Thyroid Issues? Hyp? Hyper? Hyperpara? Anemia? Deficiency? Please Help

[lindsme]

Hello Everyone,

you assistance is very appreciated. I have spent 8-months dealing with symptoms and recently, last week, had Thyroid panel blood drawn. Here, are my results below in culmination with other, various lab work, and symptoms I have had and am currently experiencing. Why I am writing on this board, I would like some second opinions, or any sort of information so I can regain my health back. Most importantly, do I have hypothyroidism; hyperthyroidism; hyperparathyroidism, or something of the sorts? PCOS? Is anemia something I should be exploring, as well? Results and symptoms pointing to anything else? Any other test I should be requesting? Again, your help is so appreciated.

Age: 28 (Female)
Medical History: No prior illnesses/injuries/surgeries
No smoker, No drinker, No drug use
Have never taken in medications in past
Exercised prior frequently: 4-5 times for week for 1 hour or greater (cycling; hiking; running). Have not exercised in 8-months due to symptoms.
Height 5'6; Weight 140

Blood test:

-TSH: 3.41 (9/12); 1.22 on 7/12; draw on 10/12 was TSH 1.47
-T4 (TOTAL): 7.1 (range 4.5-12.0)
-T4, FREE: 1.0 (range 0.9-1.8)
-T3, FREE: 2.5 (range 2.3-4.2)
-T3, TOTAL: 76 (range 76-181)
-Thyroglobulin Antibodies: < 20 (range <20)
-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies: <10 (range <35)

*Note: Blood was drawn at Noon.

Other Previous Results:
-B12: 200 (range 200-900)
* Have taken one-weekly B12 injections (1000mcg) and B12 is now up to 1000)
-Homocystenie: 12.1 (range is <12)
-Ferritin: 65 (range 21-291)
-Bilirubin Total: 1.9 (range 0.2-1.2)
-Bilirubin Direct: 0.4 (range 0.0-0.3)
-PTH: 71 (range 10-65)
-Calcium serum: 9.1; 9.4; 10.0; 10.5; 9.4; 9.9 (Range is 8.9-10.1)
-Methylmalonate: <0.2 (on 7/12) and 0.2 (on 9/12)
-Zinc: 71 (range 65-131)
-B6: 16.6 (range 2.1-21.7)
-Alkaline Phosphatse: 54 (37-117)
-Reticulocyte Count: (AUTOMATED 0.88----range 0.47-2.40); (Absolute 0.040----range 0.020-0.109)
-Folate: 16.4 (range 3.0-17.0)
-Vitamin D, 25 Hydroxy: 39 (range 25-79)
-Magnesium: 2.1 (range 1.7-2.3)
-Transferrin Total % Saturation: 26 (14-57)
-Iron serum: 93 (range 50-212)

Various, other test/scans/exams:

-ANA is NEGATIVE (no Lupus).
-Have had Western Blot for Lymes disease which was NEGATIVE.
-MRI of head came back fine to rule out MS.

Thyroid:
Had ultrasound: Found 5 calcified nodules on left thyroid. All less than 2mm with no blood going to or circulating around the nodules. No goiter on ultrasound found.

Symptoms:
Dry face
Swollen fingers and ankles
Very cold (cold hands)
Severe headaches
Top of head pain
Sensitivities to OTC pain relievers and make-up
Sore joints
Sore feet (bottom of heel)
Depression (This has been going on for 8-months; very wearing on any individual). Never had any bouts of depression prior.
Anxiety at the beginning. Severe anxiety stopped 4 months into illness. No prior history of any anxiety.
Pale skin (normally olive skinned and tan; I reside in California)
Brain fog
Trouble concentrating
Symptoms worse during menstrual cycle (severe cramps)
Menstrual cycle is off (periods one time at first of the month, another during the middle of next month).
*Never any menstrual problems in the past.
Migraines
Hair loss
Tender scalp
Darker more frequent hair growth on chin area
Temple and left cheekbone pain
Swore, tired eyes
Eye twitching
Throat feels tight off-and-on
Forehead pain
Thirsty
Tired, fatigued, and irritable

Other Information:
Have eaten a gluten-free diet for over a year.
Did not eat cow's milk products or meat for 5 years. Did eat fish. Since June 2012, have been eating meat and diary as well as taking the one-weekly B12 (cyncobolamin injection).

Lastly, any assistance is appreciated as well as if anyone knows or could recommend a good Endocrinologist in the Sarasota Florida area, that would be helpful.

Thank you and cheers to good health!

[flyingfool]

Your symptoms are consistent with being Hypo or LOW thyroid.

