Are my symptoms thyroid related: New to this. I... - Thyroid UK

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Are my symptoms thyroid related


New to this. I was diagnosed in 2011 with Hashimoto, and multinodular thyroid. Had to start with a new doctor recently who took away the hashimoto diagnosis because my levels are within the normal range. My TSH levels bounce all over the place with resent levels on the low normal 0.7, my FT3/T4 are also on the low normal. I do have ultra sounds done every 6 months to monitor the growths. Recently I have been experiencing feelings of muscle weakness, fatigue, and extreme intolerance to the cold. I'm wondering if these new symptoms could be thyroid related.

7 Replies

Your doctor is a numbskull. If you've once had over-range antibodies, you have Hashi's, and it doesn't go away. Antibodies fluctuate, but you still have Hashi's. And that's why your hormone levels fluctuate.

I would say your new symptoms are most definitely related to hypo. They are hypo symptoms.


greygoose has used the correct adjecive for this doctor. None of them know exactly what is the purpose of the thyroid gland.

What you need is a Full Thyroid Function Test which is TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies. We have two labs and each will do the necessary tests the GP will not.

All tests have to be at the very earliest (TSH is highest then and that's all doctors seem to notice). Also allow 24 hour gap between last dose of levo and the test and take afterwards. This helps keep TSH at its highest as it drops throughout the day.

You also need B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Everything has to be optimal.

Levo has to be taken first thing on an empty stomach with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating. Food can interfere with the uptake of the hormones.

Thank you all very much. I've been trying to find an endo that knows about the thyroid and not just diabetes. I am not on Levo because of the fluctuations in my TSH I can go from 1.7 down to 0.6. I worry because my mom had the same thyroid disease and all they did was monitor; until one day she had screaming high levels of TSH. It was so high they killed her thyroid immediately.

greygoose in reply to kmlocke

It was so high they killed her thyroid immediately.

Well, that was a stupid thing to do! Killing her thyroid wouldn't bring the TSH down, it would make it go higher. TSH is a pituitary hormone, not a thyroid hormone. It stimulates the thyroid gland to make more hormone. Obviously, if the thyroid cannot respond for any reason, the TSH just gets higher.

Have they tested anything other than your TSH and antibodies? You really need your FT4, FT3, vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin tested. Do you have the results?

kmlocke in reply to greygoose

I have not had the antibodies done in years, I have had the FT3 and FT4, both were on the low normal side. My D has been low, I take 5000u a day to keep it normal. I have never had vitamin B tested.

greygoose in reply to kmlocke

You don't need antibodies retested because you've been diagnosed with Hashi's. It doesn't go away, so no point in retesting for that. If your FT4/3 were low normal, you were probably hypo. Do you have the actual results?

So, you really should get your vit B12 (there are lots of B vits) and folate (another B vit) tested. It's very important for them to be optimal. And you need your ferritin tested.


If your antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

You still have Hashimoto's even if levels then become normal



Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working





Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first

Dose of thyroid replacement hormone should be high enough to bring TSH down to around, or just under one and FT4 towards TOP of range and FT3 at least HALF WAY in range

You sound under medicated, low vitamins are common as result


Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first






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