low active thyroid? ?

[Emma020884]

just been told I've got a low active thyroid not got doctors til next Friday to get medication for it does anyone no if this entitles u to free perscriptions or will I have to pay

[RedApple Administrator]

Yes, if you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism and need replacement thyroid hormone, then you are entitled to free prescriptions.

More info on Thyroid UK's main website here

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/NHS_In...

[Moggie]

If you have an underactive thyroid then you will get a exemption certificate which will entitle you to free scripts.

nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1126.aspx

If your GP doesn't give you a form to fill in ask for one and when you get your meds come back on here for advice on how and when to take them as what the GP will tell you (if he tells you anything at all) will be vastly different from what other thyroid sufferers will tell you.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

ok thanks moggie they rung me Tuesday n told me on phone I've Bern feeling very unwell but they can't see me til 20th December to get my medication so another 9 days of feeling ill

[Emma020884]

I don't really no much about thyroidis there other things u can b diagnosed with for low active thyroid or is it just hypo? ?

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

There are two forms of underactive thyroid (need to keep this simple for you as to much information at this point will only confuse you). One is the simple one where the thyroid has been damaged by a virus or injury like whiplash and the other one (Hashimoto's) is when your own body is attacking the thyroid. It's the second one that will cause you the most problems (but lets hope you don't have that one) and, I think, is the most common as you body may attack other things - like your gut for instance - and could cause further issues.

Lets hope that your GP has done the correct tests (which is an antibody test) and you will know which one you have.

Ask for copies of ALL your blood results so, firstly you can keep records yourself as to what is going on (very important), and secondly so you can post them on here for advise and help if needed. You are entitled, by law, to have these results so don't let your GP or the receptionist tell you any different.

Have a look around the main thyroiduk website for excellent info.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index....

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

thanks so much they did the ana blood test because I also have raynoids n my symptoms are getting worse I thought it was my raynoids playing up but I don't no if these two illnesses are connected in anyway

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

Looks like they are as they can both be caused by an auto immune illness (the same autoimmune illness that causes Hashimoto's). Have a look at this quick link which explains it.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/738...

You will have gathered by now that there will be a lot of reading and learning involved with this illness and the more you learn the better you will be able to cope.

Moggie x

[Emma020884]

ok I'll take a look thanks a lot will I need to be referred to someone or will my gp treat me for this do u no

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

GP should be able to treat you if you respond well to medication but some people (myself included) need to see a specialist called an endocrinologist at the hospital.

Hopefully you will be one of the lucky ones that does well on thyroid medication and, apart from popping a small pill every day, life will go on as usual.

Just a tip when using this site - if you use the "reply to this" button at the end of someone's comment they will get an email to say you have answered them or need more info - it stops people missing answers/further question etc.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

ok thanks a lot do u mind if I message u once I get my results u have been very helpful x

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

You are very welcome to message me any time BUT for the best results when using this site you need to be asking a new question whenever you have new info as lots of opinions are much better than mine alone.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

ok I'll do that thanks very much

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

Your welcome - and I forgot to say "welcome aboard".

And I meant it when I said you can message me anytime.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

thanks very much, im trying to ring my docs to get in b4 the 20th dec i think its to long to wait when im feeling so unwell x

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

I don't blame you - another week and a half of unnecessary suffering is not on.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

ive got an appointment for 5.10 this evening, can u give me any advice on what i need to ask etc x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

Just got back from doctors n got a print out of my results which are serum tsh level above range 4.34mu/l and serum free t4 level below range 10.8pmol

[Hidden in reply to Emma020884]

Well done for getting an earlier appointment and a print out - that's a good start - have you been prescribed hormone (levo)? Have you been advised how and when to take it? Do you think there's a Raynaud's & Thyroid connection? - many report both here. (especially cold).

Sorry for the questions. Personally I tend to look at causes, and suggest folk check deficiencies first - have you had irons, ferritin, folate B12 and Vit D checked too for starters. (these tend to be low too, and this may point to gut issues).

It seems (to me) that when something is wrong/out of balance the Thyroid will be affected, we slow down, body systems are switched off/toned down for survival - but here we can still ask why, and acknowledge everyone is different - different symptoms and different causes. The body is a whole, it's not just about certain parts! but the jigsaw does take some sorting out!

I hope you feel a little empowered asking for your OWN blood results - have a good read around and the main site here may help. Best wishes Jane

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index....

[Emma020884 in reply to Hidden]

Yes she's put me on 25mg n re test in 5 weeks time my result was negative for thyroid anti immune so I don't really understand what's going on my doctor is not very good n didn't explain anything to me she got funny when I asked for a print out of my results, she's not checked for any other dificinities just said to take it n I should start feeling better, she did say she things raynoids and under active thyroid is connected cos all to do with theI immune etc

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

Hi,

Sorry I didn't get your questions until this morning.

