To think I have underactive thyroid?

[ifitmakesyouhappy]

I am a 28 year old female, I am severely fed up with my health, I've had issues for a few years now regarding weight gain, acne, missing periods and was diagnosed with PCOS.

From October 2019 until April 2020 my acne had cleared and my periods had become regular again.

However after April's period I have had none and from around about may time have had these following symptoms -

Tired - sleep for 8 hours per night then still struggle to keep eyes open during day 2-3 hour naps if can

Unexplained Weight gain

Constipated

Hot flashes

Shaky in between meals, made better when I eat

Numbness in my arms

Muscle pain

No period since March

Heart palpitations

Persistent nausea which is better when eating

Hair loss in eyebrows

Dry skin

I seen the doctor in July but hadn't really taken much notice of all the symptoms together and mainly complained of my heart palpitations, he done a blood test and ecg - he said everything was fine, my blood glucose was high - 13 but my hba1c was normal as was my TSH for thyroid.

However, since then these symptoms are getting steadily worse, I have never in my life experienced such lethargy in my life, any activity, even just walking a little and I am ready for a nap. I could sleep all day and it is not like me.

Having done some research I genuinely believe I have hypothyroidism. I am going to phone tomorrow and book in with a female doctor who dealt with my PCOS. The thing is I don't want to be seen as a hypochondriac that won't accept the answer. Does this sound like underactive thyroid? Would you push for another test?

Symptoms definitely point that way. Can you find out the exact result and reference range for your TSH and whether they also tested T3 and T4. If not they really need to, TSH on its own is pretty useless and even the ‘normal’ range leaves many feeling very ill.

Is this a duplicate thread?

@DontTouchTheMoustache yes

What was your TSH level? You say it was "normal" but do you know the value exactly?

@bobbiester no I never asked for it exactly. Do you think I could phone surgery tomorrow and they would give me it?

Of course you have a right to you test results - but some GP practices get funny about giving out numbers on the phone. Some will only give them as a print out.

What you really want are the T4 and TSH numbers (they probably won't have measured T3 as part of a general screen for problems).

You need to ask for the TSH values specifically. A large number of GPS are turning patients away based on these so-called values despite very obvious symptoms that can be managed with a low dose treatment before they get worse. Let’s say if the upper limit is 4.5 (just an example) and your tests came back at 4.7, they can say it’s ‘normal’ when, combined with your symptoms, it truly isn’t. So always ask for the values and insist that the whole picture is considered. Sometimes, taking the TSH values right down to below 1 is what a patient needs. Also, these tests need to be repeated every 3 months roughly.

Thank you! I will phone the doctor surgery tomorrow and book appointment and also ask for values over the phone and if they are reluctant then I will ask for a print out.

I'm just so worried that I get fobbed off as there is something wrong. I know my body, and I am not right, my full body feels off and it's frustrating.

My Dads doctor (in another country) says I have classic symptoms of underactive thyroid. My GP eventually agreed to test and said my results were “low but within acceptable parameters”. Dads doctor says the correct procedure would be to prescribe thyroxin and see if my symptoms went away, if they don’t then that is not the problem, if they do then I would be in correct treatment but my GP just says “at your age” (I’m very early 50s) this is to be expected”.

@CouldBeOuting how frustrating for you! That's my main concern that I am just left feeling like this because I am beginning to feel really quite bitter. None of my friends have any issues and of course I wouldn't wish them to but I sometimes wonder why do I have to feel so shit all the time? Of course I need to keep it in perspective there are others going through much worse and feeling horrendous in comparison to me so I am really lucky I know but it's hard to not feel a bit pissed off that I'm dealing with all these symptoms. I just hope that something is picked up so I can feel better. I could cry.

Eventually, I was prescribed levothyroxine on clinical symptoms despite my tsh and t4 being on the low side of "normal" . The initial script was a trial and the effect was fairly rapid.I also had fertility issues which I think the thyroid issues exacerbated. I was late 40s and had had issues for about 15 years.
I would take a check list of your symptoms and discuss with a GP you trust .

I thought for a long time that I had an underactive thyroid, I would go through periods of feeling awful and then a bit more normal for a while. I was told my TSH was in the normal range when tested.

Then my sister was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, and I asked a GP to run a test for anti-thyroid antibodies along with TSH. TSH was again normal although on the higher side, but I had high levels of the antibodies - this means your immune system is destroying the thyroid, which is the most common cause of hypothyroidism in this country.

My GP said I would need regular testing as I was likely to have problems in the future, and suggested trying to time a test for when I was feeling at my worst. Sure enough, a few months later I was underactive on a blood test.

Definitely get the actual results, and it's worth persisting / retesting, as things can definitely fluctuate, especially in the earlier stages.

I think you need it retested and also to recheck your HbA1C because some of that sounds like diabetes - they would normally follow up on a high glucose by doing a glucose tolerance test even if HbA1C is OK. PCOS and diabetes and thyroid issues sometimes go together. I hope you get to the bottom of it and start feeling better.

If you can't get GP to retest you perhaps consider a test through Thriva. They run pretty comprehensive panels depending what symptoms you have - I did one after feeling lousy for a few months and it turned out my vit D and omega fats were low, but they did check a thyroid panel, HbA1C, haematology etc.

I have an underactive thyroid and have been on levothyroxine for years.The first symptoms i got was extreme tiredness like I was getting ill but all the time.

Do you get muscle twitches?

Have you had covid? As it can cause throiditis where you go hyper then hypo
As that can affect periods

.
The weight gain could affect pcos and period.

I have pcos and hypothyoidism.

Definitely get the actual numbers for your results then post on here and the thyroid UK section of health unlocked.

I have been wondering this hardly eating yet weight gain. Then last week noticed my eyebrows are disappearing the right one has gaps in it at the top. Pharmacist gave me some E45 cream for it. Sweats too, but then really cold and shivery. My feet are cold almost all the time. I am wearing winter clothes. Dry skin too can see dandruff when I peel off my black leggings.

Sounds a bit of an odd question, but have you had any kind of implants/surgery?

Some of your symptoms sounds like your body is fighting off an infection/internal disruption of some kind.

This can be cause for example by breast implants leaking (you wouldn't necessarily feel the change in your breasts and the symptoms could be body-wide).

Equally if something was left inside you after surgery (by intention or accidental) that your body is rejecting.

Could be barking up the wrong tree, but if you have had surgery, it may be worth investigating.

@UgaBaluga82 I actually broke my ankle in December 2018 and had to get surgery to have screws put in. I never thought of that. However, had no pain in the ankle since it's healed.

I have Hashimoto’s, PCOS and insulin resistance. I feel your pain. I’m in the US, so the out of range value for TSH here is lower and as such you will be treated.

I would ask for your TPO antibodies to be tested, in addition to TSH, and free T4 and T3.

Could certainly be hypothyroidism, get your results and start from there. Did they check your iron? And b12? Look up symptoms of b12 deficiency (re arms) and also vitD deficiency.

Yes, get b12 and d checked, also Folate too. Always get a print out of your results so you can see where you are in the reference range. You could be right at the lowest or highest point and be told it's 'normal'

It doesn’t sound like hypothyroidism but more diabetes associated with you PCOs. The TSH is high in hypothyroidism also unless it was seriously under active you wouldn’t begetting such dramatic symptoms.

arrange with your GP surgery to get access to your records online - then you can always see test results, prescriptions, etc.