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Dealing with exhaustion, dizziness, night sweats, and irregular periods... help!

Started by Kate Kern · · 👁 4 views · 17 replies

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Participants Kate Kernmelloworca6frozenorca63
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#1 ·
Driven by this crushing exhaustion and these absolutely grueling periods, my doctor suggested I get some bloodwork done and perhaps start some iron supplementation if my levels were flagging.

However, the results seem almost entirely normal.
My thyroid hasn't been performing at its best for years now; my TSH has consistently hovered around 8, though I suppose I haven't been following any prescribed therapy for it. I was told that the fatigue I’m feeling might just be temporary, perhaps linked to those dizzy spells I occasionally experience, but then again, the exhaustion wasn't nearly this intense back then—though I realize everyone's threshold is different, I guess.
The one thing that truly concerns me in these reports is the antibody count; my ATPO was sitting at a solid 20 before dropping to 5, and my ATG is at 10, which feels uncomfortably close to the borderline.

My cardiology checkup was fine.
And my blood pressure during the last reading was perfectly within range.

I do struggle with scoliosis, but I don't imagine that has anything to do with how I'm feeling right now.

My muscles tend to seize up quite often, and even minimal exertion leaves me completely spent; honestly, for the last three days, I haven't been functioning very well at all.
Sometimes I deal with nausea after eating heavy meals, my hands shake, and I find myself sweating excessively. On top of that, my cycles are frequent, my appetite has spiked, and I've gained some weight. I even get these spots dancing in my vision.
These symptoms have been dragging on for months, primarily this fatigue, though it never felt quite this overwhelming or severe until lately.
Regarding my lymph nodes, I recall the doctor mentioning during my last thyroid ultrasound that a few seemed enlarged or slightly thickened, but I can't say for certain without digging through my paperwork.
As far as digestion goes, I tend to deal with more frequent constipation.
I still drink coffee and I smoke, though I suppose I don't do it excessively.

Regarding the urinalysis:
appearance: slightly cloudy, whereas it should be clear
color: yellow / light yellow
specific gravity: 1.028 (range: 1.002-1.030)
pH: 5.5 (range: 5.0-9.0)

Leukocyte esterase, nitrites, proteins, ketones, bilirubin, and erythrocytes/Hb all came back negative, which is exactly what one would expect.
Glucose and urobilinogen were also normal, as they should be.

EDIT. My memory is essentially non-existent, my concentration is abysmal, and I find myself struggling to even string sentences together... I remember having bloodwork done for my adrenal glands years ago, and if I recall correctly, the results weren't exactly ideal.

Today, I feel somewhat more stable. Tuesday and Wednesday were absolutely miserable; I genuinely thought I might end up in the Emergency Room at the local hospital.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#2 ·
Why aren't you taking your thyroid medication? Half the symptoms you just listed are probably coming from that.
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#3 ·
The doctors didn't end up prescribing it to me. 😁

But, honestly, if I'm being truthful, the deviation isn't even significant enough to warrant medication, I suppose.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#4 ·
Haha, looks like you ran into one of those doctors who refuses to give anything less than an A. 😁 But seriously, half of what you’re feeling could be tied back to your thyroid—everything from irregular cycles and total exhaustion to dizziness, digestive issues, and brain fog...
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#5 ·
I suppose I do know. 🙂

And if I’m being completely honest with you, a part of me was actually hoping things would turn out to be a bit more meager. Because there is something truly unsettling about this state of affairs where everything seems more or less functional, yet you're still just barely scraping by. 😢

Honestly, I can't even manage a quick ten-minute jog without feeling as though I might suddenly collapse from sheer exhaustion.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#6 ·
How long have you been dealing with thyroid issues now?
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#7 ·
It has been roughly four years, I suppose.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#8 ·
Uh, it's been way too long. You mean they still haven't started you on any medication? 😲

Look, you should probably just go in there and have a real talk with your doctors. I don't know what kind of bureaucratic nonsense they're waiting for. It’s obvious your thyroid isn't just going to magically fix itself. This whole thing is basically just punishing your body because someone is clinging to some outdated, questionable guidelines—and honestly, if those guidelines were actually solid, the specialists wouldn't be arguing over them constantly. I get that they might not prescribe meds right away for everyone and prefer to monitor things for a bit, but being messed around like this for four years? If that were me, I'd be having a much more intense conversation with them.
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#9 ·
No, I have never actually undergone any kind of therapy. 🤷

Given how utterly wretched I felt—to the point where I could barely even remain upright—my physician, or rather, my primary care doctor at the local clinic, was absolutely certain that I was suffering from anemia. Apparently, my iron levels were quite low, though they seemed more than sufficient on paper.

