Hypothyroidism Support Group
Hypothyroidism is the disease state caused by insufficient production of thyrohormone by the thyroid gland. There are several distinct causes for chronic hypothyroidism, the most common being Hashimoto's thyroiditis and hypothyroidism following radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroidism. Advanced hypothyroidism may cause severe complications, the most serious one of which is...
Got the blood test results from the Endo yesterday. Not really what I expected. Here's the break down
TSH range 0.40 - 4.50
TSH - 1.05
Free T4 range - 0.8- 1.8
Free T4 - 1.2
Thyroid Peroxidase AB range - less than 35
Thyroid Peroxidase AB - less than 10
He said my thyroid looked fine to him. I'm not sure how to do the math, but I know the Free T4 is still low. What shocked me was my testosterone level. The reference range was 241 - 847, and mine was 273. He said for a 38 year old, that was insanely low, that a 65 year old man should have a higher level than that. From the research I've done. a really low testosterone level can cause most of the symptoms I have as well, so now I'm having to jump through hoops for my health
He wants me to have a sleep study done (just like my regular doc) to see if sleep apnea is what is causing the low T level. The kicker is, he didn't give me ANY meds to try to regulate anything. I even stressed to him a couple of times how awful I feel, and still nothing. I honestly don't feel like I can make it another month feeling as bad as I do. Like several others have said, they act like we're trying to score addictive drugs when we're just trying to get what we need to feel better. Really frustrated!
TSH range 0.40 - 4.50
TSH - 1.05
Free T4 range - 0.8- 1.8
Free T4 - 1.2
Thyroid Peroxidase AB range - less than 35
Thyroid Peroxidase AB - less than 10
He said my thyroid looked fine to him. I'm not sure how to do the math, but I know the Free T4 is still low. What shocked me was my testosterone level. The reference range was 241 - 847, and mine was 273. He said for a 38 year old, that was insanely low, that a 65 year old man should have a higher level than that. From the research I've done. a really low testosterone level can cause most of the symptoms I have as well, so now I'm having to jump through hoops for my health
He wants me to have a sleep study done (just like my regular doc) to see if sleep apnea is what is causing the low T level. The kicker is, he didn't give me ANY meds to try to regulate anything. I even stressed to him a couple of times how awful I feel, and still nothing. I honestly don't feel like I can make it another month feeling as bad as I do. Like several others have said, they act like we're trying to score addictive drugs when we're just trying to get what we need to feel better. Really frustrated!
I suspect your "normal" (aka in-range) TSH was confusing him.
Your FreeT4 level *is* low.....it's below mid-range and wouldn't have anyone feeling well at all. Most healthy people have FreeT4 levels near the high end of the range.
Please know that hypothyroidism can cause low testosterone levels (along with a bunch of other screwed-up levels).
Thyroid-savvy doctors first optimize thyroid levels and then check other levels to make sure they've corrected themselves which they often do.
By any chance, did you schedule an appointment with the promising doctor in KY?
There have been several times when I printed out a list of symptoms and gave it to my doctor. It helped her realize just how many symptoms I had.
She's also received copies of certain sections of my symptoms journal so she could see just how bad things can get even with "slightly off" levels.
Bringing someone along with you to an appointment could very well add credibility to the situation.
It's pathetic that we find the need to do this stuff but, that's what it seems to take sometimes.
I'm sure you realize that the sooner you start treatment, the sooner you'll be on the path to wellness.
It's not an overnight fix, either......it's more of a process and all the more reason to get headed in the right direction as soon as you can.
You've suffered far too long. Hang in.
Here's the breakdown of your Free T4: (I'm so sorry they didn't do a Free T3 test - did you ask them to?)
Free T4 0.800 -1.800
Result: 1.200
Percent of range: 40.00%
Below 50% of range, nobody's gonna feel well. It's just not gonna happen. I'm sorry you're doc relied on TSH instead.
On the upside - he DID test for Testosterone - and yours is quite low. I'm not a man, but I'm surrounded by them and I've seen low T in action. It can have wide-spread affects. Much like the lack of estrogen in women. It's quite real and can be quite severe. WHY didn't this doc give you testosterone injections? I know someone with higher levels than yours that is getting injections. That's madness. If I were you, I'd call and find out why the hell he didn't give you anything. Grrr.
Sleep apnea? Really?? Low T can CAUSE sleep apnea - not the other way around!!! That's infuriating...and expensive.
