Newbie w/Hypo symptoms - need help with labs...

[atoz]

Hi Everyone,

I would be greatly appreciative on your thoughts or advice with regards to my situation. :)

I am a 30 year old female and have felt absolutely awful for the last few years and keep complaining to the doctors who I feel have not taken my situation seriously. I just finally convinced my PCP to give me a referral to an endocrinologist but I am worried I will be "brushed off" once again. Here is my info, do you think I might have a hypothyroid?

My most concerning symptom is utter fatigue and exhaustion, more so during the morning and daytime hours. I have also put on a significant amount of weight and am having great difficultly losing it.

I also experience cold hands and feet, dry skin and hair, irritability, memory fogs and more recently, constipation (never ever had any constipation issues in my life until the last 6 months or so)

Another symptom (or non-symptom?) is strange hive-like rashes occasionally.

Labs from 11/17/2009:

TSH, 3rd generation 4.24 Range 0.40-4.50 mIU/L
T4, Total 7.5 Range 4.5-12.5 mcg/dL

Labs from 12/12/2008:

TSH 2.02 Range uIU/mL (0.27-4.20)
Free T4 0.9 Range ng/dL (0.9-1.8)
Anti-Thyroid AB <20.0 Range IU/mL (0.0-40.0)
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody <10.0 Range IU/mL (0.0-35.0)

I have heard that the TSH range should be <3.0 which mine is most recently at 4.24. In addition, there seems to be quite a jump from 2.02 to 4.24 in under a year. Is this something to be concerned about?

Any interpretation of these results would be much appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance.

[Andros]

Hi Everyone,

I would be greatly appreciative on your thoughts or advice with regards to my situation. :)

I am a 30 year old female and have felt absolutely awful for the last few years and keep complaining to the doctors who I feel have not taken my situation seriously. I just finally convinced my PCP to give me a referral to an endocrinologist but I am worried I will be "brushed off" once again. Here is my info, do you think I might have a hypothyroid?

My most concerning symptom is utter fatigue and exhaustion, more so during the morning and daytime hours. I have also put on a significant amount of weight and am having great difficultly losing it.

I also experience cold hands and feet, dry skin and hair, irritability, memory fogs and more recently, constipation (never ever had any constipation issues in my life until the last 6 months or so)

Another symptom (or non-symptom?) is strange hive-like rashes occasionally.

Labs from 11/17/2009:

TSH, 3rd generation 4.24 Range 0.40-4.50 mIU/L
T4, Total 7.5 Range 4.5-12.5 mcg/dL

Labs from 12/12/2008:

TSH 2.02 Range uIU/mL (0.27-4.20)
Free T4 0.9 Range ng/dL (0.9-1.8)
Anti-Thyroid AB <20.0 Range IU/mL (0.0-40.0)
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody <10.0 Range IU/mL (0.0-35.0)

I have heard that the TSH range should be <3.0 which mine is most recently at 4.24. In addition, there seems to be quite a jump from 2.02 to 4.24 in under a year. Is this something to be concerned about?

Any interpretation of these results would be much appreciated!!!

Thanks in advance.

There are several reasons why you believe you have thyroid disease and I agree.

Yes; AACE recommends 0.3 to 3.0 Also, your Total 4 is below mid-range and while the Totals are not the best test (bound and unbound), there are times when it is revealing and this is one of them.

Plus, you have a smattering of TPO and Anti-thyroid Ab so something is afoot. Your clinical symptoms sound hypo as well.

It would be good to get a sonogram of the thryoid for starters and also these other tests listed that you did not have already.

The lab tests listed are helpful when it comes to sorting things out.

TSH, FREE T3, FREE T4, TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies), ANA (antinuclear antibodies), TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin) and Thyroglobulin Ab as well as thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII.)

You can look all of the above up here so you know what they are for........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/

You could be brushed off by the endo. It is really hard for those of us with TD to get not only a medical diagnosis but good medical care as well.

We are here to help you. Welcome to the board.

[atoz]

Thanks so much for the response - it is very appreciated and helpful.

I had the ANA tested - here is what the labs read:

12/12/08 labs

Antinuclear AB (ANA) 1:80* Abnormal Range Titer (<1:40)
Rheumatoid Factor 12.8 Range IU/mL (0.0-13.9)

11/17/09 labs

ANAchoice screen, w/refl IFA Negative

Also, I don't know whether or not it is worth noting but on the most recent labs I had low Vitamin D, low magnesium, low coenzyme Q10, and low B12 (the B12 can be attributed to a thalassemia anemia trait I carry)

If the exact values could be of use, I will post them and the ranges.

Do the above results have any significance with regards to hypothyroidism?

(or something else for that matter?)

Thanks Again!!! :) :)

[Andros]

Thanks so much for the response - it is very appreciated and helpful.

