Thursday they drew 4 vials of blood and they are testing mine! I should know all the results Monday.

My obgyn checks me annually because I have been reading 'normal' but it's as low as you can get and still be regarded as normal. So I guess that would be hypo, not hyper?

Anyway, it's very very hard for me to lose weight, and I am sooo cold all the time, and have days that I just have to lie down I'm so tired. But it's managable. Doc is concerned that it might take a dip so he checks it every year.

I just had mine checked via the radioactive scan and it showed a mildly enlarged thyroid. I have had alot of the thyroid blood tests that always came back normal, which from my understanding, is common. Im geussing the blood test isnt very accurate. I have been convinced that something was a miss with my thryoid for quite a while now so I basically insisted on have the scan which alas, showed what the physical exam and the blood tests did not.
I do not know what the doctor will say regarding the scan results yet as I have to schedule the appt.
If you suspect something is amiss with your thyroid perservere till you get all bases covered. Im glad I did.

Glad you did too. It's amazing how many bodily functions that little gland affects.

trekaren, do you know what they're testing and what your level is? The normal first test for hypothyroidism is TSH thyroid stimulating hormone, which is kind a of backwards test; they're measuring the hormone that tells your thyroid to get going, rather than measuring what your thyroid is doing directly. So if your thyroid is underperforming, your pituitary puts out extra TSH, to try to kick your thyroid back up into full gear. So, in that case, a higher number actually means a low-functioning thyroid. Although rather than go through that whole big explanation, you doctor might just tell you your thyroid is functioning borderline low. Anyway, if TSH level is what they're measuring, endicronologists have recently (about a year ago) changed their minds about what "normal" is, so if you were normal but borderline high TSH (low thyroid function) two years ago, you might not be "normal" according to the new guidlines. Regardless, if you have borderline levels and are having symptoms, you should probably be getting treated. Just because symptoms are "manageable" does not mean you should have to live with them. The treatment for hypothyroidism is just a supplement of the hormone the thyroid is underproducing, there are no real side effects so long as you are not oversupplemented to the point of becoming hyper, which can be easily monitored by bloodwork.

Here are a couple links about the new guidelines.

http://www.aace.com/pub/tam2003/explanation.php

http://www.applesforhealth.com/HealthyFeatures/milcouthym4.html

Thanks for the links quirk. My TSH was 0.

Thanks! That explains the levels! I need to get the old copy of my tests from this past year to see which number it was that they were talking about. I agree, and also have severe dry skin, which is also a symptom. If I can fix the coldness alone, I would be so happy, but it would also be nice to get rid of the fatigue. My family has a history of autoimmune diseases, with my dad being diabetic and my mom having lupus. I am negative for the lupus completely. But I am at risk for diabetes, which is why I watch my weight and diet so closely ever since I turned 35. But now that I'm almost 40, the coldness is unbearable. And on the days the tiredness hits, I just have to go home from work and veg.

I am thinking of calling my doc and getting my last report, and just calling DH's endocrinologist and talk to him directly. I think his opinion might be more informed than a general type doc or gynecologist even.

I have hypothyroid problems...the doctor keeps upping my thyroid medication...I still have all the symptoms TREKaren mentioned. I also take Atenolol for high blood pressure. I start reading up and find that Atenolol counteracts the effects of thyroid medication...I can see how the doctor may have missed this, but it also didn't send up any red flags with the pharmacy. The pharmacist at the University Hospital also said nothing about this combination. I hate to quit the Atenolol because it is one of the few medications that will keep my blood pressure in check...I'm between a rock and a hard place....

This may be a good place to ask some questions.

Maybee,

Where did you hear that atenolol and levothyroxine (or it's generics) shouldn't be taken together? I was on both for several years, and none of my doctors ever mentioned that. I just looked both up, and nothing like that was mentioned, either.

Hi Michelle,
I felt so sorry for what happened to you.

I think Atenolol is a beta blocker and you need to google the side effects of that. Check more than one site for accuracy. You may want to change to something else. I was on nadolol and gained 11 lbs in 6 weeks. Since I quit I have lost the weight, but it took several months. My doctor lied to me when she said it doesn't cause weight gain. Two doctors told me that. I called the FDA and it does cause it in 1 to 5% of the patients. During my research I found beta blockers are associated with diabetes. My friend took one and now she has diabetes. They used to be the number one drug prescribed in the UK, when discovered it was linked to diabetes, it has slipped down to 4th place.

My TSH was 3.4 something and my doc asked me to do a thyroid ultrasound? is there anything i can do to decrease my TSH?

Once your thyroid is under
active you'll need to take meds for the rest of your life to keep it in the normal TSH range which is 1 to 3
For the poster above who said hers was 0 then you are hyperthyroid and need treatment.
If you can get to an Endocrinologist to treat you, they are much better versed that the average dr.

i had a thyroid biopsy over 12 years ago - no cancer

I was put on meds and just recently my levels were a bit off from what I've been taking - I am over 50

I feel fine (but seeing hair loss) - have normal weight,appetite good, etc.

I am under stress as caregiver for parent with dementia - not easy 24/7

my concern is thyroid cancer (a concern again) - anyone with experience?
Ultra sound shows nodules (which I've always had) but now they want to compare ultra sound done years ago and then probaby will want to do biopsy again (ouch!)

My biggest change is the hair loss - but could be stress

confusing, isn't it? Especially since I feel ok!

Thx
Carrie

Have a multinodular goiter. Iodine deficiency that I self dxd. Fna proved inconclusive...of course! Three endos: SURGERY! I told them no and began iodine. That was four years ago.
Goiter shrunk. Hair grew back. Energy. Etc. I found info on iodine online. Not one stinking doctor suggested anything BUT SURGERY!! For...it could be cancer. Omg. It was not. It was fear. I am fine. Feel great. Shame on them. Their testing IMO...is bull...iodine, selenium, Celtic sea salt, vit magnesium. All better.

And, worriedone, what if; and this is thekey here,the what ifs.

Like what if you where wrong? What if you had cancer? And you just took iodine? Do you realize you could/would be dead from cancer.

Years ago, 20 to be exact, a gentleman my husband worked with, had similar symptoms as you. refused medical treatment,swallowed iodine. goiters shrunk to not be visible any more for 2 years.
He then got a cold, that developed into pneumoniaand was found to have 3 masses in his lungs, small tumors in 2 lymph nodes and the goiter had been cancer all along.

Had he listened to his doctors, he would not have died 6 weeks after being diagnosed with metastatic thyroid cancer.

You may be lucky ignoring your doctors advise, the best
advise you could have been given and you could be nothing more than a walking, ticking time bomb that will regret the day you ignored your doctors advise.
Time will tell you.

You complaint about doctors advise is absurd. No doctor is going to tell you to ignore the potential of cancer without being sure it isn't and instead swallow some iodine.

I can just see it now. If you had gotten that advise and it was wrong; would you be on this forum telling all of us about the doctor who missed your cancer?