If its not an underactive thyroid or anaemia...what could it be?

[DoItTooJulia]

I have been feeling shitty for a while. I'm very tired and lethargic. Everything seems like too much effort.

I had a baby 9 months so and I had been putting my symptoms down to new mom knackeredness but I don't think it is that.

I went to see GP a couple of weeks ago who ordered thyroid function test and a full blood count. I called for the results today and was told that the doctor has seen them and hasn't asked for you to make another appointment. I assume that means they are ok.

Trouble is I still feel rotten. My hair is falling out, I have a constant low level headache and could sleep at any time. If I do sleep, I feel no better.

I have made another appt, but the next available was next week, which is aaaages away when I feel this crap.

Anyone any ideas?

No, but I have been and bought some multivits and B complex so I will see if they help.

Entirely possible to have low B12 and normal iron to two do not go hand in hand. I have normal iron, but disastrous B12 and terrible folate.
There are many, many immune mediated conditions that cause these symptoms. Too many GPs dismiss them. See another GP and ask about more unusual immune mediated conditions like Sjögren's syndrome and mixed connective tissue disease both of which have these symptoms.
I have had the symptoms several times on each occasion it has been the development of a new auto immune disease.
First - mixed connective tissue disease
Second- pernicious anaemia
Third - coeliac disease
Fourth - mixed connective tissue disease up graded itself to Sjögren's syndrome.

Oh yes if you have pernicious anaemia it doesn't matter how much B12 you eat it will make no difference - you can't absorb it.
Sounds like your GP doesn't have a grasp of fatigue causing immune disease.

Ate you still breastfeeding? My immune system was so low that I constantly felt rotten until I stopped breastfeeding at 13 months and felt so much better.

Not bf anymore. Stopped about 8 weeks ago.

Think I will have to see another GP if things don't improve. Trouble is, it's becoming normal to feel crap, like I am getting used to iy IYSWIM?

Yes, I know what you mean. The doc makes you feel like a hypochondriac, so you think you must be imagining things and you put up with feeling lousy, then lousier. And lousy feels 'normal'. Don't wait to feel worse, DoIt... Try and see another GP soon.

Taking Folic acid can mask B12 deficiency. Also, as the poster above says you can eat as much as you want containing B12 but if you have Pernicious Anaemia your body cannot absorb it. Have a look at this website and good luck. www.pernicious-anaemia-society.org/phpbb/

My gps missed diagnosed my hyperthyroudism (graves) four times so id keep going back

A TSH of 27 would be highly abormal. A TSH of 2.7 would still be on the high end of the 'normal' range. Hope you get answers soon :(

Go to see a different doc., or at least get a printout of your results and post on here. The fact that you're not clinically anaemic (i.e. the low end of normal Hgb level) means feck all if your iron stores (ferritin) are low...you'll still feel like shit.

Not discounting thyroid or vit-d issues, but the symptoms you describe sound exactly like my anaemia symptoms. Even when I get my Hgb back up around 12 (or 120 as they call it in Canada, as they use different units) I still have those symptoms. One doctor told me to stop taking my iron supplement because my Hgb was back within normal range again, and he said that taking too much iron was very dangerous (risk of hemochromatosis) but thankfully I was having routine 3 monthly blood tests. The next time I got my results I saw my usual fantastic doctor and he pointed out that I'd likely be feeling pretty awful until my ferritin (stores) was >50 and mine was still only 19! The first doctor was correct in that too much iron is extremely harmful, but I was a very long way from that being an issue!!

Haven't read all the replies but Ive felt pretty much the same for months.

I know I have issues with B12 as I basically don't eat much of the food that has B12 in it such as dairy/eggs as I have IBS and it aggravates it.

Anyway to cut a very long story short I had blood tests done 6 months ago and my B12 levels were apparently fine. I asked them to repeat the blood tests again 3 months ago and my levels were extremely low and together with something else they tested for they have decided I have Pernicious Anaemia. Ive had all my B 12 injections and gone back for my 3 monthly booster and Im back to feeling like me again. My headaches have all gone and I can actually get out of bed again in the morning!

Is there anyway you can ask for the bloods to be repeated? Like you I knew something was wrong.

Thanks all, again.

Still not feeling 100%, but I'm adjusting to this new level of well(ha)being.

I feel a bit reticent about going back. I know I am not right, but with the symptoms being so vague I am confident I am going to be fobbed off.

Ive noticed that I am getting achey joints and an almost lightheaded feeling too. Hmmm.

