New to this website and looking for advice/info/help.

[Indigo12]

Hello, I am a 25 yr old male who has been for 2 years trying to figure out what is wrong with me. About 2 years ago I called my Mom and told her I was feeling kind of spacy while i was driving and since then it has gotten progessively worse. I was diagnosed with acute stage of Mono, but about a month of resting I got blood tests again and the doctor said I was okay to start regular activity. Anyways...I have been from doctor to doctor and they can't figure out whats going on. My doctor started me on wellbutrin and i have been on that for about 6 weeks. I have done my own research and have come to the possibility that i have hypothyroidism based on my family history and symptoms. My symptoms include: Fatigue, detachment, abnormal hair thinning, tiredness, cystic acne (face, back, chest), my heart rate is anywhere from 44-52, muscle weakness in the gym, loose bowels, low testosterone (328 total test), weight gain around my midsection, anxiety, depression, a little bit of dry skin, very little emotions, brain fog, low libido, memory problems. Just overall out of it like a zombie all day, some days worse than others. About 2.5 weeks ago my PCP finally decided to put me on 25mcg of levo even though he said all of my levels were in range, I took that for a week with no hyperness or jitters so he told me to up to 50mcg and I have been on 50 for a week and a half now. I am trying to keep track of where my improvements are and I have found that I have a easier time falling asleep and also getting up in the morning that is about it. I am just trying to figure out if I could possibly have a thyroid issue. Oh and from what I can see the outer part of my eyebrows are thinner than the middle (not sure if they have always been like this or not). Thanks in advance!

[Clarebear]

Hi Indigo12 and welcome to the site

Do you have your latest thyroid blood test results - if so then please could you post them on here together with the ranges (figures next to them in brackets)?

Your symptoms do sound as though they could indicate hypothyroidism. I felt very detached and spaced out before diagnosis and this was very noticeable when driving - I am much better now though.

Just wondering if you are in the UK or not from a couple o things you mentioned - if no you might get better treatment

Clare x

[Indigo12]

Thanks Clare!

I am from the U.S. My test results are:

October 2012 Dr. Aslam (endocrinologist)

TSH Ultrasensitive : 1.380 (.360-4.17) Ferritin: 106 (26-388)

T3: 1.1 (.7-1.9) Vitamin D 25

T4: 8.7 (4.7-13.3) Total Testosterone: 412 (295-1100)

Free T4: .93 (76-1.46)

Biperoxydase 13 (<35)

This doctor said everything was fine and sent me on my way, suggested a therepaist.

Next blood test was Jan 25, 2013 done by my PCP

Free T4 .82 (.5-1.6) Free Testosterone 72 (50-247)

TSH 2.34 (.34-5.60) Testosterone % Free 2.2 (1.8-3.2)

Total Test 332 (285-950)

Sex Horm Binding Glob. 24.9 (13.3-89.5)

P.S. In terms of testosterone levels I am 25 and have an above average muscle mass from working out and play sports on the side (have been pushing myself through not enjoying it like I used to) but I believe those testosterone levels are way to low for my age, can thyroid cause testosterone issues in men?

[PinkNinja in reply to Indigo12]

Your T3 is rather low in the range and your vitamin D is below range (I believe) which could be contributing to you symptoms.

Your T4 is also at the lower end of the range so it does look like hypothyroidism could be likely. Just because the results are "normal" it doesn't mean they are normal for you.

Underactive thyroid can cause problems with sex hormones in both men and women. I don't know if this happens as a direct result but low adrenal function can be a direct result of hypothyroidism and the resulting drop in aldosterone production by the adrenals means that certain hormone levels can be low. I may have got this slightly wrong but that's the general gist of it.

Pushing through might not be helping your adrenals if they are compromised. Is it possible for you to get a 24hour saliva cortisol test that involves taking several samples through the day and comparing them with expected results for those times of day? This would give you an idea of what to look at. You might also want to get your DHEA levels checked to see if this is low. This could explain your lower-than-optimal testosterone levels.

Sorry I couldn't be more help but yes, thyroid could be contributing (directly or indirectly) to your lower testosterone result.

It may also be that you need some kind of adrenal support.

Carolyn x

[PinkNinja]

Can you write a list of your symptoms and put a score by each one from 1 (very mild) to 10 (very severe). If you can score for before you started the thyroxine and then score them all for how you are now. Then look at them again each week and see if the score is the same or has changed at all. This will help to give you, and your doctor, an idea of how the thyroxine is helping you. You may also want to take your pulse first thing every morning before you get up and also your body temperature and see how they improve. I have gone from a resting heart rate of 36-44 (I'm reasonably fit but not that fit!) to 56-64 average, which is a great improvement. My body temperature is now nearly normal too

It definitely seems that you have a thyroid problem given your symptoms and family history, and possibly a bit of adrenal insufficiency as a result (which should hopefully recover once your thyroid treatment is sorted out).

