Hi, I'm a newbie 32 yr old female.I have an underactive thyroid (taking 300mg levothyroxine) & need a lot of help, guidance and advice pls?!

[LornaP]

Please be patient because this is going to be very long winded due to my ignorance !!

I was first diagnosed in Jan 2007, I had, had a baby in the July before and my GP although very understanding tried to diagnose me with PND but I asked for a blood test and was granted one. The next day I had a phone call from the GP saying I needed to come to the surgery because I had in fact got an underactive thyroid and needed medication asap. I was told that my levels ( don't know which one was 88) that it was extremely high, was prescribed 100mg levothyroxine straight away and had blood tests every 3 months, I found out I was 3 months pregnant that March (son born Sept 2007).

My levothyroxine dose has just got higher and higher over the years and I've never seen a specialist or even had a decent conversation with my GP about my thyroid and thought (very naively) that it was a minor thing apart from having to take meds every day for life.

Anyway over the years I've suffered many illnesses and been admitted to hospital numerous times. I've never felt 'healthy' my whole life and just put it down to part and parcel of being a busy mum of four etc etc !

In the last 2 years alone I've had meningococcal meningitis, appendicitis, been diagnosed with arthritis of the spine and degenerative discs, been hospitalised at least x4 with kidney infections, suspected meningitis x2 (fortunately just a form of infection somewhere in my body) and had ear, throat, chest, water infections etc etc.

This year alone I've had treatment for abnormal cells on my cervix (sorry tmi) been in hospital with an infection in my uterus due to having the coil fitted and again last wk, was sent by GP's back to hospital via ambulance because of my symptoms which I've since been diagnosed with Swine flu. I'm still recovering now.

As you can imagine myself and my family have had enough and started to look into why I could be this poorly so often and I've now realised that maybe my thyroid could have something to do with it.

Every post I've come across you all seem so knowledgeable and I've literally not got a clue about anything other than probably needing to be referred to see an endocrinologist. I'm willing to go private if need be as I'm truly at my wits end. Anyway Im basically asking for any advice, tips or info that any of you have! Thank you for reading my long winded post and thanks in advance for any help x x

[puncturedbicycle]

Welcome! Sorry to hear you've been so unwell. Do you have your thyroid test results? Most recent, but also over time would be helpful.

[LornaP]

Unfortunately I don't atm but I'm off to the drs at 4pm and am going to ask for all my results and to be referred, do you think I'm right to ask to be referred? Thanks for replying x

[puncturedbicycle in reply to LornaP]

No probs.

Hard to know unless you know how your thyroid health has been managed up to now. Some endos can be more rigid and awkward than GPs. If they agree to refer you, I'd come here and get a recommendation rather than letting them refer you to whomever they like.

Do you get on with your gp? Are they receptive to questions/suggestions?

Just an idea, but can you ring the surgery and ask the receptionist if they would print your results and have them waiting for you when you come in for your appointment? They may say you need to speak to the doc first, which is fine, but if you could just collect them that would be even better.

Would be good to have tests for ferritin, iron, folate, b12 and d, so maybe ask doc about testing those too, unless you think they've done it already, in which case make sure you get the test results.

x

[Moggie]

Hi and welcome aboard - now you have found us you will gain all the knowledge you need to regain, at least, part of your health and will soon realise that your GP has been very lax with your care.

For starters, has he ever tested your B12, VitD, folates, iron or ferritin because without these being at optimal levels your thyroid medication will be unable to work properly as you body will be struggling to process it.

Secondly, at what time of day do you take your levo and do you leave a two hour gap between eating and drinking anything (except water)? You need to take levo on an empty stomach or it will not be able to absorb into your system.

You will need to start getting copies of ALL your blood results so that you can keep an eye on things yourself and be able to post results on here for advice. Start today by phoning the surgery and getting your latest results. For you to be on 300mcg's of levo and still feeling no better, there must be other things going on so posting your results will be the first step. Whilst you are asking for your copies (it is your right, by law, to have these so don't let anyone tell you any different) book up to see the GP about getting the vitamins I suggested tested as I wouldn't mind betting that you are low in one, if not all, of them - and while you are about it ask for a thyroid antibody test. This will tell you if you have a certain type of thyroid illness that can, and does, lead to other things.

Moggie x

[LornaP]

Firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to reply, when I visited the GP yday, he was more concerned with the symptoms I was displaying there and then regarding the flu. He was of an opinion that I'd be wasting my time by seeing an endocrinologist but he was willing to talk about things and test me for everything i wanted once I am better and have been for 3 weeks. It was a little crazy due to them discussing admitting me (yet again) and I was told that I could have my blood test results but failed to get them. This morning I'm feeling a lot better, although a nap would be great right about now lol ! So next week my aim is to get my results and start to get healthy! Is it worth me taking any vitamins now I should I wait til my blood test although it could be another month till that happens x