Q. I have a low functioning thyroid which my doctor is unable to regulate. Please help.

Hello doctor,

I have been searching for answers for over three years. The past two years, my quality of life on a scale of 1 to 10, has been a 2. I am grasping at anything to find the answers. My doctors have not helped. I was diagnosed 15 years ago with fibro/CFIDS, and very low thyroid, which they cannot get regulated for some reason. The fatigue and brain fog have been unbearable. Then came the IBS, severe pain, and diarrhea after every meal, low magnesium, and vitamin D levels. Then, five months ago, I developed a severe pain in my wrist, throbbing, piercing pain that never leaves and I cannot use my arm at all.

I had an MRI of my wrist and it showed 'severe edema and erosion of the bones, most likely due to an autoimmune disease as RA.' On some days I cannot get out of bed and those days that I do, I am not able to do anything productive. My orthopedic specialist referred me to a rheumatologist but they cannot see me for six months. I have also developed dental infections and have had two abscessed teeth in the past year. From my research, I found that all of these symptoms may be related, but my doctor has never mentioned it. He even suggested I may be depressed and prescribed antidepressants. The pain all over, and the severe pain in my arm and wrist, I know are not from being depressed. I need any advice you can give me. I am about to give up and living like this any longer is not an option. I do not want pain medicines. I want a diagnosis.

Thank you.

Thank you doctor,

My TSH has been as low as 0.039 while my T3 and T4 are also low, which should not be the case. My MRI report is attached as a photo, thyroid labs were:

1. Free T3 3.0 (range 2.3 to 4.2),
2. Free T4 0.77 (range 0.89 to 1.76).
3. TSH 0.070 (0.550 to 4.78).

The thyroid test before this one was:

1. TSH 0.049.
2. Free T3 3.0.
3. Total T4 4.9 (range 4.5 to 10.9).

My new endocrinologist said he only looks at the TSH, and the rest is useless. Even though my T3 and T4 were low and borderline low, I was having hypothyroid symptoms. He decreased my medicines and I was very sick for two months when my TSH was 24. So, my doctor increased my medicines back to what I was originally taking and my TSH is now 0.070, free T4 0.77 (low) and T3 is 3.0 (again is borderline low considering my TSH is under 1. My CCP is 5 units, which is negative I believe. The CRP was done a few years ago and it was less than 4.0. ANA was negative. I only have a photo of my MRI report.

Thank you for any feedback.