Thyroid

[catmama1692]

Hi! I was diagnosed with OVER active thyroid in July, I'm now 14 weeks pregnant and had a TFT 2 weeks ago, just had call from midwife and I'm now UNDER active. Midwife just as confused as I am. Has anyone else fluctuated between the two?? Espesh in pregnancy? My first specialist appointment is in March so I haven't had any medication that would explain this change!

 

[Welshgal]

I have no diagnosis because I’m too chicken to go to a doctor (especially right now) but I fear I might also have hypothyroidism. Had a blood check up last year and the results were slightly off so I was advised to come back a couple months later but I never did.
I seem to have some of the symptoms such as tiredness, mood swings/depressed moods and no sex drive but at the same time don’t have some other very common ones, so I’m just confused and a bit scared.
I really don’t want to be stuck with medication for the rest of my life (I’m only 24!)

 

[shadowcat5]

Yes it can be ,also a feeling of being smothered , if you're really hypo your whole system will be slower including your heartrate .

according to my Fitbit my resting heart rate is 72, my bpm is 81 although I can’t breathe properly so make of that what you will

 

[bananasplit88]

They’ll adjust it according to the results of your blood work.

Yeah I thought as much. It’ll be interesting to see what the T4 level is. I feel a bit jittery

 

[TwooTwooTwitTwitTwoo]

Thanks for your reply. I’m annoyed that the receptionist essentially diagnosed her which I’m sure they’re not allowed to do so I’ll definitely be mentioning that when I see the doctor. She has lots of issues which is why we had the bloods so under active thyroid would explain 99.9% of them.

Thanks for settling my mind until we see the doctor

To be fair, she didn't diagnose her, she just told you there was an issue with her thyroid based on the blood results. That's normal information to give out.

I hope your daughter is treated in a swift and suitable manner and recovers well. Thyroid conditions can be so brutal.

 

[TwooTwooTwitTwitTwoo]

Unfortunately it can grow again , your endocrinologist should be checking every 3 months and adjust your meds accordingly .It's a shit condition even though many think losing weight while eating like a horse is a great thing it's the other side effects that are scary x

I'm not on any medication currently. I just get my bloods checked annually by the GP, hence the referral back to Endo. It behaved itself for ages and didn't get any bigger and my TSH was stable. I missed a blood test during Covid so I'm not really sure at what point the TSH started to decrease.
Even though I don't want an operation, I'm hoping they agree to remove the other side. I don't see much point in being put on medication that can have some horrible side effects when the size of it is causing a problem as well x

 

[knivesnflowers]

Don't know if you are on medication but it seems the NHS (if you are UK based) only tests T4 if TSH is out of range, I have never had T3 tested and antibodies seems to be a one off test if positive.
Earlier this year I had to battle for an increase in Levothyroxine as symptoms had returned but bloods were in range ( top end) next blood test after increase showed I was over range so proved I was right.
NHS guidelines say they should go off symptoms and Thyroid UK recommend a TSH around 1 if on treatment, so I would definitely call your surgery and have all your symptoms etc ready to tell them.Hope you feel better soon.

yep on 125mg levothyroxine and have hashimotos - assumed they'd need to test both to make sure my TSH isn't working 3x as hard for a measly dose of t4 (this is how i was diagnosed at 15 bc they suspected lupus at first). i asked for t3 one time on the rec of a endo consultant i was seeing for PCOS (feb bloods) and there was a silence like i'd asked for their first born as a blood sacrifice

i basically always have symptoms tbh - had them after stable bloods so was then diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome but i've basically been told to just live w it lol

 

[catmama1692]

Hi everyone! Hoping you can help me, I've had coeliac disease for 4 years, on my recent blood test review it's been flagged that I've got an overactive thyroid. All it says is wait to be contacted by specialist (no time frame ) and that's it, no other information. Just wondering what actually happens when you're contacted?? Do you go in for more blood tests? Do they put you straight on medication? Google hasn't really enlightened me so thought it might be worth asking here

 

[Vidyagaymes]

Hmm… that doesn’t look hypo to me either to be honest…

Hypo is generally high TSH and high TSH is like 4? when I got diagnosed my TSH was like 260
which is genuinely a ridiculous number… now with medicine I am at 0.93…
---
Although your T4 does look a bit out of whack? Should be between 12 and 22 if I look at my results?

