Chronically Undermedicated 😒

Hello Everyone,

I just discovered for the past 4 years that I have been Undermedicated by my GP. I know it's my fault or not requesting my lab results and associating my symptoms (which I did share with her) to my hypothyroidism - each symptom I had if googled comes up as thyroid issues. The chronic undermedication has lead to a jump in my triglycerides, cholesterol and blood sugar but thank goodness it's not to the point of needing medication and bone aching fatigue. Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else and how you overcame this little bump in the road (Trying to stay positive here and not be a victim)

Thanks for sharing,

Robbie

[Clutter]

Rpaen, When you are optimally dosed symptoms will improve and triglycerides, cholesterol and blood sugar will usually improve.

Has your doctor agreed to increase dose?

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter, thanks so much for asking and thank you for pointing out that I was Undermedicated. I would have never thought to check that if it weren't for you. I am so grateful😊. I fired that doctor and went to an endocrinologist. At the time I went I had been off of thyroid medication for a few weeks and my TSH was 8.2. He started me on 75 and wanted to test me again at 5 weeks but I ended up testing at 2 weeks and TSH down to 4.8. I had yet to receive my other test result from my previous doctor where it shows she kept me around a 3 for about 4 years - this is when I started questioning in levo stopped working simply because she said me levels were fine- so this endo has yet to see these TSH levels. What's scary about my previous GP is that in December of 2014 my TSH was over 7 (not sure if this is because I'd started birth control to manage what was now assumed to be peri menopausal symptom) and she never once suggested changing thyroid medication. This endo did stated he wanted to get me to 1.5 and see how I felt there but what made me pause was when he said my case was "easy". We all know there's nothing easy about this. I do understand I don't have Hashimoto's, nodules, or anything of that seriousness I'm just straight hypothyroid and he did say I'm converting t3 well. But still after 4 years of not feeling well I would like a doctor who's a bit more sympathetic😀

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I was the one who asked about naturethroid and vertigo a while back😀

[Clutter in reply to Hidden]

Rpaen, it is easy to treat an undermedicated patient by optimal dosing. Symptoms lag behind good biochemistry by a couple of months but it may take a lot longer to resolve symptoms accrued during 4 years of undermedication.

[Hidden in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter, the best I felt was early 2014😀 when TSH was 1.7. I'm just so darned tired. Hope this kicks in soon -I know it's been only a few weeks- but I'm ready to feel energetic. But I've come to understand this is all about patience.

[Jazzw]

It's not your fault. Just wanted to say that.

[Hidden in reply to Jazzw]

Thank you for that! I hate to blame my GP but it's hard not too😒

[Hidden]

Hi, yep tested. Vitamin d was 23.1 in March and have been dosing since then, b12 was 428 been supplementing too. Ferritin was 77 (top of range was 100) so fingers crossed good there not sure about folate but will ask. Isn't it weird though endocrinologist told me it's a vicious cycle not being treated optimally causes B12 and D to deplete but yet we need those for levothyroxine to work...

Thanks for reminding me, supposed to wait three months to see if vitamin d and b12 has risen. Thanks for the great advice though. I love being here it's made me so much more prepared to manage my own thyroid care than leaving it up to a doctor😀 I understand now my health my responsibility.

[Hidden]

You are correct. A friend of mine was married to a dentist(she's a widow now) and she said he used to tell her that 50% of doctors and dentists were "crap". And if she didn't feel comfortable with what they were recommending to find another!

I'm here in the U.S. And my heart just breaks when I read how hard you must struggle for treatment. There's gotta be a way to change things. People should not have to suffer needlessly.

[Glynisrose]

Its not your fault your doctor should know better!

[faith63]

really..i just don't agree with what you are saying about what everyones labs should look like. For people who don't convert well, a free t4 level like that, would make them very Hypothyroid at the cellular level. It just sits there, causing t4 toxicity, which are like hyper symptoms..trembling, nervous or they go full blown Hypo. There a many on hear who cannot take a med with t4 in it and that includes NDT.

[faith63]

I brought it up because someone new to this may not know. Isn't it all so terrible?!!! I wish we were all the same. Sure would make it easier. I wish i was one of those who did well on ndt and felt well. I have never found a thyroid med to help me. I think that my symptoms are caused by whatever causes the high rt3. T3 only doesn't help either and yet i go hyperthyroid if i raise. I am just stuck. I cannot believe i have to see a Neurologist or Rheumatologist, for this pain. I thought it was always just being undermedicated and for me, it is not the case.

[faith63]

i have been on it and got up to 3mgs, then for the first time in 7 years, i got swollen glands, a regrowing tonsil too and became very tired. I stopped it and have not recovered, after 3 weeks. I have no guidence about what to do next.

[Hidden]

Thank you for for the advice. Saw a new Doctor yesterday who is testing TSH - to see if it continuing to fall, free t4, Free t3 and Vitamin d3 (as i've been supplementing since May of this year. I had all of the 4 tested in March and he definitely wants my b12 raised (moved me from the spray to the under tongue tablet) as well as my vitamin d3. He didn't mention folate (but I thought mine on the low end) so how do I go about raising that? He liked my ferritin as it was towards the top.