Blood test results show underactive thyroid - any advice welcome

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Hello - I've not posted in health before but thought someone here might have been in a similar position...

I started exercising a few times a week a few months back which resulted in some horrendous migraines within 30 mins of finishing exercising. I have terrible auras so can't drive and it leaves me feeling exhausted afterwards. After suffering for a couple of months I visited the Dr who suggested a full set of blood tests.

I went back on Monday and the Dr told me that there are signs of an underactive thyroid and to come back in 6 months for further blood tests. After having a sore shoulder all week and trouble sleeping I went back today (different Dr) she gave me some anti-inflammatories so I asked her about the thyroid result (I didn't ask any questions on Monday). She said that I do have an underactive thyroid but they have to retest before treating and to wait 6 months.

I've looked online and I have lots of the symptons (tiredness, feeling down, weight gain - this is why I started exercising, feeling the cold) but I also have other symptons, such as the muscle aches, blurred vision - could these be related too.

I'm not looking for any answers but just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation. Just feel like I'm waiting for my blood test in 6 months time but now wondering if I'm just going to keep putting weight on until then and not feeling great at the same time.

Many GPs are simply not up to date or have enough knowledge when it comes to such problems. Would certainly not wait six months and I would insist to the GP that you are referred to an endocrinologist.

www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index.html is a useful website with a lot of useful info on it.

why do they have to wait 6 months? If your thyroid levels are low enough to fit treatment then why wait for the treatment? This can't be right. Ask to see another doctor

Being cynical, is it because a diagnosis of hyprthyroid entitles the sufferer to a medical exemption from prescription charges for everything? Can't think of any other reason.

The Doctor I saw today suggested that results can fluctuate and return to normal levels without any intervention. What I've assumed is that if they do intervene and start treatment it could actually be unnecessary in the long-term and could cause further problems (i.e. difficult to come off any hormone tablets?)

Another thought I had - could my intense exercise routine be to blame? Could this be putting my body under excess strain which means the thyroid can't cope - i.e. if I stopped exercising is it possible the thyroid can get back to normal?

When I had Thyroid trouble, dr said I should not do any exercise which puts a strain on my body. Just normal things at a normal pace.

I am a great beilever in listening to what your brain/body is telling you. If you feel exhausted you rest or at least take things as easy as possible.

And yes, to the muscle aches and pains with a very underactive Thyroid as I had agonising cramp when it was hardly working at all, but also slurring my speech.

This happened to me but I only had to wait 6 or 8 weeks for a retest and it came back as borderline but ok.
6 months is too long I would ask for a retest sooner.

it depends how low your levels of thyroid are. If it's borderline then I can understand waiting to se if it's just a blip but if t's really low then why should you have to suffer the body effects for weeks/months? Souds very wrong and actually unhealthy to do so.

The first thing you need to do is to telephone your GP surgery and ask for a print out of your test results for you to collect, Stipulate that this should include the reference ranges. They may baulk at giving you this print out, but your results are your data under the Data Protection Act and they cannot withhold it.

Once you have it, come back and post the results here and the thyroidians will give you their input, but yes, I agree with everyone else, six months is too damn long if you're symptomatic and have been for a while.

Hi,can I join in? I've just had my thyroid results back today too.Just had the doc's receptionist say everything was fine but no detail so I asked for a print out - TSH of 6.24 and T4 of 10 if that makes sense. From a quick look at " Dr Google" that seems high? my symptoms were dizzyness, tiredness, ringing in ears, high blood pressure - i originally went to the doctors thinking I had some sort of vertigo! Should I go back to the doctor given those figures?

TSH is too high and would have been indicated on the results form GP got.
T4 too low ditt

Your results definitely show underactive - HYPO.

Make an appt with GP gatleygirl. Not dangerous but needs medicating

Wot digerd said

Thanks both! have been to the dr's with a few things recently, dry skin (given metrogel), tiredness etc, high cholesterol, numbness /coldness in fingers etc - now googling i can see all these could be linked to thyroid - so i wonder why the doctor could not do some joined up thinking linking these? also if i had not asked for the print out, i would have been fobbed off with "everyting is normal"!

I had a call from my GP yest telling me i had an underactive thyroid. One level was 57& the other 7. Excuse my ignorance as i don't know anything about thyroids...ironically my mother has Graves Disease so Im familiar but i've never taken much notice.

