# New w Hashimotos - Help w Lab Results



## loopylou3519 (Jun 15, 2017)

I recently was diagnosed with Hashimotos. I have been asking my doctor for several months to look into my thyroid as in the past 6 months have been feeling horrendous. She finally agreed to run thyroid labs, although she insists on telling me that all of my symptoms are most likely due to my age (44), the fact that I take Paxil (10mg for 10+ years), and stress.

My symptoms in the past 5-6 months:

20lb weight gain! I am normally 108lbs so this is significant for me. It's mostly belly - I look about 7 months pregnant. My diet has not changed. I am exercising moderately, drink plenty of water.

Horribly dry skin

Irritable - no patience whatsoever and I am usually a very patient, laid back person

Foggy feeling and completely unmotivated. My memory is shot. I cannot remember ANYTHING!

Super tired - wake up feeling tired even after 8 hours of sleep. Could take a nap by midday.

Night sweats

Here are my lab results:

TSH - 2.4830 uIU/ml Normal range - 0.3580-3.7400

Free T4 - 1.06 ng/dl Normal range - 0.76-1.46

Free T3 - 2.9 PG/ML Normal range - 2.4-4.2

TPO Ab - 22IU/ml Normal range - <9

Thyroglobulin AB - <1IU/ML Normal range <4

My doctor says I have the thyroid antibody that causes Hashimoto's but my thyroid appears to be functioning normally at this time and not treatment is necessary. She did say she'd refer me a an endocrinologist which will take 7-8 months for an appointment.

My questions: Are the symptoms I'm having related to Hashimotos or is it mid-age, stress, and things like that?
What can I do if it is thyroid related? I will look for a new doctor as I am not happy with having to beg and beg to have my thyroid checked and my doctor not listen to me. I feel so completely different in the past 6 months and just want to get back to feeling like myself again.

Thank you for reading and for any advice you can give me!


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

It's hard to tease out what is a thyroid symptom and what it a symptom of aging.

That said, your results, while technically "in range" are on the low end of things and you have antibodies. There is enough research that shows lower TSH will also lower thyroid antibodies and slow the progression of Hashimoto's...so its well worth your time seeking a second opinion. You should also ask for a thyroid ultrasound.


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## pavlovcat (Jun 21, 2017)

Hi loopy. I'm new here but I'm in a similar boat. I've been sick for two years - started with chronic diarrhea and GERD after a back injury. Progressed to fluttery feelings in my chest/throat accompanied by lightheaded/winded feeling, pain in my left chest and arm (heart checked out fine), constant phlegmy cough and gravelly voice, heavy feeling in my throat, pressure behind my eyes with blurry vision, and anxiety. I've also lost 60 lbs. in two years but I feel a lot of that was due to undereating to try and control my diarrhea so I could function on a daily basis. My doctor kept telling me I had IBS and was depressed.

After a year of trying to tough it out I asked for a gastro referral, and he found elevated TTG (celiac antibodies) but biopsies didn't show any intestinal damage. He diagnosed me with celiac anyway since I also had the gene for it. I went strictly off gluten and kept feeling worse. I ran across someone who mentioned they had Graves' disease and didn't know what it was so I looked it up and had so many of the symptoms. I asked my doctor to run a full thyroid panel and he did and everything was in the normal range except my antibodies were at 34. My doctor said I have Hashi's, but STILL tells me everything I've been experiencing is IBS and depression because the antibodies are too low for me to be having any symptoms. I finally just went on the anti-depressant he prescribed, hoping it would help with my anxiety at the very least.

I had to ask for a referral to an endo and can't get in to see one until November. I'm afraid he's also just going to tell me all these symptoms are in my head. It's so frustrating.

Just out of curiosity, are you very sensitive to medications? I react badly to many meds and get the most random side effects. I think I just have a very sensitive system. It would not surprise me if even just being slightly off in my thyroid levels was causing problems for me.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> Here are my lab results:
> 
> TSH - 2.4830 uIU/ml Normal range - 0.3580-3.7400
> 
> ...


Functioning normally would have your FT-4 and FT-3 lab results falling in mid to 3/4 range, Closest to 3/4 range is really your goal.

TSH closer to 1

FT-4 (( 1.11-1.21))

FT-3 (( 3.2-3.6))

Keep looking for a doctor willing to medicate - you are clearly hypo and have labs and antibodies to prove it. I have found better luck working with a GP vs and endo.


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