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New Diagnosis - Blood Results, Symptoms, Overweight

Posted , 5 users are following.

SuzeInSD
SuzeInSD

I thought I'd post to this board to see if anyone can provide me with some advise and maybe some answers, too.

I'm a female, 48, who was just diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism by my GP.  (I haven't seen an endocrinologist yet.)  It's something that was found during a routine check-up and blood work.  I wasn't expecting it because I didn't go to the doctor because of any particular symptoms.  Now that I've received a diagnosis and know what the symptoms are, I realize I've had some classic signs for a while.

The one thing about me that's puzzling is the fact that I'm overweight by nearly 100 lbs and have had a hard time losing weight.  Aren't people with hyperthyroidism supposed to lose weight?

Here are my blood results:  T4,Free(Direct): 1.73  |  TSH: <0.006

About five years ago I was very active and went to boot camp at the gym four nights a week and worked with a personal trainer twice a week.  I dropped 45 lbs.  I felt great, could actually run without getting too winded, and never had a problem with my heart rate or palpitations.  After moving to a small town a few years ago, I'm far less active because there aren't any group gym classes near me.  I do meet a friend at the gym each weekday morning for 45-minutes.  We do 20-minutes on the elliptical 25 minutes weights/resistance.  I also used to work out for 30-minutes at home after work.  Over the past six months I've slowly put on 15 lbs.  At the end of the day, I'm too drained to think about working out at home.

Ever since I received the diagnosis, I've become more and more aware of my symptoms... fast heart rate, shortness of breath, fatigue, inability to wind down and go to sleep before 1 A.M., and waking up feeling as though I didn't get any sleep.  I also have very infrequent heart palpitations that seem to go away within a few seconds.  My Apple Watch says my average resting heart rate is 70.  When I go to bed, it can be 85 or 90.  At the gym it's 145-150 when I'm on the elliptical.  I've never felt as though I'm going to pass out.

Sometimes when I'm hungry I have this allover awful feeling that goes away after I eat something.  When I thought about this feeling for a while, the best way to describe it is if you'd just fast-walked a few blocks and your heart rate was just normalizing.  I had this feeling at lunch today.  As soon as I ate, I felt better.  Before my diagnosis, I'm sure I subconsciously linked eating to feeling better.

My GP is going to make an appointment for me to see an endocrinologist.  In the meantime, I wanted to educate myself about this condition and get some feedback on things I can do myself that will help with my symptoms such as diet, vitamins, and supplements that are known to work.  I also wanted to research prescription medications and doses before I discussed these options with my endocrinologist.

I've stared to read all the helpful posts here.  Can anyone recommend some other online resources that would also be a great source of information?

Thank you for reading my story.  I'd appreciate any feedback and advise.

 

1 like, 25 replies

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  • SuzeInSD
    SuzeInSD

    Posted

    I thought I should include the reference ranges for my blood test results

    T4, Free(Direct)   1.73    Reference Range: 0.82-1.77 (ng/dL)

    TSH   <0.006   Reference Range: 0.450-4.500 (uIU/mL)

    My doctor ordered a retest and called me with the results today.  She said they were very similar to the results above.  The tests haven't been added to my online chart yet.  When they are, I'll post them.

    Thanks again!

    • Mike61308
      Mike61308 SuzeInSD

      Posted

      Hi Suze, From your posted test results, you are only in subclinical hyperthyroidism. That's probably why your symptoms are not in the "hard" but just mild condition now. I think you are lucky to be diagnosed at the early stage and get the referral to an endo for further diagnosis. You should expect to receive more tests (full range thyroid levels, antibody test, ultrasound scan, iodine uptake scan... ) from endo to determine the cause of your hyper disorder. After that, the medical treatment will be able to quickly reverse your early stage mild condition and control/stabilize your thyroid level and symptoms. Then hopefully your next self-care (diet, supplements, herb, lifestyle...) can further recover your health in the long run. Best wish.

