# Return of The Symptoms



## MightyJesse (Apr 29, 2013)

I've been treated for hypothyroidism for the last 6 years. When I was pregnant with my daughter (now 3), my dose of levothyroxine was increased to 150 mcg/day from 100 mcg/day. Last September, I suddenly lost 23 lbs and then my symptoms started coming back. My doctor only seems to test TSH and mine was .5 about 3 weeks ago. I am still on 150 mcg/day of levothyroxine, but I feel WORSE than when my TSH was at 25.

I am EXHAUSTED, my gums are turning black, my scars are turning brown, and I am getting freckles, despite just coming out of winter in Wisconsin. I am FREEZING ALL THE TIME. I'd chalk that up to Wisconsin winter, but my daughter and my husband tell me that the temperature is OK. I am constipated. I am dizzy and I grey out when I stand up. My head hurts, I have insomnia, stabbing joint pain, hives/itchy skin, CONSTANT NAUSEA, extreme thirst, brain fog, anxiety... the list goes on forever. I had an eye injury 2 months ago that they told me would be OK in a week, and it's STILL NOT HEALED. Ever since then, I've been light sensitive.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, but if my TSH is in the normal range, what tests should I ask for with my new doctor?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MightyJesse said:


> I've been treated for hypothyroidism for the last 6 years. When I was pregnant with my daughter (now 3), my dose of levothyroxine was increased to 150 mcg/day from 100 mcg/day. Last September, I suddenly lost 23 lbs and then my symptoms started coming back. My doctor only seems to test TSH and mine was .5 about 3 weeks ago. I am still on 150 mcg/day of levothyroxine, but I feel WORSE than when my TSH was at 25.
> 
> I am EXHAUSTED, my gums are turning black, my scars are turning brown, and I am getting freckles, despite just coming out of winter in Wisconsin. I am FREEZING ALL THE TIME. I'd chalk that up to Wisconsin winter, but my daughter and my husband tell me that the temperature is OK. I am constipated. I am dizzy and I grey out when I stand up. My head hurts, I have insomnia, stabbing joint pain, hives/itchy skin, CONSTANT NAUSEA, extreme thirst, brain fog, anxiety... the list goes on forever. I had an eye injury 2 months ago that they told me would be OK in a week, and it's STILL NOT HEALED. Ever since then, I've been light sensitive.
> 
> I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, but if my TSH is in the normal range, what tests should I ask for with my new doctor?


LHM.....................this is horrible! Do you think you are over medicated? It is possible since you lost weight, ya' know?

And also, do have that Ferritin checked; you could be anemic also. Diabetes is as possibility as well.

Girl; you need a really really good check-up!! Will you please let us know how it goes tomorrow?

Have you ever had an ultra-sound of your thyroid?

Here is a list of the usual tests..........

TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/


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## MightyJesse (Apr 29, 2013)

To the best of my knowledge, the only additional test I've had beyond TSH is glucose. That was normal. I asked about getting tested for antibodies once, and the endo said that there was no point, since a 29 year old with a family history of hashimoto's disease and a TSH of 25 was most certainly positive for antibodies...


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## MightyJesse (Apr 29, 2013)

Doctor kind of cut me off while I was droning on about symptoms and skipped right to: We need labs. What do you think about starting with these? So... It was cool that she took my suggestions for labs. They drew blood for the following:

vitamin D, 25-hydroxy by hplc
vitamin B12
CBC with differential
Ferritin
T3, Free
T4, Total
Basic Metabolic Panel
Alkaline phosphatase
AST/SGOT
ALT/SGPT
Bilirubin, Total

Should be able to jump online and check my lab results in a few days, and can then decide on how to proceed with either more testing or just... Taking some B12 and calling it a day. (If only it were EVER that simple.)


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

That's a good list...I do wish you were getting Free T4 tested, though.

Jumping from 100 to 150 mcg is a pretty big jump. Seems kind of dangerous when you're pregnant, in my opinion. If you still have a partially functioning thyroid, and you've lost 25 lbs, I suspect you may be overmedicated at this point.

If your Free T3 comes back high in the range or high out of range (or even if it doesn't), I think you should ask to have your Free T4 tested. That will provide a better picture.


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## MightyJesse (Apr 29, 2013)

Doctor called to ask me back for more tests. B12 was in the 200's and potassium is low. White cell count is high. They want more blood.


