Had enough!

[pburns25]

Hi there have been underactive for 18 months doc and endo says levels are fine, but still feeling unwell and now being told I'm depressed. Currently on 125 mg of levo, are there any vitamin supplements anyone can suggest to help feel better, thanks xx

[PinkNinja]

Sorry you are not being taken seriously.

If your doctor is convinced it is not your thyroid, there are several blood tests that are recommended. Just saying someone is depressed is not good enough. Depression is often a symptom of something else and often a symptom of something easily rectified with the right treatment.

Your GP may have done the following tests, FBC and RBC along with your thyroid tests. Please try and get a printout of these results. You are entitled to them. They may well show something that could point to a deficiency of some vitamins or minerals, particularly B12, folate and iron. If he didn't do these tests, ask for them.

Regardless of these results, ask for these tests:

serum iron (needs to be well within range), ferritin (70-90 is optimum for many people), folate (above 12), B12 (preferably above 500) and vitamin D (should be replete).

The reference ranges for the above (except vitamin D) are notoriously low. Your doctor may say your results are normal but if they are low in range they could very easily be contributing to your symptoms. Deficiencies in any of the above can cause depression as well as a whole host of other symptoms.

Also, what the doctors consider normal regarding thyroid tests isn't always optimal so it is worth seeing the actual numbers.

I hope you get something useful from your doctor.

Carolyn x

[Cazoom]

So Sorry you are still not feeling well, the biggest thing that helped me move forward was taking a protein drink every day. I also take selenium ACE and when my Vit D was very low I took supplements for that. The vitamin D seems to have settled now.. we had a great summer - it helps! Maybe you should check your vits. and mins. count .... hope this is helpful

[pburns25 in reply to Cazoom]

Thanks for your help, had an endo app on Thursday and he's checking for TSH, T3,T4,B12 and not sure what else (he didn't actually say I just looked at the labels he gave me to take to the phlebotomist) but not holding out much hope about the results. A couple of months ago when I was on 125mg if felt great but they reduced my dose to 100 because I was overactive, then begged the doc to put me back to 125 which they did and now my results are normal again! Don't know whether to up them again myself slightly or seen a thyroid supplement on Amazon called Higher Nature Thyroid, was gonna give that a try xx

[greygoose in reply to pburns25]

pburns, Higher Nature Thyroid is just another formula that supposes that all a hypo needs to do to feel well is take in more iodine. This is not necessarily true. It dépends why you are hypo. Do you have Hashi's? Do you know why you went hypo? Probably not. Most people don't because doctors aren't interested in why.

Some people do go hypo because they are deficient in iodine. But not everybody. And getting too much iodine can be as bad as not getting enough. It can lead to further complications.

So my advice would be to get your iodine tested before taking anything like this. If you're not iodine deficient, it isn't going to help.

Hugs, Grey

[Marz]

If possible could you obtain and posts your latest results with ranges. Especially FT3. It could be that you are not converting the T4 medication into the ACTIVE T3. Also have you been tested for Hashimotos ? Trying to prescribe is a common theme on this forum - almost as if your GP just needs to tick a box and send you on your way

Stick with this forum - share all your results - and many people will spring to your aid and help you to wellness....

[pburns25]

Thanks for your help everyone, can u just ask the doc for a printout of results as don't think she'll be too happy! Xx

[Legion in reply to pburns25]

I had blood test results this week and doc phoned me and said all was 'normal' so I asked for copy of results, and it was waiting for me at surgery when I went in to collect it (not 'normal' but within lab ranges - I need to follow up now). You are entitled to see them (and all your health records) but I suggest you phone and ask first, so you can then just go in and pick them up from reception.

[Cazoom in reply to pburns25]

Absolutely you can ask for a print out they are YOUR results. I have got to the stage now where when I go for B.tests I tell the nurse what I want testing... she doesn't know she just takes the blood and the last meeting with my doctor was the most useful since I went in with the results. Nowadays the results usually come with two columns your readout and the recommended range so you will be able to analyse them yourself.

[Heloise]

I would always try for a natural thyroid extract before adding more T4 (levo). I realized this is not always possible due to NHS restrictions. Your levo needs to be converted to free t3 before relieving symptoms. This calls for other factors which may be deficient due to being hypo. Depression is another symptom of low thyroid. Isn't it more rational to optimize your thyroid levels than to start treating all the symptoms brought on by low thyroid?

Here are a list of proper blood levels which are even more necessary when you take levothyroxine as your treatment.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

[pburns25]

Thanks everyone,will ask for results and post them on here, seems to be more info from u guys than there is from docs, thanks again xx