Possible to be hypothyroid w/normal test results?

[mom2manyblessings]

Hi! I'm new here and would appreciate any advice you guys have. Is it possible to be hypothyroid with normal test results? I've been experiencing extreme tiredness for months now (I'd say almost a yr at this point although it's gotten dramatically worse in the last 6 months). No matter how much sleep I get, I still wake up tired. Among other symptoms, my hands/feet are always cold, my hair is falling out, no sex drive, dizziness when I first get up, trouble concentrating/remembering things. In July, I developed neck/shoulder pain. I've also had the distinct impression that the front of my neck looks bigger...not goiterish...just kind of swollen. I finally saw my dr (actually an LNP) the other week and she ran some thyroid tests (along with the normal blood tests). My results came back as follows:

Thyroxine 9.3 (4.5 - 14.0)
T Uptake 33.0 (31.0 - 39.0)
Ultra TSH .992 (0.4 - 4.0)
FTI 3.1 (2.0 - 4.0)

My Vitamin D level came back low 27.5 (32 - 100). I guess I'm having trouble believing that all my symptoms are a result of low vit D. Plus I'm annoyed because she thought for sure it was my thyroid based on my symptoms but when the tests results came back normal, she just totally discounted all my symptoms..to the point that she didn't even call to tell me the results of the tests. She assumed since they were normal there was no point in discussing it. She had someone else call me about the vitamin D result. I had to go to the office to demand a copy of my test results, otherwise she would have never given them to me.

I also noticed 2 other results out of range:
Eosinophil 7.2 (0 - 6)
WBC 3.5 (4.5 - 11)
Not sure if they mean anything or not.

Does anyone know if my thyroid results really mean that my thyroid is okay? and if so, what else might be going on to cause my symptoms? Thanks in advance for you help.

Also, I've been charting my bbt and have noticed that my temps average 96.8. Anyone know if this is significant?

Vicki

[Andros]

Hi, Vicki and welcome to the Board. To answer your question; most decidely yes!

It would be very very good if your doctor would run some antibodies tests. The antibodies indigenous to the thyroid can be running amok the whole time your thyroid labs come back in normal range. You symptoms suggest that antibodies should be run.

Suggested lab tests would be TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies), Thyroglobulin Ab, TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin.)

You may look these tests up here if you so desire.....

http://www.labtestsonline.org/ There is a search engine; uppper right hand corner.

When asking a doctor for tests, I have found it to my advantage to be somewhat knowledgable about what I am asking for.

Also a good idea to get ferritin run as some of your symptoms could be due to low ferritin which is the protein that stores the iron for cellular uptake.

You may read about that on the above site as well.

High esinophils may indicate that you have allergies. Do you? And that WBC (I may need new glasses, thought it was CBC), as Nasdaqphil has pointed out, something could be going on there.

Peculiar your doc did not comment on that.


As to the vitamin D; it is not uncommon to find those with autoimmune disease (in this case, thyroid) to be lacking in the vitamin D department and other minerals.

I personally opt to make sure I get plenty of what nature has to offer. If you sit in the sun maybe 10 minutes a day, that would be a good thing for more than one reason.

Hope I have been helpful to you. You could also request a thyroid scan if you think you have a goiter. One way to tell other than that "annoying" feeling is to stand in front of a mirror, fill mouth with water, tilt head back and swallow. You "should" see it.

[nasdaqphil]

Hello and welcome!

I would love to have those numbers! Really, they do look good but that doesn't mean there isn't something going on. For the last 8 years, I've had a WICKED case of hashi's but my FT4 and FT3 have always been normal and I've been through some serious junk regarding symptoms.

The only way to know for sure is to get tested for TPO AB and TG Ab and Even TSI if they will do it. These tests are Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO Ab), Thyroglobulin Antibodies (TG Ab) and Thyroid stimulating Immunoglobulin (TSI) which is indicative of Graves. The other 2, particularly TPO indicate Hashimotos thyroiditis - the most common form of autoimmune thyroid trouble.

If you are feeling the way you say you are, it is very possible that the Hashi's antibodies are attacking your gland and causing a pendulum effect - one day you are a little hyper and one you are hypo and the net effect is neutral or normal labs.

This is what happens to me. I get really hyper feeling for a few days and then toggle back over to hypo where I feel tired. The net effect is that my labs are almost always normal, but my TSH will jump around.

You need to get tested for antibodies. If the antibodies come back clean in conjunction with those terrific numbers posted above, I would rule out thyroid and move on to another body part - it could be anything including, sugar, iron, ferritin, Vitamin D, ear infection, adrenal problems, lyme disease, cancer and a host of other troubles. Thyroid symptoms are similar to the symtoms of many other conditions.

Eosinophils essentially measure white blood cell activity against infection, colds, other diseases, etc. Your number is not high enough to warrant concern at this point. A simple cold or small infection elsewhere could make that number edge over normal. If the number was 14 or something like that you might want to look into it further. The low WBC (white blood cells) could mean an infection or other problem within your system is using up white blood cells faster than they can be made in order to help fight the infection. Again, I am not a doctor but believe this number is not significantly out of range to cause concern but it is something to note.

Do you have any infections anywhere? Have you been sick recently? Any trauma anywhere? Are you on ANY drugs? Some drugs can help destroy WBC's. Does anyone in your family have any type of blood disorders - anything?

[mom2manyblessings]

Thanks so much for the responses! I'm going to try and contact an endo to see if I can get the additional tests done that you guys have recommended since where I'm currently going doesn't seem to be interested in exploring further.

Interesting on the pendulum effect...I hadn't thought of that but there are days where I do tend to have some energy and run around the house getting lots done. More often than not, though, I'm too tired to do much unless I absolutely have to and then I have to force myself.

I haven't had any recent illnesses but I do have allergies so maybe that is what is going on with the eosinophil #'s.

I tried the swallow test and I don't see anything when I do that. I could just be imagining things there as it's in the middle of my neck...kind of squarish in shape. Just kind of an overall impression that it's different than it used to be but maybe it's nothing.

[Andros]

Thanks so much for the responses! I'm going to try and contact an endo to see if I can get the additional tests done that you guys have recommended since where I'm currently going doesn't seem to be interested in exploring further.

Interesting on the pendulum effect...I hadn't thought of that but there are days where I do tend to have some energy and run around the house getting lots done. More often than not, though, I'm too tired to do much unless I absolutely have to and then I have to force myself.

I haven't had any recent illnesses but I do have allergies so maybe that is what is going on with the eosinophil #'s.

I tried the swallow test and I don't see anything when I do that. I could just be imagining things there as it's in the middle of my neck...kind of squarish in shape. Just kind of an overall impression that it's different than it used to be but maybe it's nothing.

No one knows their body better than the owner so I doubt if you are imagining things.

I am much relieved to hear that you will be seeking a second opinion and further exploration.

Please keep us informed on your progress and future testings.

[hashigirl]

Your TSH is hyperthyroid, not normal, of course you dont' feel well!