# Opinions: Is my 'normal' abnormal?



## randomequine (Mar 4, 2013)

Hey everyone! I'm new to the site but have been lurking for the past couple days....I'm so glad to be here and hoping I can pick your (much more knowledgable!) brains.

A bit of a background: In January of 2011, I began gaining weight for no apparent reason. At the same time, I was living with a toxic roommate and was diagnosed with severe depression, so the gain wasn't too off base as I have been known to 'eat my feelings'. Roommate and I parted ways in May of 2011, and my depression lessened a great deal...as I went back to my old habits of eating well and exercising, I still wasn't losing the weight I had gained (somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 lbs). December 2011 we decided the culprit was my hormonal birth control, so doctor took me off that. Didn't lose the weight.

Life happened and I just kind of dealt with the fact that I couldn't lose it. Until a few months ago it was simply a weight problem. Now I have the laundry list of hypo symptoms: can't lose weight, always cold, depression (that's slowly coming back), ridiculous amounts of fatigue, very foggy brain, dry skin, hair falling out, and an extremely strong family history (5 generations, including tumor removal for my mother).

In June 2011, Doc did a TSH & Free T4 test with the following results:

TSH 2.670 .400-5.400
T4, free .8 .70-2.00

As I developed more symptoms, doctor ran tests again this past week with the following results:

TSH 2.310 .400-5.400
T4, free .8 .70-2.00
T3, free 3.22 1.70-4.20

Doctor says that because I'm within all the reference ranges, that I'm 'normal' and need to exercise more and eat better. Are the above results something that I should push for further testing with? Or am I doomed to feel like a lazy, fat, slug the rest of my life?

(I also have a metabolic panel and CBC if anyone is interested in those values)

Thank you everyone!!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Hello, and welcome!

Your Free T4 is barely within range both times. Your Free T3 is much better, although a bit higher wouldn't hurt.

I'm curious about Ferritin, Iron, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin E...are any of those in your CBC results?


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## randomequine (Mar 4, 2013)

Octavia said:


> Hello, and welcome!
> 
> Your Free T4 is barely within range both times. Your Free T3 is much better, although a bit higher wouldn't hurt.
> 
> I'm curious about Ferritin, Iron, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin E...are any of those in your CBC results?


Nope, sadly I don't have any of those.

I guess my greatest concern is that both my Aunt and Mother tested 'normal' for so long until someone took them seriously when their symptoms went haywire.....I just don't want to get to that point!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Understood!

Well, why don't you go ahead and post those CBC results...we might see some clues in there.

Have you had any thyroid antibodies tested?


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## randomequine (Mar 4, 2013)

WBC	7.5	4.0 - 11.0	
RED BLOOD CELL	4.37	3.63 - 5.04	
HEMOGLOBIN	13.2	12.0 - 15.3	
HEMATOCRIT	39.5	34.7 - 45.1
MCV	90.3	80.0 - 100.0	
MCH	30.2	26.0 - 34.0	
MCHC 33.4	32.5 - 35.8	
RDW	13.0	11.9 - 15.9	
PLATELET	224	150 - 450	
MPV 8.9 6.8 - 10.2

No antibodies or any other tests -- I really wasn't until I was complaining about the fact that my historically very strong fingernails were flaking off to my mother that she said it sounded like thyroid -- I'm just wondering if I should push for more testing or not.

I suppose it doesn't help either that we got a letter from our primary care doc about him leaving practice to go into administration at the end of March!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

I think you should push for more testing, especially antibodies. (Not because of anything in the CBC...that all appears to be normal, but I'm not a doctor.) Also, do you have a recent cholesterol reading?

Here's some info: http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/thyroid-antibodies/tab/test

Did the doctor feel your neck at all?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

randomequine said:


> Hey everyone! I'm new to the site but have been lurking for the past couple days....I'm so glad to be here and hoping I can pick your (much more knowledgable!) brains.
> 
> A bit of a background: In January of 2011, I began gaining weight for no apparent reason. At the same time, I was living with a toxic roommate and was diagnosed with severe depression, so the gain wasn't too off base as I have been known to 'eat my feelings'. Roommate and I parted ways in May of 2011, and my depression lessened a great deal...as I went back to my old habits of eating well and exercising, I still wasn't losing the weight I had gained (somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 lbs). December 2011 we decided the culprit was my hormonal birth control, so doctor took me off that. Didn't lose the weight.
> 
> ...


