RE: some help with my results - not making sense

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

Free T4 is now 11 (pretty low, off the bottom of the charts in some labs - some

labs say 9-mid 20's, some say 12-mid 20's)

TSH is 1.5 (quite low?)

Total t3 is 1.6 (which I was told was within range)

(I ASKED him specifically to do Free t3 so he either ignored me or wrote the

wrong thing down)

Total T3 is useless in reaching a diagnosis of hypothyroidism -

you need a Free T3. Total T3 is done when reaching a diagnosis of

hyperthyroidism, and certainly with your low TSH and low free T4 - that's out

of the question.

I eat a pretty clean diet of low carb, low sugar and limited dairy – no

processed foods and I don't drink much, eat takeways, pizza or any junk food.

Mainly meat, veg, a little fruit, nuts and seeds. My diet is as pure as it

gets. So it's not that. Last year I lived in

the mountains and skied every day for 4 months. Not even a dress size –

toned up obviously but not loosing FAT. I play squash a few times a week, walk

to and from work so moderately fit but it's extremely aggrevating my body won't

respond to the changes I've made. The main

reason I think there's a thyroid problem;

#1 – I've always blamed my tiredness on my diagnosed narcolepsy.

Historically it was only giving me a microsleep problem in the afternoon, once

a day.

With a low metabolism, you are physically unable to burn off

excess calories - hence the reason why those suffering the symptoms of

hypothyroidism gain weight and can't get rid of it.

Now I find I'm tired when I get up, I'm tired at 9:30am at my desk –

yesterday I went to the loos twice to induce a micro-sleep so I wouldn't fall

asleep at my desk. Once I got home last night after playing squash and having

my tea, I slept for a good 45 mins on the sofa. I then went to bed at 11pm. Got

up at 8am. Will probably get tired again soo today

#2 – the inability to lose any weight. The reason I don't put any on is

due to my clean diet and activities but I still need to loose 3 dress sizes at

least

#3 – more noticeably recently – I've been know to be shivering

under a 15 tog duvet wearing a fleece. I'm always the coldest person in the room,

uncomfortably so. Everyone else seems warm.

More symptoms that match – brittle, flaky nails, I personally feel my

hair is slightly thinner. I'm sure there are more but can't be sure they are

hypo related.

How can I be hypo though with such low TSH?

TSH is a useless test as there are so many problems associated

with this test that make it completely unreliable. Please go to our FILES

section which is accessible from the Home Page of this forum http://health./group.thyroid treatment

and on the list that opens, click on the FOLDER TSH ~ What

affects the level of TSH.  Gather what information you need there

and show your GP and endocrinologist.

You would be better writing a letter to your GP setting out all

of your symptoms and signs (check yours signs and symptoms against those listed

in our web site www.tpa-uk.org.uk under

'Hypothyroidism'. Most of the symptoms and signs are 'non-specific' to

hypothyroidism but list them anyway. A list of more than 8 is an indication you

do have symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Take your basal temperature for 4 or 5 mornings before you get

out of bed and list these if they are less than 97.8 degrees F.

List any members of your family who have a thyroid or autoimmune

disease.

List the blood tests you want, i.e. a full thyroid function test

to include TSH, free T4, free T3 and tests to see whether you have thyroid

antibodies (TPO and TgAb). List also the following vitamin and mineral tests you

need, to see whether any of these are low in the reference range. In case your

GP or endocrinologist tries to tell you that there is no connection between

these and low thyroid, then cite the references to the scientific evidence.

Low iron/ferritin: Iron deficiency is shown to significantly

reduce T4 to T3 conversion, increase reverse T3 levels, and block the

thermogenic (metabolism boosting) properties of thyroid hormone (1-4). Thus,

iron deficiency, as indicated by an iron saturation below 25 or a ferritin

below 70, will result in diminished intracellular T3 levels. Additionally, T4

should not be considered adequate thyroid replacement if iron deficiency is

present (1-4)).

1.

Dillman E, Gale C, Green W, et al. Hypothermia in iron

deficiency due to altered triiodithyroidine metabolism. Regulatory, Integrative

and Comparative Physiology 1980;239(5):377-R381.

2.

SM, PE, Lukaski HC. In vitro hepatic

thyroid hormone deiodination in iron-deficient rats: effect of dietary fat.

Life Sci 1993;53(8):603-9.

3.

Zimmermann MB, Köhrle J. The Impact of Iron and Selenium

Deficiencies on Iodine and Thyroid Metabolism: Biochemistry and Relevance to

Public Health. Thyroid 2002;12(10): 867-78.

4.

Beard J, tobin B, Green W. Evidence for Thyroid Hormone

Deficiency in Iron-Deficient Anemic Rats. J. Nutr. 1989;119:772-778.

Low vitamin B12: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18655403

Low vitamin D3: http://www.eje-online.org/cgi/content/abstract/113/3/329

and http://www.goodhormonehealth.com/VitaminD.pdf

Low magnesium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC292768/pdf/jcinvest00264-0105.pdf

Low folate: http://www.clinchem.org/cgi/content/full/47/9/1738

and http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/thy.1999.9.1163

Low  copper/zinc:http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/ffdbiyo/current4/07%20Iham%20AM%C4%B0R.pdf

and http://articles.webraydian.com/article1648-Role_of_Zinc_and_Copper_in_Effective_Thyroid_Function.html

Ask

your GP for a referral to a good endocrinologists, and preferably one who does

not have diabetes as his specialty. I will send you a list of doctors that have

been recommended by my members as being prepared to prescribe T4/T3 combination

therapy, T3 alone or natural thyroid extract (which means they know a little

more about thyroid disease than those doctors who insist that everybody can

regain optimal health on T4 ONLY therapy.

Last,

ask for your letter of requests to be placed into your medical notes, and make

sure your GP knows that you are now determined to get to the bottom of your ill

health.

If

you wish, send a copy to the Head of Practice too, and don't forget to keep a

copy yourself in case you need to use this in the future.

Hope

this helps.

Luv

- Sheila