[Marchmallow]

I suffer extreme difficulty losing weight, and I have a couple of other symptoms such as brittle hair and tiredness that are common with underactive thyroids. After years of being pretty sure I must have hypothyroidism, I braved my first ever blood test (being terrified of them) to find out for sure. I just got my results back - they're normal. In fact, the numbers are smack bang in the middle of the healthy range.

I was wondering what could be up, then, if not thyroid? I've heard from others that optimum thyroid hormone ranges are largely generalised, and just because someone's numbers conform to the average doesn't mean that person's thyroid is working right for them, personally. Here are my results - if you're a thyroid promblem sufferer, then any light you can shed on this is greatly appreciated.

Serum 3 T4: 11.6 (healthy range 7.86-14.4)
Serum TSH: 1.06 (healthy range 0.35-5.5)

Thanks in advance!

[jillnicole03]

I'm hypothyroid, and people can be on borders or not that close but still have symptopms.. but looking at your numbers that is not what I see. In my opionion I think it must be something else, there are a few other things that have some of the same symptoms.. like PCOS, depression, malnutrition or anemia.

[serendipityberry]

I would consider having a vit D level drawn. When I was overly tired, they found my Vit D level VERY low!! I started on my mega D and really noticed a difference in about 4 wks.

[losingElly]

For the longest time I have had a hard time losing weight, was super tired all the time, and during last summer my hair was so thin it almost looked like I was going bald. I was so upset. I had my thyroid checked in 2009 and it came up normal. I finally went and saw an Endocronologist to help.

She discovered that I have Subclinical Hypothyrodism, which means although my Thyroid is working normal - my Pituatry Gland is not which means in the long run that thyroid does not know when to stop making the hormone. Anyway, she rested me again and my TSH came up at 5.1 (just 8 months after my previous test).

I would suggest having your TSH levels redone just to see if they changed. Ofcourse I don't know when you took the first test, but for me it was within 8 months that things changed for me.

Also I have PCOS which is linked to being really tired and an offset of the hormones causing thinning hair, unwanted hair, abnormal menstration etc. A lot of PCOSers have HypoT

[mamakat]

Wow, I'm a mess I have Hoshimoto's (hypothyroid) and your numbers look good, BUT as said before it could be anemia (although that should have shown in blood work right off) or Vit D. I have trouble with both of those and they can kick your butt. I used to see my GP for blood work for thyroid matters but was getting nowhere even medicated. So I finally went to Endo. Oh what a difference when I find out it's not just hypothyroid but Hoshi's. I don't know what the difference was but my meds had to be upped and I get ultrasounds. Let me just say, though, if it's any of these you better be prepared for needle in your future. They are so second nature to me. I forgot to mention Depression/Bipolar Disorder should be checked too...I'm lucky I have that too Don't get me started on MD...LOL