I have had my thyroid checked several times, but it showed just a slight elevation so they never did anything about it. I thought it would be low b/c of the lack of energy but then a nurse tried to explain how it works....which is opposite from the way I thought it would be.
Probably your TSH was elevated - this is the messenger from your brain to your thyroid, and it is like a seesaw - when thyroid HORMONE is low, the messenger from the BRAIN (TSH)goes up. It's kind of like the brain is shouting at the thyroid to pick it up and get going. The "normal" range for TSH is a matter of debate. The AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists)revised their recommendations a couple of years ago. Instead of a normal TSH being up to 5, they now say if your TSH is over 3 and you have symptoms, you should be treated. Even a TSH over 2 may be a little suspect, since most normal healthy people have a tSH less than 2. You should also have thyroid antibodies checked.And of course the vitamin D. If your doctor is cooperative, you may just be able to ask him to order these tests. If you think you need a trial of thyroid hormone and have difficulty convincing him, you might ask the Broda Barnes Foundation for a referral to someone in your area - that's a good way to find a physician willing to treat thyroid disease based on symptoms, not just lab tests.