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## mouthy83 (Jul 18, 2012)

*I am EXHAUSTED, my gums are turning black, my scars are turning brown, and I am getting freckles, despite just coming out of winter in Wisconsin. I am FREEZING ALL THE TIME.
*

I would ask the dr to check ur adreanal glands too... darkening of scars and 'freckles' or dark patches (skin pigmentation) Can be symptoms of adreanal fatigue or insufficiency. Definetly worth checking while u are having other checks done.

Keep us updated


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## MightyJesse (Apr 29, 2013)

In case anyone was curious, here are the results I got.


 vitamin D, 25-hydroxy by hplc 
41	(30 - 80	ng/mL)
 vitamin B12
*211	(210 - 910	pg/mL)*
 CBC with differential
*White Cell Count	14.5	(3.8 - 10.5	K/uL)*
Method	Automated- Smear Not Reviewed 
Red Cell Count	4.5	(3.8 - 5.2	M/uL)
Hemoglobin	14.2	(11.6 - 15.6	g/dL)
Hematocrit	42	(34 - 46	%)
MCV	93	(80 - 97	fL)
MCHC 34	(32 - 36	g/dL RBC)
RDW CV	13.2	(11.7 - 14.7	%)
RDW SD	44.0	(36.0 - 46.0	fL)
Platelet	356	(160 - 370	K/uL)
% Neutrophils	75 (% WBC)
% Lymphocytes	17 (% WBC)
% Monocytes	7 (% WBC)
% Eos	1 (% WBC)
% Basophils	0 (% WBC)
*Neutrophils	10800	(1700 - 7500	/uL)*
Lymphocytes	2490	(1000 - 3500	/uL)
*Monocytes	1040	(200 - 900	/uL)*
Eosinophils	150	(0 - 500	/uL)
Basophils	40	(0 - 200	/uL)
 Ferritin
53	(20 - 300	ng/mL)
 T3, Free
3.4	(2.2 - 4.0	pg/mL)
 T4, Total
13.4	(5.0 - 12.5	mcg/dL)
 Basic Metabolic Panel
Sodium	140	(135 - 144	mmol/L)
*Potassium	3.4	(3.5 - 4.8	mmol/L)*
Chloride	105	(97 - 106	mmol/L)
Carbon Dioxide	24 (22 - 32	mmol/L)
Anion Gap	11	(7 - 14	mmol/L)
Glucose	91	(70 - 99	mg/dL)
BUN	18	(7 - 20	mg/dL)
Creatinine	0.74	(0.55 - 1.05	mg/dL)
e-GFR	89	(60 - 120	mL/min/1.73sqm)
e-GFR Interpretive Statement:
Chronic kidney disease, e-GFR <60 mL/min/1.73sqm
Kidney failure, e-GFR < 15 mL/min/1.73sqm
*For African Americans multiply reported e-GFR result by 1.210
Calcium	8.7	(8.5 - 10.2	mg/dL)
 Alkaline phosphatase
62	(35 - 130	U/L)
 AST/SGOT
15	(0 - 40	U/L)
 ALT/SGPT
30	(12 - 78	U/L)
 Bilirubin, Total
0.4	(0.0 - 1.4	mg/dL)


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

MightyJesse said:


> In case anyone was curious, here are the results I got.
> 
> 
> vitamin D, 25-hydroxy by hplc
> ...


We are all interested; inquiring minds want to know.

Do you have some sort of infection going on? EBV, Lyme Disease, Dental etc.?

What has your doctor said?


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## MightyJesse (Apr 29, 2013)

Well, because of the WBC and multiple items at the low end despite my reasonably bulletproof natural food diet, my doctor is currently testing for autoimmune things that would affect my gut. Celiac, Crohn's, Sjogren's, pernicious anemia, and an h. pylori infection. If we don't get any guilty parties there (I don't have any specific symptoms that point to those things, which is why they didn't want to test my B12 in the first place... I'm not vegan, 60, or a gastric bypass patient.) we'll start looking at more exotic things... >_<


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## MightyJesse (Apr 29, 2013)

In the mean time, I have a scrip for B12 injections and an appointment to learn to self administer them until we can find the source of the problem. Though if the source is pernicious anemia, I'm stuck with the B12 supplementation as the "solution."

It will be nice to get my energy back, though.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Glad your doc agreed to run some tests! Getting a Free T3 is a good suggestion. It's frustrating to have to keep pushing for answers, but there is definitely something going on here. The silver lining is that some of the labs were abnormal, so the doc should be on board at this point. I hope that this new round of labs uncovers a piece of the puzzle and you can get healed up ASAP!


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