Not sure what to do next

[emmie]

sqad if you are about,
not to put too fine a point on it i haven't been well since before christmas, and now am faced with the following, severe weight loss, even though my eating has been steady, freezing cold, cannot get warm no matter what, hands and feet so icy there seems no blood running through. Mood so very low, eyes have large dark circles, and bloodshot, and now my skin has become parched, dry as a bone, sound bizarre i agree. Doctors have been tooing an frooing with endless theories, whilst i have been getting worse by the day. I was told had a viral illness back in early December, but quite honestly no idea. I have had chest x ray, and the most recent bloods done by a gastro consultant for pancreas and thyroid, in the hospital and the latest one recently has shown up a thyroid problem, but i am in limbo land whilst they debate, haven't felt so ill in my life. I know they are doing their best but not sure how long i can stand this. Have a pancreas test mid feb as well.

[DTCwordfan]

well lets rule that one out em; from what you have described, it is most unlikely that you have any cancerous condition.....but I'll be blunt in that I wouldn't at all be surprised if that is what has been nagging away at you, deep inside that brain of yours?

Am I right?

I know it is not easy but a degree of relaxation may help you enormously, even if just breathing exercises or a good regular brisk walk....as to reading read up on hyper and hypo-thyroidism; there is a lot there on the subject and nothing to be worried once they are ontop of it and, as daisya says, there can be the occasional swing. My mother is generally hypo and on 125g of Levothyroxine once a day but she has had a couple of times when she has been hyper as she has aged...just the occasional check-up (blood work) needed for her now and you also need to watch your BP as often thyroidism and high BP go together and link through to a higher risk of strokes (and hence risk of vascular dementia too).

[237SJ]

Personally, (for what it`s worth) I think the diagnosis of thyroid disease seems a bit skewed. Weight loss could indicate an overactive thyroid but the other symptoms (cold, sluggish, dry skin) say under active thyroid so it doesn`t seem to add up. The NHS kept testing my TSH levels and admitting there was a bit of a problem. They never tested the T3 and T4 though so we didn`t really get anywhere. I ended up paying a foreign hosipital when I was away to give me thorough tests. I think you`re looking a range of varied symptoms and trying to make them add up to one illness/condition but it could be that you have been laid low with a virus and it has worn you downand made you depressed. The sluggish/weight loss could account for that. Maybe you should look at anti-depressants again. You might not necessarily have the same drugs that you have had in the past. They might just give you something to give you a bit of a lift. By the way, you say you have lost a lot of weight but later you said you have been eating small meals. Could that account for some of it?

[China Doll]

I think you should read 237SJ's answer very carefully. It has a lot of merit and I think it is what I have been trying to say all along but much better worded.

[daisya]

SJ yes from what Em says it does look like both hyper and hypo thyroid symptoms IF it's a thyroid problem. But it's not strange to have both when there is a swing from one condition to another and I know that from experience. It is possible that it does that in some cases which sometimes baffle the doctors/endocrinologists and some get it, some don't which is why it leads to confusion and lengthy diagnosis time for some unfortunate patients.

[Sqad]

I agree...237SJ's post is spot on.

[bednobs]

sorry if you feellike you are being pressured but i just don't get how you are willing to believe you have thyroid problems (on little evidence from blood tests) but not willing to believe that your serotonin (another hormone) could also be low (in fact thyroid problems and illness can cause low serotonin too) Low serotonin can also give gastric symptoms too.What's the treatment for low serotonin? Well it's tablets called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or more commonly known as anti depressants. Serotonin can become low from all sorts of things.

[ladyalex]

My thoughts, for what they are worth ,are that your GP should refer you for a psychiatric opinion rather than push on with offering antidepressants.
Psychiatrists are pretty good at sorting out who needs their help and whose condition is morehysical than psychological/psychiatric.
Also, if their opinion was that you were depressed, they would be in a position to offer you the best medication or other treatment ...th e one which was most suited to you.
Best of luck whatever happens to you.