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Thyroid (Expert Forum)
1st thyroid test low, wating on 2nd test , could symptoms be low thyroid?
Answered by
Mark Lupo, M.D. - Thyroid Nodules, Thyroid Cancer, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, Thyroid Ultrasound
Thyroid & Endocrine Center of Florida
Sarasota - FL
Questions in the Thyroid forum are answered by Dr. Mark Lupo. Topics covered include goiter, graves disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, thyroid cancers, thyroiditis, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
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1st thyroid test low, wating on 2nd test , could symptoms be low thyroid?
by tantekay, Oct 06, 2005 12:00AM
HI! I am an almost 36 year old female (only 4 days til b-day.) and I just saw someone I'm establishing as a regular physician. I receive a call today that my Thyroid levels are low. I've been looking at some of the symptoms and several apply. First of all I seem to be constantly gaining a few pounds everytime I get weighed. I'm not the healthiest eater, but have always maintained weight around 135 or lower, I'm now up to 148. I don't always do a good cardio. work out, but I'm very active and up on my feet most of the day and night (work a night job where I'm constantly on my feet 5 - 6 hours avg. 4 days a week.) I often feel sluggish and have a hard time getting going. I feel that here lately I'm very moody and irritable, and was qestioning depression. (I should also say that I was considering depression since I've been through a lot with my 2 year old who has a CHD and 2 open heart surgeries and 1 more to go plans are to do this one sometime next year.) I also seem a little more clumsy than usual -- running into walls and bumping into things etc., I've always had thin nails. I also have a history of pac's and atrial fibs. My father and sister are also on thyroid meds for low thyroid. So, after all that, I guess my question is - what would be normal thyroid levels, when should I seek meds, and how much of this could be actual thyroid or just is it just life and aging?? I do go back for a repeat thyroid test next month. Thanks for reading all my rambling to get to the questions!!!!!
Doctor's Answer
by Mark Lupo, M.D., Oct 07, 2005 12:00AM
, Oct 07, 2005 12:00AM
"low levels" are often misleading -- if the TSH is low (<.3 or the lower limit of the lab) it means hyperthyroidism in most cases --- "low thyroid" gives a high TSH (>3) in most cases.
That being said you have many symptoms of hypo except the PAC/a-fib -- the family history suggests that you have a thyroid problem -- would repeat the labs as planned and if you would like additional input - please relay the results of the labs.
That being said you have many symptoms of hypo except the PAC/a-fib -- the family history suggests that you have a thyroid problem -- would repeat the labs as planned and if you would like additional input - please relay the results of the labs.
A lot of people on here, list their test results. Your Dr. or testing lab will give you copies of them if you request. I think all patients should get them, to moniter their own health progress and problems. We trust our Dr. but should be able to see this for ourselves, being the bill payer. Occassionally a patient will have a less knowlegable Dr. in the thyroid area and is another good reason to see how he is interpreting your tests. You can compare results with charts you can find on the web, to see where you really are at. The Dr. on this forum is a board certified endocrinologist, the best Dr. you can get for thyroid problems in my opinion.
Best Luck To You.
I so identify with the weight issues, the sluggishness, the low grade epression, etc. I had the exact same thing, and mine all started after the birth of my second child. I was later tested and put on Synthroid. The really sad thing is that though Synthroid, and later Levoxyl, made my TSH look ideal, I never stopped having the issues mentioned. Since most docs try to put thyroid patients on T4-only meds, I hope you will tuck that information away in the back of your mind. Because it's only when I switched to dessicated pig thyroid (also called natural thyroid hormones) that my treatment got 100% better. I also found a doc who stopped dosing me by the TSH, and instead, worked to get my free T3 at the top of the range. HUGE difference.
You asked when should you seek meds...did you know that there were many decades, before the TSH came into existence, that patients were dosed by symptoms alone, and successfully?? I read this about 4 years ago, and it completely changed my outlook on how I wish docs would treat their patients! The TSH labs came out around 1975, and since then, I've watched folks being held hostage to that lab, even when their symptoms SCREAMED hypo. Mary Shoman has a great line, that goes something like this: "Treat the patient, not the numbers". I personally don't knock labs--they are interesting and can be helpful. But what I am saying is this--if my symptoms are screaming something, I'd like to see my symptoms treated, NOT just labs, and especially the TSH and T4, which do NOT tell the whole story with sluggish thyroids.
Thanks for your help
James
And by the way, T3 represents the "total" amount of T3 in your body. Free T3 (fT3) represents the amount that is 'available' and 'unbound'. I have noted that the latter is FAR more informative than a total T3 in diagnosing a thyroid problem. And yes, estrogen is one of those substances that can 'bind' T3--thus the importance of getting a FREE T3.
You also need to include the ranges with your lab results, as labs can have different ranges from each other.