Oh, and I know this will make you even madder - but hypothyroidism can cause BOTH Low Testosterone in young men (38 is young) and sleep apnea. UGH.
More on that:
http://thyroid.about.com/b/2006/05/21/men-are-you-struggling-with-low-testosterone.htm
http://www.renewman.com/male-hormones/thyroid/
"There is a 1+1=3 relationship between thyroid and testosterone. Testing and treating one without testing and treating the other is not an effective way to balance hormones, and can lead to problems in assessing testosterone"
And...that's the TRUTH!
BTW: When you find someone to TREAT your Low T (or shame this idiot into doing it for you) then go straight to the injections - the gels/patches/etc DO NOT work.
I hope you got copies of your labs (so you won't have to have them done again when you find a NEW doctor).
I'd be frustrated too...but just so you know - I went through 50 docs in a 10 yr time span. Do NOT give up. You're much more knowledgeable than I was and quite capable of finding someone to treat this for you. Perhaps a GP? And you just demand 25 mcg of synthroid and testosterone injections? Sometimes you gotta get mean - or take a family member (advocate) with you. I ALWAYS take someone with me. ALWAYS. I learned the hard way never to go into a doctor's office alone. And I'm a big girl with a big attitude...and a carry permit (ok just kidding about that last part).
http://www.renewman.com/male-hormones/testosterone/
PS - at this point I wouldn't be shy about printing these links off and showing it to your doctor.
If you need more info - I'll be glad to pull it for ya!
http://www.mytestosteronetherapy.com/how-treating-hypothyroidism-is-fixing-my-low-testosterone/
I would've bet everything I own that when I quit smoking almost a year ago, my health would drastically improve. So far, it's done nothing but go downhill, and I just can't get a doctor to help me. For some reason, it seems like all the docs around here are stuck on sleep apnea, so my wife and I are considering taking some money from savings to cover what insurance won't, and just taking the damn test so they will shut up about it. I am honest when I talk to them, I DON"T SLEEP WELL, BUT I DON'T STOP BREATHING! They always argue that I wouldn't know, even after I tell them I'm pretty sure my wife would know considering how much I TRY to sleep when I'm not at work.
Oh, and the endo didn't prescribe anything because he wants me to do the sleep apnea test first. His theory is if I do have it, if it gets taken care of, my other problems will probably go away.
I'm just frustrated to no end and we don't know where to turn now. The doc on the list in KY is actually a nurse practitioner. I would settle right now for just feeling half as good as I used to.
You have an obvious (to the enlightened) diagnosis - hypothyroidism.
If you are going to spend your hard-earned money on anything, I think it should be for proper treatment of *that*......rather than a fishing expedition with a sleep apnea test.
Being treated for sleep apnea will not correct hypothyroidism.
I can't tell you how many tests I had to appease my doctor when I was confident my symptoms were being caused by hypothyroidism.
I had a brain MRI (I insisted on without contrast) to rule out MS. I also had a full cardiology workup (nothing wrong with making sure the ticker is working properly). I was tested for MG, RA, OA, Lyme and who knows what else.
What eliminated my symptoms? Optimal thyroid levels.
I am aware of several people who see NP's for thyroid treatment....excellent treatment, btw. It really doesn't matter what's on the shingle as long as the patient is getting proper treatment.
Oh, in the event you weren't aware of this - smoking often masks hypothyroidism.
In fact, if I remember correctly, vonpat on here discovered his hypothyroidism after he quit smoking.
Please stay focused on the health condition (hypothyroidism) that you clearly have.
I bet the thyroid-savvy NP will address your low testosterone as well....
Best of luck to you on your quest to wellness!!!
How about posting that great info about testosterone and hypo in the
Thyroid Resources Group?
I am so sorry to hear your latest news, not good at all. Your doctor is an idiot. Let's get that straight first. Don't get a sleep apnea test, totally absurd! Spend that money on finding another doctor, even the nurse practitioner could most likely be more informed than your moronic Endo. He has everything wrong. As for the low testosterone, that happened to me also with numbers almost like yours. I was immediately given testosterone supps. Low Test is as bad symptomatically as being extremely hypo, so you are fighting two battles at once, not at all easy. But, there are solutions for both. You must find the right medical care. And as always, everything that cd and MB say is gold. I feel for you, been there. Keep the faith, the brain fog is a nightmare I know, have your wife advocate for you. Pull out all the guns, its now or never.
But my iron got low again then bam felt awful.