Borderline underactive thyroid and weight loss.

[Brioche201]

DS aged 20 went to the Dr because he has been losing weight (BMI 17.5)Doctor ran blood tests and said he has borderline underactive thyroid and has told him to do a 24 hour urine collection.What is this to test for and what are teh implications of an underactive thyroid?

Losing weight is usually a symptom of overactive thyroid. 24 hour urine collection is not usually an aid to thyroid diagnosis in the UK.

Sorry, no real idea what is going on here. Does your DS have any other symptoms?

yup underactive thyroid usually has the symptons of weight gain not weight loss which is more associated with a over active thyroid

Although weight loss is associated with hyperthyroidism it is possible to experience weight loss with hypothyroidism ( and vice versus). I'm not sure what the urine test means. Can you post his borderline thyroid results?

www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_the_thyroid/hypothyroidism_signs_symptoms.html

Hi he doesn't know the numbers of his results, but according to DS I think TSH was normal and the other one was low.He is adamant that the doctor said under not over active

The doctor asked if he had been feeling tired, and he has indeed been very tired, lethargic and a bit low so that would seem to fit in with underactive.

Ask him to request a print out of the test results and try to dig a little deeper. As I said weight loss can happen with hypothyroidism although it was very unusual.

The normal range for tsh varies from lab to lab but around about 0.5-4.5 is the so called normal range. He could have a result of around 4.4 and therefore be "normal" but this may be enough for him to feel quite unwell.

At the very least ask for repeat blood tests and ask for t3 and t4 to be tested.

I am wondering whether the weight loss could have caused the thyroid problem rather than the other way round.He says he just doesn't have much appetite any more.I have also noticed his bedroom smells strongly of ketone-breath in the morning.

Does he have low blood pressure? Low sodium and high potassium? Tanned-looking skin? Does the doctor suspect Adrenal insufficiency? This is usually also autoimmune so can sometimes be found alongside hypo-thyroidism.

Have just asked DS again, and he says the hormone levels might have been the other way round! Very helpful,DS!
I don't think it is adrenal because that is what the Dr first suspected-that or diabetes.It is only after the bloods came back she has mentioned thyroid.he initially went to the doctors about an allergy.As soon as he exercises or has a hot drink he experiences very intense almost painful itching and hives and puffy eyes.Also he doesn't sweat at all ever.He just happened to mention the weight loss.The GP thinks the itching thing is unrelated and has no interest in it.She was concerned about the weight loss though and hence the blood tests and now urine collection

Hi, I do loose weight and did so when first unwell at around the age of 20. I don't carry much fat naturally so as low thyroid hormones weaken your muscles I loose muscle weight. I did so again following child birth and not on enough thyroxine, as well as low ferritin and vit d. I've come across a couple of other people for whom weight loss can occur too. It's not usual, I agree, but not completely out of the question.

I'm not sure about the urine test but might be to check diabetes or protein?