# Opinions needed...



## amourdunmonstre (Oct 8, 2013)

Hi all. I've been reading a lot of your posts and I sympathize with your struggles to find the answers to your health issues. I am turning to your experience in hopes that you may help guide me in my struggles, and if I can help you all, I will!

A little background: I've been battling chronic fatigue for about a year and a half (best guess). In October of 2012, I went in for my annual check-up. I started rattling off what had been bothering me lately: bad fatigue, discontinued menses, heart palpitations, headaches, always feeling cold, easy bruising, constipation, mild dry skin, and mild hair loss. Immediately the PA-C asks if I anyone in my family has thyroid issues, and I tell her my mother and sister are both hypo. She palpated my thyroid and told me it was enlarged and that the left side was larger than the right. She ran a TSH, chem panel, CBC, coag, and pregnancy test (due to stopped periods). It all came back WNL except I had low magnesium.

So the PA-C wanted me to go get a thyroid ultrasound, which I did. The U/S tech informed me that what the PA-C has told me was my thyroid was, in fact, my neck muscle, and I found out later from my current doctor that the "enlarged" left side was an aggravated lymph node underneath a blood vessel. She did the U/S anyway, and it came back fine.

Frustrated, I went to a highly recommended internist for a second opinion. He is now my current doctor. In April 2013, he ran more bloodwork because he, too, was suspecting thyroid issues. He ran a chem panel, CBC, vitamin D level, and a thyroid panel. All but the thyroid panel came back WNL except I had low potassium (my magnesium was not checked, not sure why) and slightly high glucose (I had literally just eaten lunch prior to the appointment). My thyroid panel was as follows:

T4 - 14.3 mcg/dL (4.8-13.9) *HIGH*
T3 Uptake - 26% (30-39) *LOW*
Free Thyroxine Index - 3.7 (1.3-4.8)
TSH, HS - 1.090 microIU/mL (0.358-3.740)

When I received these results, my doctor put me on a potassium supplement and made no mention of the thyroid panel. I assumed it must have been fine, but as usual I requested a copy. I have worked in a veterinarian's office for 6 years and understand how to read bloodwork quite well, though not necessarily how to interpret it.

So I took my KCl faithfully until August when I couldn't stand it anymore. Although my heart palpitations have significantly decreased, everything else was exactly the same except now I had horrible sinus issues of constant pain and pressure. I went back to my doctor, and this time he suggested I might have sleep apnea (fatigue and constant headaches). My father and mother have sleep apnea, and it runs in families. He also found fluid behind my ear drums which I am still battling.

So on October 2, I underwent a sleep study, and the sleep tech (with 15+ years experience) told me she did not note any apnea, but the doctor has to interpret the results. I'm still waiting on them at this point, but again I was asked, by the tech, "Have you had your thyroid checked?" I laughed and said, "Oh, you have no idea."

I'll try to finish up here, since I know this is a long story. I am 28 years old, female, and of a normal BMI. The only prescriptions I am on are the KCl, Yasmin (birth control - 10+ years so it's nothing new), Flexeril (for TMJ pain, taken only as needed), and Flonase (for the sinus issues). I started up a good vitamin regimen when I first noticed the fatigue and malaise and I also changed my diet and started weight lifting and cardio in an attempt to fix it. (No change -- in fact, I've put the exercise on hold because the fatigue got so bad I couldn't get up and actually go to the gym.) I take a "top-shelf" multivitamin, vitamin D, vitamin C (fall and winter only), krill oil, and probiotic. I only drink socially and that may happen 3-4 times a month. I do not smoke and I do not do drugs.
*
I know you are all not doctors*, but any insight would be appreciated. My sleep doctor suggested at our first meeting that if no actual sleep disorders are found, we need to follow up on that funky thyroid panel. But I'm at a loss because the results don't seem to fit classic hypothyroidism. I've read a little about low T3 syndrome, but I don't seem to understand it well. And my regular doctor didn't seem concerned about it. Ugh.

To all who read all the way through, kudos!! 

-Emily


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

I would be interested in seeing the actual u/s report. I don't think most people would confuse a muscle with a thyroid and I'd be curious to see what was said about the enlarged lymph node.

Your next step would be to get antibodies tested. TPO, TSI, and TRab would be on my list. You sound hyperthyroid.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Emily,

I would also suggest having Free T-4 and Free T-3 run to see the active hormone in your system. Since your T-4 is so high it would make sense that your Free's are high as well.