I had the ANA tested - here is what the labs read:

12/12/08 labs

Antinuclear AB (ANA) 1:80* Abnormal Range Titer (<1:40)
Rheumatoid Factor 12.8 Range IU/mL (0.0-13.9)

11/17/09 labs

ANAchoice screen, w/refl IFA Negative

Also, I don't know whether or not it is worth noting but on the most recent labs I had low Vitamin D, low magnesium, low coenzyme Q10, and low B12 (the B12 can be attributed to a thalassemia anemia trait I carry)

If the exact values could be of use, I will post them and the ranges.

Do the above results have any significance with regards to hypothyroidism?

(or something else for that matter?)

Thanks Again!!! :) :)

Gosh, we have another lady here who "has" Thalassemia.

ANA is one of many antibodies that is elusive and by that I mean, antibodies have a tendency to wax and wane until such time as they are full-blown.

The presence of ANA is "suggestive" of a myriad of autoimmune diseases, thyroid being only one of them so when we know they are present, the doctor should order more in-depth antibodies' tests.

Please read carefully........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ana/test.html

Here are some tests indigenous to the thyroid................(copy and paste for expediency.)

The lab tests listed are helpful when it comes to sorting things out.

TSH, FREE T3, FREE T4, TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies), ANA (antinuclear antibodies), TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin) and Thyroglobulin Ab as well as thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII.)

You can look all of the above up here so you know what they are for........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/

So, no........ANA is not specific to thyroid but it is "suggestive" of it. (and many other things.)

Are you taking statins? They lower CoQ10. You need some daily sunshine. This is a "problem" in our society now. Most everyone stays indoors. Not good. Not to mention the pineal gland (the third eye) which sets our circadian cycle.

[atoz]

Thanks again for the help and the links. I have a lot of reading up to do.

As for the the Thalassemia... Most of the European side of my family are carriers of the Thal. B minor trait. I do not have Thalassemia. I am just a carrier of the trait. It was discovered when I gave birth to my first child and the newborn blood work was very irregular. Both myself and my husband went through genetic testing at that time to pinpoint who was the carrier of what and what my child inherited from each of us.

My CBC tests always come out abnormal due to the trait - i.e. I am always anemic.

And yes, you are correct, I do not get outside enough - especially in the winter. I have been making more of an effort, even if it means just walking up and down my driveway a few times a day.

I am not taking any statins or drugs in that family.

I go back to my PCP at the end of this week and have an appointment with the Endocrinologist in mid-late February. I will be "armed and dangerous" (LoL) with the testing I will request and information I have gathered with your help.

Thanks again and please do not hestitate to let me know if there is anything else I should know or tests I should request etc.

[Andros]

Thanks again for the help and the links. I have a lot of reading up to do.

As for the the Thalassemia... Most of the European side of my family are carriers of the Thal. B minor trait. I do not have Thalassemia. I am just a carrier of the trait. It was discovered when I gave birth to my first child and the newborn blood work was very irregular. Both myself and my husband went through genetic testing at that time to pinpoint who was the carrier of what and what my child inherited from each of us.

My CBC tests always come out abnormal due to the trait - i.e. I am always anemic.

And yes, you are correct, I do not get outside enough - especially in the winter. I have been making more of an effort, even if it means just walking up and down my driveway a few times a day.

I am not taking any statins or drugs in that family.

I go back to my PCP at the end of this week and have an appointment with the Endocrinologist in mid-late February. I will be "armed and dangerous" (LoL) with the testing I will request and information I have gathered with your help.

Thanks again and please do not hestitate to let me know if there is anything else I should know or tests I should request etc.

I believe the other lady is a carrier (has the trait) as well. I should have clarified. Hope she pops around; I cannot remember which poster she is.

There may be other drugs that interfere w/ CoQ10 so always do your research. Meanwhile, get some and take it. I take 100 mgs. every day. It is expensive but worth it. I have taken it for many many years now.

One thing worth noting here is the TD body is often deficient in anything you can think of. After all, our metabolisms are skewed. Not a good scenario and to make matters worse, it is impossible to get all your nutrition from food for a myriad of reasons in today's world. Sad, but true.

We are here for you!

[atoz]

Thanks for all the support!!!

I go to see my PCP tomorrow (endo is scheduled for mid-Feb.), so I am hoping at least we can get the ball rolling on the blood work I want done (many as per your recommendations - Thanks!). I will report back, hopefully with some success.

Oh! and By an chance do you know of any brands of CoQ10 that come in smaller pill sizes? I have a difficult time swallowing larger pills and the few brands I have purchased of the CoQ10, the pills were like horse pills.

[Andros]

Thanks for all the support!!!

I go to see my PCP tomorrow (endo is scheduled for mid-Feb.), so I am hoping at least we can get the ball rolling on the blood work I want done (many as per your recommendations - Thanks!). I will report back, hopefully with some success.

Oh! and By an chance do you know of any brands of CoQ10 that come in smaller pill sizes? I have a difficult time swallowing larger pills and the few brands I have purchased of the CoQ10, the pills were like horse pills.

I get my CoQ10 at Vitamin shop and they are capsules. Not so big either. Easy to swallow capsules, I think.

You could also get a pill splitter and try splitting them.