Not sure about my symptoms

[Guest guest]

I had a Partial Thyroidectory in 2007 for goitre. My latest blood tests are TSH

2.48 (0.30 - 5.50) & Free Thyroxine of 13.1 (8.00 - 19.9)

My main symptoms are:

Very slow digestive system despite a healthy diet. (I am on prescription

Movicol)

Intolerance of cold (I feel physically ill & shaky if I get too cold)

Poor sleep

Loss of body hair

Migraines, muzzy heads & a feeling of low oxygen

Low energy levels

Dizziness & going off balance

Slow pulse (resting between 50 & 63)

Lowish blood pressure

Pins & needles at night (mainly hands)

I'm 57 & post menopausal, so not really sure if these are symptoms of low

thyroid or just normal part of aging.

Advice please & should I seek further tests.

Thank you

Helene

[Guest guest]

Hello Helene and welcome,

Given the fact that you already had a partial thyroidectomy it is probably safe to assume that your symptoms are due to low thyroid function – but two things would be helpful...

Ask your GP for a thyroid antibody test – you need TPO and TgAB. If either of those were positive (above the ref range) then it's definitely your thyroid as that would be diagnostic for suffering from Hashimoto's disease. Positive AA's (autoantibodies) can also be responsible for producing "normal" looking TFTs.

A simple test you can do at home... Measure your basal temperature – that means putting a thermometer on your bedside table and as soon as you open your eyes in the morning stick it under your tongue and log the result. Do the same in the evening just before you nod off to sleep, but make sure to leave at least 20 mins between putting anything in your mouth – toothbrush, drink or food. Do this for about 5 days and if in general your temps are well below 36.5C you can safely assume that you have low thyroid function. There are only 4 conditions other than Hypothyroidism which would produce subnormal temperatures – namely Anorexia, Hypothermia, Liver disease or Alcoholism – even though I assume your doctor would not believe that nor agree.

With best wishes,

[Guest guest]

Thank you

I sleep with an electric blanket on all night (which I need at the moment).

Will this affect the morning temperature reading or should I not use the blanket

while testing?

Helene

>

>

> Hello Helene and welcome,

>

> Given the fact that you already had a partial thyroidectomy it is

> probably safe to assume that your symptoms are due to low thyroid

> function – but two things would be helpful...

>

> Ask your GP for a thyroid antibody test – you need TPO and TgAB. If

> either of those were positive (above the ref range) then it's

> definitely your thyroid as that would be diagnostic for suffering from

> Hashimoto's disease. Positive AA's (autoantibodies) can also be

> responsible for producing " normal " looking TFTs.

>

> A simple test you can do at home... Measure your basal temperature –

> that means putting a thermometer on your bedside table and as soon as

> you open your eyes in the morning stick it under your tongue and log the

> result. Do the same in the evening just before you nod off to sleep, but

> make sure to leave at least 20 mins between putting anything in your

> mouth – toothbrush, drink or food. Do this for about 5 days and if

> in general your temps are well below 36.5C you can safely assume that

> you have low thyroid function. There are only 4 conditions other than

> Hypothyroidism which would produce subnormal temperatures – namely

> Anorexia, Hypothermia, Liver disease or Alcoholism – even though I

> assume your doctor would not believe that nor agree.

>

>

>

> With best wishes,

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> I sleep with an electric blanket on all night (which I need at the moment). Will this affect the morning temperature reading or should I not use the blanket while testing?> > Helene

Crikey.... that makes a temperature check almost surplus to requirement.... but pre-diagnosis I used to do exactly the same - electric blanket on all night - my basal temps went down to 34.5 C in the middle of the night (I used to wake every hour) and am and pm and even during the day they were always around the 35.8C mark .... but that just as an aside.

Yes, the electric blanket would artificially raise your temp, so switch the blanket on beforehand to warm up the bed, but off as you get ready for bed. This way your bed should be nice and cozy, but not hot. Wait a little while to give your body temp a chance to level out (any physical activity before going to bed will have raised your body temp) before measuring your temp and thereafter you can switch the blanket on again for the night; but switch it off again in the early hours when you wake to perhaps use the toilet, so that your body has a chance to "cool down" to its natural level and the am temp then shows a true figure. Perhaps you should wait with the measurements until this very cold spell is over. Also take your temp a few times during the day.... If you are hypo it is unlikely that even during the day the figure will go much above 36.5C, although always measure at rest and wait at least 20 mins if you had anything to eat or drink ... a normal Temp is 37.0C. If you still deal in old money, just put the figures in a C to F converter in google. I am German and always get muddled up with the 98 or 89's of Fahrenheit . I can never remember....

Let us know, Helene. I would not mind betting that yours will be pretty low....

with best wishes,