Having a tough day today, mainly my own fault I guess!

[pennyrose]

It’s been a really busy few weeks with work and I’ve admittedly been burning the candle at both ends. My job involves quite a bit of travel so I’ve been away from home either for 1 or 2 nights solidly for the past 3 weeks.

My last blood test was on the 8th January, with the doctor calling the very next day to say my TSH had jumped from 0.05 to 7.5 (range is 0.05 – 4.5) so increased my meds again. I didn’t ask about my T4 but my folate was low and she wants me to go back next week for another blood test including a fasting one for folate and b12.

For a few weeks I’ve had low blood sugar level attacks (I’m not sure if my levels are actually low but it’s the only way I can describe them), my lower back has been aching dully and since Sunday I’ve started having bouts of vertigo even when lying down or just sitting. I’ve had moments of confusion this week – nothing spectacular, just confusion over day of the week or forgetting what I was talking about.

I know it’s all symptomatic of being underactive at the moment. I’ve never had Vitamin D checked so will ask my GP if they can test this next week. I just haven’t felt this exhausted and been in this much pain in a long time. It makes me feel quite emotional and I’m not that kind of person. IT SUCKS!

It’s my own fault though. Instead of listening to my body and trying to take it easy I’m pushing myself. I’m doing everything I promised myself I wouldn’t do. Now I’m sitting at my desk, trying to get my back into a comfortable position, stretching my legs out to try and help the pain and sporting my reading glasses to try and take the strain off my eyes.

I just need to get through to next week and everything will be wonderful!

[Hidden]

How often are you having your B12 injections now Pennyrose? You sound B12 deficient to me and that will certainly be exacerbated by low folate. What injections you are having will be completely wasted if you don't have good folate levels. If the doc is saying folate is low then that usually means it's on the floor. Get a copy of the result and if under 8 ask for a 5mg folic acid supplement from the GP. Some research to back this up:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/243...

And it goes without saying that you need frequent B12 injections to keep symptoms at bay, as well as good ferritin levels. Your B12 injections shouldn't be based on what you're serum B12 levels are doing, this is utterly irrelevant when you have B12 deficiency and you're on injections. Actually, what ever happened in the end with your GP about the B12 side of things?

H x

[pennyrose in reply to Hidden]

Hampster, you are going to punch me (through cyber space)...I still haven't ordered up the stuff to do my injections and the GP isn't budging since my last injection. I'm really not doing myself any favours.

I've still been supplementing with a B complex but obviously this isn't sufficient.

I will definitely order up and start, life cant go on like this. Sorry Hampster xx

[Hidden in reply to pennyrose]

I'm not liable to punch you pennyrose, but your doctor however - tempting! You shouldn't have to do this yourself. If she's having you back for a fasting folate and B12 test then you might as well go and have that done, remember to stop the B complex beforehand. Anything low normal then insist on treatment, 5mg folic acid and the B12 loading dose again. Say you're clearly not absorbing it, you have loads of symptoms, and you want to stop the slide into neuro symptoms that may eventually end up irreversible. Ask her is she willing to accept responsibility for your neuro damage. I can't remember when your last injection was? If recent then obviously your result will be skewed by that.

And just to be clear on this, and perhaps to make you feel better, despite all my knowledge and pushiness my own GP refuses any more than 3 monthly injections, and I've given him a veritable novel's worth of articles and research. Some of them just will not be moved, and have no compassion and care for what we go through. Although he did say he's fine with it if I want to get them more frequently "privately" (big of him) so I take that as my cue to self treat. RIP the NHS.

H x

[pennyrose in reply to Hidden]

You always make me feel better! It is hard when you are fighting for yourself when you aren't 100%

Ok, plan of action. I'm going to call and ask for a telephone appointment with the GP, discuss how I've been, push B12, get the blood test, speak with the GP again and not hang up or leave until he sorts it out.

I've written it all down so I don't forget. The only other problem I've got today is that I'm crying alot for absolutely no reason, so I might have to wait until tomorrow to call so I don't sound like a loon! xx

[Hidden in reply to pennyrose]

You're still very hypo as well pennyrose, no wonder you're tearful {{{hugs}}}.

Where your GP is being particularly stupid is in not realising that these deficiencies will keep you hypo, needing more and more thyroid meds, because your conversion will be messed up.

Just one link about this which might help:

health.howstuffworks.com/hu...

H x