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Post by jayell13 on Sept 21, 2017 22:58:25 GMT
Hi everyone! I am new to this thread and not even sure it is worth troubling anyone about, but here goes. I recently asked my new PCP to do some thyroid tests because for one thing, I am losing a lot of hair and for another, my weight loss has slowed to a crawl. I rejoined WW in October of 2015 and lost 49 lbs. the first year. I am almost at the end of my second year and have only managed in year 2 to lose about 5 lbs. PCP ordered two tests:
T4, Free (Direct) - my value was 1.36 and the range is 0.82 - 1.77 ng/dl Thyroxine (T4) - my value is 9.7 and the range is 4.5 - 12.0 ug/dl
So since my tests are "normal" I was told I do not have thyroid issues, but is there another test(s) that might show a problem? Also, don't know if this is related or not but PCP discovered that I have an irregular heartbeat (palpitations - frequent PVC's) for which I have an appointment with a cardiologist on Oct. 16th. I am truly clueless about this stuff but wondered if you all have any advice or recommendations. Thanks in advance!
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Post by neen on Sept 22, 2017 18:30:07 GMT
Hi jayell13 ! I'm surprised your doctor didn't test your TSH! That's what most will run if asked to test your thyroid levels. it is better to have your free T3 and total & free T4 tested. Free T3 is the most important test. It tells you how much available thyroid hormone you have available. Having heart palpitations can be symptom of being hyperthyroid (too much thyroid hormone). Talk to the cardiologist about it too. It never hurts! (I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I have been dealing with thyroid stuff for a LONG time).
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Post by jayell13 on Sept 22, 2017 19:17:15 GMT
Hi neen, and thank you for responding. No, my doctor just ordered the two tests I listed, but I do intend to bring up additional testing with the cardiologist. I also would've thought the palpitations meant hyperthyroid. I am just frustrated by the lack of progress on the scale as well as the hair loss. I think the main thing is that I address some of my concerns with my PCP once I get through the cardiologist's appointment. Again, thanks for explaining about the other tests. I may ask him to run those too.
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Post by neen on Sept 25, 2017 12:26:29 GMT
You are welcome jayell13! The tyroid journey is a tough one! Just hang in there and I hope all goes well with the cardiologist!
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Post by jayell13 on Sept 25, 2017 16:53:32 GMT
Thank you, neen,! I have three more weeks to wait until my appointment (on top of the two weeks I have already waited). I intend to ask her as many questions as I can and am prepared to have to go back to my PCP and request additional tests. I do believe we know our bodies best and I am just not feeling like everything is normal. Whether it is thyroid causing it or heart problems causing it, I am not sure. I will let you know how things turn out! Thanks again!
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Post by mattlaura on Oct 2, 2017 17:15:36 GMT
jayell13 may I also suggest getting your calcium checked in you blood? You may have a bad parathyroid. It will cause heart palpitations among other things. I couldn't figure out why I was having heart palpitations and that was one thing that was causing them. If you have a bad one and get it removed, you will be amazed at how much better you feel!
Please don't listen to them if they keep saying you are "normal". They should also treat how you feel.
Let us know how it goes/went!
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Post by jayell13 on Oct 2, 2017 17:56:53 GMT
Thank you, mattlaura, for the calcium suggestion. I just looked at the blood test results (isn't it nice these days how all these test results are online for patients to freely access?) and under the metabolic panel there was a result for serum calcium. It was 9.7 and the normal range is 8.7-10.2. I just want to be sure that they take the heart palpitations seriously and hopefully a cardiologist WILL. This PCP that I went to was new to me, and while I appreciate that he was trying to "reassure me" and be calming? It was great that he was willing to run a bunch of tests, but he kept saying "hey, maybe these palpitations are just YOU and nothing to worry about." But I do worry that why is this happening now when I never had it before? And the fatigue, and the hair loss, and the slow progress on the scale......... I will definitely let you know how things turn out. It is so kind of you guys to offer suggestions and support and I am glad that getting your parathyroid out has helped you! I didn't even know that it could cause palpitations!
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Post by mattlaura on Oct 2, 2017 19:59:40 GMT
jayell13 ,I am glad he did that. One more thing that can slow your weight loss, make you lose some hair and have heart palpitations is low iron. Yes, I have had that too, lol. I swear I am the poster child for something new wrong with me. If I listed it all you would think I was a very defective person! I second what Neen said also, get your T3 and your TSH levels done. T4 is fine but doesn't tell you everything on it's own. Hang in there! This can be figured out. Low iron can also give you very low energy. Have you been worn out a lot lately?