 

[Linkylu]

Your consultant will put you on anti-Thyroid meds and 6 weekly blood tests until it’s under control…
All I can describe the symptoms is the worst panic attack you’ll ever experience, that’s only if it’s running extremely high,the symptoms start off like edginess, you may feel hot, it creeps up on you tbh.

Exactly this, I was at work when I had my first panic attack, I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. I’d dismissed previous edginess as work stress because the symptoms creep up on you. Also a real intolerance to heat, I went on a lovely holiday in the sun and just felt I couldn’t breathe.

 

[dinosaursideways]

Hi helpful people, I recently had a blood test to test for underactive thyroid. My mum has it and I was tested years ago and was apparently borderline and I have a lot of symptoms. I was told over the phone after the test that my thyroid "level" was 7 on a scale of 0-30. The nurse was quite dismissive and didn't really explain what this actually meant just that I don't have underactive thyroid and that's that. I've googled this 0-30 "scale" and can't find any info anywhere that shows a scale of 0-30! I'm totally baffled as to what this score of 7 even means and getting an actual appointment with an actual doctor is near on impossible... Just wondered if anyone can shed any light for me, please? Thanks

Could you request the blood test results? I always get my GP to send me a copy of my blood results (these days I can request by email and they will email it back or I pick it up from the desk) for my records. I'm not familiar with any reference ranges for TSH/T3/T4 that use 0-30 - the British Thyroid Foundation has a page on thyroid function tests that might be helpful https://www.btf-thyroid.org/thyroid-function-tests.

 

[Leahcar2019]

I’ve been looking for a thread like this for ages.

I had a blood test on Friday, and I suspect from my symptoms I have an underactive thyroid.

In December I was poorly with the virus that was going around, then in early January I was diagnosed with sinusitis.

I still haven’t got any energy, and I’m tired all the time. I wake up tired. I nap in the afternoons which I’ve never done, and go to bed early most nights.

In 2019 I lost 4 stone, but since then I’ve more or less put it all back on. It doesn’t matter how healthy I seem to eat, my weight doesn’t move.

I do feel the cold a lot, but I do also have periods of feeling hot and sweaty. Mostly in the mornings.

I have terrible brain fog, and my memory since Christmas has been really bad. I have no capacity at the moment to retain information, and I’ve made a few mistakes at work.

I’m on the pill so can’t comment on my periods, but I’ve always had heavy periods, and unfortunately issues with fertility too (I am 38 and childless).

I get pins and needles a lot - mostly in my hands and arms. I also get pain in the joints, but again mostly in my hands.

Other odd things:

- My hair since around October last year has become very luggy. I haven’t changed routine but it’s just so knotty all the time.
- In November my ring finger swelled up so bad I had to go to A&E and have my wedding ring cut off. They said it was as a result of trauma from knocking it, but I don’t remember doing that.
- Since October I have lost 4 toe nails - they have just come off - it’s not fungal as I went to the chiropodist who confirmed not.
- I get really bad acid, a lot.

Anyone else has any of the unusual symptoms and had underactive thyroid? I guess I’ll know for sure this week once my blood tests come back.

 

[starfish2009]

Thank you all for your replies - I really appreciate it.

Going to ring my doctors and try and get an appointment to check the chest 'pain' and periods checked out. The chest side of things literally feels like no pain but the only way I could describe it is like a 'ball of anxiety in my chest, making it feel heavy' but it's always there? I don't need to be walking or moving for it appear, I'm literally sat at my work laptop now and can feel it.

