Possible underactive thyroid - but within normal range?

[DorisShutt]

Is it possible for a thyroid to be within normal range, but not actually normal for the person being tested?

For the last six months to a year, I have had a variety of "unrelated" symptoms. Itchy skin & scalp, hair loss (which is now depressing me slightly), heavy periods, feeling the cold, fatigue (never want to get up, in bed by 9), and inability to lose weight despite a recent exercise fetish - I've been either running or shredding for almost a month, watching my food and I'm not losing anything.

When I google these symptoms (I know, I know!) it matches almost perfectly the symptoms for an underactive thyroid; and there is a family history, both my mum and my gran (her mum) had this.

However, I had my thyroid checked about 6 months ago as part of a variety of tests, and it was "within the normal range".

I'm going back to the GP when I can get an appointment - would I be looked at askance if I said that I don't think it is normal despite the tests? I mean, purely mathematically, the range must take a lot of people into account - and therefore anomalies must occur?

I do feel for you, thyroid problems can be shitty and complicated. What were your numbers do you know?
I am having hair loss, but apparently my thyroid is ok and it is my ferritin level that is low, I am not so sure though, we will see if the iron tablets make a difference. Are you having constipation and joint/muscle pains as well?

Yes, my iron levels were on the low side too in March. I can't tolerate iron tablets, but am taking spatone daily (iron water) but it hasn't helped anything other than my iron stores numbers.

Not much constipation (only round time of the month which is more or less normal for me), but yes to joint pain and aches.

It's the hair loss/breakage and the itchy scalp that's really getting me down. I've tried about 6 shampoos and nothing is making a difference; poor DH is asked every few weeks to check me for nits as it's that itchy.

I've been suffering with an itchy scalp for the last few months. It's so irritating, I've been losing hair too. I never even thought it could be my thyroid. I don't lose weight either regardless of what I do. Do you think its worth going to get it checked?

Yes, it is possible. That was my experience over a decade ago and I wish I had kept going back to be retested. Ask to be tested again. Some doctors might be a bit resistant but go for it as your symptoms have got worse in the last 6 months. When the results get in, ask for a print off of both tests for your own records to see if it how changed over 6 months. If it is looking more like hypothyroidism, eventually you will probably need thyroxine and it is good to be able to read and interpret your test results as it takes a long time for the body to respond to it and get the dose right.

The most common form/cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimotos, an auto immune disease. This is not tested for routinely but if you have these symptoms some of the time, it could be the tests are catching you at a time when your thyroid splutters into action. If you are still within the normal range, keep getting tested once a year or so.

In America, they treat hypothyroidism sooner; the 'normal' range is lower. If you are only just within the UK normal range, you could try seeing if your GP would so a full thyroid screen test and refer you to an endocrinologist. (I wish I had done that!) Your GP will look at your test result rather than your symptoms, so if they won't go down that road ask them to investigate why you are cold, hair falling out, have so little energy etc.

My symptoms are more or less constant now. My last tests which were in April for my thyroid (subsequent tests were just for iron) when most symptoms were intermittent and related to my period - ie they got worse at period time and improved after.

Now, I am permanently itchy, scaly and tired - I'm using Doublebase in the morning and Neutrogena to top up if I'm at work.

I'm going to try for an appointment today and see what happens. DS will just have to come too!

That post was for OP...

Definite Maybe really low energy which interferes with your ability to juggle work, family and social life, and feeling cold when those around you are warm and you have warm clothes on are the main symptoms. It worth getting tested with those symptoms, and if the symptoms persist to go back every year.

Doris I hope you get the tests booked. Do post back and let us know the results. These are a lot of people (mainly women) going around suffering with these symptoms unnecessarily.

Personally I found hand creams, especially Neutrogena (I think that might contain lanolin) made my skin worse. I don't use bar soap any more (especially anything by Imperial Leather) and wash all detergents off carefully with water. Some shampoos are worse than others too. Recently started using Garnier fructis Sleek & Shine shampoo and conditioner and it is much better for my hair, and no itchy scalp. ( DD said the same thing last night).

Well, phoned my surgery and got an appointment for today with the GP

Will report back, but suspect the first point will be full blood tests so wouldn't hold your breath

I have Hashimoto's.

Do ask (push, even) to get your blood tested again (TSH, T3 and T4). The problem is that there is a lag between symptoms and numbers in the tests. Generally the numbers change before you notice symptoms. As you're noticing symptoms, I'd be surprised if there was no change between now and April.

It is possible to have your test results within normal range, but to he hypo, for the reason you stated.

