Medical Mystery: Thyroid Resistance in Fibromyalgia

Peripheral resistance (similar to fibromyalgia) is harder to diagnose than the other types of thyroid resistance. Actually, the standard tests for thyroid resistance aren't useful to confirm a diagnosis, especially in patients with fibromyalgia, as the tests show normal levels of TSH, free T3 and free T4. Also, most, if not all, of the gland of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis function properly. But, what doesn't show normally is the metabolic rate in the peripheral tissues, which is low.

Dr. Lowe noted that fibromyalgia patients present the symptoms of hypothyroid dysfunction and experience low metabolic rates and body temperature, which can be utilized as markers for peripheral hormone resistance.

Patients with peripheral thyroid hormone resistance would typically need to increase their metabolic rates by receiving high doses of the thyroid hormone. This will eventually lead to the control of TSH, which brings these levels down to a number that is extremely low.