Thyroid question

[wildflowersummermeadow]

Hi there

I went to the doc recently about constantly feeling fainty and weird and exhausted and ill all the time. I was expecting it to just be "lack of sleep" (sleep-averse 16 month old, sigh), but the doctors receptionist rang me back with the results of a blood test

"your blood test results are back, they say low iron and low thyroid...doctor says you don't need to do anything. come back in 3 months for another blood test"

does anyone happen to know why i might be waiting for 3 months for another test? is this something that can get better by itself then? or can there be different degrees or stages of the problem?

the only info i can find on the web seems to say it's a long term thing that requires medication...

thanks xx - just in case anyone has any experience or can offer any advice - can i help my thryoid myself?

xxx

Hi

Can anyone please help me understand my DD's thyroid tests?

She is 13 and has Type 1 diabetes and so has her thyroid function tested yearly. Last year this time she was diagnosed underactive thyroid and started on tyroxine. I can't find the original test results. She had another test in July '11, results
FT4 13, TSH 6.1
Her meds were doubled to 50 whatevers(!) a day

She has been v anxious and depressed so I asked for a test Nov '11
FT4 14, TSH 3.6

They said meds didn't need increasing - is this correct?

She has just had another test done as routine annual check. What numbers should I look for and should U be asking for a FT3 test? What if they say not necessary?
Apart from (quite severe) depression she does not really have any symptoms but then she never has?
I find this very confusing - no one has ever really explained this to me - she was just told to take a tablet ever day - end of story:(

Your DD looks as if she's undermedicated. That TSH should be round about 1 and the FT4 in the top third of the range. FT3 test would be useful, but you may be lucky to get it.

The science is that thyroxine (T4) is the inactive hormone which the body converts to T3, which is the active hormone. An FT3 test will tell you whether the T4 is being converted.

Does she see an endo?

D

T4, T3 and TSH ranges can vary from county to county around the UK and in the USA the range and lab results are different.

In the county I live in T4 needs to be between 12-24
T3 needs to be between 3-6 (or there abouts)
THS between 1-4 (or there abouts)

But other counties you may find the range for T4 is between 9-21

anxiousness is a symptom of hyperthyroidism, along with weight loss, sweating, trembling hands, irregular periods, very light periods, hyper activity, hot flushes, never feeling cold and a few more to the list

hypothroidism, weight gain, lack of appetite, feeling cold, dry skin, thinking hair, slow movements, heavy periods, long periods, not being able to get warm and a few more to the list.

She doesn't see anyone about this - diabetes clinic just prescribe tablets, end of discussion. Should I ask for referal to someone else?

Hi MeanMom. All of the endo's I see for my thyroid seem to be diabetes specialists and everybody else in the clinic I go to is there for diabetes. So, if your daughter is already under a consultant for her diabetes it might even be the same person she needs to see. Why not start by giving them a call and asking. If you get no joy you should probably go to the GP for a referral.

meanmom - does your dd see an endocrinolgist? as they should cover both as both are auto immune disease and often you get one and the other together.

Title of person she sees at diabetes clinic is just 'paediatrician'

I have to phone tomorrow for her test results - I will make sure I ask for numbers and then I will ask for increase in meds and/or to see someone

Thanks for advice everyone

hello - just to say i went back to gp yesterday and stressed that i didn't want to wait until april for re-testing of bloods and the gp is saw (a locum) was great and rang through to the nurse and asked her to fit me in to do bloods there and then. I talked to the gp about all my symptoms and she agreed that it points to hypothyroid. I asked would they ever treat on sympoms alone and she smiled and said " that would be good wouldn't it" she then said that she had to follow guidelines and would look at the bloods on return. Luckily she is working at the surgery for 3 weeks so at least i will be able to go back and see her when results in.

I am really tired today - felt quite energetic yesterday - but today really tired so hope might get the results i need. K

Good luck with the next tests - post your results on here and also the previous ones and we can compare and contrast!

Yes good luck Katie.

Heartburn has not ever been listed as a symptom that I've seen so not sure why the Dr did the blood test for hypothyroidism on the back of just that one symptom? The locum I spoke to after the initial blood results was also surprised!

The heartburn was actually pretty much completely gone before I started on the thyroxin so probably completely unrelated!

Good luck Katie - I am a bit concerned about you feeling nauseous. Please look up adrenal insufficiency symptoms before you start taking any levothyroxine, just in case, as it can make that worse...

TSH was an absolutely awful measuring device for me, as I have pituitary problems. I had all the hypo symptoms but the test came back optimal (about 1). Luckily my GP had had thyroid problems herself in the past so was very sympathetic and insisted on further tests. Apparently she is now a bit of a local hero amongst the other GPs as pituitary problems are very hard to diagnose. When I moved surgeries they'd already heard about her/me!

