Could Symptoms be from something else?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2004
Could Symptoms be from something else?
4
Fri, 10-29-2004 - 2:14am
Hello. I'm 30 years old and have had the following symptoms for quite some time:

Tiredness , weight gain and inability to lose it, hair loss, unable to tolerate cold, problems with regular period (just in the last year and could be due to birth control change). I recently had a blood test for thyroid which came back negative. I had the same test done about 3 years ago and even went to an endocrynologist (sp?) then and it was negative also. I like my OBGYN, but she didn't seem too concerned (i guess since it isn't a OB/GYN problem). My Mom has hypothyroid and my grandma did also. I tend to take after my mom physically, so I keep thinking that must be what it is. But since the tests keep coming back negative, does anyone know what else these symptoms could be caused by??

Thank you.
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2004
Fri, 10-29-2004 - 8:29am

You need to find out exactly what your TSH was.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2003
Fri, 10-29-2004 - 1:53pm
if the doctor or lab is using an old TSH scale to judge you numbers negative or positive they are looking for a number between 0.5 and 5.0 but most of the women on this board feel best at between 1.0-2.0 and feel just awful at even 2.5. So you sould really ask to get a copy of your lab report that way you can see where your level actually is.

Michelle

P.S.

Love your screen name!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2001
Fri, 10-29-2004 - 3:11pm
Hi and welcome - it would be a good idea to call your doctor's office and ask for the actual number results of your recent lab work, as others have suggested. You can't really rely on the doctor telling you the results were "normal" or negative, unfortunately, because many doctors misinterpret the results. Old lab ranges place the normal range's upper limit at 5.5, sometimes even as high as 8.0. If your doctor, or any doctor relies solely on that number, then they are going to dismiss all of your obvious symptoms, as well as your family history, and tell you the results are negative. But the new lab range's upper limit is 3.0. And actually, a normal thyroid's tsh is between 1.0 and 2.0. Some believe that as many as 13,000,000 cases of undiagnosed hypothyroid would fall within that new range!! Those are people who have either never been tested or have been tested and told that their results are normal or negative.

Your ob/gyn could dignosis your possible hypothyroidism. But an endo is better. So your first step is to call and get those results and then come back here and let us know what they are. OK? Cathy :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2004
Fri, 10-29-2004 - 5:11pm
Thank you all for your suggestions. I guess I should have questioned the doctor about it more, I tend to just go with what they say. I'll call Monday and get the actual level and try to get back in to see a different endo. I do appreciate your responses.