If your teen is Hypothyroid, please help me!

[MynewnameisKy]

Please help, gradually over the last ten months my Dd 12 has turned from the light of my life to my worst nightmare.

In trouble all the time at school, back chat. rude, hyper etc

Not like this at home really. She has been eating and eating and is a little bigger but has had a massive growth spurt too.

We had some bloods done at the GP about 4 months ago and GP was considering starting Levothyroxine but consultant said leave it and review in six months.

I kept her home from school on Friday and she slept for 13 hours straight and then had lunch and slept 3 more. Surely that couldn't be normal. Could the behaviour at school be exhaustion? She comes home from school and falls asleep, GP said this was common for Year 7. I just don't know what to do or think.

Can hypothyroidism cause exhaustion and can exhaustion cause extreme mood swings?

Hypothyroid can definitely cause exhaustion. If you sign up to the Thyroid UK forum and ask your questions there I'm sure you'll get lots of help. They are brilliant:
healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk

Yes it is notmal for untreated hypothyroidism to cause exhaustion. Use healthunlocked site and share her results on there. Another GP appointment is needed with a full test. Hope she gets the treatment she needs.

Thanks all I have managed to get GP to repeat TFT blood test today. I hope this is at least progress. It's four months since last tests.

When my thyroxine needs increasing I can sleep as much as your daughter. I have been under active since I was a teen, I'm now almost 40.

I think the mood swings are teens/hormones.

Thats good. Please ask for the results so you know exactly what her levels are. If she's top of tsh range and bottom or under ft4 range, don't let the GP fob you off with wait and see! He should treat according to symptoms.

Thanks. The problem is they put the symptoms down to teenage hormone / growth spurts etc etc

I collected her from school today at lunchtime as the school are really struggling with her mood swings. She was asleep by 2:30 pm

That's not right though is it. You know your dd and this isn't right for her. Her levels must have been out of range for gp to think about starting her on levo. Lots of people have to get very ill before they get medication. I found i have to advocate very strongly for myself as i was still just in range for ft4.

If she is hypothyroid, what's the cause? Was the consultant you saw an endocrinologist? Really important to get to the bottom of it. My son is hypothyroid. Some hormone deficiencies can be life threatening if untreated (cortisol). So you want a full picture & this isn't as easy as one simple blood test. Go back and advocate for her as pp suggested.

Dd was commenced on Levothyroxine this morning. TSH is 3.16 which is within the reference range but T4 is 11.3 down from 12.1 in May of this year.

I am relieved that there seems to be a medical reason for the dramatic change in her. Although really cross that T4 was 11.3 in February repeated in May at 12.1 and no treatment given then.

That's quite typical for treatment if hypothyroidism, unfortunately. She can now loom forward to feeling alot better. She's probably been started on 25g or 50g. She'll need careful management of an endocrologist to get her treatment optimal. They should test her ft3 and her iron.

The GP made no mention of Thyroid antibody tests or of endocrinologist referrals just a "take these and get your bloods done in six weeks."

You have to be your child's advocate. GP doesn't have the expertise to deal with endocrine issues. And you want to know WHY she's hypothyroid. Sounds like zero attempt has been made to get to the bottom of it.

Your poor dd
It’s a tiredness that to me is like walking through treacle

It may take a while for the thyroxine to start working, so don’t think overnight changes will take place - more like 6-8 weeks

Really insist on the antibody test for autoimune (hashimotos). You really need to know this as it will help inform medical management. An endocrinologist should help establish her levels until she's stable. A GP doesn't have the specialist expertise.

Dd is continuing to sleep 13-15 hours a day. I have been back to the GP and all the additional bloods have been done but at this stage it looks like she has something else in addition to Hypothyroidism.

I hope gp has referred her to an endocrinologist. If not, it's best to insist as an endocrinologist can optimise her treatment and help sign post to any other possible issues. A gp isn't a specialist and undertreated hypothyroidism causes many symptoms.