Advice please

[nursey]

I have only just joined this forum and am amazed at how much I have learned already. Sorry if I am repeating myself but I am not on meds but am trying to summon the confidence to go back to the gp. Briefly, I am tired to the point of tears a lot of the time, I have achy heavy limbs, dry hair (used to have to wash it every day as it was so greasy), I cry a lot and am emotional, periods usually 21 - 35 days and fairly heavy. I do have hot flushes at night but during the day I am freezing, especially hands and feet, no sex drive and pretty low with it all. I recently changed my job and now work only part time so I think my husband expected me to pick up. Tsh last year was 3.8 and free t3 was 4.5. Gp says all normal. I am 48 so she thought it was probably the menopause. Any advice on how I should approach the consultation?

[shaws Administrator]

It does sound like the clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism and this is a link:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

You may be able to persuade your GP for a trial of levothyroxine but many wont till you go above 10 but many will prescribe below this and they should take into account your clinical symptoms.

Is it possible for you to have, initially, a private consultation? If so, it would be worthwhile.

Others will have some suggestions for you.

[shaws Administrator]

This is another link and you can say to your GP that untreated hypo can cause various other problems.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

[Sunshinemr]

Hi Nursery

It does sound like hypothyroidism symptoms. I was diagnosed in France almost 20 years ago and my TSH was 3.2, well within the reference range. The doctor said that anything above 3 should be considered hypo in her view. Interestingly there seems to have been a lot of debates about reference ranges particularly in the US and some believe that TSH should be below 2. My own endo here in the UK agrees that for some people it's best to be between 1 and 2 and some even feel better if TSH is almost suppressed ie below 1. There is an interesting US website called 'About.com' with lots of info on thyroid disease. It's written and updated by Mary Shomon, a thyroid advocate and thyroid patient herself. You might find it useful to have a look but be warned there is lots of info and not everyone agrees with Mary's views. Just do a google search for her name and I'm sure you'll find it. Hang on in there, it is so tough when you're feeling so low and no-one seems to want to help. Keep investigating as it may be something other than thyroid-related and honestly, if it isn't hypo, you don't want to start on the meds as that's for life and it brings its own problems. Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are very similar to hypothyroidism and may or may not be linked. I've also read about candida albicans, a yeast overgrowth, (not sure of the NHS views on this) and many of the symptoms are very similar. I'd personally like to explore that a bit more but I'm not sure who to discuss it with. Maybe you could have a think and find out about it too. Take care.