have a high levels?

[freckles2]

My Gp sent me to A&E after a month of flu like symptoms and shakey feeling. She said my heart was racing so sent me to A&E where they said I have overactive thyroid. They put me on 120g propranolol and 40 carbimazole. He didn't say what my levels were so am wondering if these levels of meds indicate how high my thyroid is. Bit concerned as I've been told can affect getting pregnant/pregancy and i also have endometriosis. I am 37 years old

[Clutter]

Hi Freckles, I think your levels must have been quite high to prescribe 40mg. Carbimazole can bring down FT4 and FT3 quite quickly so make sure to request your GP does a follow up blood test in 4 weeks as the dose may need reducing. If you can get a blood test every 4 weeks while you are on Carbimazole you will avoid becoming hypOthyroid by being overdosed.

NICE recommends hyperthyroid patients are referred to an endocrinologist for management and always when planning conception or newly pregnant as Carbimazole can cause congenital deformities and you will need to be switched to an alternative antithyroid drug proplythiouracil (PTU) during the first trimester. Ask your GP or endocrinologist to test Thyroid Receptor antibodies (TRab) to confirm or rule out Graves disease as the cause of your hyperthyroidism. There is information about hyperthyroidism, Graves and pregnancy in the links below:

cks.nice.org.uk/hyperthyroi...

cks.nice.org.uk/hyperthyroi...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[freckles2 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter they took blood tests at hospital to check for anitbodies as well they said. This was end of January. Also have refered me to endo, no word yet but have an ultrasound on wed. Will be glad to get this over an done with as my aunt had thryoid cancer, my cousin is overactive and my mum is underactive. I am recently single but would love to have kids so want to be informed for the future. I was back with my GP on fri for smear test anyway, first i've seen here since she sent me to A&E. Anyway she is gonna check my blood every four weeks or so, that way we can show endo when i get an appointment. Thanks so much for your reply this is all a bit new to me so don't know a lot about it and my results haven't reached my GP as yet so don't know my levels.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to freckles2]

Sounds like your doctor has things under control. Make sure your bloods are tested regularly, I became hypo after one month on 20mcg followed by two months on 40mcg. I was ok when my bloods were checked after the first month but no one checked again until I'd been on 40mcg for two months - alas too late I was hypo. So don't sit on 40mcg for too long without getting your bloods rechecked.

Try and get your B12, Vit D, ferritin and folates checked too. When you get the results back you want them to be in the top half of the range, even if the doctor / endo says they are ok.

When I started on Carbimazole my pharmacist came out specially to tell me to be sure to take Vit C along with the carb so it might be worth doing that. I still take 1000mcg + zinc.

Make sure you get and keep copies of all your test results. I also kept notes on how I felt throughout my treatment. I had a little notebook marked out. So that I could ask the endo at appointments what my results were ( for my records)

I also wrote down any questions I wanted answered and how I was feeling etc. I think it was good because it let everyone concerned know that I wanted my treatment to be a partnership between me and the medics rather than handing myself over to the hospital and letting them get on with it.

That way I knew how my body felt throughout the treatment, helpful when I. Had to fight for any changes in my doses - I was being treated with block and replace (ive got Graves - hyper with antibodies) and needed regular increases in levothyroxine.

Good luck, you've come to the right place for support and advice.

[silverfox7]

Pleased your doctor appears to be doing the right thing at the moment. Welcome to the forum as you are in the right place to ask any questions. Get into the habit of asking for a printout of your results as well so you can monitor you progress.