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Post by jayell13 on Oct 2, 2017 21:29:05 GMT
My hematocrit and hemoglobin were good, mattlaura, so I don't think my iron is low. I think the frustrating part of my symptoms is that many of them can be "blamed" on other things that I DO know I have - fatigue could be my stupid work schedule, joint pains could be the fact that I have arthritis, slow weight loss and hair loss could be my age. I do wonder if I should at the very least ask to have T3 and TSH levels checked since it seems strange to not have had it done. Fortunately, my appointment with the cardiologist is only 2 weeks away and I am hoping that with her help I can get a better picture of what other tests I might need to figure out what is causing the palpitations. I could live with the slow weight loss and hair loss but the palpitations are scaring the crap out of me!
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jeanie
Epic Member
HI :D
Posts: 660
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Post by jeanie on Nov 29, 2017 0:01:42 GMT
DebDoesWW , neen , mattlaura , pinotgrigio , lifelongd , Texans136 (Luann) , HI, just stumbled across this thread. First I have a ob/gyn appt on Thursday to deal with an issue I am having that I will list with the other stuff, and will be having her do all the proper blood work. With that said, please allow me to list my symptoms and from those of you that have hypothyroidism, if this seems consistent. AND if it is possible hypo and anemia - or is anemia a symptom of hypo as well? Thanks for reading. Fatigue Irregular sleep patterns and/or insomnia Weight loss has slowed down/maintaining Periods are more frequently occuring, every two weeks not just spotting, full 7 day, with cramping and heavy flow ( usually a 3 to 5 day person with light flow leg cramps right neck under jaw warm and tender to touch, makes my ear feel like it is tickling or irritated as if drainage (possible enlarged cervical lymph?) light headedness, dizziness when standing etc etc
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Post by neen on Nov 29, 2017 15:27:13 GMT
jeanie, YES those are all symptoms of hypothyroidism. Some of those could also be symptoms of perimenopause/menopause (I don't know your age). Anemia can cause the leg cramps. Be sure to ask for free and total T3 tests along with your TSH. T4 is fine to test, but really doesn't give you much info. Also, when you are given your results, ask them what the numbers are. Don't just let them tell you they are normal. Ask for a hard copy of the lab report. Hang in there!
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jeanie
Epic Member
HI :D
Posts: 660
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Post by jeanie on Nov 29, 2017 16:32:56 GMT
neen , thanks so much! Yes, I had the t3 tests last november and saw the numbers and all were great ranges, can it change in just a years time. I wonder what would make that so. I'm 42, I thought about perimenopause, but the doc office, said my periods should be getting lighter with that and less frequent, not the other way around. SO, if it is not hypo, I'm sure they will want to do a hormone level test, as well as an ultrasound for the heavy bleeding, as fibroids run in the family.
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Post by neen on Nov 29, 2017 18:45:18 GMT
jeanie, levels can change quickly, especially if your thyroid is "dying". My periods didn't get lighter until I had a uterine ablation done (I had polyps, unrelated to my thyroid). It's the BEST thing I ever did!
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Post by pinotgrigio on Dec 7, 2017 16:09:01 GMT
jeanie - neen already answered a lot. My only concern would be the neck tenderness? My goiter has gotten bigger. I see it in pictures. My endo says we'll just keep an eye on it. I think there's natural ways to help it get smaller but I haven't really researched it yet. But i hate it
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jeanie
Epic Member
HI :D
Posts: 660
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Post by jeanie on Dec 7, 2017 16:18:52 GMT
jeanie - neen already answered a lot. My only concern would be the neck tenderness? My goiter has gotten bigger. I see it in pictures. My endo says we'll just keep an eye on it. I think there's natural ways to help it get smaller but I haven't really researched it yet. But i hate it Surprisingly, the thyroid tests came back normal. CBC, sed rate normal. Biopsy of uterine normal, ultrasound seemed normal just waiting on confirmation from doc. Ablation is likely to happen. my ob/gyn said that the area i was showing here sounds like an infected lymph node, and since it is bothering my ear, that i need to see my PCP as I probably have an infection. She had the same thing and had to get antibiotics.
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