I've had three blood tests done over the last year or so and each time my TSH has been in the 6-7 range and Free T4 in the lower end of the range around 13 (in a 12-22 pmol/l) Free T3 in the middle of range and Total T4 at 80 or so at the lower range end (64-142 nmol/l). Antibodies virtually not there.
The endo I saw suggested trying 25mg of levo to see if my now permanent symptoms were eased but my GP wasn't happy about doing this.
I'm not asking for any medical opinions but is it possible this "sub clinical" hypothyroidism can really wreak such havoc with my life? Dizziness, foggy head, tiredness etc etc. Some days like today I can't do much at all, others I can function, others I'm ok aside the constant hangover from hell feeling. My temperature is running 1.5c below normal but the endo said this wasn't clinical evidence of anything. And to be fair I don't suffer cold extremities.
Chris, I would take your endo's advice. All the reading I have done suggests that TSH around this level shows your thyroid is struggling and would benefit from a trial of 25mcg thyroxine. If uou do so, take it one hour before food and don't eat for four hours afterwards as food can impair the absorption of thyroxine. Also avoid iron and calcium supplememts for four hours. Get yiur Ferritin kevel checked as it needs to be 70+ for your body to process thyroxine properly. Get vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels checked.
Look on website tpauk, register and look under resources to find out more. All the best.
I can only say a little because I haven't learned about what T4 and T3 levels mean - but my TSH was a little over 4 and I was having all those symptoms that you described plus weight gain and stiff muscles and joints, I am already on levothryroxine 112 but with the symptoms my doctor raised my dose to 125. So having a TSH in the 6-7 range sounds crazy and horrible to me. Yikes.
And that would not be subclinical where I am, that would be full blown hypo, my lab says anything over 4.5 is hypo. But again I don't know what the T3 and T4 mean...
But did your GP give you a reason for not wanting you to take the levo?
Thanks Barbara, my ferratin is 112 in a 30-400ug/l range and B12 is 960pmol/l or so due to me supplementing as I had a radiologist suggest deficiency as a neck MRI showed cord T2 intensities that the neuro couldnt explain so I decided to take the initiative, it was 260 previously. Apparently not MS just now - this was one of the routes of investigation. Vitamin D was ok.
I also get pins and needles, hot spots, twictching and a weird facial tightness/tingling and oddly plantar fasciitus which I have read as being linked to hypo. You can probably see why they looked for lyme/MS etc!
The endo was quite firm that I didnt have hypothyroidism but suggested a trial run!
Hi liza....I forgot to mention the stiff muscles and joints!. I have put on 8 pounds in 3 months despite forcing myself to exercise and keeping the calories down.
Hair loss I'm afraid is a given at my age being male so I don't really worry about that one!
In the UK the sub clinical range is up to 10 hence the GP not wanting to prescribe anything. The low range T4 also is an indicator that things arent right.
I'm tempted to buy levo online and just go with what the endo said though that would leave me some explaining to do at my next blood test!
Pester,pester and keep on....i had a tsh of 6...i felt Like death...Borderline thé Gp said....i was put on levythyroxine à féw months ago,sometimes i feel ok...but....when i use any energy or i get cold,or have any slight stress then bang,it hits me....i feel Like how i imagine full blown aids would feel,Like i have hyperthermia,weak...i hurt...Just dreadful....im going back to m'y Gp...although its an effort....and im feddup...with it all...please be persistent...Good luck,
Hi Lisa...has the medication made no difference? Have your numbers changed at all?
Out of all my tests over 14 months the only thing out is my thyroid that they think could cause these symptoms. Of course it could still be ms but the neuro thinks not, the ENT thought vestibular neuritis, the radiologist cervical stenosis or b12 ...all dismissed...only thyroid left at this point!
Médication has helped,but,where as levels at 6...i felt so poorly all thé time...after starting médication my levels are at 4.5...Im ok if i dont overtax myself and avoid getting cold...but my body still just doesnt seem to cope,so im going to request a higher dosage
Thanks, that's useful to know. I really don't know why my GP is against prescribing anything when the endo wanted to try it. As he said to me, I'm not hypo in the classic sense but if there are symptoms that can be treated it was worth a go and my body would tell me soon enough if I didn't need it.
Looks like I should go back and be a bit more persistent!
I had low TSH about 4-5 and I got a therapeutic dose of Levi 25mcg, I was transformed very quickly and had all the symptoms that you have, My GP did not want to medicate me but lucky for me I saw a doctor who was leaving the practice and he subscribed for me before he left.
Definately does massiveley improve things and I would push for it if I was you.
Thanks, I'll check tomorrow, the last time they took 15 phials of blood I'm pretty sure there was one for those tests..in fairness to the endo he was quite thorough with those.
I'm in th UK and at my lab the TSH range is 0.4-4.9. As you are between 6-7 you are likely to feel sub-optimal (understatement!). Research shows that most people who are subclinical go on to develop hypothyroidism and need thyroxine. However not all people do and with your lack of antibodies I suspect your GP is hoping it will sort itself out. The two main causes of hypothyroidism are iodine deficiency and autoimmune. If you have the autoimmune type your antibodies would be high. Which leads me to ask which antibody tests you had done. There are two tests and it is possible to be low on one and high on the other. Hypothyroidism is diagnosed if you are high on either. The tests are TPOA and TGab. What us your iodine level like? You may want to take a multivitamin. Note too much iodine is toxic. Like with everything there's an optimal level. Talking of which, my lab's range for B12 is 200-900 so your results would be above the high limit, so you may want to reduce the dose of B12 you're taking.