# Thyroid is "normal," still feel terrible...



## lindsay0891

I feel like I have something going on with my hormones and no one can figure it out. 
I thought I was hyperthyroid, my TSH was low (0.34) and total T4 was a little high so I blamed that for the symptoms I was having. Then my most recent tests came back with the TSH at 0.71 and FT4 at 1.14 so I don't think it's my thyroid.

Then I thought I was having reactive hypoglycemia because I have to eat all the time or I get really anxious and lightheaded, and sometimes after eating I get lightheaded again. I've been monitoring my blood sugar levels and they are literally perfect, so it's not that.

I feel lightheaded and anxious a lot of the time, I get nauseous (mostly in random waves kind of like a pregnant woman... and over the summer I was actually getting morning sickness like a pregnant woman!), my skin looks thinner (I have more visible veins in my face and hands), my hair has gotten a little thinner, and I just do not feel well at all. I felt like I was getting better earlier in the winter and now I feel like I'm getting worse. I was going to class yesterday and I felt like I had a blood sugar crash; anxious, jittery, lightheaded, and feeling like I was going to throw up (this was after eating). Blood sugar was normal. The rest of the day I had that jittery lightheaded feeling. Today I haven't felt as bad (just the normal lightheaded feeling I almost always have) but I have been getting hit with major waves of nausea.

Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with me? If anyone knows a lot about hormones and endocrine disorders, message me if you don't mind!


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## Lovlkn

Can you post your ranges please.


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## lindsay0891

TSH range: 0.45-4.5
Free T4 range: 0.8-1.8


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## bigfoot

What you've described sounds a lot like what I've been going through for the last five years. You may wish to ask your doctor to test for things like a liver panel, Lyme disease, Free T3, Reverse T3, thyroid antibodies (TPO Ab, Thyroglobulin Ab, Thyr. Stimulating Immunoglobulin), Celiac disease and/or gluten sensitivity, H. Pylori, and another biggie -- a 24-hour free cortisol urine test or 24-hour saliva test. You also might consider going to an infectious disease specialist (more for their expertise in finding stuff) if those tests don't turn anything up.

Are you taking any thyroid medication at the moment?


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## StormFinch

A comprehensive hormone panel might be something to look into as well.


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## lindsay0891

bigfoot said:


> What you've described sounds a lot like what I've been going through for the last five years. You may wish to ask your doctor to test for things like a liver panel, Lyme disease, Free T3, Reverse T3, thyroid antibodies (TPO Ab, Thyroglobulin Ab, Thyr. Stimulating Immunoglobulin), Celiac disease and/or gluten sensitivity, H. Pylori, and another biggie -- a 24-hour free cortisol urine test or 24-hour saliva test. You also might consider going to an infectious disease specialist (more for their expertise in finding stuff) if those tests don't turn anything up.
> 
> Are you taking any thyroid medication at the moment?


Thanks. I had some liver enzymes checked and it was seen on an ultrasound, also got checked for hep C which was negative, lyme was negative, thyroid antibodies were negative, no gluten sensitivity, no H pylori (but I should probably get tested again). I need to get the cortisol test but my doctor said they don't usually do that which was pretty disappointing. Not taking any thyroid meds.


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## mouthy83

I highly reccommend getting ur cortisol checked. Most people dont get diagnosed as having adreanal fatigue untill they go into crisis and i cant stress enough that u do NOT want that to happen.

Also have u had iron, b12 and vit D checked lately??

Eat little but often, try to cut out caffeine.

The symptoms u have discribed could be any of the above or a million other things, best thing to do is to start ruling the easily diagnosable things first such as iron ect.

Good luck, keep us posted


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## Rain

I've been having the same problems lately, all my blood tests have come back normal so I'm fighting for answers. Post when you know more!


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## lindsay0891

Thanks. I am still feeling worse unfortunately. Lately I have been weak and tired, kind of like I'm coming down with something but I don't think I am. These symptoms are starting to get scary.


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## lindsay0891

I took antibiotics for an infection in my finger and I have been feeling slightly better overall, but today I've had some stomach pain. The last doctor I saw thought I might have gastritis so I am trying Prilosec for a while. I still don't understand why I need to eat so often though!


