I've just had a set of blood tests done, as a result of severe fatigue. Think the immediate problem was a viral infection. But....
I have low body temps, gain weight the instant I stop running for 30 mins a day, have scaly skin on arms and legs, am permanently tired and always getting viruses and so on. When I read the lists of hypothyroid symptoms, I seem to have the lot.
But my TSH tested very normal, 1.96. So now what do I do. I want my doctor to treat me for hypothyroid because I want some energy back, like I used to be. But how am I going to convince her if my TSH is so normal.
Anyone got any experience?
Am I hypothyroid with such a normal TSH?
I'd really appreciate some help.
Jay

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A normal tsh does not always tell the whole story. Your tsh may be normal but u may not have enough of the active thyroid hormone "T3" in your system. T3 is what controls metabolism.
Most Doctors believe that if u are producing T4 it will automatically convert to T3 but it may not do so effectively.
My advise would be to find an unconventional doctor who will be able to test you for free T3.

Thanks Gym-nut. I'm going to try to make an appointment with my doctor again and see if she'll do those other thyroid tests - we'll see how they turn out.
Take care, Jay

JayKay: i hope everything works out for you

Hi Jay,

I know exactly how you feel and what you are going through. I have done the testing and gotten the "you are just getting older" speech. I have the symptoms of hypothyroid and have had them for going on a year and somedays am so frustrated with it all! I hate to say it, but I never ever felt this drained when I was a smoker.....I have heard though that smoking can mask hypothyroidism.....I am off to the doctor again this afternoon......I am hopeful that we can figure something out.....

Good luck josiekat and thanks gym-nut. I'm at the doctors on Friday morning, fingers crossed she listens.
If not, I'm thinking of getting private tests done or maybe just buying armour thyroid over the internet and taking it and seeing how it goes. I know you have to be careful, but if you keep an eye out for hyper thyroid symtoms, I think it should be possible to manage. After all, its me I want treating not my blood tests and in the 'old' days, doctors would just have had to go on how the patient was feeling.
Hopefully this won't be necessary!
Jay

Hi Jay

I'm in a similar position re TSH. Mine reads 2 so Drs do not jump up and down at that. Yet I have so many hypo symptoms, I can't remember them all (another hypo symptom!!!)

Have you considered trying Virgin Coconut Oil? Check out some threads here about how it helps with hypothyroid symptoms. You can buy it over the internet here in the UK and I've got a friend who found it in a health shop somewhere too. This is a good site to check out for info:

http://www.coconutoil.com/

I haven't been taking it very long, but my body temperature shot up the moment I started taking it and my hands and feet warmed up straight away, so hopefully in time other symptoms will improve. I'd really like to go the "natural" route if I can and avoid "medication" because I really feel the bottom line with the majority of thyroid problems is poor nutrition.

JayKay..i hope your doctor is able to find out what is causing your potential hypothyroidism..regarding buying Armour over the internet...IMHO it isnt a good idea because u dont know what type of hypothyroidism u have. Armour Thyroid contains both T4 and T3. You may already be producing T4 and it is not effectively converting into T3. So u might only need T3.
A good idea would be to take your basal temperature first thing in the morning..as soon as u wake up, without getting up. Do this for 5 consecutive days and average out the temperature u get. It should be somewhere around 97.1-97.9. (if its lower ie in the 94-96 range then u can bet u are hypothyroid)
Also if your doctor does not listen to what u say, u can check online for the top thyroid docs in england and there should be a listing...that way u can privately get tests done.
Good luck!

As one who has had hypothyroidism for many years, I strongly urge you to NOT self-treat yourself. It is possible to have a heart attack from taking too much thyroid harmone. You need to get a second or third opinion. Just because you are tired and/or overweight does NOT mean you have thyroid problems. It could be caused by something else. Has your blood been tested for anemia or a vitamin deficiency? You need to get at least one or possible two other opinions from other doctors. Again, I strongly urge you NOT to self-treat yourself.

I know it's dodgy Fluffybear, but I'm getting desperate. I've just been to the doctors. She stated, quite baldly, after I'd given her my whole list of symptoms, that they weren't related, that I wasn't hypothyroid because my TSH was normal, that my lifestyle is the problem and I need treating for depression!
Well - I know the difference. I was depressed 11 years ago, following my marriage breakup. I fight SAD every winter. I am not depressed, in fact, apart from feeling so **** ill I am pretty happy. The doc. says that I'm probably not as happy as I think I am????
Anyway, she has agreed to do some more blood tests. Please let these come back showing something cos otherwise I'm sunk.
How is it doctors are quite prepared to treat you for stress and depression (neither of which I am suffering from) but won't listen about a whole range of symptoms that point to hypothyroid.
When my blood was tested, they did check for anaemia, and liver, kidney function, white blood cells and so on, all of which were normal. As was blood sugar (of course, since I low carb).
The way doctors go on, you'd get stressed and depressed from dealing with them.
What on earth do I do now?

Hi Jay,
I had my thyroid test come back normal with my regular doc. At the time I couldn't get through the day. I would come home from work at lunch and take a nap, then get through the rest of the work day only to come home and take a nap. It was horrible. My doc said I was depressed because I had lost my mom in 99 then 9 months later my step dad died.. He gave me something for depression. I took it one day,,my heart was racing.. I hated it. I decided to seek a alternative medicine doc with a MD.
He put me on Armour and it was like night and day.. I felt so much better...so please get a second opinion.

HMmm I could have written this;

' I've just been to the doctors. She stated, quite baldly, after I'd given her my whole list of symptoms, that they weren't related, that I wasn't hypothyroid because my TSH was normal, that my lifestyle is the problem and I need treating for depression!'

Any updates Jay?

Hope you worked it out.

Yeh, wickedways. I pushed for them to test T$ and T3, despite my TSH being normal. And lo and behold, with a TSH of 2.66 (which might be 'normal' but in my opinion suggests something is going on) my T3 was below normal (my T4 was low but in the normal range). So now I've got thyroxine. It's not making too much difference yet but not necessarily got to the right dose yet.
My original doc told me my symptoms were not related, I was probably depressed (no lady, I've been there, I know that one and currently, I am not!).
I deliberatetly went to see someone else in the same practice and got someone a bit more inclined to investigate.
Keep persisting, hope you get somewhere, all the best, Jay

OK here's one for you. My body temp is 97 even in the middle of the day. I carry around extra weight. I low carb, I exercise.
My doctors keep saying my thyroid is normal.

I looked at my tests from '02 and my TSH was .32

just had labs drawn again a week or two ago and they said I have HYPER throidism....

What??? i AM CONFUSED!

They are sending my to an ENDO. Hopefully they will find something.

Hi Deshukel,
Well I'm no endocrinologist, but that is strange! Did they just test the TSH or free T4 and T3 too? It was the latter two tests that showed up why I had hypothyroid symptoms.
Here's a guess, it may not be scientifically correct.
If you produce T4 normally, but don't convert it to T3 (the active stuff) maybe the T4 builds up. Then the feedback loop to the TSH turns the TSH down, cos it thinks you've got enough T4. But since its the T3 that does the job, you would still have the hypothyroid symptoms you describe.
What I'm not sure about it whether its T3 or T4 which provides the feedback loop with TSH. If its T4 my theory might work, if its T3, then it doesn't.
Hope you get to see the endo soon, cos they will know.
All the best, Jay