I come to your forum via the B12 Deficiency Forum. Where i got tons of sound advice and help. I am not diagnosed with anything Thyroid related - but thats the test track i am on...
My story starts about 6/7 years ago when i developed increasing fatigue, leg cramps, dry skin and brittle nails. Most recently ( 3 years ago) cold intolerance ( 4 layers in Tescos!)feeling depressed and lazy, and also..even more worryingly ...peripheral neuropathy? Having had loads of tests, and procedures most cancers were ruled out. My GP sort of said, what you have isnt likely to kill you, its a "live with" condition. So, suffice to say, i looked for answers myself, hence joining the B12d Forum. As day by day things get worse and worse...
However, i found it wasnt B12d after self injecting B12 from Germany, and a year of testing. When my eyebrows and hair thinned and weight gain started this year, I knew i needed to look further. My GP said it was probably anxiety. So, I used ChatGPT to try and match my symptoms to a common cause = the main answer was my Thyroid or immunological issue. But looking back at past results I found I have had several bordeline TSH (low) results and 2 well below level FT3 blood tests.
I am wondering if this pattern of symptoms has been experienced by any folks here?
As my set of symptoms are a funny mix!
All and any comments, or pointers welcome. I send you my thanks in advance.
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Treesong2023
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First step is to get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done
If GP is amenable they might do most
Otherwise test privately
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested
Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once
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 and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
On T3 - day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day with last dose 8-12 hours before test
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
SlowDragon - great name. Thank for that list of info. It has already helped me, as my iron levels are always at borderline and below! and I have had two Vit D deficiency test come back as well below level. Pardon my grammar here.
I have been working through the various causes of my symptoms for three years now. Before that, I never went to the GP. I never ever thought of my thyroid, and my GP only checked last year when i pressed. Sorry, I am going on here . I just feel so relieved to have someone...listening.
Thyroid symptoms always are a funny mix. The reasons for that is that thyroid hormone is needed every single cell in the body to function correctly. If there's not enough to go round, some cells go short and therefore cannot function correctly. So, the symptoms can occur anywhere and everywhere, and are non-specific - i.e. they could possibly be caused by a lot of other things.
There are over 300 known symptoms of hypothyroidism but you don't have to have all of them to qualify. Every hypo has his/her own personal symptom list. So, never believe a doctor when he says 'your symptoms are nothing to do with your thyroid' because they probably are! It's just that doctors know nothing about symptoms.
Ask yourself which is the most likely scenario:
- you have thirty six diseases with one symptoms each - as doctors seem to think or
That's exactly what I think as well...I can just feel it..in me..all over. But i am not very good at challenging GPs
GP says exactly what you say GrayGoose, its your age, combination of stuff...and anxiety. I wasnt in the slightest anxious until i had these symptoms start.
Doctors, in general, hate diagnosing and treating hypo. And they'll blame your symptoms on just about anything rather than what it is. What they refuse to realise is that most of the things they blame it on are hypo sympsoms, themselves. Anxiety is a hypo symptom, but they won't admit it. As for age, ask him if that's the case, why aren't all the millions of people the same age as you, suffering from the same things?
I got that when all my hair fell out. It's your age, he said. I said, 'now look here, your waiting room is full of ladies my age or older, and not one of them is wearing a woolly hat like to hide their baldness!' He changed the subject. He didn't have a clue what had caused it, and had no intention of trying to find out!
You must question doctors. They're not gods. Most of them are not even very special, just flawed human beings, like the rest of them. And, the majority of them don't even seem to have benefitted much from their time in med school. All they know how to do these days is look at a computer screen and prescribe dangerous drugs to treat what the think might be wrong with you! Without really trying to find out what's wrong with you. And they don't even seem to care. They see us all as stupid, attention-seeking hypochondriacs, and look down on us. Why would you put up with that? You wouldn't if it were the garage mechanic servicing your car, so why would you with a doctor? Try seeing doctors as not very good garage mechanics - and, what's more, sitting there in their underpants!
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Newbie,do I have a hypo problem
Diagnosed fibromyalgia 
Looking for advice on labs - GP says all is fine
Where do I get tested for Permicious Anaemia? 
