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I think my thyroid is hyperactive - please help!

Posted , 6 users are following.

lili93181
lili93181

Last January I had a bad case of the flu and have not been the same since. After recovering from being sick, my heart was always pounding, I went from 121 lbs to 117 in 1 week and continued to lose weight in the weeks following, I felt extremely anxious (and I am not an anxious person), had loose stool, and always felt lightheaded and shaky. There was one day in February where I now believe I was in thyroid crisis (HR 150, panic attacks, hypertensive, etc) and went to the ER only to be discharged after a chest xray. My symptoms improved throughout the next few months but in May I started to get severe waves of nausea. I never vomited, but the nausea was enough to really debilitate me. I got blood work in June and my TSH was 0.33. I got blood work 3 weeks later to follow up and my TSH was 0.46 (normal range: 0.45-4.5), so my doctor told me I was fine. I feel my hyperthyroid symptoms starting to return now and I dont know what to do. I dont even know if my thyroid really is even hyperactive or all of this is something else! Please help!

3 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • shellyC19
    shellyC19 lili93181

    Posted

    Hello Lili:

    My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA.  I have Hypothyroid disease. 

    Sometimes a bad infection or even a virus like the FLU can cause damage to the thyroid gland.  There is a virus called Epstein-Barr "MONO" and it causes Hypothyroidism.

    Sometimes any stress to the body can cause problems to the thyroid like pregnancy and other diseases like LUPUS.  It also can come on from DNA or family trait.

    So with a TSH of 0.33  range should be 0.45 to 5.0,  you would be on the low end of the scale and that indicates Hyperthyroidism. Then it came up to 0.46, still low end but passable as "normal".   The low end is Hyper and the high end is HYPO. It is opposite. They normally like it to be in the 1.0 to 2.5 range.

    So HYPERTHYROID symptoms are, loose bowels, anxiety, fast heart rate, eye bulging, nervousness, shaking, being HOT and sweating, panic attacks.

    You should have your blood done again in another month to see if the TSH comes up more.  They can give you a medication to slow the thyroid down, called carbimazole.  You will need to log the symptoms and see an Endocrinologist.

    It may be a temporary swing & could correct itself later, that is why you should give it a month and do a TSH again. the body is slow to recover and make a new level. It can take a bit of time.

    Please let us know how you do,

    Shelly

     

    • chelsea54524
      chelsea54524 shellyC19

      Posted

      Hi Shelly

      Sorry for jumping on post

      Im wondering if you can offer me advice, I know you state you are from USA but I had thyroid test 2 yesr ago at tsh 0.38 I feel I am suffering and been fobbed off and handed counselling leaflets every time I visit my doctor. He said he doesnt feel it necessary for me to have a re test as I am within their limits. (0.2-5.0) Im at a loss and these past few months have been terrible I feel so helpless and poorly I have haf numerous blood tests / scans to rule out everything else which always come back fine :-( do you have any advice as to what I can do next or where I can turn for better advice in the uk

      Thank you

    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 chelsea54524

      Posted

      Hello Chelsea:

      I am in the USA, and I am shocked at how NHS works.  I hear it is hard to get certain blood work done esp. if it comes back in a normal range.

      If your TSH is 0.38  you are considered in normal range.

      First:  I would appeal to a patient advocate or person who is over the doctor.  "A squeaky wheel gets the grease."   A GP can order a TSH level in the USA.   I would say to your GP that you have symptoms  of blah and balh and ask them to retest you. I would bring in a log of symptoms you have and say what is bothering you.

      Second there is a lady I hear who runs a thyroid website called TPAUK or so I hear.  We are not allowed to mention websites on here so I hope this post goes through. From what I hear she has a list of  NHS doctor's who are thyroid knowledgeable.  I can't access it as I am in the USA. I know a few ladies who have used it.

      Third:  This website also has a list of Private doc's I hear. Also she has connections on lab's, places to do blood work, I hear.

      In the USA we use a TSH range of 0.34 -5.60  and at 0.38 you are really at the low end which means you have Hyperthyroid symptoms, some are:

      Insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, feeling HOT, losing weight fast, heart racing, palpitations, high BP, heavy periods, or irregular ones, headaches.  These are common ones and there are more symptoms.  So write any symptoms down and hand it to the doctor. 

      So I hope that you can contact your doctor and get help.  Keep me posted.

      Regards,

      Shelly

       

  • maria45585
    maria45585 lili93181

    Posted

    Hi Lili; I have some of those problems too. I shake and have extreme anxious too. I Do have hyperthyroid. Going to Dr. James Norman in Florida next week,cant wait to start feeling better. I was losing weight But am starting to gain,dont know if its coming from the heart medicine. Marie
    • LAHs
      LAHs maria45585

      Posted

      Hi Maria,

      Get your TSH, T4 and T3 measured. If your TSH is low AND the other two are high then it looks like hyperthyroidism. See Shelly's post for suggested medications.

      Note that TSH can be low AND T4 and T3 can be low, this is the condition I have and I am hypo at cell level.

      Note that heart medications can interfere with thyroid medications. Read as much as you can to keep up with your doctors "advice".

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