The reasons to be proactive at this stage are varied. First, if it gets worse, you could end up in a "hypothyroid coma" if you push yourself too much (I hit the edge of one and it's not to be recommended. Coma, by the way, doesn't mean being in intensive care, it's more like a diabetic coma, just nothing to do with sugar). Second, getting the right dosage of thyroxine is not an exact science, so there can be a bit of trial and error. Thirdly, once you are on the right dosage, it takes some time to get normal again - and the second point can add confusion to this one.

Hashimoto's is a very common problem, but it's not always straightforward to diagnose or resolve. There is a support group called Thyroid UK Support on healthunlocked.com and you can read through to see how people have dealt with it/are dealing with diagnosis etc.

I am in Australia and my obstetrician tests routinely for thyroid probs in early pregnancy. I was diagnosed as having an underactive thyroid and later Hashimotos. Of course, since I was pregnant, the treatment began immediately and I was monitored closely during both pregnancies. Since then, I still have blood tests every 6 months and my dose always seems to need adjusting up or down very slightly.

My DM in the UK was tested just after me and although her levels were "normal - low" (I don't know the numbers), her GP refused to treat it, saying that he didn't want her to feel like a patient. She carried on feeling tired and cold for another couple of years before I wore her down with my nagging and also my success in losing weight and she is now taking oroxine every day. I don't know if it's an NHS thing and of course that's a massive generalisation, but I pay quite a lot for my medication and so it was no issue for the doctors to start me on it!

Did you have any trouble conceiving, incidentally? That can often be another sign.

No, no issues in conceiving; my symptoms started after DS was born so if it is my thyroid, I do suspect that my body changing hormonally due to pregnancy and birth may be the trigger. Certainly it was for my gallbladder failing...

Maybe I should just blame DS

Will definitely push for full tests; I've been reading up on the levels so when the results are back I can discuss them.

I've been looking at the symptoms on ThyroidUK and I can tick a fair few of them - definitely one or two in each category.

I will not let this one go!

I pushed for a Hashimoto test fairly recently (768 auto immune thingy cells if anyone wants to know) (Had to go back again as a nurse blocked my first attempt, but that's another story.) I had pre-eclampsia with 2 pregnancies, which is now known to be connected with low thyroid functioning. My thyroid wasn't tested back then, but I think they do screen for it now in the UK.

Sometimes women can have temporary low functioning thyroid during pregnancy and it gets better. Just in case anyone else reading this is worried, it can sometimes be a temporary thing in young women.

Well, GP visit over - they took bloods then and there.

She thinks it is unlikely to be my thyroid. My last test showed my TSH at 2.3 and my T3 & T4 were also well within the normal range.

However, my last test showed my iron levels at normal, but with my stored levels at a low level, albeit within the normal range.

So, full blood work, thyroid, liver & kidney, foliate and B12 tests but the likely culprit is my iron levels. If that is the case, then it will be iron tablets and she has mooted (again!) a coil to reduce my heavy periods (or the depo but I'm not too keen on that as you can't take it out if there are side effects) so we'll see. Basic results should be back in 2 days, but the odder tests will take about 10 days.

We will see!

This may be worth reading as well:-

www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testing/thyroid_blood_tests.html

Also this is worth reading too:-

www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testing/interpretation_thyroid_blood_tests.html

Atilla thanks, there's useful stuff there. I can't believe there has been a move to raise the treatment threshold to 10. If they do that then that is horrible.

Doris I know what you mean about the coil. I asked my gp to rule out fibroids first, to see if heavy periods were causing my low iron, but the ultrasound showed that is not the case. Periods are much better now my iron levels are improving. I take high strength liquid iron, as I can't swallow the big pills either. It was about 6 months of this very high dose of iron before period pain/heaviness eased off.

Hope those tests throw something up.

I think some people may consider a TSH of 2.3 to not be entirely normal

It depends what the 'normal' range of the test is, surely? If between 0.5> and

There are a whole load of options of what it might be I think - I guess I fixated on the thyroid due to the family history, given that my health seems to be scarily duplicating my mum's. They did rule out fibroids with an ultrasound about April time so I know it's not that.

Should get the first blood results today (fingers crossed) so I'll see later on.

TBH, if they could just stop my scalp itching, then I'd take that!

Hopefully you get some answers. x

The results are in and it's all iron related; both my stores and my blood level.

So it's iron tablets for me... deep joy.

My TSH & T4 levels are all fine apparently; so that's a relie at least. Will get them to monitor it though.

Doris, am glad that you have got an answer. You couald ask if tour doctor will preacribe you liquid iron. I am on Ferrous Fumerate 140mg/5ml soln. The nice thing about it is I can have a bit more the week before a period, and can have it with lunch and then dinner, not all in one go.

I am glad that you have some answers, I am also on iron tablets with low ferritin. I am still having flippin hair loss, do you know what your ferritin level was?

Sorry, wrong thread!