# Your Advice Please: Hashimoto's (?) and PCOS (?) & Dry Eye Pain



## Zugora (Feb 14, 2010)

Hello-
I'm wondering if any of you could share some insight or offer any recommendations ...I'm at my wits end and I suspect thyroid issues, but I'm not sure and neither are my drs!

My Background:
-33 Female, 130 lbs, 5'4
- Family history of PCOS and Hashimoto's (sister)
-Irregular Periods (have been on Birth Control the last 16 yrs to regulate)
-Cold Intolerance (Raynaud's)
-Low Blood Pressure (recently 88/60, has never been over 100/60)
-Excessive Hair (chin, neck, nipples)
-Oily skin/acne
-Sweaty feet and hands which makes my cold feet even colder when they are wet.
-Anxiety/Panic issues in the past

Last 7 months:
-Severe Dry Eyes (my main problem right now), since going off birth control 8 months ago. Had dry eye the last year or so, but it has become alot worse since going off B/C. *Has anyone gotten any relief with dry eyes?*
-Depression/Anxiety worse
-Periods are still irregular

Test Results so far:
- TSH, Free T-3, and Free T-4 - "normal" and in the middle of the range.
- Cortisol: Moderately elevated
- Testosterone: Mildly elevated
- B-12: Mildly elevated

I have been to a slew of doctors: opthamologists, general practitioners, OB/GYN, accupuncture, naturalpathic dr this coming week..

Currently Taking:
- Herbals (Chinese) from acupuncturist
- Fish Oil (7,200 mg/day)
- Cut most sugars and carbs out of diet.
- Lots of water
- Just started using a natural progesterone cream and the past few weeks have been "slightly" better. Acupunturist recommended, said that I probably have estrogen dominance after coming off birth control.

My gynocologist would not authorize blood work for the Thyroid Antibodies test (typically used for Hashimotos), since she said this was beyond her scope. I am thinking of demanding a referral to an endocrinologist this week. What are your thoughts? Any advice would be helpful....

Has anyone heard of dry eyes getting better with Synthroid? My mom and sister are on it for their thyroid issues, but I'm reluctant about the drug... my husband and I would like to start a family soon, that is, if my health can get better first....

Thank you for your advice!


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Zugora said:


> Hello-
> I'm wondering if any of you could share some insight or offer any recommendations ...I'm at my wits end and I suspect thyroid issues, but I'm not sure and neither are my drs!
> 
> My Background:
> ...


Wow, sounds like you are struggling to hold it together here. Welcome to the board.

Things that come to mind right off the bat are PCOS, Sjogren's Syndrome and Cushing's Syndrome/Disease in addition to Thyroid.

I believe you would benefit from being referred to an endocrinologist provided you can find a good one.

I take it that you have tested positive for rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies or both for the Reynaud's diagnosis? ANA would also suggest Sjogren's and a more definitive test for that would be a salivary biopsy plus the Schirmer's eye test.

Have you ever had a radioactive uptake scan of the thyroid? I would definitely recommend that. This would tell a whole lot including whether or not there are cancerous nodules.

And here are some tests I recommend for thyroid........

TSH, FREE T3, FREE T4, TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies), ANA (antinuclear antibodies), TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin) and Thyroglobulin Ab as well as thyroid binding inhibitory immunoglobulins (TBII.)

You can look all of the above up here so you know what they are for........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/

Hate to slap you w/ a bunch of labs but this truly is the only way to get to the bottom of things.

I will await your reply to the couple of questions I have and I am sorry you are feeling so poorly.

Hopefully a bunch of us can help. If nothing else, we are here for you!


----------



## Zugora (Feb 14, 2010)

Thanks for the advice on tests and lab work. Here is the lab work I have had recently:

Thyroid TSH: 1.90 uIU/mL (Range: .27-4.20) 
Thyroid FT4: 1.21 ng/dL (Range: .85-1.71)
Thyroid FT3: Lab work is being mailed to me (but, the nurse said it was smack in the middle). 1 year ago it was 3.2 (Range: 2.3-4.2)
Vit B-12: 956 pg/mL (Range: 211-946)
Vit D: 56.7 ng/mL (Range: 30-100)
Iron: 68.3 ng/mL (Range: 13-150)
Cortisol: Moderately elevated (not sure of the exact number yet - will be mailed)
Testosterone: Mildly elevated (not sure of the exact number yet - will be mailed)

I was diagnosed w/ Raynaud's just based on symptoms, no test. Rheumatoid was ruled out since the Rheumatoid test came back "normal". Sjogren's was also ruled out for this reason, too, although my Schirmer eye strip test was very dry (not producing enough tears).

Everything got worse once I stopped taking birth control. It's been about 7 months since I've stopped the pill and I was hoping by now, things would start to feel better, but they haven't. I'm going to try to get a referral for an endocrinologist here this week....


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Zugora said:


> Thanks for the advice on tests and lab work. Here is the lab work I have had recently:
> 
> Thyroid TSH: 1.90 uIU/mL (Range: .27-4.20)
> Thyroid FT4: 1.21 ng/dL (Range: .85-1.71)
> ...


I hope to see the FT3 when it comes in but at the outset nothing really stands out but THAT DOES NOT mean anything if there are antibodies wreaking havoc so I do hope you can get some antibodies' tests run.

Sometimes estrogen serves as a tool for masking what is already lying dormant so I am not surprised. On the long haul, I think you will be better off as you do have to get to the bottom of this so you can get the proper medical intervention.

Let us know when the other results come in and also of your doctor's comments regarding these lab results.


----------

