Hashi's?

[Victoria1234]

So I was googling my symptoms I still have after being gluten-free for 9 years and came up with Hashi's.

 

symptoms

chronic c, even with extra magnesium citrate

feeling tired all the time, despite using cpap for sleep apnea very succesfully

 muscle weakness and joint stiffness, my lower back hurts so bad every day

Hair loss

memory lapses (getting worse)

Dry skin

im freaking cold all the time. Ac is killing me this summer. 

High cholesterol, the bad one (been bad my whole life)

Depression and low motivation to do lots of simple life tasks

tendency towards anemia (my annual physical didn't check so I don't know current value)

my TSH is 2.590 uIU/mL    0.600-3.300 uIU/mL

 

Is there anything I can do at home to help these things? Should I share this with my doctor? I have a new one who doesn't know me well at all. What do I say?

thanks for any advice and feel free to ask questions!

 

 

 

 

[Gemini]

What would be helpful, Victoria, is to have a full thyroid panel done because you cannot diagnose anyone with Hashi's without a full panel.  It is more important to see what the actual hormone levels are than the TSH. Those would be Free T3 and T4.  You can have low hormone levels and normal TSH.  Your TSH is not too bad but if it starts to climb any higher, that would be cause for concern for Hashi's.  At least your lab seems to use the newer ranges for testing.  Many labs use outdated ranges that go to 5.00 for a cutoff. When my TSH was a 7, I could barely drag myself out of bed in the morning.

I have Hashi's and your symptoms are a laundry list for it and Hashi's is very common with Celiac Disease.  You can start having Hashi's symptoms long before the blood work goes off.......like Celiac.

[Victoria1234]

24 minutes ago, Gemini said:

What would be helpful, Victoria, is to have a full thyroid panel done because you cannot diagnose anyone with Hashi's without a full panel.  It is more important to see what the actual hormone levels are than the TSH. Those would be Free T3 and T4.  You can have low hormone levels and normal TSH.  Your TSH is not too bad but if it starts to climb any higher, that would be cause for concern for Hashi's.  At least your lab seems to use the newer ranges for testing.  Many labs use outdated ranges that go to 5.00 for a cutoff. When my TSH was a 7, I could barely drag myself out of bed in the morning.

I have Hashi's and your symptoms are a laundry list for it and Hashi's is very common with Celiac Disease.  You can start having Hashi's symptoms long before the blood work goes off.......like Celiac.

Thank you!

ive never just called a doctor and ask for a particular test... how do you do this? Do you have to convince them it's necessary first?

i would love for these symptoms to resolve, as I've had a lot of them my whole life. Until I read a lot here, I never thought they weren't just, well, normal.

my mom had problems with her thyroid. Had it removed in fact. 

[icelandgirl]

Hi Victoria!

Gemini is right, you need a full thyroid panel in order to really see what is going on with your thyroid.  The remaining tests are Free T3, Free T4, TpoAb and TgAb.  The last 2 are antibody tests.  Ideally, your TSH will be around 1 and the Free #'s will be in 50-75% of the range.  

I feel terrible with a TSH where yours is.  Mine is best very close to 1.  Thankfully, my endocrinologist doses based on symptoms!

Start by asking your Dr for the full panel.  Give her all of your symptoms as well as your mom's history.  Hopefully, she is willing to order them for you.  Many Drs will only order TSH or that and Free T4, but you really do need all of them.

This site is a great resource for all things thyroid:

Open Original Shared Link

Good luck and please let us know how it goes!

[Victoria1234]

2 hours ago, icelandgirl said:

Hi Victoria!

Gemini is right, you need a full thyroid panel in order to really see what is going on with your thyroid.  The remaining tests are Free T3, Free T4, TpoAb and TgAb.  The last 2 are antibody tests.  Ideally, your TSH will be around 1 and the Free #'s will be in 50-75% of the range.  

I feel terrible with a TSH where yours is.  Mine is best very close to 1.  Thankfully, my endocrinologist doses based on symptoms!

Start by asking your Dr for the full panel.  Give her all of your symptoms as well as your mom's history.  Hopefully, she is willing to order them for you.  Many Drs will only order TSH or that and Free T4, but you really do need all of them.

This site is a great resource for all things thyroid:

Open Original Shared Link

Good luck and please let us know how it goes!

Thanks so much!

i really appreciate knowing that you would terrible if your number was similar to mine. I tell you, I really thought I was "okay" before I frequented this site. But the more I read about people's symptoms, and them improving, I keep comparing myself to them. And realizing I'm not quite ok. In fact, there's a lot that could be better.

thank you both for arming me with more knowledge to approach the doc with. I do wonder if I'll ever be back to my old self. My husband sometimes comments on how different I am than I was when we were first married- super motivated and energetic. 

