Could I now by Hyper

[doris59]

Hi All I have been taking levothyroxine 100mcg for around 6 months. This was after a spell of taking 75mcg. Whilst on 75mcg I was having terrible foot pains amongst other things. Doc increased to 100mcg and at my last check tsh was 0.5 and I was feeling pretty good. Now after 6 months or so on the dose of 100mcg I am feeling full of anxiety, chest pains and palpitations and very loose stools. I went to doc last week about the chest pains as the pain was going up into my jaw. I was given an ecg and was told it was fine. Should I go back again to have thyroid blood test done or just cut the dose of thyroxine for a few days and see how I am. I feel like I am never away from the doc and they will be thinking that I am a hypochondriac. Thanks Dee

[shaws Administrator]

I'm sorry you're having problems. I would suggest you get a new blood test as you may need an increase in hormones and if you're 'never away from the doctor' that you aren't yet on an optimum dose. I think he may just be looking at your TSH level and if it's 'in range' he's happy but the patient isn't and still has symptoms.

So, say you have symptoms and could you please have a new blood test. - A Full Thyroid Function test which includes FT3. Some labs wont do FT3 if our TSH is 'in range' but you could get a private one done.

We need the levohyroxine to be converted to sufficient T3 - the active hormone required in our cells - otherwise we can be below par. FT3 tells us what's circulating in the blood. It should be towards the top of that range.

Get the earliest possible appointment and fast (you can drink water). Leave about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take levo afterwards.

Before the blood tests were introduced we were given NDT until we felt well and the dose was around 200mcg to 400mcg. One doctor who practised said that nowadays we are given too low a dose of hormones and when he was a medical student they learned all of the symptoms. Nowadays they don't know one I think.

If you've not had your B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate recently ask for these to be done too.

Just tell the doctor you want to recover your health as much as possible and for that you need a Full Thyroid Function Test and that you don't want to be in the surgery every five minutes with clinical symptoms.

Get a print-out with the ranges for your own records and you can post for comments.

[doris59 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for replies. You are all right and I will get an appointment for tomorrow. Hopefully they will do the thyroid bloods at the same time if the nurse is available.

[shaws Administrator in reply to doris59]

That's good but to get a 'true' blood test remember:-

Get the earliest possible appointment and fast (you can drink water). Leave about 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take levo afterwards

The TSH the doctor only seem to take notice of and if it's anywhere in range the say you're 'normal' and we don't get an increase.. The aim of replacing our thyroid hormones is for us to feel good but they seem to have no knowledge of that unfortunately. I think it's how they are trained(not trained) these days.

[doris59 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for the advice, I will certainly do as you suggested. My appt is for 10.10am with the nurse to have blood taken so I'll take the levo when I get back home. Dee

[Hidden]

Hi, in my experience the pity is they do the ecg,but then don't check full thyroid bloods tsh,ft4 and importantly Ft3.

Those symptoms could well be that your on too high a dose but without those tests it difficult for you to know.how long ago was the tsh test reading 0.5 done?

Personally I would go back and request the

tests are done so you and GP have a fuller picture of what is happening.

[Glynisrose]

You should not assume that when TSH is suppressed it is bad,its not. Most people feel better on suppressed TSH, which I will say is about as much use as a chocolate rocket to the sun and back when you are on any form of thyroxine.