I have alot of issues sleeping which I have never found the cause to and had wicked sinus pain and pressure to the point I could not read or look at a computer screen. I allergy tested and found out I am allergic to dogs - my dos is all over me all the time so I now use Astepro along with my Flonaise. It has made a world of difference and now I use one or the other daily and things have really settled. Astepro is a nasal antihistamine and truly a miracle drug for me.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

amourdunmonstre said:


> Hi all. I've been reading a lot of your posts and I sympathize with your struggles to find the answers to your health issues. I am turning to your experience in hopes that you may help guide me in my struggles, and if I can help you all, I will!
> 
> A little background: I've been battling chronic fatigue for about a year and a half (best guess). In October of 2012, I went in for my annual check-up. I started rattling off what had been bothering me lately: bad fatigue, discontinued menses, heart palpitations, headaches, always feeling cold, easy bruising, constipation, mild dry skin, and mild hair loss. Immediately the PA-C asks if I anyone in my family has thyroid issues, and I tell her my mother and sister are both hypo. She palpated my thyroid and told me it was enlarged and that the left side was larger than the right. She ran a TSH, chem panel, CBC, coag, and pregnancy test (due to stopped periods). It all came back WNL except I had low magnesium.
> 
> ...




There is something going on w/ the thyroid; there is no question of it because............................

T3 Uptake test
http://www.drstandley.com/labvalues_thyroid.shtml (high, hyper---low, hypo)

The T3 uptake explained.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003688.htm

And for a correct assessement, your doc would do well to run the FREE T4 and FREE T3.

Understanding the Thyroid: Why You Should Check Your Free T3
http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/understanding-thyroid-why-you-should-check-your-free-t3

Dr. Mercola (FREES)
http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis_comp.htm

Free T3 and Free T4 are the only accurate measurement of the actual active thyroid hormone levels in the body. This is the hormone that is actually free and exerting effect on the cells. These are the thyroid hormones that count.

Lastly; antibodies!!! There are binding, blocking and stimulating antibodies to the receptor sites which and produce readings that are masking what is going on.

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/

Trab
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684583

I included Trab as a "rule" out test just to be sure you are hypothyroid. Which I believe you are.

But......................you never know for sure until the proper tests are run.


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## Swimmer (Sep 12, 2013)

I would encourage you to look into actual medical studies concerning the ingredients in the birth control you are taking and read and research into the effects -- taking hormone altering drugs for ten years certainly sounds like it could have a long-term factor in changing things/effecting things in your body.

How long has the drug been around/in use and how long was it in trials before-hand?

Yasmin/Yaz Birth Control Side Effects
As of March 2012, approximately 12,000 lawsuits have been brought against Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the manufacturer of Yasmin, Yaz, Beyaz and Safyral, alleging an increased risk of blood clots (deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE)) and gallbladder problems. Ocella, the generic version of Yasmin, is also associated with serious side effects. As well as blood clots, DVT and pulmonary embolism, all of the oral contraceptives containing ethinyl estradiol and the new "fourth generation" progestin drospirenone (DRSP) have been linked to:

Blood Clots
Gallbladder Disease
Stroke
Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVA)
Heart Attack
Myocardial Infarction
Death

A forum discussing it:

http://www.createforum.com/yasminsi...e733f1ebf7f2466c010a37&mforum=yasminsideeffec


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## amourdunmonstre (Oct 8, 2013)

Thank you all for your responses. I'm definitely pursuing the thyroid angle -- I need to get this figured out!!


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## amourdunmonstre (Oct 8, 2013)

Swimmer -- just read some of the Yasmin/Yaz board and am SHOCKED. Pursuing that angle as well! Thank you!!!


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## ChrisP (Oct 29, 2013)

Hi Emily!

Sorry to hear of your struggles...

From what I can offer you, I think you need more of a thyroid panel done, especially since you've changed your diet drastically in recent times. Ask your gen. practitioner for a CBC which are relatively quite easy and inexpensive.

I'd also have to _strongly _agree with Swimmer! Birth control is a helpful but nasty little pill. It affects many women differently. Some of the symptoms mentioned are real and you could be having unusual side effects from that pill. After all, birth control tricks your body into thinking you are pregnant in order to stop ovulating, in which your hypothalamus stop the production of FSH (Follicular Stimulating Hormone) and rather increases LH. Yay biochemistry! :tongue0015:

But anyway, birth control disrupts your normal hormone regulation by your hypothalamus and pituitary, which in toll affects your entire endocrine system, INCLUDING your thyroxine and triiodothyronine production.

Best advice?
Get in all tested!

Best of luck and PLEASE keep us posted. x :hugs:


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