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## Lovlkn

lindsay0891 said:


> TSH range: 0.45-4.5
> Free T4 1.14 range: 0.8-1.8


Your FT-4 is not even at 1/2 range which is 1.3

Your FT-3, which was not tested is likely below 1/2 range as well.

You don't feel well because you are hypo.


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## lindsay0891

Well a month before that my FT4 was 1.44 and my TSH was low at 0.34. I don't know how I could be hypo...


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## Lovlkn

Have your FT-3 tested.

Being mid range 1 month on FT-4 then low range isn't "normal"


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## lindsay0891

Thanks.
I'm getting really scared about the weakness in my arms and legs, it went away for a couple days but now it's back. I went to the store and was in a daze, my limbs started getting weak, and on the way home my left arm felt like jelly gripping the steering wheel.

My FT3 was tested but I don't know what it was, they just said it was normal. I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday and I'll ask.


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## bapsmom

Did you ever figure out what was going on? I have been feeling like that for close to 7 weeks. I even had a partial thyroidectomy. All of my bloodwork is normal but I still feel hyper, have shakiness and tremors. I was thinking Hashimotos encephalitis but it isn't easy to diagnose and I wouldn't even know how to bring it up to my endocrinologist. I do take xanax when the shakiness gets too bad. I get palipatations as well with it. Scary. Fine one day and a mess for 7 weeks.


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## bigfoot

They are starting to think Hashimoto's Encephalopathy is under-diagnosed and mis-diagnosed. Still, any doc I've mentioned it to all but laughs and chuckles. They are also starting to realize that it has less to do with Hashi's, but is somehow affected by it, and taking steroids is supposed to help clear it up / get remission. Sadly, there just isn't much literature out there on it.


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## BlindMag

lindsay0891 said:


> Thanks.
> I'm getting really scared about the weakness in my arms and legs, it went away for a couple days but now it's back. I went to the store and was in a daze, my limbs started getting weak, and on the way home my left arm felt like jelly gripping the steering wheel.
> 
> My FT3 was tested but I don't know what it was, they just said it was normal. I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday and I'll ask.


Have you asked your doctor about POTS? (Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). It could cause a lot of the symptoms you're having.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postural_orthostatic_tachycardia_syndrome

Awhile back I thought I was having blood sugar issues (nausea, lightheadedness, etc) and long story short, it wasn't blood sugar, it was blood pressure! I have orthostatic hypotension (fancy word for low blood pressure that can cause some issues) and so basically if I feel myself getting light headed, I eat something salty. Maybe you could try that next time you feel woozy?

Maggie


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## lindsay0891

Hi! I had forgotten about this til I got an email update saying I had replies. I started feeling a lot worse toward the end of March/beginning of April and I went to the doctor (walk-in internal medicine clinic doctor at my regular doctor's office) who said at my age, there are really no physical problems that can cause the pattern and type of symptoms I've had (I explained them to him in a lot more detail than I have on here) and he truly believed it was physical symptoms of anxiety and depression. Before I had always gotten frustrated when doctors said this but he explained it in a way that didn't make me feel like it was all in my head. He said sometimes the body takes mental stress and transfers it to physical symptoms, and I have had a lot of stress in life going on. I decided to try Zoloft, and for the next two months I felt absolutely amazing. I even started working again. 
The only symptoms I have now are digestive symptoms, mainly acid reflux and intestinal cramping. The doctor said the cramps are most likely IBS because it's better some days, worse others and I don't have any red flag symptoms of another digestive disorder. It might sound like I have been brushed off by doctors but I have had a LOT of tests and the Zoloft helped me so much, I really think anxiety is the major cause of my symptoms. I'm only 22 and I was so healthy before this, and Zoloft helped so much I feel like that's what it has to be.


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## BlindMag

That's fantastic!!!  So glad to hear you've found something to help! 

Maggie


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## Lovlkn

lindsay,

Do you have any recent labs with ranges you could share? I'm curious if your thyroid labs are higher as well.


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