Thyroid Blood Test Results and Questions

[msdanicat]

Hi Group,
Sorry for the long post. I've struggled with fatigue, joint pain, etc, almost my whole life and have sort of just chalked it up to depression and laziness.I spent many many weekends laying in bed as if I'm in a coma and then I feel guilty because I have accomplished nothing.  My life is a mess, house messy, can't concentrate (I can't multitask at work and was starting to suspect ADHD).  

I have had my thyroid tested before, about 10 years ago, at the request of my doctor after I complained of neck pain which no amount of physical therapy could alleviate. The blood results are long gone, but the ultrasound showed two 4-5mm hypoechoic nodules on the thyroid isthmus and recommended regular follow-up which I never did due to loss of health insurance.  My doctor at the time never said anything about hypothyroid, though looking back I am certain the symptoms were there.

Recently, the fatique feels worse and my hair is thinning, which freaks me out. My quality of life is in the toilet and I can barely drag myself out of bed for work. New doctor requested bloodwork, results below, and an ultrasound (results not back yet).

I go back this week to discuss the blood work and ultrasound, I feel like I don't know enough to ask the right questions or request the right treatment (if any). I would appreciate your thoughts.  It sounds awful to say, but I am hoping something is wrong so I can finally be well. And I am also angry at myself and my doctors because I suspect I've had thryoid issues for most of my adult life.

TSH: 1.41    Range 0.40-4.50 mIU/L
T4, Free: 1.0    Range 0.8-1.8 ng/dL
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies:  27     Range <9/IU/mL
Vitamin D, 25-OH Total: 9   Range 30-100 ng/mL

I dont know how Vitamin D fits in...

Thanks in advance for your help.

[JoJo768]

Here's my blood work so far, I am getting more blood work at the end of the week.

TSH 0.931 Range 0.358-3.74 uIU/ml
Free T3 3.0 Range 2.3-4.2 pg/ml
Free T4 Range 1.2 Range 0.8-1.8 ng/dL

[gimel]

I'll let you wrangle that one with this well known thyroid doctor.  LOL


Richard Shames, MD: "Last month I was coaching a very careful and conscientious low thyroid patient. She was taking optimal amounts of the minerals just mentioned; and in addition, was taking herbal medicines to promote her thyroid health, as well as the pro-hormone pregnenolone (to increase availability of cortisol). Moreover, she was also taking prescription thyroid medicine, consisting of a T4 / T3 combination, with a small amount of natural desiccated thyroid for completeness. Even with all of this effort, she was not getting good results in terms of symptom relief. After checking her Vitamin D level, I found it to be in the low-normal range, and we boostied it up to mid-to-high normal range. Only then did she begin to do well.

Thyroid treatment isn't optimal -- and may not work -- if you do not have adequate Vitamin D for the crucial final metabolic step, which takes place at the site where thyroid hormone actually works. This happens inside the nucleus of the cell. Vitamin D needs to be present at sufficient levels in the cell in order for the thyroid hormone to actually affect that cell. That is why vitamin D is so crucial.

These days people are using sunblocks, and staying inside at their computers much more frequently. Therefore we are getting less Vitamin D from the sun. In addition, multivitamins typically have about 400 IU of Vitamin D, which was the RDA standard from research done in the 1940s and 1950s. Today, this research is being questioned, with many researchers now recommending a minimum of 1000-2000 IU daily, an amount that exceeds most multivitamins. In the case above, for example, my patient needed 4000 IU daily to achieve her good results.

I believe that a blood test for Vitamin D is essential for anyone dealing with hypothyroidism. The typical normal range for Vitamin D levels is from around 30 to 100. Keep in mind in mind that just being in the low end of normal range will not do an adequate job for someone with an underactive thyroid person. Thyroid patients need to be "replete" -- and that means alevel of at least 50 - 60 level, or greater."





Where did your  92% come from.  I'd like to have that link for my bookmarks.  Send by PM please.

[Red_Star]

I'm super tired right now but no yawing. *sigh* I forgot to add that article about dopamine is from Pretty In Primal - Dopamine Deficiency (or, I'm Not Lazy After All!).

[Red_Star]

I forgot to add, that 92% with Hashimoto's thyroiditis have vitamin D deficiency.

Sorry gimel, I have to disagree with vitamin D needed to metabolism thyroid hormone since over a billion people in the world are deficient and you can be also be asymptomatic with vitamin D deficiency.  

[Guppy70]

Your vitamin D is extremely low. And my understanding is that a low vit D can mimic hypothyroid symptoms. It can also cause hair loss. So you will most likely be put on a good supplement.

Your TPOab is also too high which can indicate Hashimotos. The problem with that is that some doctors don't really care or o anything about it especially if your thyroid panel is within the range.

Your free T4 is within the range but low. A lot of people don't feel good until it's about 50% within the range.

Hopefully your doctor is listening to your clinical symptoms and take your antibodies serious. But I think you will feel much, much better if you can get your Vit D levels up.
Good luck.

[Red_Star]

I've suffered with dopamine deficiency my whole life. I was voted most unorganised at school. smh lol. I rarely yawn which I only just found out was a symptom of dopamine deficiency.  My father has Parkinson's which is depleted dopamine so I think something is going on with genetics perhapss since I have corrected a long list of causes of dopamine deficiency and still have symptoms although thankfully a bit better.

I did find a good article about dopamine symptoms but they didn't list all the symptoms...

"Here is a list of symptoms of dopamine deficiency (with my emphasis added on symptoms I identify with):

1. Physically fatigued easily (Sometimes.)
2. Sleep too much and trouble getting out of bed (Yes on trouble getting out of bed!)
3. Reduced ability to feel pleasure
4. Flat, bored, apathetic (Yes on feeling flat)
5. Low drive, motivation & enthusiasm (Yes, and yes.)
6. Depressed
7. Difficulty getting through a task even when interesting to me (HELL yes!)
8. Procrastinator/little urgency (Mmmm-hmmm!)
9. Shy/introvert (Yes.)
10. Mentally fatigued easily (Yes.)
11.Difficulty paying attention and concentrating (A little bit!)
12.Slow thinker and/or slow to learn new ideas
13.Put on weight easily
14.Crave uppers (e.g. caffeine/sugar/nicotine/diet soft drinks/cocaine/amphetamines)
15.Use these improve energy/motivation/mood
16.Prone to addictions (e.g. alcohol)/addictive personality
17.Light headedness
18.Reduced libido and/or impotence (sometimes on the libido)
19.Family history of depression/alcoholism/ADD

Factors which reduce dopamine levels (with my emphasis added on factors I have):

1. Chronic stress
2. Inadequate sleep (Like, DUH!)
3. Hypothyroidism (Bingo! Hashimoto's!)
4. Lead, arsenic and cadmium exposure
5. Under-methylation (Possibly- I suspect my dad's family under-methylates their B12. They have a strong history of Alzheimer's and dementia.)
6. Tyrosine (precursor) deficiency
7. Magnesium, iron, zinc & vitamins B3/B6/C/D deficiency
8. Excess copper levels (I have melasma and used to be vegetarian, so copper might be a factor.)
9. Genetic dopamine receptor abnormalities
10.Chronic opioid, alcohol & marijuana use
11.Adrenal insufficiency (Definitely!!)
12.Glutathione deficiency
13.Parkinson's Disease
14.Influenza
15.Estrogen deficiency (Yes.)
16.Human growth hormone deficiency"