Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Sub clinincal hypohthyroidism-what is it exactly?

I have normal - middle range- numbers for my T3 AND T4 levels, but a high (8) TSH. all the literature/research says I have sub clinical hypo.


I may need to retest if all the other numbers are ok except for the TSH .


Feedback please!!!!!!

Sub clinincal hypohthyroidism-what is it exactly?
The former poster is wrong. You can have normal numbers and still be hypothyroid. You could have Hashimoto's thyroid or have symptoms of being hypothyroid. Many Endocrinologists will tell you your numbers are fine and yet you are raging hypothyroid. TSH is not the end all and be all of thyroid. In fact, before 1973, doctors used to treat thyroid problems by symptoms because there was no such thing as the TSH test. Before I had my thyroidectomy, I had what you would consider normal thyroid numbers. I had all kinds of probelms yet my "lab values" were "normal". And if you were wanting to go by your TSH, it is rather high at 8. The norm (depending on who you talk to) is between 3-5. However, I'd be more concerned if you have had any of these symptoms:





Less stamina than others


Less energy than others


Long recovery period after any activity


Inability to hold children for very long


Arms feeling like dead weights after activity


Chronic Low Grade Depression


Suicidal Thoughts


Often feeling cold


Cold hands and feet


High cholesterol


Bizarre and Debilitating reaction to exercise


Hard stools


Constipation


No eyebrows or thinning outer eyebrows


Dry Hair


Hair Loss


Dry cracking skin


Nodding off easily


Requires naps in the afternoon


Inability to concentrate or read long periods of time


Forgetfulness


Foggy thinking


Inability to lose weight


Always gaining weight


Inability to function in a relationship with anyone


NO sex drive


Moody periods


PMS


Excruciating pain during period


Nausea


Swelling/edema/puffiness


Aching bones/muscles


Osteoporosis


Bumps on legs


Acne on face and in hair


Breakout on chest and arms


Hives


Exhaustion in every dimension–physical, mental, spiritual, emotional


Inability to work full-time


Inability to stand on feet for long periods


Complete lack of motivation


Slowing to a snail’s pace when walking up slight grade


Extremely crabby, irritable, intolerant of others


Handwriting nearly illegible


Internal itching of ears


Broken/peeling fingernails


Dry skin or snake skin


Major anxiety/worry


Ringing in ears


Lactose Intolerance


Inability to eat in the mornings


No hair growth, breaks faster than it grows


Joint pain


Carpal tunnel symptoms


No Appetite


Fluid retention to the point of Congestive Heart Failure


Swollen legs that prevented walking


Blood Pressure problems


Varicose Veins


Dizziness from fluid on the inner ear


Low body temperature


Raised temperature


Tightness in throat; sore throat


Swollen lymph glands


Allergies (which can also be a result of low cortisol–common with hypothyroid patients)


sore feet (plantar fascitis); painful soles of feet


now how do I put this one politely….a cold bum, butt, derriere, fanny, gluteus maximus, haunches, hindquarters, posterior, rear, and/or cheeks. Yup, really exists.








Hypothyroidsm is where your body is not producing enough thyroid hormones.





By the way, you need to ask your doctor to check FREE T4 and FREE T3, TPO, TSH, Ferritin, Adrenal Function, and your sex hormones to get a much better overall picture than the pitful tests you were given. (I know...same thing happened to me.) I've included a really good website to check out about thyroid issues too.
Reply:Think of the thyroid (makes T3 and T4) as a house furnace, and TSH as the thermostat. If the furnace isn't working very well, you'll keep turning up the thermostat to keep the house the same temperature. If the thyroid isn't working so great, your body makes more and more TSH to try and get the thyroid to make enough T3/T4 to keep the 'house' warm enough.


Often, subclinical hypothyroidism will resolve on its own. Sometimes, it can be the beginning of clinical hypothyroidism, often caused by the autoimmune disease Hashimoto's thyroiditis.


Your doctor probably wants to follow your levels to make sure you are okay, and treat you with thyroid hormone replacement if you develop hypothyroidism.
Reply:TSH is irrelevant. It's not even a thyroid hormone. T3 and T4 are the important tests. They are the thyroid hormones. If you have no symptoms, and your T3 and T4 are normal, then you are fine.


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