Your thyroid blood tests also tell my you are Hypo.

The primary tests to look at are the Free T4 and Free T3 tests.

Many people have found that you have to be well up into the ranges.  Simply being on the low end is NOT sufficient.

Many people here have found that a better target that seems to help relieve the symptoms are BOTH of the following is needed.

1) Free T4 (FT4) to be in the MIDDLE (50%) of the range or slightly higher

AND- that means in addition to

2) Free T3 (FT3) to be in the UPPER 1/3 of the range (66.7%)

BOTH your FT4 and FT3 are at the very bottom of the range.

Your test results:

-T4, FREE: 1.0 (range 0.9-1.8) = 11% of the range - WELL below 50%
-T3, FREE: 2.5 (range 2.3-4.2) = 10% of the range -WELL below 66.7%

I am not surprised with these results that you are having Hypo symptoms.

The antibody tests below indicate that you do NOT have Hashimoto's disease which is an autoimmune condition which is most common cause of Hypo in the industrialized nations. So that is good to know.

Your Vit D & Iron also looks a bit low to me and that may help your fatigue if you get those levels up higher in the range.

Do you have pernicious anemia causing the B-12 deficiency?  This is also an autoimmune condition I believe.  When you have one autoimmune condition it makes you susceptible to others. So again it made sense that they tested you for Hashimoto's antibodies and they came out negative.

[lindsme]

Thank you so much for your detailed response—very helpful. Again, thank you. Can you additionally answer this question and give me your insight if this is indeed related to thyroid, as well?

Question: I have been experiencing my gums bleeding often during and after I brush my teeth, every time. I do not have gum disease or anything dental-related. So, would my bleeding gums be typical in any symptoms of thyroid? Thyroid cancer? Hypothyroidism?

Thank you and any other insight for any one else regarding both of my questions is much appreciated.

Cheers to good health.

[gimel]

I am suspicious that the hypothyroidism can contribute to gum problems,.  I know I had that problem long ago when I was hypo and didn't know it.  Another thing to consider is to take about 1000 mg of Vitamin D daily.  That will also help your gums a lot.  

[thy3]

I am a 36 year old female, mexican leaving in Germany, married to a german and mother of a 3 y old son. You are not going to believe this. you sound just like me! the difference ist that I have no thyroid and have been in an induced hypertiroidsm therapy for two years. Like you, i always lived a very healthy life and tried to watch for my body and respected him. Even with a high dosage of Euthyrox i was doing ok. Stress and change of diet (even for what I thought was good or better for me) were the beginning of this phase I am living. dont worry about your gums, that they bleed are a sympton of thyroid disfunction but not cancer. I would concentrate more in the fact that gour nodules were calcified. Do you have a good dr? if you want please write me an e-mail [email protected] .de

[Lee1022]

It sounds like low thyroid, low Vit D (what I have been reading is Vit D should be 80-100).  Get on a thyroid medication like Armour.  IT is dessicated porcine thyroid and has T1 T2 T3 T4 and calcitonin. Medications like synthroid are a incomplete treatment and makes matters worse.   Order the book called Stop the thyroid Madness from  www.*************************  It is full of great information and will address all of your symptoms.  I have been learning a lot on this subject.  It is a tender balance of hormones that once something gets out of whack, it all starts to shift. It all feels really bad, but don't get discouraged.  There is a treatment for all that you are experiencing.  Start first with treating thyroid with Armour and supplementing with Iron.  Learn everything you can, as information is power.  Take care.

[gimel]

Sorry, Lee but desiccated thyroid med is not the only answer for hypo patients.  Yes, many do find that their body does not adequately convert T4 meds to T3; however, there are also hypo patients that do fine with T4 only.  In that case,T4 meds are far more convenient, since they are slower acting and can be taken only once a day.  NDT with T1, T2, T3 and T4 plus calcitonin sounds good, but hard to prove any significant benefit over just getting Free T3 and Free T4 to levels required to relieve symptoms, by using T4 or T4 plus T3 meds.  So it gets to be a matter of opinion.  By the way, lest you think I am biased, I take Armour Thyroid myself.    

[truli]

I have gained 20 lbs in two months and this prompted me to go get my thyroid tested again. Another 10 lbs in the past two months put me over the edge.

Lab results were normal, nodule of 7mm found and waiting for the biopsy in a week or so

Very tired (but I work nights)
This is my story.
My advice to you is to start eating a balanced diet. Lack of nutrients can put your body to more work than necessay to compensate and adapt to the stres.

You said you have trouble concentrating: move your attention from diseases to fun activities (no alchol, that is a depressanT)