Need help for daughter with hypo symptoms but close to normal lab results
My daughter (19 years old) has been suffering from hypothyroid symptoms for several years. We have been to several doctors starting with her GP, dermatologist and an Endo.
She has the following symptoms:
-eyebrows have completely fallen out
-hair is thinning
-severe itchy skin and rashes
-weight gain (especially upper body)
-very low energy levels/depression
-feels cold and does not sweat
-several other symptoms consistent with hypo.
The following lab results are from the past couple of years:
We have been unable to get any resolution from any of her doctors. The dermatologist says it is a thyroid/hormone/autoimmune issue and the endo. says she may be insulin resistant. We have tried low carb, diets, no sugar diets, etc. Nothing we have done seems to help her.
Re: Need help for daughter with hypo symptoms but close to normal lab results
Her latest TSH is well above the average of a healthy person, which is 1.0 or so. It's nowhere near "normal"; it's hypothyroid. Her free T4 is astoundingly low and is accountable for her symptoms. She needs thyroid replacement.
The reason is probably autoimmune, even though her antibody tests are WNL. Most hypoT in industrialized nations is autoimmune. The antibody tests are only so sensitive; 20% are false-negative.
The dermatologist sounds like the smartest of the lot. Too bad he isn't willing to replace her thyroid. Please find someone who will, fast. She is too young to be suffering so much at the hands of thyroid-incompetent "doctors".
Re: Need help for daughter with hypo symptoms but close to normal lab results
Thank you for the help. We have searched our area (N. Georgia/Atlanta) for doctor's that have been reported as more receptive to prescribing thyroid medicine. She currently is seeing a practice in Atlanta (where the 3/30/10 tests were from) but they have seen her twice and are pushing a more natural supplement path forward after saying during her initial visit that she should be on armour. I know finding the right doctor is everything but it really frustrating how long she has dealt with this and especially now that she is away at college.
Re: Need help for daughter with hypo symptoms but close to normal lab results
Have you checked the thyroid Top Docs list? There are many Atlanta MDs listed there. Being on the list alone is no guarantee that an MD will be a good fit for her, but it improves the odds more than just searching the Yellow Pages.
You can try asking local pharmacists who writes the Armour (or other natural thyroid brand) prescriptions that they see. A natural thyroid prescriber is more likely to recognize hypoT than an MD who writes most of their scripts for the Big Pharma designer drugs.
Don't assume she must see an endocrinologist. That speciality can be the pits for thyroid disease. They mostly specialize in diabetes and don't bother to expand their knowledge of hypoT beyond what they learned in Endocrinology 101.
You can try pushing her current doctor harder for thyroid hormone supplementation, because she is definitely hypothyroid. Her symptoms show it, as do her test results. Nothing "natural" can substitute for the hormone her gland isn't producing. It has to be replaced in pill form. Don't give up until you find someone to treat it!
