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    Thyroid UK
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    Hi, am new here. After being ill for ages had 7.7 thyroid rating . Put on thyroxine and felt better within a month. Feeling sick again, went

    to Doc. who said not necessary to test my levels again and he put me on anti depressants! I cannot take antidepressants they make me very sick . Know my thyroid is out of kilter, getting all the old symptoms and now dont know what to do

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    16 Replies
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    Hi and welcome to the site.

    He should have tested your levels again as you may need more levo.

    Please go back to your GP and INSIST that he checks your levels and give him back his anti depressants. Is there another GP in the surgery you can see as the one you are seeing doesn't seem to know much about thyroid illness. How long have you been on levo, and how much are you on.

    The more info you can give us the better the advice will be.

    Have you had an vitamins tested like B12, VitD, Iron, Ferritin or folates as if these are low then your levo may not be working properly.

    Moggie x

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    Reply

    Hi again, have been on levo for three months 0.05 m per day. I have always had a problem with B12 and folate deficiencies. Was very ill with the folate one and was once again told it was depression until I finally had a blood test done and it showed how bad my levels were. This was a couple of years ago.After a couple of weeks on the folic acid pills felt better .Sadly, I had bad depression some years ago and my Doc just puts it down to this all the time. I really at this stage am so tired all the time that I am having difficulty getting through the day, Strangely enough I am as skinny as a post and have lost more weight .My hands tingle all the time, I get giddy, blurred vision, and many other things but the worst is the fatigue

    Reply

    Please have a look here:

    b12deficiency.info

    Are you on B12 injections? You say you were given folate but don't mention if you were given B12.

    Hampster

    Reply

    Hi hampster1, often just put myself onto B12 when I feel I am low on it, have a friend who gives me jabs .

    Reply

    I'm not sure that a jab every now and then is the answer. Did you actually have a test in the past where it was low? Have you had the PA antibody tests? If you would like help on this please come over to the PA Facebook page:

    facebook.com/groups/1749289...

    It's a complex thing to manage, you need to have jabs just before your symptoms return, not after. Most of us need to be on some sort of permanent folic acid supplement. You need a B-complex as the other Bs get thrown out of balance. Most of us struggle maintaining iron levels. If you have this condition you need a good doc, or a lot of support from other sufferers. Other things can start going wrong, such as thyroid and adrenals as you know.

    I think as a starting point you need to insist on blood tests - full thyroid function, FBC, B12, folate, iron/ferritin, vit D/calcium, U&Es, LFTs, cortisol. Ask for copies of all the tests you've had done in the past as well. B12 could obviously be high if you've injected recently. Definitely try and see a different doc at the surgery.

    Blood tests and ranges aren't always helpful, but without them as a reference point you're just stabbing around in the dark.

    H x

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    Thanks hampster1. My old Doc always used to tell me that I had no Intristic (sp?) back up for B12 and always gave me the jabs on a regular basis. The Doc that I am with now just tells me that I am not anaemic, he does a blood test every so often, but from what I have read they are not very accurate if one is taking folic acid tabs. daily . I have read up time and time again on B12 deficiency and am convinced that I have one. I just get so confused with the whole lot sometimes

    Reply

    It is confusing usually, but I have to say in your case its actually simple (you just have an idiot doctor, like many of us).

    A positive intrinsic factor antibody test is diagnostic of Pernicious Anaemia (autoimmune B12 deficiency). There is no cure for PA, there is only treatment with B12 injections, for LIFE. Frequency is really dependent on individual symptoms, although in the UK you're lucky if you get it more often than 3 monthly (that's the absolute minimum you should be getting according to the BNF and NICE guidelines). If in another country and on Cyanocobalamin rather than Hydroxocobalamin, the frequency is at least monthly I think.

    Please come over to Facebook, or to the Pernicious Anaemia Society, here:

    pernicious-anaemia-society....

    Lots of people on there that can help you get back on track, and lots of us self-treating if we've failed to educate our clueless doctors (myself included).

    Try and read up on the b12deficiency.info website, and have a watch of the documentaries if you find it too much to take in (found under "films" tab).

    Please know that depression is a very real symptom of B12 and folate deficiency, and can get better with the correct treatment (which is NOT anti-Ds).

    H x

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    Reply

    Has he not given you any levothyroxine (thyroid gland hormone replacement) or is he waiting to your TSH reaches 10. The fact that your TSH is 7.7 and not 2 or below (normal usually for people without a problem)

    Change him for another GP or change your surgery.

    There is no blood test for depression and hypothyroidism and depression can go hand-in-hand but they dispense willy nilly anti-depressants.

    healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

    1 like
    Reply

    Thanks Shaws, am seriously thinking of going elsewhere but it is very difficult here. I am actually cross, I know my body and know that the symptoms that have come back are due to my thyroid being wonky again

    Reply

    HI thanks for the swift reply, am impressed. Cannot read the rest of your message though, when I click on continue reading I get thrown back into my original post. Sorry, a bit dumb here , not used to the net

    Reply

    If you scroll down past your question all the replies should be showing, if they are not they there are two little arrows just after the big reply box, hit the down arrow and all the replies should come up.

    Sorry its a bit complicated but you'll soon get used to it.

    Moggie x

    Reply

    This is a video of two women who have pleaded with the Scottish Parliament re the treatment/diagnosis of thyroid gland problems.

    Reply

    Thanks so much Shaws, sadly my old machine does not play videos but really appreciate the trouble that you went o

    Reply

    Hi, what might help is a video on utube by Dr. Hotze. It compares thyroxine and Armour, it changed my mind

    Reply

    Thanks very much blindpugh, sadly I cannot play videos on my machine but very grateful for the advice

    Reply

    Sorry have just posted on your recent post and had not remembered these - and the B12/Iron issues. Apologies for repeating myself....

    Reply

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