Hi all,
I have been struggling for some time now and am getting pretty desperate for answers. I know thyroid issues are common with type 1. I was dx with T1 in 2014 after severe DKA. I feel as if I have not fully recovered in terms of energy levels and within the past few months, it has really gotten worse. I am constantly fatigued and never feel refreshed after sleep- although I never have a tough time falling/staying asleep–because I am always SO TIRED. I get blood work done every three months and TSH levels dropped from 1.7 to .90 at the last blood draw. Everything else looked good although Creatinine was slightly elevated in the urine screen, normal in bloodwork. BG levels have been difficult to control- last A1C was 7 and I don’t have this one back yet but my guess is it probably went up a few points this time around.
I know .9 is still considered in the “normal” range for TSH, and I have not yet followed up with my endo about the results. She told me at my appointment that if blood work is coming back normal, she is going to refer me to a sleep specialist. I am just irritated and want answers. I am so tired of being sooooo tired. I guess my question is, with that much of a change in TSH levels, is it possible that I am facing a thyroid issue? I have done plenty of research but everything says .9 is still in the normal range and doctors will not do anything about it. Any input is appreciated.
If your TSH is dropping, that is a sign of moving towards hyperthyroidism, not hypothyroidism. Being super tired is usually associated with hypothyroidism, though. Have you had your T3 and T4 levels measured? T3 and T4 are the actual thyroid hormones, as opposed to TSH which just stimulates the thyroid.
Well before TSH levels reflected my eventual Hashimoto’s diagnosis, my primary started a minimal synthroid script due to falling levels. My previous primary missed the T1 Dx so the practice already had me on the radar for new symptoms. I would also add that if you are seeing lots of high and low BG levels you are going to feel fatigued right down to your bones. Could be your basal rates are off or you are dosing for high carb intake or some combination of the two. Spend a couple of days testing and logging on a schedule and detail meals to see if adjustments need to be made… Meantime press you provider on the falling levels - quality of life is as important any other statistic!
Jen is correct. If you were hypothyroid, which is associated with fatigue (among other things), your TSH would be high, not low/trending lower. I suspect you would feel less fatigued if your BG was in better control. What is your treatment regimen?
I am on the omnipod. I’d say numbers average between 120 and 180 although there are of course bad days…which have been more frequent in the last few months. My a1c came back and it dropped from 7 to 6.7 which I was not expecting! I have not had T3 or T4 measured, the test my endo runs basically tells the lab to check T4 if the TSH is off. Wondering if I should request they run those tests. I am about to call over to the office right now to see if I can speak with someone about results and what they want to do next. Thanks for your replies! Sometimes I wonder if I am destined to just be exhausted forever because of T1
In some cases Tsh may still appear normal when free T3 and free T4 are not - This is what’s called central hypothyroidism. Given your symptoms it would likely be rational to rule this out. Ft3 and ft4 address ideally mid-range or slightly higher.
Have other checks such as iron levels, vitamin b and d levels, etc been checked?
