SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTHYROID BEFORE DIAGNOSIS

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-28-2007
SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTHYROID BEFORE DIAGNOSIS
9
Sat, 04-28-2007 - 10:56am
For several years now I feel horridly exhausted, sluggish, cold all the time, hair loss, slow bowels, slowly have gained weight over this period of time with difficulty losing any and I follow Weight Watchers pretty closely and still no loss, even with exercise. I have had some testing done like twice over the last couple years and it is within normal limits. I have done research, I am a nurse, and besides feeling like a hypochodriac I truely feel it is thyroid. My mother has hypothyroid and can be famillial. UGGGG. I am tired of being exhausted but don't really know where to go from here. Does anyone have any suggestions or similar experience? Thank you!!!
Jamie
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-28-2007
Sat, 04-28-2007 - 11:09am
I was just doing some reading on this site and there are a couple other symptoms I didn't know were associated with hypo that I have. Severe joint aches, I have been to a rheumatologist for this with no relief, low sex drive, and hypersensitivity of the eyes to light, I have to wear sunglasses all the time. Now I am really bummed because labs come back normal but I have most all of the signs and symptoms. I haven't had testing done in about 2 years. Should I ask for labs again? Has this happened to anyone else?
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-25-2007
Sat, 04-28-2007 - 1:41pm
Hey!
Yeah I definately know where you are coming from my levels used to fluctuate so they didnt want to put me on anything! I was trying everything to make my levels drop before blood tests just so that I would finally be listened to and put on something for it! It was crazy and I definately get what you mean about feeling like a hypochondriac I went into the specialist with a list of symptoms and handed it to her, she looked at me like I was crazy and continued to tell me that I could be tired because of college, my dry skin could be cold weather, and so on through my list! Thankfully though they eventually saw my levels low enough to do something about it!
My advice is to really push regular blood tests as that is how (if you fluctuate like mine) they will catch it when it falls a little bit! And really stress how awful you feel especially if, like me you had never been sick before!
Hope that helps you out a little bit I definately think hypothyroid is a possibility for you as your symptoms are identical to some of mine!
Hope you get sorted out with some proper answers!
xxx
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2006
Sat, 04-28-2007 - 7:14pm
I would ask to have my levels tested again. I was hyperthyroid at one time, was on meds for that for a year, was off meds and fine for over a year and just this month was feeling awful and went back to my endo with new bloodwork and I am now hypo. I had many of the symptoms joint pain, exhaustion but thought that I'd be hyper not hypo due to my history. Have you ever seen and endocrynologist for this? They should be testing your T3, T4 and TSH levels (that's what my endo checks all the time). Find out what your TSH level is, that I believe will determine if you are hypo or not from what I have read. It also depends on what the lab considers to be within normal range. I looked up normal TSH levels on the internet and found that there is some discrepency. Some suggest it to be between 0.5-5.0 and there has also been recomendations to make it lower such as 0.3-3.0.
I would push hard if you aren't feeling well. Those symptoms are not in your head, no matter what they are telling you.
Good Luck! I hope this helps you some. I am on meds for less than a month and am feeling much better. My joint pain is gone and I am not as tired! Keep me posted on what happens!
((Hugs))
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2006
Sat, 04-28-2007 - 7:19pm
I would ask to have my levels tested again. I was hyperthyroid at one time, was on meds for that for a year, was off meds and fine for over a year and just this month was feeling awful and went back to my endo with new bloodwork and I am now hypo. I had many of the symptoms joint pain, exhaustion but thought that I'd be hyper not hypo due to my history. Have you ever seen and endocrynologist for this? They should be testing your T3, T4 and TSH levels (that's what my endo checks all the time). Find out what your TSH level is, that I believe will determine if you are hypo or not from what I have read. It also depends on what the lab considers to be within normal range. I looked up normal TSH levels on the internet and found that there is some discrepency. Some suggest it to be between 0.5-5.0 and there has also been recomendations to make it lower such as 0.3-3.0.
I would push hard if you aren't feeling well. Those symptoms are not in your head, no matter what they are telling you.
Good Luck! I hope this helps you some. I am on meds for less than a month and am feeling much better. My joint pain is gone and I am not as tired! Keep me posted on what happens!
((Hugs))
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-01-2006
Sat, 04-28-2007 - 7:29pm
Sorry, You can disregard my other post to you. I meant to send it to the person that started this discussion, that's why I posted the same thing twice, I realized I made a boo-boo. My 2 year old interrupted me so I didn't notice who I was replying too.
Sorry!
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2005
Sun, 04-29-2007 - 12:02pm

I would also suggest testing again - maybe even a different doctor. I'd also find out which tests they are doing and make sure they are testing free T3 an T4 as well as antibodies. TSH is usally all they test and it is *not* a reliable indicator. in my case, my TSH and T3 are in normal range (although not optimal) but my T4 is very low - if I had not had a complete test done, that would have been totally missed and I would have been sent home with a 'you're just fine' even though I had multiple symptoms (which, was exactly what happened for many years) Thyroid support groups are full of people with the same story.

Good luck getting this straightened out.








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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-25-2007
Sun, 04-29-2007 - 2:11pm
Hehe Dont worry about it, it confused me for about a second and then I figured it out!
Aww ya gotta love the kiddies! lol
I agree though she should definately get her levels checked out again!
xx
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-29-2007
Sun, 04-29-2007 - 11:45pm
My hypo is caused by Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which would be picked up by the antibodies tested for with the T3 and T4 testing. The TSH would not pick this up. I most likely had Hashi's before going hypo. I was just confirmed hypo in Feb. but most likely had Hashi's (I was never tested for it until my TSH came back abnormal) for at least a couple of years before becoming hypo. Although the exhaustion factor, with actually being hypo, is incredible. I mean I can sleep at the drop of a hat, and do whenever I get the chance. I have been on levothyroxine for about a month and things are gradually improving, but I am still tried most of the time.
Misty Cool Graphics at RevolutionMySpace.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2007
Mon, 05-07-2007 - 8:58pm
I was diagnosed with Graves Disease when I was just 10 years old. I had an overactive thyroid so it was hyperthyroidism I believe (I always forget terms). My parents started to notice that I was losing a lot of weight for a 10 year old and I was constantly tired. My thyroid grew and it was noticeable in my neck. The most prominent sign was that my eyes appeared larger due to the pressure from the growing thyroid. I had and still have mood swings that are related to Graves. If you have a sense that you have a thyroid condition, I'd see a specialist as soon as you can. I was lucky enough not to have many side effects once I got on steady medication. Good luck and I hope you do not have it! :-)