Hi all.....looking for some advice please.
Every time I go for my bloods done they come back as being borderline for under active thyroid, well recently I feel worse than ever, constantly cold, aching joints, pins and needles and so tired all the time, so much so I've just got back in bed(luckily it's my day off work)..can only get in the doctors in April, so fed up 😔
If you do some reading on sites for hypothyroidism, you will find that some people will still have symptons even though they are still in the normal range. I know that for me... I do have hypothyroidism and I did not start feeling better until my TSH was at 1. I believe that most doctors will dose their patients until they are at 1 or 2 for their Tsh. Being you are borderline high..( that would make you above 2 ) which would be hypothyroidism(low is hyperthyroidism) then I would ask your doctor for a trial run of levothyroxine to see if it will help you feel better. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to really get into your system. You should also have you Tgab and Tpo antibodies tested. This will tell you if you have Hashimoto's, which is an auto immune disease in which your body attacks and destroys your thyroid. Hashimoto's is the number 1 cause of hypothyroidism in developed countries. If you have either of these antibodies than you have Hashimoto's and you can be symptomatic even though you are in the normal range. Your symptoms can also be from anemia which is low iron. You may want to ask your doctor to test you for that also. Alot of people who have hypothyroidism also have low iron (anemia ). Magnesium may help get rid of your pins and needles. Hopefully your doctor will test for these things and if he doesn't.... ask to be refered to an endocrinologists. An endo doctor specializes in endocrine disorders and are more knowledgable than a regular physician. I wish you the best.
Thank you for taking the time to reply @sweetmelissa I really appreciate it 😊
Hello Lisalashes:
My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA. I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease since 1987. I am 54.
Many of us can have so called normal or border line type levels in our blood but symptoms are the bodies way of sying "HELP".
Common low thyroid symptoms are: Feeling COLD, weight gain, muscle aches, constipation, bruising, dry skin and brittle nails, headaches, low body temp and low heart rate. There are many more these are common.
So see your doctor and see if you can get an earlier appointment by getting on a wait list or call in to see if someone cancels.
Ask your doctor to test TSH (Thyroid stimulating Hormone) T4 and T3, 2 different hormones made by the gland. Have a blood cortisol level also. TPOA and TGab tests for Hashimoto's and autoimmune thyroid disease. These tests look for antibodies that attack the thyroid.
Some people may have it in their family check with your Mom or Auntie and cousins. Also a nasty virus called Mononucleuosis now called Epstein-Barr can bother the thyroid and infections in the body can cause problems and even pregnancy.
Also a mineral panel needs to be done, to include: Sodium, calcium, potassium, ferritin, iron and B-12 and Vit D. Many of us are low in Ferritin a component of Iron and we are low in Vit D. Vit D prevents bad bone disease called Osteoporosis and people low in thyroid are more likely to have low D. this test can take up to 14 days to do.
Some of these tests can be done by a GP. So ask for them, "as a squesky wheel gets the grease."
Then come back and tell us your blood levels and reference ranges and we can help guide you more. Also ask the doctor for a started dose of Levothyroxine 25mcg, most doctors will do this.
Any questions just ask,
Regards,
Shelly
Thank you Shelly
I am going to go to my GP's in the morning and wait until I can be seen....
I didn't know that I could request Levothyroxine 25mcg.
Kind regards
Lisa
Hello Lisalashes:
Yes, there is a protocol called NICE Guidelines in the UK and also in the USA we have a similar protocol, so just say I am cold and say what symptoms you have and then ask for a starter dose of Levothyroxine 25mcg. Must take "LEVO" on an empty stomach about 1 hour before food! Food will block absorption so please take it way before you eat.
Let us know how it goes.
Regards,
Shelly