Is it possible to have a low thyroid that doesn't show up in your blood work!
Question: I have every single symptom of low thyroid...but when I have the blood test it doesn't show up. I'm well within the range for a normal, healthy thyroid. Are there any other health issues that could mimick a low thyroid in a perfectly healthy person? I'm at my wits end!!!
Answers: I have every single symptom of low thyroid...but when I have the blood test it doesn't show up. I'm well within the range for a normal, healthy thyroid. Are there any other health issues that could mimick a low thyroid in a perfectly healthy person? I'm at my wits end!!!
i can relate completely as i also have suspicious symptoms that indicate a thryroid disorder. i had some lab work done but my TSH and Free T4 were "normal"; although the tests were done 3 hours after i ate breakfast. (TSH was 1.48 and Free T4 was 1.1).
what irks me is that when i do the online tests for hypo thyroid, i always come up with a potential problem thyroid.
Mary Shomon is an excellent patient advocate on this subject. Here is her URL: http://thyroid.about.com/gi/dynamic/offs...
I'm going to ask the doc if it would be possible to re-test in the a.m. before eating. if not, i'll have my naturopath call in the blood work and pay out of pocket.
I hope you are able to find some relief. I'd do anything to get a good night's rest myself...
Yes it's possible. They test several different thyroid hormones that you have and they average the results out for some reason, so if one of your hormones is low and the others are normal, its going to make the test look normal.
Well i have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (i cant remember which one) and the doctor said that it always shows up in your blood. Many of the symptoms come from other causes.
Yes, it sure is. It happened to me. I asked for a thyroid test and it came back at 2.6. I did not know at the time I should have had a first thing in the morning test. My symptoms eventually got more severe and another test was run 9 months later and I finally got diagnosed. The main problem with the standard thyroid test is that levels change throughout the day. The levels are highest while we are sleeping, so you want to test asap upon rising in the morning. By 2PM, the TSH is at it lowest point and this is why so many don't get diagnosed the first time.
Second problem with TSH is the range. AACE recommended the range be 0.3 to 3.0, yet labs like Quest still have it at 0.3 to 5.5. Some doctors believe a TSH over 2.0 is not normal. See links below.
Next time you test do so in the morning only and see if you could also get a free t4, free t3, and an antibody test in addition to the TSH.