I suppose, I don't know... it is entirely possible that my thyroid is to blame, though I find it hard to believe it would be malfunctioning quite so severely. 😢
Then again, perhaps it really is just a thyroid issue; after all, we are all unique individuals, and I suppose everyone reacts to these physiological imbalances in their own distinct way.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#10 ·
Look, I had a TSH of 8 and my situation was actually way worse than yours. I was sleeping 12 or 14 hours a day, felt completely depressed, and my focus and memory? Absolute zero. My periods were coming every two or three months, I’d be exhausted just from doing basic tasks, and climbing any set of stairs would trigger tachycardia and leave me gasping for air. I put on 15 pounds, my hair was falling out in clumps, and my digestion was a total disaster.

So, they can take those clinical guidelines and shove them. My endocrinologist followed me for a while—about six months, I think—and he saw how much my TSH was jumping around. He realized I wasn't doing well, and even though my TSH was only sitting at a 6.something back then, he started me on medication immediately.
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#11 ·
Even though I’m dealing with hypothyroidism, I somehow still end up having my period twice a month. 😢

Everything just feels completely out of whack.

Are things feeling any better for you now that they’ve started you on that treatment?

I suppose it might even be possible that my pituitary gland is essentially "malfunctioning."

And don't even get me started on crowded places; I start feeling lightheaded almost instantly if I can't catch enough air...

Honestly, there are moments when I truly wonder if I haven't just lost my mind entirely. :/
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#12 ·
Not really. 🙂

Thyroid issues can totally wreck your cycle. I once had bleeding for three straight weeks. 🙄 It’s unpredictable—there are no rules. When your thyroid is off, it messes with your sex hormones, and when those go sideways, you get all kinds of chaos: missed periods, spotting, constant bleeding, just total nonsense.

Yeah, things have been better since I started my medication. I still deal with symptoms here and there, but it's barely 10% of what it was before treatment. Looking back, I realize how much I was actually suffering. Look, you just need to start the therapy and see for yourself which symptoms fade out and which ones stick around—then you can tweak things as needed. When your thyroid is a mess, nobody can tell you exactly what’s causing what because it impacts your whole body, and a lot of symptoms overlap with other stuff.
frozenorca63 frozenorca63 Member
41 messages
joined May 2007
#13 ·
I dealt with all those exact same symptoms back when my thyroid was acting up. Honestly, I have no clue why doctors drag their feet for so long, because once I started on Synthroid, I felt like a whole new person and everything just cleared right up. If I were in your shoes, I’d definitely go out and grab a second opinion from another specialist before things get messy...
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#14 ·
I’m heading in for an ultrasound this Friday, mostly because my doctor mentioned she might try to squeeze me into a slot since the wait times have become absolutely absurd lately, stretching out for months on end. 🤷
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#15 ·
And it would appear that I am somehow responsible for this entire mess, along with everything else that goes sideways due to sheer incompetence.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#16 ·
Did you actually go check on that?
Kate Kern Kate Kern MemberOP
11 messages
joined May 2014
#17 ·
I might head in tomorrow, assuming I can actually make it.

The doctor mentioned that I’ll likely be starting therapy soon, though she did admit she finds my extreme weakness a bit unusual, so she wants to run some extra checks just to be safe. I suppose there's a chance the labs aren't performing perfectly, and since everything is tied back to kidney function, they tend to run all sorts of tests when things feel off.
melloworca6 melloworca6 Regular
551 messages
joined May 2010
#18 ·
Yeah, they tend to drag each other down pretty often. At least you might get some therapy out of it; that should clear up a good chunk of the symptoms. 🙂

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