diagnosed today

[amandac46]

I was diagnosed this morning but looking back my symptoms started about a year ago.

I used to have an over active thyroid as a child and was always on build up drinks as i could not put on weight ironic now really. I am 39 now

I started feeling unwell had lots of sore throats which i kept going back to the dr's for since Jan 2013. I then started having severe bleeding on my monthly cycles. In September I went back to the dr's as I had no energy at all and was tired all the time and felt like i had something stuck in my throat all the time.I was sent for bloods to check my iron and B12 they done a test for my thyroids as well, the iron and B12 came back fine they told me my throid was a bit low and they wanted to monitor my thyroid so i was sent again for bloods this Tuesday and the dr called me straight away to say they have a prescription for me.

My first bloods are:

TSH is 10.48

T4 is 7.3

These really mean nothing to me but the dr has put me straight on Levothyroxine 50 micrograms is this high for my first dosage?

I have been taking Tranexamic for severe bleeding during my cycle will i be able to stop taking these once the Levothyroxine starts working?

They want me to be re checked in three months.

[Clutter]

Your GP should really test you sooner. 6-8 weeks would be more appropriate. Did your GP examine you for nodule or goiter? If no, and the feeling of something stuck in your throat persists an ultra scan would be appropriate.

[Moggie]

Hi and welcome to the site.

I know how confusing this all is and now you have found us you can start too understand what is going on and how best to deal with it.

Firstly, the levo should help with your bad periods but please ask for copies of your iron results and post them on here for people to comment on as what the NHS say are fine are far from fine for a thyroid patient.

Secondly, no 50mcg's is fine for a starter dose but don't let your GP keep you on this for to long - ask for a two month blood test to re-check your levels.

Thirdly - Did your GP give you any guidance on how and when to take your meds, if not here is a quick run down.

You MUST keep your levo, at least, two hours away from any food or drink (except water) and four hours away from any other meds, calcium or iron supplements you may be taking (this includes milk as it contains a lot of calcium).

Because of the above some people (myself included) find that it is easier to take their meds, with water, last thing at night, having not eaten anything for at least two hours, as levo needs an empty stomach to be able to absorb into the system properly (which is why it must be kept at least two hours away from food or drink).

Another thing to watch out for (although this doesn't happen to everyone) is that when some people first start taking levo their poor thyroid, which has been struggling for months (or sometimes years), will have a little holiday and stop producing what little thyroid hormone it was producing and their starter dose will not be enough to make up for what your thyroid was producing, although you have been started on 50mcg's and not the normal very small 25mcg's dose which is a good thing, so you may end up feeling worse than you did before you started the levo for a while. I'm telling you this so you don't think something is wrong if you don't pick up straight away.

Hope the above helps.

Moggie x