Thyroid Questions Sparked My Question

I went to a doctor that specialized in bio-identical hormones and he did a thorough job. He did the initial blood test and then talked to me for a while so he could see what kind of things I was feeling. It was quite an extensive talk so that is the reason that I felt a hundred percent better after I started on the hormones. The range of normal is really pretty broad when a person just looks at the results on paper.

Oh yeah! Absolutely!
There's quite a debate of what range is normal for TSH.
The normal range changed quite a few years back and many doctors and medical testing labs were following the old range for a very long time.
I'm a firm believer that 'normal' for me might be outside the range of an averaged 'normal' range for everyone else.
For a long time I was medicated so that I was on the high end of the old TSH normal range - but I still had hypothyroid symptoms that would not go away.
I tried Armor Thyroid instead of Synthroid (turns out I don't convert T4 to T3 very well) and felt better.
I found a doctor that was willing to work with me to find an optimal medication dose for me - and I'm actually at my best when my medication is set to make me right on the cusp of the hyperthyroid range.
It can be very hard to find a doctor to work with you.
Many just don't want to.

The thyroid is a funny thing... You can be on the low or high range of normal and feel some of the effects of hyper/hypo symptoms. For 3 years I was taking synthriod because my levels showed I was on the mid-high range of hypothyroidism. I never took the medication religiously - I've always had issues remembering to take any type of medication daily... and I had my Dr recheck all my levels and my thyroid was actually in the normal range!! I hadn't taken the synthroid for over 6 months and told my Dr so. He was very surprised and confused.

I don't think every will stay permanently low or high, because I feel the body attempts to stabilize itself... so I'd just keep an eye on your levels maybe once a year?

You can also google "symptoms that mimic hypothyroidism".

Your eyebrows don't necessarily "fall out". Mine got thinner & usually only the outer part of the eyebrows thin out so much that they end up either being really sparse or maybe in a severe case, 'fall out'. I would go to an endocrinologist or internest (internal medicine) a lot of times you hafta visit different types of doctors to get results. Ask for your numbers...see where your numbers fall. Get a good doctor that actually is concerned for your well being & listens to you, not just dismisses you as being "in the normal range". That tells you nothing. I had to go thru 2 or 3 doctors before I got one who'd listen & tell me more info than just "you're in the normal range". I know that thyroid problems usually are genetic. I thought I wasn't going to have a thyroid problem til I had a child & then wham, hypothyroid. I went from a cute size to ginormous & now I have nothing but health issues. Keep digging & find a doctor that will listen to you. Look online for 'thyroid doctors' or someone who specializes in those disorders. Hope this helps, good luck!

I wish I new the actual name of the test, but my doctor thankfully had just gone to a seminar that said the normal screening thyroid test they do (I think the TSH) was yielding a high level of false positives (i.e. saying you are OK when you aren't). Your doctor may still only be doing that one test. My doctor ran the individual tests which are usually more expensive and some insurances don't pay for it.

Ask him specifically what test he ran and ask for the full screen if he only names one test.

My results came within the normal range, but my doctor said that she treats the patient, not the test. She put me on synthroid and it made a huge difference. Sometimes it is about finding a doctor who understands that you know your body better because you live in it.

I'm currently reading "The Thyriod Diet" by Mary Shomon. It is very detailed in the different tests, nutrition, dietary supplements and vitamins someone with a thyriod problem needs to know. I never thought I had an underactive thryroid; my Dr. checked it when I told her about a fainting spell.

My eyebrows never thinned, nor did my hair, and yet my thyroid was barely functioning. I was extremely cold, and stupid headed though.
You can test your thyroid function by monitoring your basal body temp, google ti - it may save you a trip to the dr.
I think sometimes your numbers can be on the low end of normal, and you feel yucky, you need to look at the results chart and see where your range falls. And make sure they are testing all of your thyroid hormones not just TSH.

my numbers were in the normal range, but I was feeling just horrible. I finally went to a holistic dr and my T3 was off. My endo would not check that, and only went by my T4 number. Also my adrenals were off too. If your adrenals are off, then you can't fix your thyroid. I have since then switched to a natural med (nature throid) and feel a TON better. My holistic dr also had my on some natural herbs and vitamins to help with my adrenals and immune system. I have never heard of eye brows falling out as a symptom though. But, if I were you I would go and see a holistic dr. instead. Much better care with them!

Not everyone's eyebrows fall out.

It sounds like you dr. knows what he's doing; he already said it was a matter of time, why don't you just have him retest you?

If you are in the low range of normal, many drs. are willing to put you on thyroid replacement at that time.

I don't think you have to ask for a specific test, your dr. will probably do the same tests as last time, which are probably the usual tests: TSH, T4 and T3.