I had a miscarriage in February. My GP said the thyroid wouldn't have been a factor but Im reading stuff on Dr Google that indicates otherwise. How long can i expect to wait for the condition to stabilize? I've got more bloods booked for6 wks & been prescribed 50 mcg of thyroxine.

Where is a good source of information for a newly diagnosed person.

Tia!

Graves Disease is an overactive Thyroid, the opposite of an underactive one.

Don't understand your numbers of 57 or 7.

There are many websites about Thyroid diseases/conditions on Google.

Do you know what the numbers related to?

In UK the max for TSH is 5 . Lower in US.

Sounds like TSH 57 and FT4 7, which is very hypo. Unfortunately your thyroid was almost certainly a factor in your MC and with levels like this you may need specialist help to get back into a position where you can conceive and hang on to the pregnancy.

Read and learn. You may find that your GP is not v knowledgeable.

Thankyou both. I have no idea what the numbers were relating to. GP called me on my mobile, i was in the middle of something at work so couldn't speak propley.

I am wary of him as i did ask him the direct question about the miscarriage...

The problem with the internet is the volume of info & quality!

Thanks for your replies. Appreciate it.

Thanks for all the replies - I've been offline since I posted. I will definitely call back for the actual figures. When I went back yesterday, I specifically asked if I was borderline and she said that my results show definitely underactive. I will give them a ring on Monday for the actual figures and repost. Depending on where I fall in the range, I may then decide to ask for a retest earlier than 6 months.

Shellywelly / Gatleygirl - would definitely be interested to hear how you get on with your next appts at the Drs, if you're happy to share of course!

Thanks everyone,

I have just looked at the Thyroid Uk websites, and was shocked to read that UK wants to up the range of FSH to 10?

Also found this
T4 50-160 total Thyroxine
FT4 10 -24 Free Thyroxine
FT3 4-8.3

So perhaps the 57 was T4 and 7 the Free T3?

There is so much arguing among the experts themselves, and so many ifs and buts, it is hard reading.
I'm now feeling very HYPO in my brain which feels exhausted.
And very Hyper as I'm ravenously hungry and feeling faint for lack of nourishment.

Also that GPs don't get a detailed breakdown now and most just get 'normal' or 'abnormal' ?

But most likely the 7 was the FSH if the T4 was just above the minimum 50. Have to eat my dinner now.

TSH -

The NHS does not usually test total thyroxine digerd.

The question of ranges is a very vexed one. I have already been told by an NHS endo that he cannot treat with a TSH under 10 or he will lose his licence, but in fact such guidance as there is says they should look at blood results for TSH and FT4 together with symptoms.

I agree with the others.

Do not spend half a year of your life feeling like shit because a doctor doesn't want to treat you.

The way women who are hypothyroid are treated blows my kind.

It's like we have nothing better to aspire to in life than being fat and exhausted.

"I have already been told by an NHS endo that he cannot treat with a TSH under 10"

That is a crock of shit, as I'm sure you know.

My endo started treating me with TSH of 2.8.

I'm hypo thyroid developed it after my DD2, I had post partum thyroiditis which causes swelling on your thyroid thankfully my health visitor noticed my swollen neck and referred me to GP. In retrospect I had other symptoms tired, headaches, struggling to lose weight, aching etc but put it down to having 2 small children. My GP did my bloods and phoned me at home the next day my TSH was 99!!!!! So I was v v v v hypo! They suggested starting thyroxine and referring to endo I held off on the thyroxine as I was bf DD2 and the GPs were unsure of the effects, beung hypo affected my milk supply and I eventually stopped bf when she was 7 months as I was feeling so shit and desperate to start the thyroxine after 2 weeks I felt sooo much better! I was a bit upset when the endo said I could have carried on bf ing but hey ho! I'm on 75mg now just been to see endo again who tells me I have hashimotos so will have this for life.

I'm a bit unsure whether to go for DC3 but my endo assured me that if my thyroid is monitored properly it won't have any ill effects. She did say that she would want my TSH to be less than 2 before conceiving and during pregnancy so would in crease my dose.

That's my story!

This book is very useful and only £3.71 on Amazon at the moment! It includes a section on interpreting test results.