Will update you all when I've spoken to the drs xx

wow yeah I’ve never had that before definitely speak to them and keep us updated how you get on maybe your level just need checking again! Hope everything’s okay xx

 

[lexle]

I had thyroid cancer 6 years ago and as a result now have hypothyroidism. I struggle to lose weight/maintain weight. I’m only a size 10-12 but it’s really a struggle for me to stay that size. I gain weight just looking at something My hair texture has changed, I get cold easily and I cannot drink alcohol any more. These are all things that suddenly changed afterwards, so I’m putting it down to my thyroid I take levothyroxine everyday and I take a number of vitamins/minerals that are supposed to help thyroid function too

 

[knivesnflowers]

I’ve got the legs of a 70 year old though, aching every night like I’ve run a marathon

i think magnesium can help with muscle aches! but according to this article you need to them at least four hours apart from your thyroid meds. maybe take this with a pinch of salt though bc i'm on amitriptyline and it's never been flagged as a concern https://www.singlecare.com/blog/thyroid-medication-interactions/


also, does anyone have experience with low thyroid symptoms, okay thyroid blood work but other abnormal results? they have only tested my thyroid levels for the past few months but did a fbc this time. i have high lymphocytes, high phosphorus and low folate. they did a mono test in the lab and that was neg, and i'm getting more bloods done next week but i think this combo has been causing my symptoms (assuming low folate means high homocysteine). now down a MTHFR mutation rabbit hole ...

 

[Happytobedivorced]

I’m glad I found this thread. Just had a blood test and TSH is 0.32. It’s being retested in 2 weeks. The same thing happened in June this year and retest showed enough of a raise to just get me into ‘normal’ range. Does anyone have any advice or experience of this?

 

[monga]

Hi everyone! Hoping you can help me, I've had coeliac disease for 4 years, on my recent blood test review it's been flagged that I've got an overactive thyroid. All it says is wait to be contacted by specialist (no time frame ) and that's it, no other information. Just wondering what actually happens when you're contacted?? Do you go in for more blood tests? Do they put you straight on medication? Google hasn't really enlightened me so thought it might be worth asking here

They'll assess you first through blood tests and examination you'll then get an ultrasound and MRI scan they may start you on medication depending on how severe it is .

 

[monga]

Thank you for the reply! I will take it and see how I get on with it, hopefully the appointment will come through soon for the US x

Good luck

 

[Cotton3112]

Hoping someone with experience can help me here...
My partner and I have been struggling to conceive for a while and I've had this thought at the back of my mind about me possibly having an undractive thyroid. I had a blood test in 2020 and my serum TSH was 3.76. I don't really know what I'm looking for but I've read it should be under 2.5 in pregnancy. I'm going to contact my doctor anyway but is there a chance this is what's stopping me getting pregnant? I would say I have all the symptoms of an underactive thyroid.

Me and my partner are currently going through the same. It is common that thyroid problems can stop you from ovulating so it’s definitely worth getting checked! Especially as the thyroid itself and medication involved can affect pregnancies. I’ve got an overactive thyroid and found out today we should put a pause on TTC due to high levels

 

[catmama1692]

That’s awful ,you’re supposed to be seen within six weeks and have tests carried out to the cause, that’s this bloody pandemic has held everything up, I suspect you probably have graves if it’s gone away in pregnancy but you’ll still need regular monitoring, phone your GP and see if they can ring the consultant pretend you’re feeling awful and tell them you’re worried, they won’t do anything other than give you medication but the GP won’t be able to prescribe it if you’re under consultant care ,they’ll be able to give them the go ahead over the phone to prescribe you something and probably give you another blood test in 6 weeks when it kicks in.

Oh really!! I'm just annoyed aswell that I was given NO information about it!! It was literally "here's your diagnosis, deal with it til we can fit you in"
Yes I think it's definitely down to an autoimmune condition because like I said, I have a different one and they all seem to go hand in hand unfortunately!
Ahhh thanks so much for all your advice!! I'll definitely be calling the gp tomorrow and even ask if the specialist can fit me in sooner!