Feeling cold, zero libido and tiredness - Hypothyroid ?

My girlfriend is always cold when others are warm.We did have a fantastic sex life and now her libido is zero and she feels tired most of the time - TSH 2.1...'normal', but do any of you have same symptoms and have positive diagnosis of HypoT ?

[vikkihope]

Hiya, welcome to the site have you got any other results, what has the doctor said, it's differcult to say as like me the list of symptoms went on and on but every body is different, others on here will be able to help out more, one of the main symptom is weight gain, tired all the time, some have joint pain, feeling sick, I felt like I had a lump In my thoat and found it differcult to breath, I over heat but I no others that are always cold, hope this helps good luck take care vikki

[Hidden in reply to vikkihope]

Thanks Vikki ! She has persuaded her Dr to take further blood results after he only took her TSH levels and dismissed her as 'normal' and just menopausal - still waiting for the results if the lab agrees to do them. She has gained some weight, is tired more than usual, does have some odd joint pains, and feels terrible that she has no libido. She asked her Dr why she feels so cold and he didn't say anything. Her TSH was 2.1 in a range of 0.3 to 4.5 I think and he said she was bang in the middle so was not Hypothyroid, but on reading Thyroid UK site, anything over 2.0 could be considered Hypo, so will be interesting to see what the T3 T4 etc are. Thanks again. Would be good to hear others who feel similar and have completely lost their libido.

[perks]

Weight gain without increased food, cold ALL the time, tired etc are all signs of Hypo unfortunately. Been there T-shirt purchased ( Ex Large).. What might help is a book called The Great Thyroid Scandal and How to survive it.. By Dr Peatfield.. Great book with good advice on dealing with test results ( TSH the lower the better) and good supplements to help support thyroid etc.. Asking your Dr for another test of the Free T4 and T3 might persuade them to help her as results change also go first thing in the morning for the blood test. Hope it helps even if just a little Perks

[Hidden in reply to perks]

Thanks Perks - I'll look into the book for her. She had her bloods done in the evening unfortunately and still waiting for the results of Free T4 and T3. Her Dr is very dismissive as so many are apparantly, so I hope these tests shows something. Thanks again.

[perks in reply to perks]

Hi Alficat.. Was just looking at the thyroid UK web site about best test times .. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/pages/... They are suggesting bloods late in the day.. See the N.B. section at the bottom of the page.. So I don't know if I'm steering you in the right direction with the morning but I think Suze has agreed with me below.. Morning being best but I'm struggeling to remember where I read mornings were best???? I'll put that down to brain fog!!! I think that Rod a.k.a. Hellvella ( check spelling) is very knowledgeable on the details so maybe a mail to him might help. Keep smiling.. Perks

[Hidden in reply to perks]

Ah thanks Perks - I thought I had read both morning and evening is best, so I too am confused now ! I've ordered the book by Dr Barry Peatfield as you recommended, so I'm sure he'll have the definitive answer. For anyone else interested, the best price including delivery is from bookdepository.co.uk/book/9... at £8.42. If anyone copies and pastes that address it will come up. Thanks once more Perks !

[Barbara in reply to perks]

You're right perks, morning is best. TSH is highest in the very early hours of the morning and gradually goes down after that. If you are trying to get diagnosed or thyroid meds increased then it's best to get blood tests done as soon as the surgery opens if at all possible. Even delaying to 11am can make an appreciable difference to your levels.

See this study at jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/c...

Diural TSH variations in hypothyroidism.

Also see this page on the Thyroid UK website: thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/pa...

"Recent research has shown that there is a diurnal (daily) variation in TSH production with a peak during the night, declining to half of this during the afternoon. A further result of recent work has suggested that the tests should be undertaken in the morning and that the previous upper limit of normality was too high."

The page you mentioned is also saying that the levels are lower in the afternoon but I think it's a bit ambiguous about when is the best time for testing. It's definitely the morning if you need an increase or diagnosis but it seems to be inferring the opposite!

[Hidden in reply to perks]

Hi Barbara, my girlfriend has had her 2 TSH tests, results 2.1 and 2.0, and she, but her Dr has said that she can only have FT3 and FT4 tests on the NHS - is this sufficient for a diagnosis with her symptoms, or is it advisable to have the complete Thyroid Screen private tests done at Genova Diagnostics which obviously include the anti-body tests ?

[Chippysue]

I do know of someone with a TSH round the same who has been diagnosed hypothyroid as she had high thyroid antibodies. As you will see by a recent blog that most folk have to wait for their TSH to rise above 10 which sadly doesn't happen for some.

Tell your girlfriend to have her thyroid antibodies tested too and also to have the blood test as early in the morning as possible as the TSH is at it's highest then. Having a blood form and having the test done at your local hospital would be good as they start at 8am, well in mine they do.

Good luck, have a good read of other posts and information on the Thyroid UK website

[Hidden in reply to Chippysue]

Thanks Suze. Still haven't heard back from her yet re the tests and which ones the lab has agreed to do as asked for by her Doc. I've ordered Dr Peatfield's book for her as recommended by Perks above - it has rave reviews from users on Amazon, so I hope it helps get some answers.

