# Need Help - thyroid slowly failing?



## CP900 (Sep 2, 2011)

Hi everyone.

I'm new to these forums, so first off, my name is Cody. I'm a 23 year old male currently going through some tough problems, hence I'm here to get advice and hopefully find a supportive community.

I've been going through some things for quite a while now that just haven't made sense for a 23yr old to be going through. These include:

> Extreme difficulty falling and staying asleep
> Very low libido
> Erectile dysfunction (probably related to the low libido)
> Fatigue
> Low motivation
> Mental fogginess
> Depression (probably related to all of the above)

I've been dealing with these issues for years and have been seeing doctors, trying to get them addressed. I have a family history of hypothyroidism. My mother is hypothyroid, as well as my grandmother and at least 1 of my uncles. Curious to see if hypothyroidism is the issue I've been facing, I had blood work done on my thyroid levels. Here were the results from 2010:

Free T4: .9ng/dl

Free T3: 3.2pg/ml

TSH: 2.59

I've also had testosterone testing done (January of 2011), which showed:

Free Test: 16.35pg/ml

Total Test: 3.6ng/ml -> 360ng/dl

Now, I had read an article online stating that a TSH value above 2.2 could be grounds for subclinical hypothyroidism (a failing thyroid). I also noticed that my T4 was looking pretty low at .9ng/dl. But, my primary care physician has insisted that, because everything is in "laboratory range," I have nothing to worry about. I'm not so sure however...

Given everything, do my lab results show anything of concern? Is subclinical hypothyroidism something I should pursue? Is there anything else that might be out of place?

Thanks to everyone who responds!


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

We really need lab ranges to evaluate the results. All labs have different ranges. Also, it is September of 2011--don't you have testing that is more recent than 2010? The numbers can vary, and you really need to know where you are now.

In men, low testosterone mimics hypothyroidism, and causes all of the symptoms you have listed. From the results, was this low also? Once again, the lab ranges are needed.


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## bigfoot (May 13, 2011)

You might try getting some thyroid antibody tests done. Everything you described sounds awfully familiar to me, and at the outset I was only diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Then I still had lingering signs & symptoms, so they found low testosterone a few months later. Finally a year later the docs uncovered Hashimoto's.

Your testosterone is on the very low side for being 23 years old. That is something that should be investigated and addressed by the docs. I think ideally you'd want to see it around *at least* the mid-range, somewhere about 500 ng/dL or so. Every lab's ranges for testosterone vary; some show in the 800s as the top end, others show 1000s, and still others in the 1200s for upper end of the range. And every individual is different. Regardless, I'd say yours is near the bottom. Especially when you factor in your age.

There could be a variety of reasons for the low testosterone. But the fact you have significant hypothyroidism in your family history, your thyroid labs are considered "normal" by the doctors, and yet you still suffer with signs & symptoms affecting your daily life tells me something is there, just waiting to be discovered.

Push your docs to look further, especially _why_ you have low testosterone at your age, and test those thyroid antibodies. Hopefully that sheds some light on this!

:anim_32:


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## CP900 (Sep 2, 2011)

*Lainey -*

Here were the lab ranges:

***
Total Testosterone - 3.6ng/dl

Reference Range - [1.8 - 7.8]
***

***
Free Testosterone - 16.35pg/ml

Reference Range - [8.69 - 54.69]
***

***
Free T3 - 3.2pg/mL

Reference Range: [2.3 - 4.2]
***

***
Free T4 - 0.9ng/dL

Reference Range: [0.7 - 2.0]
***

***
TSH - 2.59

Reference Range [.3 - 3.0]
***

I also understand that I should have more blood work done. However, my doctor absolutely refuses to do so seeing as how my results are within "lab ranges." I just today put in a request to change primary care physicians so hopefully I'll be able to get the work I need done.


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## CP900 (Sep 2, 2011)

*Bigfoot* -

I believe you could be on to something. The testosterone value did look a little low, and after doing some research, I think you are right. Average testosterone values for my age look to be around 6 - 700.

I will try to get thyroid antibody testing done and see what comes up there as well as pushing the testosterone issue with my doc. I'll report back on what I find.

Thanks for the insight


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## lainey (Aug 26, 2010)

You might have a hard time finding a GP to address the whole issue. Your thyroid levels are "normal", with the free T4 a little low, but the active hormone, the free T3 is above mid-range, which is good.

You need thyroid antibodies testing, and a better hormone profile to look at your whole problem. Find a different doctor to do the testing.


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

CP900 said:


> *Lainey -*
> 
> Here were the lab ranges:
> 
> ...


Hi and thank you so much for going back and including the ranges for us. Yes; your 2010 labs are suspicious and probably even more so now.

FT4 very very low and the FT3 is below the mid-range of the range given by your lab and there is not question but what you are very very tired as FREE T3 is the active hormone. Most of us like the FREE T3 to be @ 75% of the range given by your lab.

One major problem is that you have literally no FT4 to convert to FT3 so I think you are a candidate for thyroxine replacement the yes; the TSH is a bit high. Again, most of us feel best w/TSH @1.0 or less.

Here is info which may help but I think you need to change doctors too!

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.
http://www.drlam.com/articles/hypothyroidism.asp?page=3

Recommended tests:

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO{Thyroid Peroxidase Ab}, (antimicrosomal antibodies, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003556.htm) 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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