I'm not too good on blood tests and others will respond but your TSH is horrendous, far too high and no wonder when you are only on 50mcg. You say you don't understand a thing - neither does your GP if he lets you leave the surgery without another 25mcg levo being added and another blood test in 6 weeks and so on till you feel much better.
Don't take levo on the morning of a blood test for your thyroid gland, and get the earliest appointment. Take levo after it. Always get copies of your blood tests from now on for your own records and so that you can post them for comments.
It is helpful to enable comments if you have the ranges for your results. The reason being that labs differ throughout the country and it makes it easier for comments.
How long have you been diagnosed?
Email louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org and ask for a copy of the Pulse online article, it's by the ex President of the British Thyroid Association. Make an appointment with your GP to discuss question 6 wherein it says what the preferred range should be and it is around 1 or below.
That's awful. Too low a dose can give you more problems as does having too much. I think some doctors are very cautious, ridiculously so but I think it must be because they are ignorant and don't understand. Definitely get the Pulse online article and I hope he takes notice and learns something rather than making a patient more unwell than necessary.
Hello there, I am very new to this, and am also struggling with Tsh level, after being diagnosed with underactive thyroid a few weeks ago, I was over active 3years ago, had radio iodone & have since being literally going down hill!! Following a hysterectomy in Dec '14, for endometriosis, am now on Hrt, oestrogen only & I think that has kicked my thyroid under?
Tsh is 5.9 - 'just' under according to the Gp & am on 25mg levo, which i don't feel is enough - have a follow up blood test in a couple of weeks. I have learnt more on this site than from the Gp, although she has been supportive in so far as she has signed me off work.
It's a pity they don't inform patients of the consequence of RAI and, of course, if you have thyroid cancer it is a necessity.
Your dose is far too low and should be increased immediately to 50mcg and by 25mcg every 6 weeks until you feel well. Many on levothyroxine alone don't feel an improvement (I am only hypo and didn't - in fact I felt so much worse). I am fine now and am on T3 only. You might find an enormous difference if he adds T3 but I suggest you increase T4 first.
Your GP doesn't know what he's talking about if he says your TSH is 'just under' - just under what? He is referring to someone who is healthy and hasn't been diagnosed with a thyroid gland problem or had RAI or a thyroidectomy. In the UK they are told to medicate only when the TSH reaches 10, whereas in some countries as soon as your TSH reaches just below 3 they are medicated. Get the Pulse article and read question 6 and go with some knowledge. Our TSH should be around 1 or below not above and towards 5.9, It's just ridiculous. My TSH is around 0.01 and am fine.
It's a she!! But you are right - I don't think she knows what she is on about with thyroid problems. When I was diagnosed with over active, I was ref immediately to Endo, I'd just got over pneumonia, so symptoms had been masked. I had multi nodules in my neck, which carbinozol couldn't control, so was told RAI or operation. I was told that I would at some point become under active, that was the side affect.
I knew during the last 3years since, that I wasn't right, but the blame for that on the endometriosis & thought that possibly most of the health issues O've had over the last 10yrs - yes 10yrs, were autoimmune.
My paternal grandmother had thyroid problems & my paternal cousin has too, same as myself.
I honestly can't remember when I felt well last, but I think family/friends/work colleagues assume I am a hypochondriac, which is really upsetting.
I think you've to go by your instinct so email louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org and ask for Pulse online article by Dr Toft. I hope you are successful and hope doctor is amenable to listening.
Remember not to take levo on morning of test if you take it at night miss this dose and take next a.m. after test.
Thanks for that - I have emailed as suggested & I have also decided to up levo this am from 25 to 50!! I guess there is no magic overnight cure, just very debilitating to feel unwell constantly.
Bit of a late response just reading through posts. You will see here that so many of us feel that we are.perceived as Hypochondriacs. Indeed in my lowest times I've hated myself for being just that. My most favourite description of me so far is a 'Catastrophizer' love it. I think it either sounds like a really serious condition or a Really, really cool Superhero. My dear JaneKathleen. I have a very similar story to you. All the thyroid, fibromyalgia issues started.for me after I too had.an hysterectomy because.of Endometriosis n13years ago. Before.that I was very under weight and constantly anaemic. At that time I was always.being told that I had depression and was being a hypochondriac so having completely validated myself on.that one I think believe in yourself and others that have walked in a similar path to you. The 'gynacolgist' a haha professor though I prefer.to use the descriptor "TWAT" who eventually did.the hysterectomy but.not.till we paid for it.privately wrote.to my GP saying that I was a nuisance and a very difficult patient who would "no doubt make a meal out of her recovery". This pig of a man actually admitted to my partner at the time that when he opened.me up "it was the worse.case of.adhesions I have ever.seen" I was incredibly.ill and.it.took months of convalescing to recover. I had two drains in for six.weeks one into my bladder the other into my kidneys because.of.the damage done to my bladder and had three other procedures after.that operation. His apology to me "we don't get it right straight away but we get.there in the end". I have very little faith anymore but my long winded point is: Do Not Ever Listen to the Ignorant Nasty People that Dare to Pass Judgement on You and Label you in Anyway whatsoever. 😬😁😀 smiley faces to show I am CALM!!!!!
I guess I'm just going to have to confess, I have blood test in 2 wks, so will need to see what happens..I saw her yesterday & she gave me new prescription.
Have you tried going gluten free, I also have coeliac disease so have to do it anyway, but I believe the two conditions often go hand in hand and even if you aren't coeliac it can be very beneficial not to eat any gluten!
Sorry for not replying sooner, had my son's 18th & looks like I'm going to be made redundant!!
Yes, I am on a near gluten free diet, I was tested for coeliac but that came back clear, buy I think I have a sensitivity to wheat & gluten. At the time I had undiagnosed endometriosis, which is why I had a hysterectomy in December. Was hoping I would be feeling like a new woman by now, but was then diagnosed with underactive thyroid ;(
I have lumps & bumps in my neck too, have a scan Saturday to check that out, feeling bery uncomfortable tonight & difficult to swallow.
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