    • SuzeInSD
      SuzeInSD Mike61308

      Posted

      Thank you, Mike.  My doctor did say she's seen numbers much crazier than mine and said I was probably in the early stages.  I am hoping diet and supplements will help.  The medication I've seen mentioned a lot is Carbimazole, about 20mg.  I need to read up on this a little more.

      Another post here said people diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism are often low in B12, Magnesium, D3, and Zinc.  I'm going to focus on these right now to make sure I'm getting plenty.   No more skipping my vitamins in the morning.

      The only reason  went to the doctor is because I received a card in the mail from my health insurance company to remind me they covered a free exam and blood work every year.  Had it not been for this, I probably wouldn't have been diagnosed until after my symptoms progressed.

  • madge1979
    madge1979 SuzeInSD

    Posted

    Well done you !

    For coming here for assistance .. I say assistance because You are the one who will make you well in the end.

    You are so astute you’re likely to find your way through this easily .. so there .. you’re  on your journey to better health already.

    Your results are not informative enough as you also must include numbers in brackets for us to know where you are on the scales as those numbers are your Lab ranges.

    The Endocrinologist will probably put you on a course if Carbimazole to lower the Thyroid hormone that yiure making  in larger than normal  quantities .

    Ie

    You’re running at 109 miles an hour ..  and yiur stmotims are classic !

    I did NOT lose weight with my HYOERthyroidusm .. Graves’ disease !

    So you’re not alone there

    I slowly put on weight  before diagnosis .. not a lot but enough to irk me !

    I totally get what you say about eating to feel better 

    Your  Metabolism  is out of kilter 

    And is not responding as usual ! Hence the problem .

    All easy to understand as you go along this path .

    You won’t likely get back down the Weight  scales till your body has reverted back to ... normal.

    That’s when the horrible symptoms of an out of control thyroid become normalised again.

    Google .. natural solutions for Hyperthyroidism  

    you’ll get loads of help there  but real people on here are the best in my view  .  keep asking questions  and get all the correct answers 

    Linda187  will be here later ask her all you need to know too 

    She’s a whizz !

    Good luck 

    Luv mx🌹

    • madge1979
      madge1979

      Posted

      Sorry about typos 🙀

    • SuzeInSD
      SuzeInSD madge1979

      Posted

      Hi, Madge!

      Are the reference ranges below the bracketed numbers you mentioned?

      T4, Free(Direct)   1.73    Reference Range: 0.82-1.77 (ng/dL)

      TSH   <0.006   Reference Range: 0.450-4.500 (uIU/mL)

      I'll check my online chart later today to see if my most recent lab work has been added.

      From the research I've done so far, my takeaway has been the fact that this is something I can help control myself with lifestyle changes.  I thought this board would be the perfect place to see what has and hasn't worked for others.  I also wanted to educate myself on medications and other treatments so I could actually have a discussion with my endocrinologist instead of going along with what he recommends without question.

      Thanks for recommending I Google... natural solutions for hyperthyroidism.

      My original post said I don't experience heart palpitations very often.  I should change this.  When I first go to bed, usually around 1:00 A.M., my heart does feel strange and a little jumpy when I lay down.  Every symptom seems to be magnified since I became aware of what's going on.

    • madge1979
      madge1979 SuzeInSD

      Posted

      Suzie .. love your name .. same as my daughter

      Have you been told you have Antibodies 

      Ie do you gave Graves’ disease ?

      Mx🌹

    • Samy3
      Samy3 madge1979

      Posted

      Hi Madge hope u of sorry for jumping in the conversation when u say u feel better Suzie said that too I get exactly the same problem I feel really down woozy and dizzy but after eating something I feel better....even I'm in a remission ...y is this like that I don't get it either sorry to bother you ...I thought if u can help us I. This ....luv...samy

    • Samy3
      Samy3

      Posted

      Sorry missed OK ...hope u r ok
    • madge1979
      madge1979 Samy3

      Posted

      Hi Samy

      Not sure what you mean .. I’m in remission .. and have too healthy an appetite,  I wish I ate a bit less

      But when I was at my worst I ate because I felt a need to eat ... an urge ..

      it wasn’t that I felt sick and woozy  

      It Was just that my metabolism seemed to be telling

      me ... E A T !!

