Recently diagnosed with under active thyroid at start of jan. I have now asked for copy of blood test results.

[MColc]

However, I have been taking 100mcg levo thyroxine for four weeks and still have the same severe symptoms. The main ones are extreme tiredness, inability to concentrate, speech occasionally slurring, constipation and muscle pain that co-codamol is having zero effect on. Everything is aching so bad. My doctor told me that she will not refer for an updated blood test until mid feb but I don't think I can manage to function until then. She also said muscle aches were nothing to do with thyroid and maybe depression related! My first results were 4 when the GP said they were extremely low and should be between 9 and 18. Is it unreasonable to request an earlier blood test as I know it can take weeks to have effect but convinced that my levels are as low as before as my symptoms are the same?

[silverfox7]

Sorry you do feel you are not responding to the medication. When you get your bloods and ranges then do post them , I'm sure you will get some comments and advice on that. It is probably a little soon for another blood test. It takes a will for the drugs to get into your system and its very much a waiting game each time you make an adjustment. But there will loads of advice offered on here. Ranges are important as labs do vary but never be fobbed off with results are normal either. Always ask for a printout for future reference. If you are under active then there are other things which should be looked at, Vit D, and folate, ferritin and Vit B12 as they help the thyroxine to be utilised and may well lessen your symptoms. No easy quick fix and patience really is a virtue but plenty of support and advice on here. Hope you soon start to feel better

[Marz]

As you have aches and pains it may be important to ask to have your anti-bodies checked - in case you have Hashimotos. So ask for Anti-TPO and Anti-Tg to be tested. Practices are loathe to test these as it adds to the expense. It is the most common form of thyroid illness. It can be linked to LOW T3 - as described by Dr John Lowe

web.archive.org/web/2010112...

It may well take time for the T4 to benefit you too - I think 8 weeks has been mentioned - so still early days. Advice from silverfox7 about vitamins is also very important - all results need to be high in their ranges.

Hope you soon feel better....

[Shaz123]

Hi know how you feel, I have unstable thyroid and getting treated started on 50mg now on 125mg of thyroxine but I am in a lot of pain too, they cannot say it is not the thyroid because your body is not functioning correctly due to the low thyroxine then obviously everthing is so much harder to do and puts extra strain on you, these docs really make my blood boil, hope you find a caring sympathetic one like mine, stand up to them research your syptoms ask to see and have explained all your levels including TSH etc, if they think you are going to just go away they will let you, I persisted it is the only way to get any help from any doc.

[5858]

Hi I just can't understand how they can say it does not effect the muscles and tendon. Before meds I had muscle cramps in my legs, feet, hands...Pretty soon after taking meds they went away. But then I got aching flu like and trouble after getting out of my car like an 80 year old in bad shape. My Doctor also said its just a everything hitting at once has nothing to do with thyroid........I don't get it....but to me it sounds like you are on a high dose to start. They did that to me put me on 137 and I went into hyper and had to go off it right away. Then they lowered it to 25 and have been increasing. This has been going on over a year. I am feeling better..... but not 100% yet. It does take time and I am taking some of the vitamins suggested on this site and that...... maybe helping me. Before I took the meds and was diagnosed ......I had the slurred speech like marbles in my mouth. Believe me I think plenty of people on here will tell you about there aches. I could go on about it my arms elbow joints and so on were really bad. DEPRESSION come on! Not saying there is no depression with all this but the aches from it don't think so............ Best to you Susan

[MColc]

Hi trying to reply to all those who have responded. I have been to see the doctor today and saw a different one who actually listened. He verified that I was really low and that I couldn't yet have a blood test but that he would help me. He has upped the dose to 150mcg and has also prescribed amitryptiline to relax the muscles as I explained that this is the symptom I can't resolve and which is causing me agony. Has anyone else been prescribed this? The blood tests results I previously had showed:

Tsh level 129.04 my/L (range 0.30-5.0) and t4 level 4 pmo1/l (range 8 - 19)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate 40mm/h (range 1-20)

Thanks

[shaws Administrator in reply to MColc]

Hi, when you reply to a particular comment you have to press the yellow Reply to this button, otherwise the person isn't alerted and you may wonder why there isn't a response.

[shaws Administrator]

From now on always get a print-out of your blood test results with the ranges for your own records and so that you can post them if you have a query.

100mcg of levo is quite a high dose to start with, normally it is 50mcg with a blood test 6 weeks later and then increased till you feel better. It takes a while for levo to build up in your system, about six weeks. I disagree with your GP re pains/aches as I had them too and many people also complain of aches/pains till they get to an optimal dose of levo or an alternative but it is rare a GP will prescribe anything other than levo. Many do o.k. on levo as long as they get to an amount which suits them.

The slurring you mention could be due to your tongue being enlarged and could be due to the following and this is an excerpt:-

"Perhaps their thyroid isn't balanced properly! Puffy skin, face, or tongue (with ridges on the side of the tongue) scream hypothyroidism that is in desperate need of treatment."

Oh that we could have a doctor like this one. Also something called mucopolysaccharids builds up in hypothyroidism if unmedicated.

newsmax.com/FastFeatures/th...

[shaws Administrator]

I see the reason now why you have been prescribed such a high dose and no wonder you are feeling so unwell. As I said I can really relate to the pain.

The doctor who prescribed amytriptyline for your aches and pains I believe he should have prescribed some T3. T3 is harmless if we are hypo. He could have reduced your T4 and given T3. Go to date September 24, 2002 but some links within may not work. We have to read and learn as much as possible in order to get well as many GPs seem to be unaware of how best to treat us.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[MColc in reply to shaws]

Thanks for your response. I have improved a great deal today, whether that is the additional levo or the amitryptiline or not I am unsure but my joints are not aching anywhere near as much. Feeling more positive too!

[shaws Administrator in reply to MColc]

I'm glad.