How long!?

[Ambeljazz]

I went to my GP just over 3 weeks ago with extreme fatigue & various other symptoms, my GP arranged a blood test to check my thyroid as I've recently had a baby & apparentley thyroid problems are quite common after pregnancy. I had a phone call from my GP the day after having the blood tests as the results were 'very impressive'!?

TSH more than 100

T4 less than 2

She quickly explained that this was why I'd been feeling so ill, put me on Levo 100mg & told me to come back in 8 weeks for a blood test. I was too exhausted to ask any questions & just walked out with my prescription!

I've been taking Levo for 14 days now & although symptoms haven't got worse I can't say they've got better either! How long should it take before I start feeling a bit better? Or can I ask my GP to increase the dosage before the 8 week blood test?

Every day is such a nightmare with a 2 year old & 5 month old to look after when feeling like a zombie!!

Any advice gratefully received!

[Orangelady1]

Hi, sorry you are feeling so bad, my understanding is it can take 4-6 weeks before you can have another blood test to get a true reading. It can take several weeks to take affect and you should feel some improvement. Hang in there.x

[Ambeljazz in reply to Orangelady1]

Thank you for your reply xx

[juliaheppers]

Hello

I too had thyroid issues after birth of my son and have since learned with sons is quite common

Everyone is different everyone's journey is different

I'm not going to give u false hope and not going to tell u a scare story either

But you have come to the right place

Keep asking questions as I have found the site and people on here amazing

My tsh was over 100 at one point too so I understand your concern

Please ask all the questions and people will answer and you will have knowledge to take with you on your next appontment

Take care

Julia x

[Ambeljazz in reply to juliaheppers]

Hi Julia, thanks for your reply! Can I ask whether your thyroid has recovered? My GP mentioned something about 4 out of 5 women's thyroid problems will return to normal after 12-18 months?

Thanks x

[juliaheppers in reply to Ambeljazz]

I'm sorry to say I was told this but my son is now 10 and I had more probs after Radio iodine that was 3 years ago and am still not right

But this may not be the case for you I was very ill informed and didn't have all the advice from here as only fond it 3 weeks ago

You have this site and all the advice to go and ask questions and hopefully u will be looked after properly

Don't let my story scare you

I hope you do have a speedy recovery

Take care

Julia xxxxx

[Ambeljazz in reply to juliaheppers]

I haven't found anyone so far who's thyroid has returned to normal!

Sounds like you've had a really tough time - hope things improve for you too!

Take care xx

[greenginger in reply to Ambeljazz]

I think your GP is feeding you a line there. Maybe with short term post partum thyroiditis but not hypo or hyper.

[Hidden]

Helpful info here:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

Louise

xx

[booboo1]

Hi there, I asked a similar question here not so long ago! I found my first two weeks taking levo were horrible, after three I turned a corner and started to feel a bit better. Then after an increase again two weeks of back to square one before again feeling better. Everyones different but i do hope that helps. I would say it takes our bodies a while to adjust and that almost feels worse than before any levo at all! I would say though if you feel I'll still after say 3-4 weeks return to your doc and ask for another blood test. My doc has been testing me every month, only giving me a month of pills at a time. You tests showed more severity than mine so would think its good to check you monthly too. Obviously im not a doctor but this has been my experience. Look after yourself, i know its hard, mine was diagnosed after a baby too, but be kind to yourself. And while it can be a struggle getting doses and medicine right, when you get them right you can be 'normal' again. I just got my blood test back yesterday and tsh is now 0.37 but more importantly im feeling more like me again. It is a hard illness, you have children and need to be well, so do not feel bad about returning to your doctor as you feel necessary, its important you do x

[Ambeljazz in reply to booboo1]

Thanks so much for your reply. It's reassuring to know that other mums have experienced (and got through) this illness! Thanks about the advise on revisiting my GP if I feel I need to... I will give Levo another week & if I'm still not seeing any improvements I will make another appointment. I guess part of the problem is getting my GP to understand just how debilitating this condition is. When I initially went to see her she pointed out that I'm an older mum & having two young children is very tiring etc.,! She was quite dismissive of my symptoms & I believe she agreed to the blood test to shut me up rather than because she thought there was something wrong!

Still, I understand the condition a lot more now!

Just out of interest, has your thyroid returned to normal? x

[booboo1 in reply to Ambeljazz]

Hello, no, it hasn't, but now i can see i was probably having thyroid proba for a while before my son. Possibly pregnancy made it worse, or maybe it was going to get worse anyway. Doc says i was probably hyper at one stage then thyroid has burnt out and am now hypo. The symptoms i had would support this. My son is now 18 months old and i got diagnosed in Feb, i thought this was just what it felt like to be a new mum! One thing that helped me, ask your partner or family to pay attention to you and observe how you are, i found part of the illness was that i was so cloudy i didn't know how i was being. Sometimes very emotional, tired, unsettled etc but couldn't see it, it helps if they can be your measuring stick on your progress. I would ask for a blood test after a month, your doc can then alter your dose again if need be, i can't see any point in waiting two Months. And you could make a detailed list of symptoms to show. Things i never realised were thyroid related- muscle ached, pins and needles pain in hands, irregular periods, are all now improving. Good luck and look after yourself x

[Ambeljazz in reply to booboo1]

Thank you so much for your reply.

Take care x

[Hidden]

After starting T4 treatment it took my body a good few weeks to adjust and improve and several months to feel 'normal' again - this was without the extra demands you have of a young family! Things will improve - given enough time, but if you're unsure, go back and talk to your GP.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Ambeljazz in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply! xx

[shaws]

This is a link re pregnancy and cursor down to the 3rd question and beyond.

web.archive.org/web/2010122...