Would you happen to have the ranges with those results (they are in brackets after the actual result) as every lab has different ranges so without them it is hard to advise.

So glad that you got an early appt and can now start meds before xmas - it will usually take 6 - 8 weeks to feel the full effect but after about a week you should be feeling some benefit.

How much levothyroxine (T4)was you started on?

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

Ill copy excatly what it says my result sheet cos i dont no what u need, it says thyroid function test (x77wg) serum TSH level (xaelv) above range 4.34mu/l (0.27-4.2) above high reference limit, serum free t4 level (xaerr) below range 10.8pmol/l 12.0-23.0) below low reference limit n then it says thyroid autoantibody level (xe257) negative thyroid antibodies if tsh < 10 suggest repeat TFTs in 12 months, decision to treat with thyroxine should also consider any clinical symptoms and or risk factors, shes put me on 25mg one daily to start of with to repeat blood test in 5 weeks time

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

So what that is showing is you have a good doctor as the NHS guidelines say treat with thyroxine once the TSH has reached 10 and your GP has decided to treat when your TSH is only just above the reference range at 4.34 as she has taken your symptoms into consideration, as well as your low FT4 level, and I can tell you there are not many GP's like yours.

Your anti bodies at the moment (which is the test for an auto immune illness) are testing negative, which is a good thing but not conclusive.

Just for future reference if you write your results like this:

TSH 4.34 (0.27 - 4.2)

FT4 10.8 (12 - 23)

then it will be easy to understand.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

Ok thanks moggie all new to this lol, yes she said cos my symptoms r bad she will start me on treatment, do u no what this antibodies is my gp didn't explain nothing to me really she got a bit funny with me once I asked for my blood results

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

It is a bit complicated but this link explains what the anti bodies are.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibody

The reason she got funny was because doctors do not like us having too much knowledge. If we have the knowledge we can then question their judgements or treatments. In other words we know when they are doing something right or something wrong.

Will see if I can find you a simple explanation of antibodies.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

Yesci did try to look on the internet about antibodies but it was so confusing nothing is explained easily, I would really appreciate if u could please, n yes I agree about that but I just said to her it's my body n I want to no what's going on withit

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

Good for you - did you get my PM

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

The one with the link? Just read it, it makes a bit more sense now thank you, I also have endometriosis I noticed something about that also have u heard of a herbal remedy called sea kelp?? Somebody mentioned it to me today x

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

No I sent you a private message - have a look at the top of the page and on the green bar there is a little white envelope which should have a number 1 on it, click on the envelope and it will take you into your private messages.

Let me know if you didn't receive it and I'll sent it again.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

No I didn't get it

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

Just resent it.

Moggie x

[Emma020884 in reply to Moggie]

It just says re sent

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

Will do you a completely new message. Silly site.

Moggie x

[Moggie in reply to Emma020884]

This is a better link

sensible-alternative.com.au...

Moggie x

[foreversummer]

Hi. Just wanted to say welcome! You will find this site a huge source of info over the coming weeks and months.

Foreversummerx

[Emma020884]

thank you foreversummer x I will post my results once I get them next week

[Eurasian-Babe]

Hi Emma, just wanted to say I'm fairly new to the site as well being recently diagnosed & have found everyone really welcoming & supportive (Moggie has been especially brilliant at explaining things clearly & advising me too!).

I hope you'll see an improvement in your symptoms soon from taking your thyroxine meds. From reading other peoples' guidance here, I decided to take mine last thing at night on an empty stomach rather than before breakfast & am due this afternoon for first follow-up with my (like yours) really good GP who also picked up that I was borderline Hypo but started treatment anyway.

Good Luck!

[Emma020884 in reply to Eurasian-Babe]

Hi thanks for contacting me are u also on 25mg thyroxine she said as I'm avin symptoms of under active thyroid she would start me on medication straight away, how long av u been taking urs for n do u feel any different from taking them?? ??

[Eurasian-Babe]

Hi again Emma; actually my GP put me straight onto a relatively high starter dose of 100mcg & at my six-week follow up appointment today the results show it is bringing me back into the normal range. I found initially my body reacted to the increased thyroxine level in my system but given time it has settled down & my GP was pleased with the progress I'm making as my symptoms are now improving - I do feel better & am hopeful that will continue.

From reading other postings here it seems to me we're all quite unique in how we experience symptoms & reactions to this illness. I hope you'll soon feel more in control of your condition & it's treatment too.