Hypothyroidism? Help- SO Frustrated!

ksanchez311
ksanchez311 Posts: 31
in Motivation and Support
Need some encouragement for anyone out there who has been through this. I'm about to lose it. For about 6 months I've been experiencing dizziness, extreme fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, irritability, dry skin, constipation (sorry tmi), memory loss and mind fog, I'm hungry ALL THE TIME, and I've hit a weight plateau (which is the least of my worries, but is still a symptom, I believe).... I can't take it anymore. My cardiologist says my lungs and heart are healthy; echo, EKG, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen, Holter Monitor results are all normal. He also ran some blood tests and I am clear of anemia, leukemia, diabetes, pre-diabetes, hypoglycemia, infection, etc. All of my thyroid function tests came back normal, as well. My LDL cholesterol is a little high, but he said that alone wouldn't cause all my symptoms. My blood test also showed my lymphocytes high and neutrophils low, but he said that was also not a concern because my WBC count was normal. I was literally bawling my eyes out in his office, because I was so convinced that it was my thyroid.... and now I'm back to square one. I feel like I can't go on another day feeling this way. My family is frustrated with me and I'm starting to think I'm crazy. My cardiologist also said that I am doing everything else right- 3 days cardio, 2 days weights per week, 1200-1500 calories per day, 64 oz water, 8 hours of sleep.... His only suggestion was to keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully I will feel better soon. Today I'm going to attempt to make an appointment with an osteopath that a friend recommended. I may also ask for an adrenal function test (also recommended by my friend). Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. I feel like I'm going CRAZY! :'(

Replies

  • ksanchez311
    ksanchez311 Posts: 31
    bump
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    What thyroid tests did they do and what were the results? Most labs have a normal range for TSH all the way up to 6. Most endocrinologists these days realize that the farther you get from a TSH of 1, the worse you feel. I have hypothryoidism and feel best when my TSH is between .75 and 1.5. Also, did they test you for ATA? Anti-thyroid antibodies? They should test for those as well. I have Hashimoto's and while my TSH was under 6, ATA were present which indicates Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. Basically my immune system is working against my thyroid gland. As the years have gone on, my thryoid has deteriorated. It is a degenerative disease.
  • DeeJayTJ
    DeeJayTJ Posts: 355 Member
    I've had hypothyroidism all my life, felt some of the things you felt when i Was taking synthroid... but anyway, aside from seeing a cardiologist have you seen an endocrinologist for your thyroid?
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    Sounds like you could very well be hypo...just because your labs come back 'normal', that does not mean you're not.

    My suggestion: find a different, and more open minded doctor. You don't necessarily have to see an Endocrinologist.

    A few helpful links for you, in the meantime:

    http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/
    http://thyroid.about.com/

    Mary Shoman is a great patient advocate.

    Good luck to you... :flowerforyou:
  • LuvDMB
    LuvDMB Posts: 26
    You just shared my story! I was in the same position a few months ago. Go for the adrenal testing. After much testing and trial and error, we found that I needed adrenal support, cut out all sugar, and upped my vitamin D, protein and a few other things and I feel like a normal person again. And, without much effort, finally busted through my plateau.Hang in there and keep on your doctor about testing. Don't settle for "just keep doing what you're doing".
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I have no idea what might be causing your symptoms, but if you can't get a diagnosis you might want to look into genetic testing. Sometimes a combination of symptoms could just be too rare for your doctor to know about.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    Vitamin B-12 is good for your fatigue it will give you energy
  • mrh1227
    mrh1227 Posts: 37
    I have a few suggestions, though I do not know enough about what you consume on a daily basis in terms of foods. For the weight plateau'ing, I recommend you take a break from your workouts and do a rest/stretch week, as well as a short cleanse. Your body may be having trouble obtaining nutrients from the foods you eat, which would at the least explain your energy levels.

    If you'd be so kind as to message me what an average day looks like in terms of food consumption I'd be happy to take a look at what you are already doing and give you my personal opinion on what might help. I do highly recommend you keep search medically for anything that would cause a great deal of these symptoms. I deal with clients on a regular basis that have some of these symptoms, but rarely that many. I'll be happy to work with you and support you until you find the answer that works best for you!
  • janalayn
    janalayn Posts: 510 Member
    My doctor is an osteopath and has been super supportive of my struggle with thyroid and weight loss. I have hypothyroidism after having a hemithyroidectomy (removal of half my thyroid) for a golf-ball sized benign tumor. As long as my TSH is below 3.0 I am able to lose weight -- just not as fast as a lot of other people.

    I like alternative therapies -- you might want to try some accupuncture. Maybe see an herbalist for some supplements to help with the symptoms.

    It doesn't sound like you are crazy -- it just sounds like you need to find a doctor who can help you figure out what is going on.
  • bltrexler
    bltrexler Posts: 180 Member
    What thyroid tests did they do and what were the results? Most labs have a normal range for TSH all the way up to 6. Most endocrinologists these days realize that the farther you get from a TSH of 1, the worse you feel. I have hypothryoidism and feel best when my TSH is between .75 and 1.5. Also, did they test you for ATA? Anti-thyroid antibodies? They should test for those as well. I have Hashimoto's and while my TSH was under 6, ATA were present which indicates Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. Basically my immune system is working against my thyroid gland. As the years have gone on, my thryoid has deteriorated. It is a degenerative disease.

    The new standard is .3-3. alot of the labs still go by the old standard. I agree with asking for more extensive lab testing. What about your T4 and T3, it could be a pituitary loss of function.

    Good luck!
  • SonicaBE
    SonicaBE Posts: 151 Member
    ur story is just like mine. Go wheat and dairy free. Thats what I am doing and the weight is FINALLY coming off. Msg me if you want to talk.
  • thewinwithin
    thewinwithin Posts: 11 Member
    I feel for you! In my case, I developed the hypo symptoms as a 10 year old and was never diagnosed until I was 28 years old, even though I was tested every couple years. I was once told by a pharmacist that anything from taking cold medications to head ache pills can throw off the results if taken during a 2 week period before the test..as i'm sure other factors can factor in too.. If you truly believe this is the problem, schedule another test or perhaps ask to be refered to a specialist. Before being diagnosed it was extremely hard for me to lose weight, I did manage to by exercising hours a day and watching everything I ate...however I could never keep it off. Since being properly medicated, I have kept 40 lbs off for 3 years. I still have a ways to go, but i'm not yo-yo-ing anymore. Good luck!
  • ksanchez311
    ksanchez311 Posts: 31
    Thank you everyone for responding! I found an amazing osteopath that actually diagnosed me with Hashimoto's. He said the right side of my thyroid gland is actually quite swollen. I'm SO relieved to have a diagnosis and I can't wait to feel better!!!
  • SonicaBE
    SonicaBE Posts: 151 Member
    what scales is ur MD using? I was "normal" too untill I did some digging around. there are 2 scales .5-5.5 and .3- 3.0 For one doc I was literally going carzy cause I was withing the range but less than 5- that was too high. I went to another MD who uses the lower scale, and he put me back on meds- feel much better.

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