Hello, I just found this community and it's been such a relife, as I've not had much in the way of informed advice or support. I was diagnosed hypothyroid and have beed on fairly low doses of levothyroxine since January, only being moved to 75mcg this week.
I suspect my previous doctor, with whome I started treatment, new next to nothing about thyroid issues. Initially he wouldn't even agree to test me until I refused to leave his office without being referred for a test. I was started on 25mcg per day which I now realise is startlingly low for a previously healthy 22 year old presenting with such severe symptoms, and he told me to come back in three months. My new practice have been a little better, but I still have concerns.
I guess what I'm after is advice on what steps I should take in my treatment, how should I proceed? How do I find the root cause of my thyroid issue? I'd like to be able to take back some controll and feel a little more in charge of this issue, because it really sucks. It's been draining, it's put me through hell, and it is so weird to think that I'll never really be done with it. Friends and family have been supportive, but I feel like they assume I should be better by now. Advice from you wonderful people, who have actually been there and delt with this, would make the world of difference.
Sorry if I rambled a little, but thanks!
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Ducks_Ex_Machina
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Hi there, welcome. So many of us have been where you are now, so you're not alone.
First things first, are you in the UK? And secondly, do you have copies of any blood tests to hand? If not, a good first step is to ask at your medical practice for them to be printed off for you, results and lab reference ranges, so that you can post them here for review. You are entitled to have them, but may be charged a small fee for the paper they're printed on.
I don't have any print outs as of yet, I could get a copy of the latest test next week though. I am in the UK, good ol' NHS, those free prescriptions will save me a fortune in no time.
The GP discussed my results over the phone though, and said that my T4 levels were on "the low side of normal" but my TSH level was still quite high. She didn't specify numbers. I'll have to see if my previous practice still has my test results on file, as I'm not sure they were transfered to my new GP.
Make sure you get all the test results with the ranges ,do not be fobbed off as you are entitled to them.
Hello D.E.X.
Welcome to our forum and sorry to hear you are still having troubles.
You sound undermedicated which would account for any symptoms still felt.
It is important to take your pill on an empty stomach with a glass of water, 1 hour before food, 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before calcium, iron or vit D supplements.
The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status and for most people that means TSH just above or below 1.0 with T4 and T3 in the upper quadrant of range.
Post your results when you receive them, complete with ranges (numbers in brackets) for members to comment.
People with thyroid issues often have vitamin deficiencies and it is recommended that you have tests for B12, vit D, folate and ferritin as optimum levels are required to ensure thyroid meds are absorbed. Ask your doctor to test these along with thyroid antibodies TPOAb and TGAb in order to ascertain Hashimotos or not. Again post all results with ranges. Previous results although interesting, are not imperative if obtaining them is difficult.
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Confused with test results - advice please!
Do I need to be medicated with these results ?
So unwell thinking about ending it all, cant get thyroid diagnosis but believe I have a problem.
can I ask what tsh 6.28 means and whether it could be linked to b12 injections please?
Do you need any treatment with high A-TPO but normal TSH?
