hypo thyroid symptoms?

[gussiegrips]

So, I'm fat, 40, have headaches, swollen hands and am prone to the blue. Permanantly knackered.

Saw GP as headaches really bad, I wondered whether it'd be a BP thing as after last baby I had problems. BP fine.

He noticed in my records that I'd been a couple of years ago because my boobs were still producing milk - an uncle of mine had acromegaly so I wasn't happy about having a pituitary symptom!

So, he's running blood tests for thyroid problems. Which, it turns out, runs in the maternal side of my family, I'd never known that before.

And, having consulted Dr Google, I've got loads of the symptoms .... though, they are also symptoms of being fat and forty, right?

Anyone with similar?

I am also awaiting blood test results, gussie - although in my case, I'm 65. There are so many symptoms which indicate hypothyroidism, which overlap with other conditions, but a few are dead giveaways - outer eyebrow loss is an obvious one, also low basal temperature (taken before you get out of bed in the morning) mine is pretty low.

My late mother was hypo, so definitely a familial link.

I have had a really rough year, so hoping the GP comes up with some answers, and hope yours does too.

Did he test for antibodies, Vit D3 and B12?

See the eyebrow thing? I've been muttering about why my eyebrow hairs were migrating to my chin!

When I saw that Dr Google had it as a symptom I thought "wow"

Don't know about antibodies/vit tests - will ask. I've to go on Wed to see the nurse and have a BP check and the bloods taken. Naturally, am away to pour over google and find out why you'd suggest those be taken...

To be honest, I'd be bloody thrilled if it turned out I had a crap thyroid. The idea of taking a wee thyroxine which gets me my pep back really appeals!

Does that seem ridiculous? I'm hoping that I've something wrong? Suppose I mean I'm hoping there's an explanation for all these vague symptoms and it's something easily dealt with.

Regardless, I'm a little bit in love with my GP for even thinking of it.

Will get thermometer out and measure my temp tomorrow.

Good luck with yours

Hi gussie - I started to feel really ill a year ago, not long after my husband died. I thought it was heart problems, had angina pains, thumping heart etc., I even called 999 at one stage when I thought I was having a heart attack. All tests came back negative - I even did the exercise stress test - normal! My usual GP kept fobbing me off with "anxiety" and put me on Fluoxetine (AD), and insisted it was all in my head, when I knew there was something else wrong.

Then I read stuff about adrenal fatigue/hypothyroid, and realised that so many of my symptoms were the same.

I saw a different (more sympathetic) GP at the practice, with a long list of my symptoms, and he ordered the tests, so I'm waiting to hear this week what the results are, and will ask for a printout of the results.

I don't think it's quite as easy as just being put on medication - the usual med prescribed is Levothyroxine, which doesn't suit everyone, and it takes time to get the levels right - so constant blood tests are needed to check T4 levels (the indicator of thyroid production).

The usual cause of Hypothyroidism seems to be when the thyroid is under attack from your bodys' antibodies, which is why this should be checked (and that condition is called Hashimoto's), which can't be cured, only treated.

This is such a complex condition, and I'm trying to learn as much as possible about it, but am still very much a learner!

This site is very informative - click on the forum to get all the different thyroid diseases, and do an advanced search on Mumsnet for Hypothyroid, there are lots of threads on here.

Love your name, Nan!

Thanks so much for those links. Am still resolute in my belief that I just need to pop a wee pep pill, anything else is too tricky to cotemplate just now!

Thanks for those links, I really appreciate it. Amazing what sort of stuff I've just been ignoring that might acually be a symptom of something? Right down to sometimes looking a bit yellow? Now, why would I never think "oh, that's peculiar"

I've written a list of stuff to take with me to see the doc next time.

Am sorry for your loss, I presume you've just experienced the first anniversary? I hope it was bearable, am glad you were able to see a link with your symptoms from something other than grief - it's easy to see why many people are misdiagnosed. Hope you get results and get sorted quickly.
x

"Love your name, Nan!" - ooh, you've made me blush!! Yes, it is all a bit much to absorb I agree. Change in skin colour is an obvious symptom (not sure whether mine has changed!) and a VERY good idea to take a list of symptoms when you see your doc, it's too easy to forget things. In fact I'd forgotten to mention to mine that I'd been diagnosed with thyroid nodules 8 years ago, which could be associated (that took 9 months to diagnose, I was nearly paranoid it could be cancer).

Thanks for your kind thoughts - my husband had been ill for a long time (4 months in hospital) it was something of a relief when he finally died, and I am fine now, just wanting to get on with my life, and feeling NORMAL!

I hope your results come soon too, and you get a proper diagnosis.

I was delighted when diagnosed - GP thought I was a bit weird!! Check your results yourself and start a folder of results, also chase vit d, ferritin, b12 if diagnosed
I am fine a year on, altho I'm now dabbling with t3 as well

I was delighted when diagnosed - GP thought I was a bit weird!! Check your results yourself and start a folder of results, also chase vit d, ferritin, b12 if diagnosed
I am fine a year on, altho I'm now dabbling with t3 as well

Hi merci - I fully intend to keep records, I think my bloods included those you mentioned (5 vials taken, about 14 tests I think).

I've just been reading this thread which is very informative, you certainly seem to know your stuff!

I'm interested to know you are "dabbling" with T3 - has it made any difference, and was it prescribed on the NHS, or are you paying privately?

It seems that hypothyroid disease is so badly treated in this country, we have to fight the system to get what we need, and so much depends on your GP!

I hope the GP I'm seeing at the moment is one of the "enlightened" ones!

brilliant, thanks. Going to read and peruse and arm myself with knowledge.

I'll be right gutted if it turns out I'm just a fat, grumpy bitch...

Lol gussiegrips

I am a year on from diagnosis and feel very well, but still room for improvement in my mind (but not the GPs)
Tsh below 1 but t4 and t3 low in range. So instead of increasing my levo, I thought I'd try adding t3 and see how that went. I get it off a friend in europe - a quid a packet!! So far, so good. Not sure how the GP blood tests will go though - it'll all be messed up from their pov

Lol gussiegrips

I am a year on from diagnosis and feel very well, but still room for improvement in my mind (but not the GPs)
Tsh below 1 but t4 and t3 low in range. So instead of increasing my levo, I thought I'd try adding t3 and see how that went. I get it off a friend in europe - a quid a packet!! So far, so good. Not sure how the GP blood tests will go though - it'll all be messed up from their pov