Hi everyone, this is my first post. I've been on 50mg levo for nearly 6 months and feeling a bit better but still have plenty of symptoms so hoping for endo referral. But my gp has been highly dismissive as my tsh is now 'normal', they didn't even retest my anti bodies which were over 900 last October.
Anyway, the reason for this post is I'm looking for a guideline on the comprehensive range of vitamins and minerals I should be taking with hashimotos please. I already take a decent multi vitamin and mineral plus omega 3 and I've upped my VIT C dose to 2 grams a day. All advice gratefully received. Thanks
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Zoeblsvc
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THS is a measurement used by doctors to determine correctly thyroid medication. Unfortunately it does not always paint an accurate picture.
Doctors guidelines advise them to keep us within a certain THS range but many people (myself included) function better at a lower THS just under range.
You need to post your thyroid blood test result complete with ranges (numbers in brackets) for people to comment.
Thyroid meds only work properly in people who have optimum vitamin, minerals and iron levels. Ask your doctor to test Vit B12, Vit D, folate and Ferritin and post results with ranges. People with long term thyroid issues often have defences in these.
It is very important for people with Hashimotos (high thyroid antibody count) to supplement deficiencies in order to suppress further attacks and aid healing. However we can not comment until what deficiencies are established.
my GP was totally dismissive of me because of my TSH even though I said I still had some symptoms, so I lost my confidence, and she would not refer me until I mentioned my husband has health cover with his work and then she said she would do a private referral 'for reassurance' (obviously not believing I needed it)
I now don't have the confidence with her to go back and ask for all these tests everyone lists as I had a range of some of them done at first last October but they don't seem to do the full range or be prepared to repeat the range either
So now I feel I'm waiting for the insurance referral to see an endo and to ask them to do all these tests instead and get a real sense of how things are
this sounds silly for a grown woman to be saying this but I honestly cant face going back to the practice as I'm feeling like a nuisance patient
Its very important to think about vitamins, but I would ask your doctor for a print out of your thyroid results as well. The fact that your TSH is in range is not good enough for many.
My doctor left me on 50 mcgs for five months saying that my TSH was in range but I was gradually feeling worse and worse. When I finally had my levels tested again my TSH was almost back to where it was before I went on levo! 50 mcgs is only a very small amount and you most likely need more. I find that my test results lag behind how I am feeling.
Multi-vitamins are just for maintenance. They would not address a real deficiency. You need to get tested : vit D, vit B12, folte, ferritin and iron. Plus, if your doctor is willing, selenium, zinc, copper, magnesium.
Multi-vitamins also often contain iodine. You do not want to take iodine unless you are deficient, too much is as bad as too little, especially if you have Hashi's. So, that needs testing, too.
It's ok to take unlimited amounts of B vitamins (except B6) and vit C, because they are water-soluable, and excess is excreted. But with fat soluable vitamins, like D, A, E, excess can be toxic. So, they need testing. Also, you need to eat fats for them to be used. (Low-fat diets are out!)
There's no such thing as 'normal' when we're talking about thyroid. No matter what level your TSH is at, it's obviously not 'normal' for you, because you still have symptoms. 50 mcg is a starter dose. Your doctor has obviously forgotten the point of thyroid hormone replacement - keep increasing until the patient feels well, and all symptoms are gone.
Optimising your vits and mins will help you feel better, but they can in no way replace hormones.
I don't really have any advice as I'm fairly new to this too but just wanted to say the exact same thing happened to me a few weeks, on 50 mcg, tsh now in range so Dr completely dismissive of increasing levo and no interest that symptoms still remain. It does knock your confidence that they don't seem to care at all how the patient is feeling.
If you don't want to ask Dr for the vitamin tests and can afford it then Blue Horizon and City Assays (vitamin d) and others do private home blood tests, inc full thyroid panel for ft3 and antibodies etc where you just prick your finger at home and then post the blood sample back and they email results to you.
I'm sure some of the other members will know more about this but Blue Horizon tests are done by the doctors lab who I believe a lot of private hospitals etc use and the city assays vitamin d test is actually done by an NHS hospital in Birmingham so they are completely trustworthy and reliable and your Dr should accept the results from them labs too if you choose to show them.
Try not to worry lots of members use the 2 I mentioned for tests, there are others too but I'm not familiar with them ones.
You feel like this because you are unwell. Just at a time when you are vulnerable and in need of help support and guidance your GP dismisses everything you say and tosses you aside.
Most of us have been there too and do sympathise but the simply fact is you need these tests doing as the basic start of thyroid treatment.
Ask for a print out of your results so you know what has been done and organise the others as Turtle83 suggests.
Do not feel you can't tackle this. There are answers out there and many lovely people supporting you on this forum. I have just been through a tough time too and know how difficult it can be when you feel you are fighting on your own.
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