# Why symptoms persist despite normal thyroid levels.



## Desertrose (Jul 30, 2013)

I watched this video last night 



 and then went onto to watching dozens of his other video's which talk about the many reasons that your doctor may be missing the cause of persistent symptoms. Interesting, but oh so complex this whole thing is!

I had a bit of a breakdown yesterday because my most recent (first since starting thyroid meds six weeks ago) tests came back showing that my TSH is 0.5.....something. Totally within normal range, as is the T4 reading. That's ALL this doctor (who I am NOT going to see anymore!) tested. 
He didn't even ask "How are you feeling then?" he just seemed pleased with himself that the numbers look good, so therefore in his eyes there is obviously nothing more that needs to be addressed.

I was shocked yesterday when I looked at myself in the mirror. I could feel my eyelids drooping - been having puffiness around my eyes lately, but I didn't realise that I now have huge dark bags under my eyes as well. It just doesn't even look like me! I just look really unwell!
My hair is thinning even more, one leg is aching all over the place, thigh, calf, wherever it feels like. My feet hurt first thing in the morning...I have to hobble to the bathroom. Obviously my gallbladder is being affected...had some sort of pretty severe pain attack the other week that they can't figure out. Niggling pain continues.
Headaches every night...night sweats, mood swings, depression.
Oh my God! NO! I do not feel WELL, thank you doctor for asking!

Anyway, my message is this.
Watch these videos, read....and read more... and then arm yourself with more knowledge, and then go.....keep going to different doctors until you find someone who REALLY understands what Hashimoto's is all about and is willing to have the patience to try and figure out why YOU are not improving despite the thyroid medications.
Honestly, I (we) deserve to feel well!
I am only 45 years old. I should be feeling vastly different from what I do, and I am determined to find a way to do so!


----------



## Exiledmoths (Aug 22, 2013)

Although I don't know your background or anything else, so what i say may not apply but it sounds like some of the symptoms I have with hyperthyroidism. .5 can sometimes be considered borederline hyperthyroidism. If you are still symptomatic you have all right to be treated, just like you said.


----------



## Desertrose (Jul 30, 2013)

Hi, I'm not sure about the numbers to be honest. They were way higher before.
I thought the optimum level was to get that number towards 1 or O. something?
(Please tell me if I'm wrong....I'd like to know....) 
Bear in mind that I'm in Australia and I'm not sure if the way lab tests are done here is the same as in the US, or anywhere else?
BUT, yeah, I am sure I'm a "swinger"  In fact it's likely (I'm hypothesizing) that because this doctor previously put me on HRT for three months because he was adamant I was going through perimenopause before he tested for the Hashimoto's....and then told me to just suddenly STOP, after 3 months on them, that right now I could be experiencing some hormonal screw up as things try to get back into balance on their own. AND, I have read that HRT can affect how the thyroid medications work! 
I'm blaming that on why I feel like a total mental case emotionally at the moment.


----------



## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Just as you can feel totally fine with normal TSH, T3 & T4, but really high TPO. Hashi's is a weird disease and no people are the same. You have to remember it's an autoimmune disease and NOT a thyroid disease. Most regular docs don't know how to treat the autoimmune issue because there isn't a "pill" they can give you to fix it. You can throw thyroid medication at your thyroid all day long and still feel like crap even though your numbers are "normal". You have to address and treat the autoimmune portion to feel better. The hardest part is finding YOUR triggers, because we are all different. For me it's gluten. Holy crap - I ingest any and I am ill for days. It makes my antibodies angry and the war on my thyroid begins. So I am completely gluten free. I also don't drink any caffeine or soda - both are triggers for me as well.
Your autoimmmune system starts in the gut and until you address that part of the disease, thyroid meds won't help you feel better. It will make your numbers look good the stupid doctor happy, but you will still feel like doo doo. And since the numbers look good and the doctor doesn't know what to do to treat the autoimmune part, you will continue to fell lousy. 
It took me two years and a naturopath to finally get me feeling better. I have leveled out on medication and take the correct dose now (that's a task in itself) and changed my diet and supplements. Selenuim has helped with my antibody count and it's come down alot since this whole mess started.


----------



## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

Well said... hugs3


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Just because you are "in range" does not mean you are in "your range".

Ignore TSH.

If your doctor is running T-4 this is not going to be good enough to dose off.

You need to ask for Free T-4 and if your are lucky they will run a Free T-3 as well - use those 2 tests to properly dose yourself.


----------



## Desertrose (Jul 30, 2013)

Thanks! I will! 
I'm going to see a new doctor today. I think I'm just going to ask him to refer me to an endocrinologist who is well practised with thyroid issues, specifically Hashimoto's.


----------



## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

My famous saying: "Sometimes you've gotta' kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince."


----------



## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Desertrose said:


> Thanks! I will!
> I'm going to see a new doctor today. I think I'm just going to ask him to refer me to an endocrinologist who is well practised with thyroid issues, specifically Hashimoto's.


Beware though. I thought the same thing and went to a highly respected endo in my state (at the request of my mother,,,,,) It took me 3 MONTHS to get an appt and it was the joke of the century. He spent all of 10 minutes with me, told me he would never prescribe Naturethroid (this is what I take) and I, ME (yes ME) had to tell HIM to prescribe Tirosint because it has less fillers than Synthroid and that's what he did! (I never picked up the prescription and went running back to my naturopath)


----------



## Desertrose (Jul 30, 2013)

Yeah I know. I have a friend who is diabetic and she's had her run of not so very great endo's too. 
On the upside though, I was SO amazed with this doctor yesterday.
I asked him what he knew about Hashimoto's and straight away he called it an auto immune disease, rather than focusing entirely on the thyroid aspect.
He actually sat and LISTENED to me and then admitted that he really didn't know that much about Hashimoto's but understood that there was far more than just the thyroid to deal with. He even seemed impressed that I had done enough research myself to know at least a little about what I was talking about.
He suggested I wait a few more weeks because the previous doctor put me on HRT then told me to stop taking it, like suddenly, no tapering off, so some of my current symptoms could be from screwy hormones right now. 
He's quite happy to refer me on to someone more experienced, unlike the other doctor who didn't even mention seeing a specialist and seemed only to want to look at lab numbers. (He really was an arrogant man!)
I know this could mean a long journey still, but I feel as though I might at least have a GP who is more willing to LISTEN to me.


----------