Can't say I agree with your doctor.










While your TSH appears high to those of us who do best at 1.0 or less, your FT4 is practically non-existent. Since the FREE T3 is just a tad over the mid-range of the range provided by your lab, I am of the opinion that you need thyroxine replacement.

Why? Because in order to function well, FT4 has to convert to FT3. FT3 is your active hormone. You are running out of FT4; therefore your FT3 is lower than it should be for quality of life and your TSH is slowly but surely on the rise. Most of us prefer FT3 to be @ about 75% of the range given by your lab.

These antibodies' tests would be important. So would an ultra-sound of the thyroid.

TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), 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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## randomequine (Mar 4, 2013)

Thanks everyone for your replies!!

My doctor did feel my neck a little, but didn't say anything so I'm assuming it was unremarkable?

I have an appointment with a different doctor tomorrow and I'm going to run my numbers past her.

Even if it's not my thyroid, there is SOMETHING wrong -- my 'foggy brain' is getting downright dangerous -- today I forgot to shut a gate (something I NEVER forget to do!) to a pasture that had 6 very large horses in it...that weren't mine. If they'd have gotten out, I'm sure they would have gotten themselves into trouble.....

I was also in the middle of a conversation today with my husband and he had to repeat a couple of thoughts multiple times to me because my brain just could not process them....I don't understand what's going on, but I don't like it!


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## eternalflame30 (Mar 6, 2013)

Hey,

For a long time, couple of years doctors, endocrinologists did Thyroid tests on me that always came back normal. I just carried on, about two months ago I started to feel exhausted, not clear headed, hot flashes, moodiness, and feeling very emotional. I'm bipolar and I take meds to control the moods and depression. Well finally I found the culprit and I think it was there the whole time since labs are so weird about what is 'normal' for Thyroid. I got my results back and found out they are high for Hypo the doctor felt something strange in my neck so had thyroid ultrasound today. I feel as if I keep putting on more weight from the weight I already put on, and my emotions and tiredness and heat problems along with cold are so out of range. I definitely wouldn't give it up if I were you. Are you seeing an Endocrinologist? Sorry if you did say previously. You need a second opinion and keep getting tests done. You don't want to end up where I am it's not comfortable. The sooner they catch it, the better they can treat your symptoms. Good luck and hang in there, I'm thinking of you and hope you get answers soon.
Keep us updated!
Lisa


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## randomequine (Mar 4, 2013)

eternalflame30 said:


> Hey,
> 
> For a long time, couple of years doctors, endocrinologists did Thyroid tests on me that always came back normal. I just carried on, about two months ago I started to feel exhausted, not clear headed, hot flashes, moodiness, and feeling very emotional. I'm bipolar and I take meds to control the moods and depression. Well finally I found the culprit and I think it was there the whole time since labs are so weird about what is 'normal' for Thyroid. I got my results back and found out they are high for Hypo the doctor felt something strange in my neck so had thyroid ultrasound today. I feel as if I keep putting on more weight from the weight I already put on, and my emotions and tiredness and heat problems along with cold are so out of range. I definitely wouldn't give it up if I were you. Are you seeing an Endocrinologist? Sorry if you did say previously. You need a second opinion and keep getting tests done. You don't want to end up where I am it's not comfortable. The sooner they catch it, the better they can treat your symptoms. Good luck and hang in there, I'm thinking of you and hope you get answers soon.
> Keep us updated!
> Lisa


Thanks for your reply! I am going to push for more. Like I said above, even if its not my thyroid SOMETHING is wrong and I need to figure it out!!

Both my aunt and mother tested 'normal' for a very long time before finding anything, including the tumor on my mothers thyroid. So, needless to say, I'm a bit on edge!


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

Well, I don't think your doctor's suggestion of exercising is going to help the brain fog!

I vote for a second opinion...and possibly those other labs...Iron, Ferritin, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12.


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