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Morning "horribleness" = thyroid?
As far as I understand it, I have Hashimoto's Thyroidosis, and my body has been slowly losing the ability to compensate for this. I've only recently been put on medication for it. I suspect in the past I've dropped into severe hypo states, and then come back out of them as my pituitary gland compensated.
Every so often, I go through periods where I wake up feeling incredibly horrible. Not necessarily sleepy (sometimes though), but I feel incredibly drained of energy, where my heart feels like it's beating very hard in my chest, but very slowly. I'd say "weak" but I do have strength if I try, though doing so will result in "shock". Words that best describe how I feel when this happens is...
Drained of blood.
Just came out of anesthesia after major surgery.
Like a conscious corpse.
Welded to my mattress, etc.
If I force myself to try to get out of bed during this time, I essentially go into shock and become shaky, nauseated, develop stomach cramps and feel very faint, and I will usually feel this way the rest of the day, until evening. It's not my blood sugar. I'm not hungry at all during these episodes and if I eat anything I'll just feel worse.
The only way I can avoid being sick all day is to stay in bed and try to sleep it off, which usually means I'll sleep between 12 and 14 hours. After which point, if I'm lucky, I'll wake up with enough strength to get out of bed and the feeling will wear off once I get up and move around a bit.
These periods usually last anywhere from 6-10 weeks and then spontaneously resolve much as they came on.
I've never been able to find anything in the environment which might trigger them but when they happen they're absolutely horrible, not normal fatigue, and have caused me to miss a good deal of school.
Has anyone else experienced anything like it?
Every so often, I go through periods where I wake up feeling incredibly horrible. Not necessarily sleepy (sometimes though), but I feel incredibly drained of energy, where my heart feels like it's beating very hard in my chest, but very slowly. I'd say "weak" but I do have strength if I try, though doing so will result in "shock". Words that best describe how I feel when this happens is...
Drained of blood.
Just came out of anesthesia after major surgery.
Like a conscious corpse.
Welded to my mattress, etc.
If I force myself to try to get out of bed during this time, I essentially go into shock and become shaky, nauseated, develop stomach cramps and feel very faint, and I will usually feel this way the rest of the day, until evening. It's not my blood sugar. I'm not hungry at all during these episodes and if I eat anything I'll just feel worse.
The only way I can avoid being sick all day is to stay in bed and try to sleep it off, which usually means I'll sleep between 12 and 14 hours. After which point, if I'm lucky, I'll wake up with enough strength to get out of bed and the feeling will wear off once I get up and move around a bit.
These periods usually last anywhere from 6-10 weeks and then spontaneously resolve much as they came on.
I've never been able to find anything in the environment which might trigger them but when they happen they're absolutely horrible, not normal fatigue, and have caused me to miss a good deal of school.
Has anyone else experienced anything like it?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your current TSH indicates hypo, but as gimel said, TSH is not a good indicator of thyroid issues because of its tendency to fluctuate.
Even if your FT3 is "normal", it could still show that you are hypo - we would need to know the exact number, along with the reference range in order to comment fully on that. Just because you fall into the "normal" range on the lab report, doesn't really mean that number is the level your body needs.
Do you know if you have nodules on your thyroid? If so, it's possible that the nodules could "leak" hormone, which may take you back and forth between hyper and hypo. Don't forget that symptoms of each can mimic each other.
I agree with gimel that you need to get your vitamin b12, and adrenals tested. I don't know your age, but it might be helpful to look into other hormones, as well. It's possible that you are experiencing perimenopause, also, which could have that affect. It's very possible that you have more than one issue.
The actual numbers from your lab report would be most helpful to us, since "normal" or "borderline" can vary from person to person, lab to lab, depending on their reference ranges. It's very hard for us to comment specifically without them.
Even if your FT3 is "normal", it could still show that you are hypo - we would need to know the exact number, along with the reference range in order to comment fully on that. Just because you fall into the "normal" range on the lab report, doesn't really mean that number is the level your body needs.
Do you know if you have nodules on your thyroid? If so, it's possible that the nodules could "leak" hormone, which may take you back and forth between hyper and hypo. Don't forget that symptoms of each can mimic each other.
I agree with gimel that you need to get your vitamin b12, and adrenals tested. I don't know your age, but it might be helpful to look into other hormones, as well. It's possible that you are experiencing perimenopause, also, which could have that affect. It's very possible that you have more than one issue.
