Thyroid Results Help Please

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I have been feeling ill for a long time with various symptoms. My thyroid has been tested many times and I have always just been within normal ranges. I have even been an inpatient for a day where they injected me with alsorts then measured my results and that was all normal about a year ago.

However I had some blood tests last week after another visit to the doctor complaining of just not feeling right and got the results below. I should also mention that I have a large glitter with cysts on it which I have been told to leave alone unless it really bothers me. This was before these latest blood results. I am booked in next week with an endocrinologist as the go has told me my blood results were not right. Can anyone tell me what is likely to happen, and also what your symptoms were if you have had similar. In a crazy way I am almost hoping that there is something they can do so I can finally start to feel like me again.

These latest results show T4 24.1, TSH 0.903, LH 5.3 and FSH 3.6

I have been to see a cardiologist because my heart rate is consistently around 125 and after ECG, 24 hour heart monitor and a scan of my heart they said my heart is ok. My go has now put me on beta blockers until I see the endocrinologist next week as they said it was far too high to leave as it was. I have had almost everything else tested and all is normal apart from these results.

I don't know what your results mean but I've got (probable, based on antibodies) Graves' disease which is a common cause of overactive thyroid - I had no measurable TSH whatsoever, it's still low, and T4 was very high indeed. I had lots of symptoms but didn't get them checked out because I thought they were due to other things, we only found out during routine tests (I take a medication that can often cause under activity). Anyway my symptoms;

heart rate doubled and was a bit irregular, this can be a sign of overtraining and I was training for a marathon

I had a fairly constant feeling of apprehension

I had really terrible muscle soreness, especially in my thighs, I thought I was overdoing things. I've been a kind of sporty gym person all my life, I have horses etc, I'm used to muscle aches but this was something else

I lost weight, not a huge amount but it was mostly lean mass

I felt a bit 'high' and irritable, I have bipolar and my dr thought I was becoming mildly manic

Sometimes I couldn't get up, I was pinned down by fatigue

Eventually I couldn't even walk half a mile without stopping, having been comfortably running several times a week sometimes twice a day, up to 15 miles at a time - I felt very sorry for myself

It must be coming up to about 18 months since I started treatment for it and I'm feeling much much much better. It can take a while, the radioi iodine didn't work for me (because of a medication I take) but the carbimazole did and there are other options (like surgery). Good luck with the endocrinologist. There are some v knowledgeable people on here too.

That's v long but you did ask!

My GP started me on carbimazole and propranolol right away. I had a scan then met the endocrinologist who examined my neck (had a tiny goitre) and eyes. I see him every other appointment and the thyroid nurse in between if that makes sense

Thank you that's really helpful. I haven't really lost weight, just a few pounds but nothing major.

Other people find they feel hot all the time, sweat profusely. Have you noticed anything like that?

Wow yes, I am constantly feeling like that, I am working my way through every deodorant that I can buy to try and stop it!

Ideally I'd want to know if you had had any tests for thyroid antibodies? The Tsh looks fine, do you have the range guidelines for the t4? It might be a very tiny bit high or might be fine. But the picture is completed with antibody tests, possibly t3 too but it's not a 'stable' test as it can vary greatly during the day.

The T4 range goes up to 22 so mine is high. Haven't had tests for antibodies though. Just these and my go rang and told me to see a specialist as it is over active.

The specialist will probably do this. An extremely good source of info and advice is the British thyroid foundation. You don't have to join, the website is great and there are volunteers you can call. But I must say I've found the magazines really good over the years.

There's a big online presence for other organisations such as thyroid action uk and stop the thyroid madness. They are all great but the BTF is the official 'wing' of the British thyroid association (of endocrinologists). They had had a little criticism in the past for not being proactive enough about treatment for underactive thyroid, but I've seen a huge change recently. They fund research, a current one is looking at a new type of thyroxine (t4+t3 slow release) for underactive thyroid. I would really recommend anyone with thyroid issues join them/ follow them as well as the others.

I'd really, really, recommend 'understanding thyroid disorders' by Dr A Toft who was an endocrinologist in Edinburgh. Around £5 on Amazon. Graves can progress in two different ways, and he gives a really good explanation of this, as well as best treatment of underactive thyroid which might happen if (worst case scenario) your thyroid needs to come out.

It's really good to keep a record of all your results and roughly how you were feeling at the time.

Lastly, thyroid things do take a frustratingly long time to both progress, settle, and manage. And sometimes for the body to recover. It's helpful to remember this and explain to friends, family and work colleagues.