Hi everyone, sorry to hear about your symptoms DoIt.
I have suffered from hair loss for over a year now and this was the first symptom I noticed as it alarmed me.
I have seen 4 GPs about this and they all laughed at me thinking I was a complete hypocondriac.
I had all sorts of tests done and they all came back normal.
However when I asked for a print out I had low ferritin (28) and low vit D (I think it was 68 but I think the range is from 75 to 150? Or am I wrong).
TSH came back normal.
I went to see a trichologist who said that the hairloss was probably due to low ferritin levels and gave me supplements.
She said it was probably not genetic as all of the members of my family have a full head of hair (including my 89 year old granny and 62 year old dad!).
What I didn't realise (probably because I was completely focused on the thinning hair) was that I had plenty of other weird symptoms which I put down to age (only I'm only 37).
Feeling down, low motivation, can't be bothered to do anything, tired.
headaches
painful period (to the point where I have to sit or lie down),
thin, short eyebrows,
palpitations
very frequent need to urinate
weight/fat gain which nothing can shift despite having been skinny all my life.
Emotional
Skin tags growing all over my body
Extremely dry, papery, thin skin despite greasy skin on face
Extremely dry, gritty eyes
And last but not least.... here it comes: deep, horizontal lines across my thumb nails.

All those symptoms can be a sign of hypothyroidism.

My sister and my 2 cousins from my dad's side all suffered from serious thyroid problems (one of them Thyroid cancer).

I didn't see a link in all those symptoms until I started researching online and came across thyroid problems several times.
I mean they could all be a coincidence but it's a bit weird.
Also I realised that I have been suffering from some of them since I had my son 6 years ago, only now they are 10 times worse.
The fifth doctor I saw recently from the same surgery was very understanding, very nice and agreed to more blood tests (as I haven't seen anyone for a whole year) to see the outcome.
I know my ferritin and Vit D have gone up to quite a healthy range as I was taking supplements, but I want to know about my TSH and FT3. They won't test for anything else apparently.
If the TSH comes back normal yet again, I will ask for a referral to an endocrinologist, or pay for one myself, as I feel that all of my weird symptoms are hormone related.
We will get to the bottom of this and get some peace...

Oh and 3 more symptoms I have that some thyroid sufferers experience are: excess ear wax production, breathlessness and sinus problems.
I assumed that those things were just due to the way I was but now I'm not so sure.

Hope you don't mind me joining in :)

I have been feeling tired and not myself for a while now, though the doctor always put it down to my health anxiety.

Finally saw a doctor last week who got me to go back yesterday for blood tests, the nurse had a print out of the tests they were doing and there was lots of things listed including b12, thyroid, anemia, full blood count, diabetes etc.

I'm feeling tired, no energy, aching joints, dizziness, sensitive to light, my periods have been getting heavier, sinuses are playing up more.

I have also noticed that about my nails Tidy

The doctor asked me to see him again 5 days after the tests so I have an appt on Friday. He said he wanted to rule things out and then we can discuss it if the tests come back clear.

I'm relieved he is doing the tests, though having googled I've convinced myself I've got b12 deficiency and a lot of signs of underactive thyroid.

I just want to sleep all the time and just want some answers.

Many GPs can and do miss problems with the thyroid gland.

www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index.html is a non woo website re thyroid problems.

The blood test for thyroid problems is called a Thyroid Function Test. The most usual tests are:

TSH, TT4 AND FT4
There is a range, which is used for the tests. These vary sometimes which is why you must always ask what the range is, so that you can see where you are in the range.

TSH = THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
This hormone comes from the pituitary to stimulate the thyroid gland into making more hormone. TSH rises when the thyroid is struggling.
The approx. reference range for this test is 0.4 to 4.5.

TT4 = TOTAL T4
Thyroid hormones bound to proteins. TT4 lowers when the thyroid is struggling.
The approx. reference range for this test is 50 to 160.

FT4 = FREE T4
Thyroid hormones not bound to proteins. FT4 lowers when the thyroid is struggling.
The approx. reference range for this test is 10 to 24

FT3 = FREE T3
T4 converts to T3 and is the only thyroid hormone actually used by the body's cells.
The approx. reference range for Free T3 is 4 to 8.3

What supplements are you taking?
Its actually better if you take them in liquid form rather than pills. So something like Floradix would be good and liquid vit d.

Sorry you're feeling poorly still. I hope you get to the bottom of it.