New here question

[Bunny]

Hello everyone. I havemany of the symptms of hypothyroidism,extreme tiredness, sleeping all the tie, no appetite, cconstipation, basal temp 97.6, pulse 60-64, gained 4 st not from eating but have not yet been diagnosed as my thyroid ie TSH is "normal". I asked the receptionist what is it and she said 2.63. All my reading tells me you can't rely on the TSH test I am going to see my GP with my husband on Friday 18th to ask for more tests, have found this site very useful for advice!! What does anyone make of my TSH level at 2.63? Oh outer third of eyebrows missing too!! I really need to know whether I am talking myself into having this or I really have and I need to meet other people with a clear diagnisis and more knowledge than I have. Hope to hear from you...

[Hidden]

Hi Bunny

I have Hashimoto’s & it has taken me a very long time to achieve an acceptable quality of life. Now I take 3 grains EFA Thyroid (1½ grains first thing in a morning & 1½ early afternoon), 3 Nutri Adrenal, 1 Nutri Vitamin B complex, 1 Pure Radiance C, 1 Intrinsi B12 /Foliate-- these I take with food split between breakfast & lunch. I save 25% on all supplements as a member ThyroidUK.

news medical.net/news/20100318/Having-lower-TSH-levels-while-taking-thyroxine-replacement-is-not-detrimental-to-health-says-study.aspx

My last test results were TSH .01 FT3 4.9, FT4 10.3, pulse & temperature are within range. I am greatly improved & haven’t felt so well for years. Off days come & go, so I have to pace myself.

Dr Toft is right, a low TSH is OK for some patients. I am so much better with a low TSH.

“ Medicine is not an exact science. It probably never will be, because no two patients are exactly the same. People’s susceptibility and their biological and psychological reactions to the same disease will always differ. Equally doctors are likely to vary somewhat in their management of a patients illness. No one course of action or method of treatment is necessarily more ‘right’ than another. Quote from Thyroid Disease the facts by R.I.S Bayliss & W.M.G. Tunbridge.

The above should be on the wall of every GP’s surgery in the U.K.!

Please make sure you are on the same brand of levothyroxine every time you ask for prescription. Try asking your GP to prescribe Eltoxin every time, you may find it beneficial.

Trying to find the balance for your thyroid condition does take a long time, please be patient you will get there.

I do hopes this helps.

Take care

Sentinel

[Bunny]

Hi Sentinel...I haven't got a diagnosis of thyroid at all yet. Last time I had it tested couple of years ago cos I was tired and couldnt lse weight , I accepted the answer that my thyroid was normal. Now I have done a lot of reading cos I have a whole range of symtpms. My TSH level is 2.63...and the Dr has just passed that as normal cos I havent raised all my other symtpms with him. But my cholestero lis high and doesnt go down depsite eating oats every other day, partners on same diet islow; I have high liver enzymes despite giving up alcohol over 2 yrs ago. Ive lost the hair off my arms and legs, and pubic/underaam greatly reduced.

My specific qn is what does the 2.63TSH represent alongsideall the symtpms?? I guess I need all the further test T£ T$ etc? Iam very new to all of this so on a steep learning curve!!!

[Chippysue in reply to Bunny]

Bunny, unfortunately GP's will not diagnose with a TSH under 10. We all have a different TSH that was our normal level before going hypo. When I battled to be diagnosed I had a family history and very high thyroid antibobies but at the end of the day it wasn't until my TSH rose to 10.1 that they diagnosed me.

Have your blood test as early as you can (I go at 8am to my local hospital with my blood form) as you TSH is at it's highest around 3am.

Ask to have your Free T4 and thyroid antibodies tested and also B12, ferritin and folate and if your TSH is no higher next time you could ask to be referred to a private doctor. Where abouts in the UK are you?

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK in reply to Bunny]

Actually, some doctors do diagnose between 5 and 10. It states this in the Thyroid Function Test Guidelines of 2006. We usually advise people to take the Guidelines to their GP and show them this section if the GP doesn't like to start treatment until the patient gets up to 10. Many docs haven't read the Guidelines!

[Hidden in reply to Bunny]

Hi Bunny

Before you go to see your GP write a list of all your health problems.

Do click on the following link at ThyroidUK & note the symptoms. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/pages/...

In the past I tried to remember everything before I went to see the doctor & came away forgetting some of the important ones. One learns from experience & now I list my symptoms.

If your GP is reluctant to do blood tests, keep on at him & persuade him to do Free T3 & Free T4 tests with your TSH test, if he turns out to be one of the “Good Guys” ask for a full blood count. It costs nothing to ask, it is worth a try.

Your symptoms & the time you have been unwell may persuade your GP to take you seriously.

There is much authenticated information on ThyroidUK’s website, browse the case studies, you may be able to relate to one or two of them.

Good luck when you go to see the doctor.

Take care.

Sentinel.

[Muffy]

Hi,

Ask the receiptionist at your local GP surgery what the ranges are at your local laboratory so that you can see where you are in those ranges. As others say, make sure you have all the thyroid tests although testing for FT3 levels is very rarely done.

In the USA, their TSH ranges are 0.3 - 3.0, so going by that you are fairly high in the range and should be treated, especially if your FT4 is low and.or if you have thyroid anti-bodies.

You could always ask your GP for a trial of Thyroxine. Make sure your husband tells the GP how you have gone downhill and for how long you have been struggling. With your symptoms they should have done other tests as TSH on its own isn't enough as it could miss secondary hypothyroidism.

Good luck with your appointment.