You think you have an underactive thyroid gland but your blood results are normal?
An underactive thyroid gland isn’t uncommon in women and there are plenty of women out there that feel rotten, are convinced they have an underactive thyroid gland and go to see their GP who says their thyroid blood results showed everything to be normal. The patient goes away, and the symptoms of exteme tiredness, dry skin, thinning hair and weight gain continue.
Well the following information may help. Firstly in 2008 in the USA doctor’s decided that a normal TSH level in the blood should be between 0.5 and 5.00. However other countries disagree and feel that the best level should be 0.3-3.00. My own specialists back in the UK said it should be 1.00. So there is no standardized correct level for what is a ” normal thyroid blood result.” Some people may feel absolutely dreadful at level 4.00 and yet still be considered normal by their GP. Put them on a higher dosage of thyroxine and voila, they feel fab as the TSH then drops to 2.00. The numbers may not sound very different but they can make a HUGE difference for the patient.
Most GP’s only test for certain chemicals in the body when they give a patient a thyroid test. If you have a normal result ensure you find out what the TSH level was. If it is over 3.00 you may need a low dosage of thyroxine eg 25 mcg of thyroxine to start off with to see if it makes you feel better. Thyroxine takes a few months to kick in so when you start off on any level it may be quite a few weeks before you feel any different, it isn’t an overnight fix.
If your result comes back normal and you still feel awful ask for another thyroid test that tests for the following, T4, T3, Free t4, Free T3, Reverse T3 and antibodies. This may give another picture to the GP. Some people do have an underactive thyroid gland and it will only be noticed by these results and not your TSH level. These tests can be done from juist one blood test but doctors rarely do it the first time round. Remember your doctor is a gatekeeper, not an endocrine specialist. Many still think that a level of 5.00 TSH is absolutely fine. If you are showing signs of an underactive thyroid gland then a TSH level of 5.00 is probably NOT normal for you.
Another test which is expensive but accurate is the Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone test. You have an injection and blood is drawn from you at 15 minute, 30 minute and 45 minute intervals. Not particularly pleasant but your arm is put in a splint so you can’t bend it and it really does determine if you have an underactive thyroid gland.
Lastly in the UK babies have the prick test shortly after birth to determine if they have a thyroid problem. If your baby’s blood test comes out normal for thyroid it does not mean that they won’t develop it later. My daughter is now nine and has a TSH level of abouve 6.00 which means she is showing symptoms of having an underactive thyroid gland. My other daughter has a TSH of above 5.00. We are keeping an eye on them both. My own underactive thyroid was diagnosed after a second opinion at the age of nine years. The first doctor dismissed it as my mum being a worrier. A school friend noticed a lump, in fact a goitre in my neck before any adult. The GP didn’t even see it the first time around. I was falling asleep in class and not growing very well. It was diagnosed, I was monitored and put onto thyroxine, low dosages that were increased. I am now a 5ft 5inch healthy adult. So if you have a child diagnosed with an underactive thyroid gland don’t panic. Well done for finding it and everything will be fine…..
Mephedrone
Mephedrone is hitting the news today as it is a drug that people can buy online legally but has just been held accountable for the death of two teenagers in the UK.
The strange thing to me is that mephedrone is actually a plant fertilizer.
How did someone discover that snorting plant fertilizer would give you a high? I don’t look at the ingredients in my kitchen cupboard, reach for my self raising flour and think ” I’ll try snorting this, maybe it will give me a lift like my raisin cakes, ” and I don’t look at my pot of black boot polish and think ” I’ll try licking this, it will give me an extra shine.” Are there people out there that do?
I think someone took gardening a bit too far with mephedrone.
I wonder what I could do with my cocoa powder this morning……