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Gained 10 lbs without changing diet
I’ve gained 10 lbs over the past year even though I eat the same and work out a lot. My clothes fit the same but I’m a bit concerned. I've had Hashimotos antibodies for years now and I was borderline hypo 3 years ago. 4-5 years ago when I was hyperthyroid I lost 10 lbs. Now I gained 10 lbs without changing anything and I suspect that I may be hypo.
This weight is not normal for me and some of my other conditions have been flaring to the point where they’re worse than they’ve ever been. My heart PVCs and stomach symptoms have gotten worse than ever as of late. Last time my thyroid was checked my TSH was over 3 but no one seemed to care because it was under 4. I’m not sure what to do.
This weight is not normal for me and some of my other conditions have been flaring to the point where they’re worse than they’ve ever been. My heart PVCs and stomach symptoms have gotten worse than ever as of late. Last time my thyroid was checked my TSH was over 3 but no one seemed to care because it was under 4. I’m not sure what to do.
I had another episode of frequent PVCs that kept me up last night. I literally felt like I was getting kicked in the chest every 5 seconds and I couldn't sleep. I went to urgent care and tried to get the doctor to check my thyroid hormones. He referred me to a cardiologist and said he would consider checking my Free T3 and Free T4 if the cardiologist doesn't find anything.
I'm thinking of getting a home thyroid test kit off of Amazon. This is the one I was thinking of getting: https://www.amazon.com/Thyroid-Home-Test-Accredited-Accurate/dp/B07BRXFRRD
Has anyone tried these home test kits?
Do they actually work?
Are they safe?
Has anyone tried these home test kits?
Do they actually work?
Are they safe?
4 Comments
Hi Jenn,
Certain states let you "order" your own lab tests where you pay on-line, print out a piece of paper with a lab order and take it to your local blood draw center and they will send the results to you. I think these work better than "at home" tests where you prick your finger since they use blood drawn from your vein. It looks like you can do this everywhere in the US except NY, NJ, RI, MA or MD.
This website has a list of companies you can order from: https://*************************/recommended-labwork/
The mymedlab link takes you to a link for STTM thyroid baseline which looks like it does TSH, free T3, free T4, and both Thyroid peroxidase antibody and Thyroid antibody for $125 (which is just a little more than the Amazon link, and would tell if you do have Hashimoto's). I believe these are the exact same tests your doctor would order for you, so results should be safe and accurate.
I'm so sorry you have to deal with this and figure out if you have a thyroid problem on your own. I have TSH between 3 and 4 too, found out recently I do have Hashimoto's, and have lots of hypo symptoms, but my ENT refuses to treat the symptoms until my hormone levels go "out of range". (I'm also having half my thyroid removed due to a suspicious nodule, so right now I'm focused on that and haven't tried to convince my PCP to let me try low dose hormone to treat my symptoms, but that's my plan for after the surgery.)
I had to convince my doctors to let me have the thyroid antibody test (despite hypo symptoms, enlarged multinodular goiter, and TSH higher than most peoples (3.44, which is "in range" but clearly a problem for me) - but once I found out I have Hashimoto's it was a relief because it explains a lot of my symptoms and thyroid issues and gives me treatment options. Good luck with your tests and I hope you feel better soon!
Certain states let you "order" your own lab tests where you pay on-line, print out a piece of paper with a lab order and take it to your local blood draw center and they will send the results to you. I think these work better than "at home" tests where you prick your finger since they use blood drawn from your vein. It looks like you can do this everywhere in the US except NY, NJ, RI, MA or MD.
This website has a list of companies you can order from: https://*************************/recommended-labwork/
The mymedlab link takes you to a link for STTM thyroid baseline which looks like it does TSH, free T3, free T4, and both Thyroid peroxidase antibody and Thyroid antibody for $125 (which is just a little more than the Amazon link, and would tell if you do have Hashimoto's). I believe these are the exact same tests your doctor would order for you, so results should be safe and accurate.