The actual numbers from your lab report would be most helpful to us, since "normal" or "borderline" can vary from person to person, lab to lab, depending on their reference ranges. It's very hard for us to comment specifically without them.
My FT3 is within normal range at the moment. I forgot to get the exact numbers though. My vitamin D is borderline low.
At the moment, other than the fact that I've I'm having issues with memory and have been a bit too absent minded for my liking, and I"ve been fairly easy to irritate, I actually feel a lot better than I usually do. Usually I feel a bit lacking in energy, but it's tolerable...nothing like these attacks I get. I know in the past my FT4 levels have generally been borderline low so maybe this rise into mid range is my "hyperthyroid" phase, and the horribleness is my drop into the severe hypothyroid phase. Or that is what I've been wondering anyway.
At the moment, other than the fact that I've I'm having issues with memory and have been a bit too absent minded for my liking, and I"ve been fairly easy to irritate, I actually feel a lot better than I usually do. Usually I feel a bit lacking in energy, but it's tolerable...nothing like these attacks I get. I know in the past my FT4 levels have generally been borderline low so maybe this rise into mid range is my "hyperthyroid" phase, and the horribleness is my drop into the severe hypothyroid phase. Or that is what I've been wondering anyway.
First and foremost, TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many variables, it is totally inadequate as a diagnostic. Why so many doctors continue to use it as such, and even continue to use the old Reference Range, 8 years after the AACE recommended it be changed to .3-3.0, is a mystery to many of us. At best it is an indicator to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms and also the levels of the actual, biologically active thyroid hormones, free T3 and free T4. Free T3 is actually the most important because it is four times as active as FT4, plus FT3 correlates best with hypo symptoms, such as yours. Many members on the Forum report that symptom relief for them required that FT3 was adjusted into the upper part of its range and FT4 adjusted to at least midpoint.
Since your FT4 is midpoint, I would really like to see results from a FT3 test. Note that FT3 is not the same as total T3, which is not very useful. You really don't need to be tested during one of those attacks. You do need much more testing than has been done recently. I would suggest that you go as soon as possible and get additional testing for FT3, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and also get a 24 hour adrenal test. Being hypo can adversely affect all these and you really need to know the levels. Then if you will get a copy of the results and reference ranges and post them here, members can help interpret and advise.
Since your FT4 is midpoint, I would really like to see results from a FT3 test. Note that FT3 is not the same as total T3, which is not very useful. You really don't need to be tested during one of those attacks. You do need much more testing than has been done recently. I would suggest that you go as soon as possible and get additional testing for FT3, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and also get a 24 hour adrenal test. Being hypo can adversely affect all these and you really need to know the levels. Then if you will get a copy of the results and reference ranges and post them here, members can help interpret and advise.
When I was younger...much much younger, when I came back positive for both of the Hashimoto's antibodies, my levels came back like this.
T4 = 4.3 Normal Range: 4.5-12.5 MCD/DL
Free T4 = 1.01 Normal Range: 0.76-1.79 NG/DL
Free T4 IDX = 1.5 Normal Range: 1.3-4.7
TSH = 2.3 Normal Range: 0.3-5.0 MIU/ML
T3 Uptake = 34.7 Normal Range: 26.0-38.0%
T3 = 1.49 Normal Range: 0.60-1.81 NG/ML
Last week, my levels came back like this.
TSH = 13.3 Normal: 0.3-4.7 mcIU/mL
Free T4 = 1.2 Normal: 0.8-1.6 ng/dl
The few times I was tested between then and now (a good number of years), my TSH was normal and my T4 fluctuated between borderline hypo and normal.
Unfortunately I've never had my thyroid tested during the course of one of these attacks though.
T4 = 4.3 Normal Range: 4.5-12.5 MCD/DL
Free T4 = 1.01 Normal Range: 0.76-1.79 NG/DL
Free T4 IDX = 1.5 Normal Range: 1.3-4.7
TSH = 2.3 Normal Range: 0.3-5.0 MIU/ML
T3 Uptake = 34.7 Normal Range: 26.0-38.0%
T3 = 1.49 Normal Range: 0.60-1.81 NG/ML
Last week, my levels came back like this.
TSH = 13.3 Normal: 0.3-4.7 mcIU/mL
Free T4 = 1.2 Normal: 0.8-1.6 ng/dl
The few times I was tested between then and now (a good number of years), my TSH was normal and my T4 fluctuated between borderline hypo and normal.
Unfortunately I've never had my thyroid tested during the course of one of these attacks though.
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