say that that result is "fine" or "normal". But the patient may be someone who needs a result of 15 to feel well, or may need a result of 19.8. If someone needs a result of 19.8 to feel well but they have a result of 11 they will feel awful. But doctors will refuse to recognise that there is a problem because the results are "in range" and will tell the patient they are "fine" or "normal".

Another point is that doctors pay no attention to symptoms, and in fact will often not recognise hypothyroidism because they only pay attention to blood test results for TSH and nothing else.

Some symptom lists :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Funkygibbons in reply to humanbean]

Thank you for this 😊

I also have titanus and I understand this can also be linked?

I have had an urgent ent referral to rule out throat cancer as my right tonsil is enlarged with white lumps on it. I have a feeling of a lump in my throat for months, I do seem to have many of the hypothyroidism symptoms. They wanted me to wait 3 months for next blood test but have agreed to let me have them at the end of the month. I just want to know why I am feeling absolutely exhausted all of the time. I can’t afford to keep having time time off work 🤦‍♀️

[Batty1]

White spot sounds like tonsil stones.