I'm so sorry you have to deal with this and figure out if you have a thyroid problem on your own. I have TSH between 3 and 4 too, found out recently I do have Hashimoto's, and have lots of hypo symptoms, but my ENT refuses to treat the symptoms until my hormone levels go "out of range". (I'm also having half my thyroid removed due to a suspicious nodule, so right now I'm focused on that and haven't tried to convince my PCP to let me try low dose hormone to treat my symptoms, but that's my plan for after the surgery.)
I had to convince my doctors to let me have the thyroid antibody test (despite hypo symptoms, enlarged multinodular goiter, and TSH higher than most peoples (3.44, which is "in range" but clearly a problem for me) - but once I found out I have Hashimoto's it was a relief because it explains a lot of my symptoms and thyroid issues and gives me treatment options. Good luck with your tests and I hope you feel better soon!
ok clearly I don't understand how to do links on here... let's try to get around that:
Type in Stop the thyroid madness (*************************) click on "labwork" at top left, then click on "recommended labwork".
Type in Stop the thyroid madness (*************************) click on "labwork" at top left, then click on "recommended labwork".
ok just search for Stop the thyroid madness, click on the link that has this name as its website address, then click on "labwork" and "recommended labwork". (sorry for the link problems!)
Thank you for your informative response. It seems like my state doesn't offer these services.
I'm so sorry you're going through this and that you had such a hard time getting diagnosed. A goiter is a pretty clear sign that your thyroid isn't working properly. How did your doctor not think to check your antibodies?
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's several years ago and I've had my antibodies checked plenty of times since then. I have two antibodies TPO and Tg and my TSI is measurable (44%). My TPO is relatively high (over 1000).
Before I was diagnosed my doctor checked my antibodies because I had a history of hyperthyroidism. I looked pale and felt sick and my TSH was low. I didn't even know what Hashimoto's was at the time.
Like me, your TSH is not in the optimal range. Having a TSH between 3 and 4 is the worst. I feel like I start getting symptoms around 2.5 and they get a lot worse when my TSH goes up to 3. I don't know what my thyroid levels are now (my TSH was checked a few months ago, no FT3 or FT4) but I'd shocked if they were anywhere near the optimal range. Before my thyroid problems started my TSH was always around 1.5.
I'm so sorry you're going through this and that you had such a hard time getting diagnosed. A goiter is a pretty clear sign that your thyroid isn't working properly. How did your doctor not think to check your antibodies?
I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's several years ago and I've had my antibodies checked plenty of times since then. I have two antibodies TPO and Tg and my TSI is measurable (44%). My TPO is relatively high (over 1000).
Before I was diagnosed my doctor checked my antibodies because I had a history of hyperthyroidism. I looked pale and felt sick and my TSH was low. I didn't even know what Hashimoto's was at the time.
Like me, your TSH is not in the optimal range. Having a TSH between 3 and 4 is the worst. I feel like I start getting symptoms around 2.5 and they get a lot worse when my TSH goes up to 3. I don't know what my thyroid levels are now (my TSH was checked a few months ago, no FT3 or FT4) but I'd shocked if they were anywhere near the optimal range. Before my thyroid problems started my TSH was always around 1.5.
I think that is blood spot testing and I am not at all sure your doctor would accept the results as accurate. I suggest that you talk to your PCP and tell her about your recent episode with the PVC's and that you have other symptoms of being hypothyroid and that she can do the testing and treatment needed for hypothyroidism and that you need to be tested beyond TSH. Insist on being tested for the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T4 and Free T3 and tell the doctor that for most people, those need to be at least mid-range. You should also ask to be tested for cortisol, since it can have such an effect on thyroid metabolism. Impress on her that you must find out the cause for your PVC's that are so bad, and that in view of the autoimmune antibodies, it is time to do further testing for hypothyroidism.
It just occurred to me that since symptoms are the most important consideration in trying to assess a person's thyroid status, please click on this link and check the ones you have and it will give you a score for comparison to a rating scale. What is your score?
http://www.thyroid-australia.com/lowthyroid.htm
http://www.thyroid-australia.com/lowthyroid.htm
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