I get my T3 over the internet as dessicated animal thyroid. It's what they used to use in the 70s and further back. It's not ideal to get it that way and eventually I am going to have to tell my consultant. But not yet.

Hi

Got my daughters results back today

FT4 16. TSH 4.8

Both are up on previous

FT4 14 TSH 3.6 Nov'11

FT4 13 TSH 6.1 July'11

Was told results were 'fine' - FT4 should be between 10 and 22, was too intimidated to ask any more questions ( was my daughters DSN) .

Should I ring to speak to her paediatrician (Aparently they do the diabetes and thyroid)? Am concerned the TSH is going back up why would it go down and then up on same meds unless meds were wrong? (she takes 50mcg thyroxine)

Also why would FT4 be creeping up (although I know higher is better) ?

I have taken thyroxine for almost 20 years. I take 175mg and feel like shoite. I am due to have blood tests and will ask for results - I have never asked for details. I have never seen a consultant or discussed this in depth with a health professional.

My arms ache if I lift them too - is this thyroid related?

Welcome Eggrules The revolution starts here.

The arm thing does seem to be related. It's another thing that a few of us have, but it's so off the wall that you don't think it can be a thyroid thing until you realise that others have it too.

You are entitled to ask for all your past blood results. You might want to pick a time period, say two years, or five years if you're on annual tests and see if there's a pattern between levels and how shoite you are feeling.

D

Thanks D.

It has never occurred to me that I should ask for levels. Haven't felt right for a while but have felt drained, achey and tired for months now.

Good to hear about what others think.

Hi MeanMom

The reference range for TSH and FT4 varies across the UK but according to the British Thyroid Assocation a typical reference range for TSH is 0.4 ? 4.5 mU/L. This is for an adult though.

If I were you I would ask for an appointment with the paediatrician and go through all of your concerns about the thyroid tests with her/him. Don't feel intimidated, you have legitimate questions that deserve an answer. At my hospital there are signs everywhere that say 'It's Your Health Don't Be Afraid to Ask Questions' I take them literally on that score!

Hi meanmum, that tsh is rubbish, I'm not surprised she feels symptomatic tbh. If you google clinical knowledge summaries you will find that many people only feel well with tsh in lower end eg 0.4 ish to 2, and in particular young people sometimes need tsh even lower. Ask for referral to endo who specialises in thyroid (thyroid uk might be of help here) and trial an increase in levo or possibly t3.

jaype I've read so much about people feeling better on natural thyroid or a combination of T4/T3 but my GP is so dismissive of any of my problems that I wouldn't dream of asking her to swap my meds.

Please can you tell us where you get the T3 online? If I can get it safely online I'm happy to pay for it, rather than getting a free prescription that leaves me feeling crap!

There are a couple of recommended websites in mexico I believe and you can also buy it over the counter in some european countries - greece and spain? Don't buy from bodybuilder websites as apparently they are a bit dodgy
You could try asking on a yahoo group, thyroid patient advocacy
Also I believe some consultants and doctors prescribe t3 or combinations, again that group or thyroid uk will have a list
Be v careful if self medicating - t3 is much stronger than t4

Jumping in very belatedly. I live abroad and have my tsh routinely checked every 2/3 years. I think I am exhibiting hydrothyroid symptoms and am going for bloods tomorrow. My tsh was 1.6 in 2007, 2.6 in 2009 - is it inevitable it will have continued to rise or can it fluctuate and go down? (not that I think it has) Interestingly, the European range seems much narrower than the uk one so not sure what to expect tomorrow.

Hiya, ideally it is checked every 6 months to a year to keep on top of things. It can fluctuate so it isn't necessarily just going up.
Oh sorry - just realised - are you not currently diagnosed hypothyroid? In that case, it can go up/down but usually if you test positive for antibodies, it will eventually end in hypothyroidism. The thyroid can work in fits and starts though until then so readings can fluctuate
Yes - many countries have a much narrower range. Nhs is penny pinching and waits til we are half way to zombies before acting (imo)

MeanMum

Looking at your daughter's test results, it appears that FT4 is normal but it should be towards the higher side of the range. Younger people's FT4 is normally higher than older people. I guess she may be underactive and small dosage of thyroxine would help. It'll surely raise FT4 and reduced TSH value which is slightly higher.

Best is to speak to your doctor as normal ranges for TSH are between 0.4 to 4.5.

Hope it helps.

Hi.

Recently got this dx and today got a letter with the results

My t4 is 0.14 and the TSH 3 is 73.08

That's seriously crapisn't it?

I live in the US now, but know that I was deemed 'low but not worth meds' when in the UK.

Given that dd was IVF and we never managed a second kid, I am finding this quite hard to deal with.

Hope you don't mid me reviving this thread, but I was lurking on it before.