Carolyn x

[Clarebear]

Yes I agree with Carolyn. Hopefully your doc will keep increasing your thyroxine until all of your symptoms are relieved. 50mcg is unlikely to be enough. Most people seem to feel better when their TSH is less than one and ft4 is at the top of the range, or even slightly above.

It's good that you are having your ft3 measured too (difficult to get done in the UK), as you will be able to see if this increases in line with your ft4. If not, then this may suggest a conversion problem, and you could ask you doctor to add in some T3. I believe doctors in the USA are more inclined to prescribe T3 than they are in the UK. Good luck and please keep us posted xx

[Moggie]

Have a look at these list of symptoms and see if anything rings any bells for you.

mcvitamins.com/adrenal-exha...

As you can see its all about the adrenal's and your saying that your eye brows are thinning has made me post the link.

Hope it helps.

Moggie x

[Indigo12]

Wow guys thanks for all the responses! I have posted on several blogs and have gotten little to no response

Carolyn- In NY state apparently law prohibits that 24 saliva test...dont ask me why.

Anyways...I am not sure if you wanted me to list my symptoms on here with the scale let me know if you do. In terms of my symptom progress I have noticed my anxiety and bad thoughts have gone down significantly and it is much easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning. My hair thinning seems to be a little worse but maybe that is just me being paranoid. I seem to have a little bit more energy but the brain fog, exhaustion, fatigue and "out of it" feeling hasnt really budged much. I have had pretty severe cystic acne since highschool on my face chest and especially back and it seems to have flare periods where it is worse, but it is never clear. What are the chances that I could have had a thyroid issue that early without even noticing it?

-Also I have been taking Wellbutrin (anti-depressant) for 5.5 weeks so it is hard to decipher what medicine is relieving my symptoms.

Moggie: I copied and pasted all of the symptoms that pertained to me, I didn't see much about eyebrows besides it saying full eyebrows as a symptom.

Low energy - weakness, fatigue

Lethargy

Fluid retention

Sleepiness

Insomnia

Tendency to gain weight and unable to lose it (especially around the waist and is sometimes referred to as a pendulous abdomen - sagging and hanging)

Anxiety (worry), frequent feelings of stress; Difficulty handling stress

Need for caffeine or stimulants to get going

Reduced sex drive

Tendency to tremble under pressure

Depression

Sparse hair on forearms and lower legs (Never have been a hairy guy)

Dry and thinning skin

Acne or poor skin

Puffy Eyes

Weak Knees

Low body Temp.

Unexplained hair loss

Alternation constipation diarrhea

Last question for everyone: My PCP said that if i started to notice heart palpiltations, jitteriness, and hyperness to stop taking the medication. Is it okay to assume that since I do not have those side effects (actually my heart palpiltations have went down if anything) my body is in need of the T4?

THANKS AGAIN GUYS FOR THE RESPONSES

[Moggie in reply to Indigo12]

I did look for the link on adrenal's which stated that lose of eyebrows was a symptom but couldn't find it but I know that can also be a symptom.

Are you saying that you have ALL the above symptoms and if so what are you going to do? Do the doctors take adrenal fatigue more seriously there than they do here?

Lack of T4 can cause heart palps so if they have lessened since taking the T4 then the answer would be yes it seems your body does need the T4.

Moggie x

[Hashi_since_age9-1988]

peaktestosterone.com/Sympto...

[Indigo12]

Moggie,

Every doctor that I have seen has not even mentioned adrenal fatigue. The second Endo that I saw said that he did test for it and I was fine...the way they test for it is by cortisol levels which I know are inaccurate, not saliva test. My next appointment is mid May so I will ask my PCP what my options are in terms of adrenal fatigue testing. I do know like I said before though that NY State law prohibits that saliva tests for some reason, even if they are sent from another state. Any other "at home" tests I can do?

[mighty_mouse]

Hi Indigo.

I think you are correct to consider Adrenal issues.

The heart palpitations may be caused by Reactive Hypoglycaemia. (Look up the symptoms etc on Wikipedia) Do you perspire a lot at times, feel sleepy after eating a high carbohydrate meal, followed by feeling warm if drinking or eating something sweet?

Reactive Hypoglycaemia is a symptom of Hypothyroidism and can produce a high serum glucose upon glucose tolerance or fasting blood testing.

Because too many doctors rely on numbers a false diagnosis of diabetes often results.

Given your low resting heart rate I suggest you examine your FT3 and reverse T3 levels. An FT3 of 40 pmol/l places you at risk of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (Congestive Heart Disease).~ Consider 'Low T3 Syndrome' ~ 'Reverse T3 Dominance'

I only mention these matters as a precaution, so do not immediately panic. Just make the necessary enquiries of your MD.

Regards

Michael

[shaws Administrator]

Hi,

This is a link re adrenal issues and some of the links within this and other topics at the top of the page may not work.

There is a wealth of information on this archived website as Dr Lowe died last year and was. an Adviser to Thyroiduk.org. He was also Director of Fibromyalgia Research Foundation and Thyroidscience.com.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[stevespoc]

You sound like me .... I am new to all the symptoms

How are you coping now?

Steve