      Also I remember standing at the sink filling up and filling up my glass with water ...

      I Needed to drink !!!

      When I went into remission I ate and drank normally again .  

      ... after that I guess,  it’s up to us as individuals to watch what we put in our mouths .. cause that’s why we put on weight  ... to many calories .. or wrong foods .

      So that’s the easy part , knowing why .  

      The hard parts controlling it by eating less .

      Nothing else for it .

      But I really believe we only get our metabolism sorted out .. once we have all the numbers fixed at ... normal ....and in good range.

      That’s when the supplementing comes in ... I believe that is CRUCIAL  for  in staying in remission or .... being Euthyroid

      absolutely vital .

      Luv mx🌹

    • SuzeInSD
      SuzeInSD madge1979

      Posted

      My GP only mentioned hyperthyroidism.  I haven't seen an endocrinologist yet.

      The most recent test result I was given is below.  I just pulled it off my online chart.  I haven't even looked it up yet.

      Triiodothyronine,Free,Serum:  4.7   Reference Range: 2.0-4.4 (pg/mL)

    • SuzeInSD
      SuzeInSD Samy3

      Posted

      You mentioned woozy and dizzy.  Sometimes the feeling is similar to staying up until 3:00 A.M.  It's kind of an allover numb, tingly feeling.  Not pins and needles.  Dull, muffled tingles.  It's so hard to describe.

    • Samy3
      Samy3 SuzeInSD

      Posted

      I can understand Suzie what u going g through and yes its hard to describe but yes when I'm hungry I feel weird off balance and like rushing blood feeling ....I think the last result u posted is ur t3 results which is over the range so ur both ts are over the ranges and ur tsh is suppressed meaning hyperthyroidism... Ur endo or GP just need to test the antibodies to find out the cause for it I hope u feel better soon ..

      Luv ....samy

    • Samy3
      Samy3 madge1979

      Posted

      Thanks Madge for ur reply ...Ieat normal not too much...can't handle it...but when I'm hungry or its lunch or dinner time I fee weird ...I go toilet and afterwards feel really weak its like I have to eat something to get that energy back .....

    • Mike61308
      Mike61308 Samy3

      Posted

      Hey, Samy. I think you may have "leaky gut" problem?

    • madge1979
      madge1979 Samy3

      Posted

      Samy

      Maybe it’s time to get your bloods done again... get another checkup to see where your Graves is at ..

      How’ve your stomach issues been recently it’s been a while .. you had gastritis .. how  is that doing ..

      Luv Mx🌹

    • Samy3
      Samy3 madge1979

      Posted

      I have posted my recent results on the forum Madge gastritis I still burps a lot after eating but have stopped taking ppi s bcs they were giving me a lot pain taking my high potency accidophilus...and Greek yougart everyday have joined the gastritis forums here too for more help and knowledge... Still taking my vitamins I'm scared to atop them bcs they are helping but the pain in my neck is there its at the front not at the back of neck on my right side I'm going to see doctor on Monday ...see what she says.....luv..

      Samy

    • madge1979
      madge1979 Samy3

      Posted

      Oh good luck Samy ... you certainly try your best to get to the bottom of things  for  your Health  ... keep at them and try to have a plan for when you sit face to face with dr. 

      Tell them what  YOU want ..  it’s your body not theirs .

      Best of luck Luvvie

      Mx🌹

    • Samy3
      Samy3 Mike61308

      Posted

      Thanks mike I'm going to ask my GP to test me for these ....thanks

    • Samy3
      Samy3 madge1979

      Posted

      Thanks a lot Madge u always give me courage and confidence to talk to the doctors ....God bless u lovely.....samy
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