Looking for Advice

[Trixie_73]

Hi,

After years of suffering from the following symptoms:

Chronic tiredness (have been known to be bed ridden for a day if don't eat regularly)

weight gain (3 stone in 2 years)

feeling cold (White toes & Hands)

Confusion

Dizziness

Foggy Head

hoarse voice (always being asked if I have a sore throat!)

irregular & heavy menstruation

I finally persuaded the doctor to give me a Blood count and Thyroid test of which I got the results today, everything was fine exept my TSH levels show as 5.

Doctor has confirmed I'm borderline Hypothyroid (she suspects I've been going downhill for a while from my history) and would like to get me re-tested in 3 months time.

I'm moving in a couple of weeks so will be changing doctors.

What can I do to help myself in the meantime, what tests are best to request when I get retested?? What's best to get the doctor to take me seriously??

I'd really like to get my energy back and feel well again!!

Thanks for your help.

[galathea]

The doctor should put you on thyroid meds if you have a tsh of 5 and anti bodies. Go back and ask her to test to see if you have an autoimmine problem.... If you have there is no point what so ever in waiting to see you get worse.....

G x

[shaws Administrator]

Before the TSH blood test became the way to diagnose thyroid gland problems, people were diagnosed on their clinical symptoms, such as you have above and medicated. Nowadays, the problems are similar to yourself in that people are undiagnosed or undertreated by using the TSH blood test only to diagnose.

This is a link to a doctor and his efforts to change the system.

worldthyroidregister.com/

Maybe if you could afford it have a private consultation with a doctor who is sympathetic and Thyroiduk.org have a list of doctors.

GP's have guidelines which tell them to wait till the TSH rises to 10 but some will medicate if you have symptoms before you reach 10.

If you are moving you will be changing your doctor so it may be worthwhile waiting as he/she may give you medication.

When you post your blood test results always put the ranges (figures in brackets) as labs differ and it makes it easier to comment.

If you haven't had a blood test for vit B12 and vit D ask for them and also check your iron, folate and ferritin levels.

[Trixie_73]

Thank you both for your help.

The figure for blood test I've supplied is the only information my doctor gave me, so I want to be more clued up when I get retested by the new doctor.

[nostoneunturned in reply to Trixie_73]

Trixie, it is difficult to tell from your post whether you actually got a copy of the blood test results. In case you did not know, you have an absolute right to have copies of blood tests, all you have to do is just ask the doctor for them. You will find a leaflet in the surgery detaling all your rights as a patient and this right is included in the information.

All symptoms you are suffering from are hypo symptoms familiar to us all. I hope you can get treatment.

You ask what you can do to help yourself: avoid from now on all sources of fluoride such as toothpastes, dental coatings, non-stick pans, and avoid iodine often found in all-round supplements; read (if you have time) all the info about this and other matters you ask about, tests, etc., on the main Thyroid UK site at:

thyroiduk.org

Doctors seem to be creatures possessed of extremely sensitive egos but perhaps a good way to approach the next one is to have a list with you of all your symptoms. and this will emphasise to him/her that while you might be medially deemed to be sub-clinical, which means that the TSH is raised but the FT4 is in the normal, or reference range BUT there are NO symptoms. You have symptoms. Thyroid UK has a useful list.

Your B12, folate, Vit D and ferritin should be tested plus thyroid tested of course.

It is not enough to be in the reference range for these, it is much better to be at least in the top quarter of the range for optimal effects. Roughly approximating to these:

Vit D 125-175nmol/L or 50-70ng/ml

Ferritin Around 90mcg/L

B12 A minimum of 500ng/L, higher is good, beyond top of

range is wonderful as B12 is never toxic.

Folate Around 10-12 mcg/L

Under or untreated hypothyroidism can be a strain on the adrenals but using unrefined seasalt helps these, do not worry about the iodine in it as the body can cope with iodine from this natural source, but cannot cope with supplemental, added iodine such as that in iodised salt, and often seen in the ingredients list on packets. Further help can be given by using Vitamin C, but read the labels and avoid any brands with artificial sweeteners, these are really bad news. Solgar does straight, unsweetened Vit C in capsules, easy to take. Three grams (three capsules) daily. Start taking Vitamin E, the natural one, not the synthetic form, say 400 units a day. Selenium, 200mcg daily.

Buy "Understanding Thyroid Disorders" by Dr Anthony Toft who is a past president of the British Thyroid Association and an eminent figure in endocrinology. The book is only £5 from chemists/Amazon and worth every penny.

Arm yourself with his advice on Page 44 (my edition anyway) which is to start treating sub-clinical hypothyroidism, which by deduction from your post is what you have, when this abnormality has been found more than once.

Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck with the move, try not to get exhausted by it.

Please post results (plus ranges - they differ from lab to lab) for the experts here to mull over, when you have moved.

[Trixie_73]

Thanks nostoneunturned that was really helpful.

I wasn't expecting to get a result on the Thyroid test to be honest, (was a general blood count and thyroid test due to monthly problems which thought was causing the constant fatigue) so didn't go to the doctors prepared. Was half expecting to come away with iron tablets!! Next time I'll have all the information at the ready to get the right answers!

Will definitely pick up that book as well thank you!!

[LouiseRoberts in reply to Trixie_73]

Just a pointer. If you want to reply to someone directly, you have to click on 'reply to this', otherwise they will not get an email telling them that you have responded.

Louise

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