I may be hypothyroid

natalie_ca

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I had a blood test yesterday and the doctor just called me with the results. Something my old family doctor never did!

Apparently my TSH is normal, but my T4 is a bit low. He said that it could be a lab error, or it may be a sign that I am on the way of becoming Hypothroid.

He said that he'll repeat the blood test again in a few months.

Not sure how I feel about being hypothyroid. It would certainly explain my extreme intolerance to heat and cold, and my ever increasing weight gain, lethargy and join pain!

Anyway, he isn't putting me on any medication at this point. But I suspect that when he does, I'll probably feel a whole lot better!
 

sharky

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truth be known many many millions have this issue without a diagnosis ... Glad your new dr is on the ball a bit
 

strange_wings

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What was your TSH levels? Accepted range was narrowed down years ago to .3-3 and some labs have not updated to the new standard yet - so your TSH may not be "normal", either.

Thyroid issues would certainly go inline with other posts where you were concerned about possibly having dysautonomia.
 

forensic

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My roommie just got diagnosed and feels better all ready (and she lost 2 pounds).

Just don't stop the meds once you start them or you'll have a few awful days when your body throws a tantrum...
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

What was your TSH levels? Accepted range was narrowed down years ago to .3-3 and some labs have not updated to the new standard yet - so your TSH may not be "normal", either.

Thyroid issues would certainly go inline with other posts where you were concerned about possibly having dysautonomia.
He didn't say what the value was, but he was certain that it was within normal range.

In Canada the ranges may not be the same as in the USA.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

He didn't say what the value was, but he was certain that it was within normal range.

In Canada the ranges may not be the same as in the USA.
That's sort of my point - Canada or some labs may be behind. It doesn't mean that just because the lab is using the old standard and you fall in the "normal" range that it's fine.
Looking it up sort of suggests the old range may be used in some labs up there. Maybe even the .5- 5.0 range? You'll have to get an actual copy of your labs to know. Also, maybe talk to SwampWitch since she would have more experience with thyroid labs.
 
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natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

That's sort of my point - Canada or some labs may be behind. It doesn't mean that just because the lab is using the old standard and you fall in the "normal" range that it's fine.
Looking it up sort of suggests the old range may be used in some labs up there. Maybe even the .5- 5.0 range? You'll have to get an actual copy of your labs to know. Also, maybe talk to SwampWitch since she would have more experience with thyroid labs.
The test was run at our lab at the hospital, so I have faith that it's accurate and based on the right normal values. Besides, even if we are behind in value updates, they don't prescribe medications based on what is currently considered a normal value here. I'll have to wait until the next blood work up. I'm going in towards the end of June or early July for a complete physical, so I guess he'll be doing the blood work then.
 

emrldsky

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Nuh uh...might give me away!
The only issue with being hypothyroid is not being treated for it. When I was tested last August, my number was 7.95. Do you know if they checked your T3 and T4 levels?

Also, if your doctor does want to prescribe you medication for it, ask him or her about Armour Thyroid. I gotta say, it's been wonderful to me.
 

swampwitch

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

That's sort of my point - Canada or some labs may be behind. It doesn't mean that just because the lab is using the old standard and you fall in the "normal" range that it's fine.
Looking it up sort of suggests the old range may be used in some labs up there. Maybe even the .5- 5.0 range? You'll have to get an actual copy of your labs to know. Also, maybe talk to SwampWitch since she would have more experience with thyroid labs.
Aw... I happy to share what I know, from almost 20 years of struggling with doctors and the disease!

strange_wings is absolutely right, Linda. The labs in the U.S. and in Canada do the same testing, but many labs in both countries have not caught up with the newest TSH range guidelines, so as a result many doctors are not properly diagnosing hypothyroid patients.

Besides, there is a lot of doubt about whether TSH is helpful to diagnose thyroid disease at all; TSH is a pituitary hormone.

This is the absolute best resource I have found on the subject. I am not affiliated with this site, but everything rings true based on my experience:

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com...y-its-useless/

A hypothyroidism diagnosis should be supported with T3 and T4 tests, in addition to tests for thyroid antibodies - which could signal Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. If you have Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism (people can have one or the other, but most people have both), your TSH should be 0.1. or lower, much lower! A good thyroid doctor will always ask about symptoms and how you feel first, the lab tests are secondary.

My last lab tests showed my TSH at 0.01, yet my T4 was low, so the lab results labeled me hyperthyroid (TSH levels) and hypothyroid (T4 levels) at the same time! I'm definitely hypothyroid, I have absolutely no hyperthyroid symptoms at all.


Originally Posted by emrldsky

Also, if your doctor does want to prescribe you medication for it, ask him or her about Armour Thyroid. I gotta say, it's been wonderful to me.
This advice is golden. Desiccated thyroid (called Armour in the U.S. and just thyroid in Canada) contains all the different thyroid hormones know to us, and those that haven't been discovered yet. Synthetics contain only T4 or T3, and work on the assumption that your body will produce whatever else is needed, but not all our bodies work that efficiently.

If you are hypothyroid, you will start feeling better within two weeks of supplemental thyroid, but it will take about six months to really start getting back to normal. If you get on the hormone, you have to start with a really tiny dose and it needs to be increased very gradually.

Keep us posted on how it goes!
 

emrldsky

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Originally Posted by SwampWitch

Aw... I happy to share what I know, from almost 20 years of struggling with doctors and the disease!

strange_wings is absolutely right, Linda. The labs in the U.S. and in Canada do the same testing, but many labs in both countries have not caught up with the newest TSH range guidelines, so as a result many doctors are not properly diagnosing hypothyroid patients.

Besides, there is a lot of doubt about whether TSH is helpful to diagnose thyroid disease at all; TSH is a pituitary hormone.

This is the absolute best resource I have found on the subject. I am not affiliated with this site, but everything rings true based on my experience:

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com...y-its-useless/

A hypothyroidism diagnosis should be supported with T3 and T4 tests, in addition to tests for thyroid antibodies - which could signal Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. If you have Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism (people can have one or the other, but most people have both), your TSH should be 0.1. or lower, much lower! A good thyroid doctor will always ask about symptoms and how you feel first, the lab tests are secondary.

My last lab tests showed my TSH at 0.01, yet my T4 was low, so the lab results labeled me hyperthyroid (TSH levels) and hypothyroid (T4 levels) at the same time! I'm definitely hypothyroid, I have absolutely no hyperthyroid symptoms at all.




This advice is golden. Desiccated thyroid (called Armour in the U.S. and just thyroid in Canada) contains all the different thyroid hormones know to us, and those that haven't been discovered yet. Synthetics contain only T4 or T3, and work on the assumption that your body will produce whatever else is needed, but not all our bodies work that efficiently.

If you are hypothyroid, you will start feeling better within two weeks of supplemental thyroid, but it will take about six months to really start getting back to normal. If you get on the hormone, you have to start with a really tiny dose and it needs to be increased very gradually.

Keep us posted on how it goes!
Swampwitch, I really think you're the one who told me about stopthethyroidmadness when I was first diagnosed last August.

Unfortunately, by the time I started to see a new doctor, Armour wasn't being produced. Fortunately, it's back in stock in most common doses. My mom (who was diagnosed in the 80s) started seeing the same doctor as me and my dad was FLOORED by how much her symptoms started to subside.

So, with all that, THANK YOU!
 
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