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Q. I have long had all the symptoms of hypothyroidism: fatigue, "brain fog," dry skin, trouble controlling my weight, muscle cramps, elevated cholesterol, etc. A thyroid test came back normal in my blood work.
Is it possible to be just under the radar on a blood test? I am hoping there is some natural way to normalize my thyroid without taking Synthroid or other chemicals.
A. Your symptoms are classic for low thyroid function, but it is sometimes tricky to get the correct diagnosis. You should ask the doctor for the exact results of your blood test; experts often differ about the cutoff for "normal."
The Guide to Thyroid Hormones that we are sending you explains how to interpret such test results as well as symptoms of thyroid imbalance and treatment options. Anyone who would like a copy can download it for $2 from the Website.
If you are hypothyroid, you will probably feel much better on prescription thyroid hormone. The natural alternative to Synthroid or Levoxyl is desiccated thyroid gland such as Armour or Naturethroid.
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The same thing happened to me. I asked my doctor if he would agree to a one-month trial with Synthroid and he did. All symptoms cleared. After that my doctor had no problem with keeping me on Synthroid, which I've been on for years now. I go in yearly for blood work and my results continue to be normal. It might be worth seeing if the doctor would agree to a trial period.
Boy, do I hear you! Fortunately I have a very smart and patient Dr. He had me take my temperature before I got out of bed in the morning. The blood tests were not showing a problem but the temperature sure did. Just barely over 96 degrees!
Apparently there are a lot of enzymes and things in the body that simply do not function below about 98 degrees. My Dr. played around with the different types of thyroid meds until we found the ones that worked. Synthroid didn't work at all and I wound up having to take two different ones: NatureThyroid and Cytomel. Now my temperature is usually just over 98 and I have my energy back.
I have also lost weight very slowly over about eleven years. Eating for my metabolic type has helped this weight loss as well. I am a protein type. The blood tests are completely wacky and of no use. Fortunately my Dr listens to my body.
fbl Sept. 6 2011 11:36AM -- Where is your doctor? Now that is the doctor I should have. I have been on some type of thyroid medication since I was in my middle 20's after nine months of testing. I am now at my middle 70's.
I started out with an excellent doctor who put me on dessicated, Armour, and Cytomel. I had blood tests every month to make sure the dose was right. I did great. When it was necessary to change doctors it got sloppy. I ended up on Synthroid for their convenience. I'm still on it and not doing well. The tests are always "normal" within limits. I'm still looking for a doctor who will listen, at least about my thyroid.
You can ask for a complete thyroid panel. I had the same panel, my test showed normal but i have hypothyroidism ... now I am taking algaes: green-blue algae, dolse, and kelp etc... with salads, soups etc... and this is helping me at least until my thyroid is check again.
Change doctors! The traditional medical profession has been notoriously resistant to newer information about thyroid problems. A lot turns out to be trial and error and re-trial by a doctor who will be willing to work with you and treat the symptoms, not the numbers on a piece of paper. Good luck. I had hair loss from synthroid, and am now on a natural compounded version, similar to Armour. Find a compounding pharmacy (they the individual ones, not the Walgreens or CVS's) and ask they which doctors order compounding from them - there's your doctor.
I have every single symptom mentioned in the main article -- MOST ESPECIALLY BRAIN FOG AND FATIGUE. The brain fog is so bad I've been researching Alzheimer's relentlessly, looking for ways to stave off what could possibly be early-onset Alz's. However I'm very bright and articulate and can do NY Times crosswords quite fast.
I'm having EXTREMELY dry skin and wake up every morning with a crackling dry mouth despite taking lots of hyaluronic acid. I've been starting to experience terrible muscle cramps (also mentioned above), and that has me just flummoxed. I never had these until recently! I was sure I had low thyroid, but like all the rest of you, my tests came back negative.
I eat VERY well and take VERY good care of myself... I shouldn't be having any of these symptoms! My Dr. pooh-pooh's my low-thyroid concerns as if I'm some kind of hypochondriac. But now I'm even more sure that the tests are falling short. Anyway, thanks...
I had similar problems (including losing hair, brittle nails, etc etc) for the last few years, I told the dr. she ask for a T4 test and comeback normal... nothing was done until I went to a health clinic and the first thing they told me 'when you go back home tell you Dr. to make you have a complete thyroid panel'.
Symptoms for low thyroid are almost the same as those for diabetes. If armour thyroid doesn't work for you, it might be a good idea to get an A1C test and blood glucose testing. These do not have to be fasting tests.
It is true that some medical professionals do not use the lower TSH levels as norms, so if you are above 2.5 on your TSH level, and your doc thinks this is normal, it might be a good idea to get a second opinion.
The comments sound very familiar.
My friend had a goiter when she was quite young and had most of her thyroid removed. She is very medically knowledgeable and assertive, so when the medical insurance said no to natural thyroid and put her on Synthroid (or generic), she was having trouble again. I hope she raised heck to get back on the meds that work for her. She has enough physical problems as it is. At least they don't stop her from being one of the strongest personalities I've ever known. She has a tremendous work ethic and though she can be as flexible as a solid titanium rod, she is my best friend and a pleasure to know.
Oddly enough a doctor was a bit too enthusiastic palpating her remaining thyroid and stimulated it into putting too much thyroid out. She was not happy. Actually, she was - polite word? - annoyed.
I have the opposite problem, thanks to the mood stabilizer from the past 60+ years, Lithium. It is a vicious poisonous salt and it dumbs your mind very, very well and causes hypothyroidism. I'm on different mood stabilizers now, but I still take generic Synthroid but still have the symptoms of hypothyroidism. Thank you for the 98 degree info. I will pass that on to my doctors.
I have been hypothyroid since I had the R half of my thyroid removed in 2007. I have the complete panel done now about every 6 months. My results are normal but I feel hypo. I am sensitive to cold, low energy, and have terrible sleep problems. I am lucky to get maybe 5 or 5 1/2 hours sleep a night. I take Synthroid q AM and wait an hour to eat. I just don't know what else I can do to improve my situation. The reason I had the thyroidectomy is I had a large goiter on that side of my thyroid.
Those who are interested in thyroid diagnosis and treatments, as all of you are, may want to listen to our latest show on the subject. You can stream it from http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/04/14/853-thyroid-controversies/
or go to iTunes to get a podcast download. We interviewed three different experts (one of them expert patient Mary Shomon) to get different perspectives on the controversies.
Terry
I have all the symptoms of low thyroid, including a big bald spot starting on the top of my head, and my tests came back with high thyroid. The only symptom I have for high thyroid is the high heart rate. Can it take a while to get to the root of the problem?