[Hidden in reply to Chippysue]

Hi Suze, she's mad because the tests have come back and all they've done is another TSH test and that's all. So, looks like the Doc/lab probably won't play ball so might have to have private tests done. Why are some doctors so bloody blinkered ? She took in quite a few papers (for Doctors) from ThyroidUK website and showed him, which he totally ignored. Made her feel like a hypochondriac and stupid.

[SleepyDumpling]

Hi alfiecat

sorry you guys are having a miserable time. My libido disappeared when I first became unwell. At the time my bloods were borderline Hypo with positive anti-bodies. I haven't stailised yet but when I have periods of stability my libido does return, although not as it was before. I think this will return once I'm on the right treatment for me. This can be difficult for the partner I think and I am grateful that my husband is so understanding. As for the other symptoms, cold and tired is definately an understatement! Hang in there and get a good GP! x

[Hidden in reply to SleepyDumpling]

Thanks SleepyDumpling - that will be a great comfort to her to hear someone else lost their libido and has the other same symptoms. She has just got her other results but is hopping mad because the lab has just done the TSH only again - this time 2.0. You said yours was borderline Hypo - what was your TSH ?

[SleepyDumpling in reply to SleepyDumpling]

I'm not sure what my TSH was at that time as I didn't know to ask! I will look through my print outs but I don't think it was particularly off the wall. It was when I saw another doc who then did my TPO anti-bodies based on my symptoms that I got my endo referral. Sorry that's not very helpful.

[Hidden in reply to SleepyDumpling]

Hi SleepyDumpling or anyone else, she can only have FT3 and FT4 tests on the NHS - is this sufficient for a diagnosis with her symptoms, or is it advisable to have the complete Thyroid Screen private tests done at Genova Diagnostics which obviously include the anti-body tests ?

[Barbara in reply to SleepyDumpling]

Hi alfiecat,

I'm a bit confused about your comment "she can only have FT3 and FT4 tests on the NHS". Do you mean that these tests are restricted to the NHS or do you mean that she can only have the T4 and T3 done on the NHS but not the antibodies?

The way the NHS usually works for thyroid blood tests is this - if someone is undiagnosed the first test to be done is almost always the TSH, usually at the request of the GP. If this is in range the T4 and T3 aren't done routinely, often over-ruling a GPs request for these. If the TSH is out of range the lab will next test FT4, if this is in range the testing stops there. If T4 is out of range the lab may do T3 too.

Antibodies can also be checked and this is most often done after a TSH test comes back out of range or borderline.

The labs have strict criteria on which tests are allowed as this saves “unnecessary testing” and thereby saves money. Endocrinologists usually have more clout in getting extra testing done than GPs.

I’ve used private labs before to get round this problem and found it very useful. Some years ago my TSH and T4 were both in range but, as I was taking mainly T3 medication, my GP asked for T3 to be tested too and the lab refused. My GP agreed to use the test kit provided by the private lab to get this done for me which saved me from the additional expense of getting the blood drawn elsewhere. He has since complained to the NHS lab and I get T3 tested no problem now. I haven’t used Genova myself but have heard good reports about them.

BTW, you mentioned that your girlfriend is menopausal – this in itself is a very common cause of low libido and if she does prove to have thyroid problems too then it is a double whammy.

[Hidden in reply to SleepyDumpling]

Hi Barbara,

What I meant was that the Lab has agreed to only do the FT3 and FT4 because her TSH results were 2.0 and 2.1 - 'normal' and within the range.

So, I guess she should see what these are and if they are 'normal', then go for the private full thyroid screen at Genova.

I know the menopause can be a cause of low libido, but she has NO libido at all now which distresses her, this after a wonderful sex life, plus she feels cold all the time, is always tired and had a plum-sized nodule removed from her thyroid 3 years ago - hence the thoughts of Hypothyroidism. Might not be, but it would be good to rule it out definitely.

[Barbara in reply to SleepyDumpling]

Oh I see what you mean now; that is *very* well done to get the lab to agree to do those tests!

Yes I agree with you re Genova, see what the tests results are first and then get private tests if necessary. Maybe the lab would even agree to an antibody test too if the T3 and T4 come back iffy.

Does your girlfriend know what any of her thyroid results were before now? As she has had a nodule removed in the past there must have been some tests done then. Also is there any family history of thyroid problems?

Make sure you get the reference ranges for any tests done.

Good luck!

[Hidden in reply to SleepyDumpling]

Thanks so much Barbara. We both thought the lab was being damned awkward to only agree to do the FT3 & FT4 tests, but obviously not so ! Her Dr did try to dismiss her as being 'normal' after her TSH came back in the middle of the range, but I badgered her into persuing hypothyroid having read so much about it and TUK saying many Doctors aren't clued up enough on the condition and ignore the symptoms.

I don't think she knows her TSH levels when she had her surgery, but I will find out later today.

Thanks again for your attention !