 

Ps just read on the site you recommended that bipolar might be hashis switching btw high and low.... and guess what my psych says I have and I'm on meds for? I would Love to get off that drug!

[Gemini]

6 hours ago, icelandgirl said:

Hi Victoria!

Gemini is right, you need a full thyroid panel in order to really see what is going on with your thyroid.  The remaining tests are Free T3, Free T4, TpoAb and TgAb.  The last 2 are antibody tests.  Ideally, your TSH will be around 1 and the Free #'s will be in 50-75% of the range.  

I feel terrible with a TSH where yours is.  Mine is best very close to 1.  Thankfully, my endocrinologist doses based on symptoms!

Start by asking your Dr for the full panel.  Give her all of your symptoms as well as your mom's history.  Hopefully, she is willing to order them for you.  Many Drs will only order TSH or that and Free T4, but you really do need all of them.

This site is a great resource for all things thyroid:

Open Original Shared Link

Good luck and please let us know how it goes!

I couldn't have said this better!  

[Gemini]

6 hours ago, Victoria1234 said:

Thanks so much!

 My husband sometimes comments on how different I am than I was when we were first married- super motivated and energetic. 

This is what undiagnosed Hashi's does.........robs you of your energy and vitality.  You are going in slow motion, if it gets bad enough.

Ps just read on the site you recommended that bipolar might be hashis switching btw high and low.... and guess what my psych says I have and I'm on meds for? I would Love to get off that drug!

Yeah......get that full panel done!  

 

[knitty kitty]

Hi!  I found this article very helpful. 

Open Original Shared Link

Hope this helps.

[Victoria1234]

34 minutes ago, knitty kitty said:

Hi!  I found this article very helpful. 

Open Original Shared Link

Hope this helps.

Awesome, thanks!

Also, I just remembered I forgot to add a possible symptom of my standard temp is 96.7F. Haven't had a fever since 1988 when I had rocky mt spotted fever!

[Victoria1234]

In the doctors office right now, just had the vitals taken.... and hoping my doc of the day is sympathetic to symptoms.

[Victoria1234]

Sounds like she's not into the whole thyroid idea, but is willing to check the t4. She also wants to check for other autoimmune diseases as she said some of my symptoms could match up with other issues. So I'm eagerly awaiting the blood draw.

[Gemini]

4 hours ago, Victoria1234 said:

Sounds like she's not into the whole thyroid idea, but is willing to check the t4. She also wants to check for other autoimmune diseases as she said some of my symptoms could match up with other issues. So I'm eagerly awaiting the blood draw.

She's willing to check for other AI diseases but only the T4 for thyroid?  It's as simple as taking more blood.   

The symptoms you mentioned, plus the low body temperature, is pretty clear cut for thyroid disease. This is why I ended up going to a functional MD for my thyroid and never looked back.  They do the full panel when I want them to.  If the T4 comes back low, push for the full panel.  Good luck!

[icelandgirl]

I completely agree with Gemini!  I can't understand her unwillingness to test for Hashis...makes no sense.  Also, hopefully she tested Free T4 and not total T4 as that's the only one that matters.  If she did Free T4, when you get your result, check to see where it is in the range.  If it's below 50% of the range, along with your high in the range TSH, insist upon a trial of thyroid meds.

Best wishes to you...I really hope you get some answers and feel better!

[Victoria1234]

1 hour ago, icelandgirl said:

I completely agree with Gemini!  I can't understand her unwillingness to test for Hashis...makes no sense.  Also, hopefully she tested Free T4 and not total T4 as that's the only one that matters.  If she did Free T4, when you get your result, check to see where it is in the range.  If it's below 50% of the range, along with your high in the range TSH, insist upon a trial of thyroid meds.

Best wishes to you...I really hope you get some answers and feel better!

She seemed to say t4, not free t4. I guess we shall see.

she brought in another doc who was nice but carefully explained to me like I was dumb about how the tsh I had was in normal range, but they'd be happy to recheck it. He said they only aim for the 1 in people already diagnosed with issues.

they also said the symptoms could be coming from my meds. I explained how I'd been having these issues before my meds.... that I'm pretty sure they aren't side effects. 

Lord god almighty I hate doctors.

can you find functional docs that actually take health insurance? Or are they all pay out of pocket? I had a chiro-functional doc back when I had a lot more money but he cost me thousands.

at least they took my back pain seriously. Going to see a pt tomorrow at a spine center. Now if that pain was eliminated, I would be a lot happier with life. My back hurts as soon as I wake up till I fall asleep.

