Enough is enough

[Lavge]

I'm sorry for letting it out here, but I need to air this. I'm so  fed up with absolutely everything today. I have cold on top of cold on top of cold. Tiredness, headaches, stuffy nose and cough has become my normal condition. On top of that I have my miscarriages. I'm really ready to just curl up and cry today, I can't take this much longer. I have been ill for 5 months non-stop. I have had every test under the sun and all has come back normal - including antibodies. When you have a cold for a week you can take some time off to recover and rest, but not when it goes on for 5 months.

My TSH was slightly elevated last time 5.11 (0.27-4.2), and went from 88-100mcg - T4 was normal, but so far no change. I've repeated the test today and should get results next week. My doctor has finally agreed to get me a T3 result, but I might need to be referred to an endo for that, which maens months of waiting for an appointment.

I'm clinging on to the idea that my thyroid could explain why I keep being ill and why I keep miscarrying, but I'm very much about to give up.

[Lavge]

Thanks for the link.

I'm feeling more optimistic today. I was just so ill the other day and well and truely had enough. I've been promissed a referrel if the T3 result is not included - so far so good. He also admitted that people react different to the same levels. His word were that I might feel at TSH 3.5 what someone else does at 7 or 8.

I have a followw-up appointment on Monday. Fingets crossed it all works out now.

[gimel]

You really do need the Free T3 test because frequently hypo patients taking T4 meds find that they are not converting the T4 to T3 adequately and they end up with FT3 that is low in the range, consistent with being hypo.  If you doctor is one that practices "Reference Range Endocrinology", then it would be unlikely for the doctor to agree that a FT3 low in the range is an indication of needing to do anything.  But that is most often the case and you would need meds with T3.

If you want some information about clinical treatment, here is a good link.  It is a letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he is consulting with from a distance.  The letter is sent to the Primary Care Doctor, to help guide treatment of the patient.  Remember that symptom relief is all important, not test results.  

http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf

[Lavge]

I'm in Spain so it all works differently here and my doctor is not really allowed to order a T3 - he has though, but I'll have to wait and see if they'll do it or if it comes back with just TSH and T4. If TSH comes back normal they don't even do T4. It's a free T4, I can't remember the actual result and I wasn't given a printout last time, he just told me the result, but it was in the higher range of normal.

[gimel]

Was that a Total T4 or a Free T4 test?  Please post test result and reference range shown on the lab report.  

You don't need to see an Endo for a Free T3 test.  There's no reason why your regular doctor can't order a FT3 test.  You should go right back and insist they do that for you, and also run a Free T4 as well.  With those two tests you should be able to confirm/rule out hypothyroidism.  If not done previously, you should sometime soon also be tested for Vitamin A, D, B12, iron/ferritin, RBC magnesium, zinc, selenium.  

A good thyroid doctor will treat a patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels.  If your doctor is not willing to treat you in this manner, then you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do so.  Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.

When you get the FT3 and FT4 test results, please post along with reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.