[icelandgirl]

18 hours ago, Victoria1234 said:

She seemed to say t4, not free t4. I guess we shall see.

she brought in another doc who was nice but carefully explained to me like I was dumb about how the tsh I had was in normal range, but they'd be happy to recheck it. He said they only aim for the 1 in people already diagnosed with issues.

they also said the symptoms could be coming from my meds. I explained how I'd been having these issues before my meds.... that I'm pretty sure they aren't side effects. 

Lord god almighty I hate doctors.

can you find functional docs that actually take health insurance? Or are they all pay out of pocket? I had a chiro-functional doc back when I had a lot more money but he cost me thousands.

at least they took my back pain seriously. Going to see a pt tomorrow at a spine center. Now if that pain was eliminated, I would be a lot happier with life. My back hurts as soon as I wake up till I fall asleep.

I totally get it.  I hate going to Dr's...it gives me so much anxiety.  I've never found a functional medicine Dr where I live that takes insurance, so I can't help there.  I know that you can order your own thyroid labs online through stopthethyroidmadness.  They do a full panel, it's reasonable priced.  You could always try that.  Hopefully your tests come back soon and mybe you wil have some answers.  

((Hugs))

[Victoria1234]

2 hours ago, icelandgirl said:

I totally get it.  I hate going to Dr's...it gives me so much anxiety.  I've never found a functional medicine Dr where I live that takes insurance, so I can't help there.  I know that you can order your own thyroid labs online through stopthethyroidmadness.  They do a full panel, it's reasonable priced.  You could always try that.  Hopefully your tests come back soon and mybe you wil have some answers.  

((Hugs))

Thank you for the encouragement, tests should be back next week  

went for initial consultation for back pain today at a spine center. They seemed really great. Found out I have very little flexibility in my hips as well.  I mean, its bad. Didn't realize how bad it was. I had noticed it was a bit wonky, but wow. They noticed something was wrong with my neck too. So they are going to do an MRI on my neck next week and start pt on my back tomorrow. They said if after 6mo or so if the pt isn't improving things they might do an MRI on my spine too. 

My back has gotten to the point where it's very uncomfortable for me to sit or stand or walk for that matter. Pain from morning till night. 

I guess there's things not gluten related out there in the world, lol. 

((((Hugs))))) back at you! But don't squeeze very tightly please, lol.

ps forgot to add doc today said it might be some sort of arthritis. Is there an auto immune version? Ok I can google that, never mind.

[Victoria1234]

Hooray!

new tsh results 

 

3.350 uIU/mL

0.600-3.300 uIU/mL so the doc is putting me on a low dose thyroid and seeing me again in 2 months.

[Victoria1234]

Free t3 

3.50 pg/mL

2.71-6.16 pg/m

[Victoria1234]

Free t4

 

0.92 ng/dL

0.71-1.40 ng/dL

[Victoria1234]

Any help in interpreting the free t3 and t4 would be awesome  sorry for posting a million times. If I added anything it made the pasted results all wonky, lol.

ps I'm awaiting my first pt session, here in the waiting room.

[icelandgirl]

Hi Victoria!

You are definitely hypothyroid.  I'm so glad that you pushed and that your doctor listened!  She is most likely starting you on levothyroxine which is a T4 replacement.  Checking bloodwork again in 6-8 weeks is standard.

Your Free T3 is 30% of the range and your Free T4 is 23% of the range.  No wonder you feel bad!  Optimally you want those to be 50-75%.

You will have to be patient...it will probably take a few weeks to notice a difference.  Also, getting the correct dosage dialed in can be tricky.

But, this is a great start!  I'm so happy for you...progress.  ?

[Victoria1234]

21 minutes ago, icelandgirl said:

Hi Victoria!

You are definitely hypothyroid.  I'm so glad that you pushed and that your doctor listened!  She is most likely starting you on levothyroxine which is a T4 replacement.  Checking bloodwork again in 6-8 weeks is standard.

Your Free T3 is 30% of the range and your Free T4 is 23% of the range.  No wonder you feel bad!  Optimally you want those to be 50-75%.

You will have to be patient...it will probably take a few weeks to notice a difference.  Also, getting the correct dosage dialed in can be tricky.

But, this is a great start!  I'm so happy for you...progress.  ?

Thank you thank you! I'm so excited and I have you and this wonderful board to thank! If it wasn't for you guys I wouldn't have thought there was an issue. Just growing old!