need reasurance

[Mwife]

Hi I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 18 months ago. I am 60 years old, I am on 100mcg Levothyroxime. My GP says my bloods are all within the normal range.

Why do I still feel low in energy, tired, mood swings, panicky, unable to concentrate and look forward, achy joints and muscles, feeling cold. generally not feeling normal!

I am otherwise normally a happy person and still working.

I would like to get on with my life without focusing on my under active thyroid, any ideas?

Will I ever feel normal again?

Thank you for listening.

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Mwife

The first thing you have to day is get a print-out of your blood test results with the ranges.

If you've not had a recent blood test ask for one. The recommendation is that we get the earliest possible appointment and fast (we can drink water). We also leave about 24 hours between levo and the blood test and take it afterwards. The reason is that as so many doctors only take account of the TSH and not our symptoms it does allow our TSH to be higher than it would be later in the day. It changes throughout the 24 hours.

Always get a print-out for your own records and so that you can post you have a query.

Never take the word 'normal' 'o.k.', or fine with respect to blood tests as the inference is that we're on an optimum amount of thyroid hormones, particularly if we still have symptoms and aren't feeling back to normal health.

If you've not had your B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate tested ask for these to be done as sometimes we have a deficiency.

[Mwife in reply to shaws]

Thank you for your reply. I take Vit D, B complex, Zinc and ferrous sulphate. My ferritin levels have always been low. I will definitely ask for a printout of my blood report. However, my GP said I should only be having annual blood tests??

[shaws Administrator in reply to Mwife]

We go to yearly blood tests when we feel well and have no symptoms. Not because our TSH is 'in the normal range' and that is the doctor's only criteria.

If you feel well on your dose of levo a yearly test will be fine but if you have symptoms you can ask for another blood test saying that you have unpleasant symptoms again.

[Mwife in reply to shaws]

I will go back to my GP and insist on another blood test, thank you.

[Hidden]

That's the standard Nhs answer. You need a copy of your results. You are likely under medicated. You will never feel well until you are adequately medicated. This may mean self medicating. Sorry to be so blunt but that's what it comes down to. Take it from someone who knows

[eeng]

Have you got thyroid antibodies? If you have, then you can expect to need an increasing level of medication as the antibodies degrade your thyroid. This could mean you are continually playing catchup and needing a higher dose than you are taking. The good news is that eventually you will end up on a 'full replacement dose' (usually more than 150mcg of Levothyroxine) when your thyroid stops working at all.

The 'normal range' for TSH is something like 0.5 to 5. It varies between labs. However the TSH of the average healthy person is less than 1.5. If a doctor medicates his patient until their TSH is 'in range' at, say 4.5, when the patient's healthy TSH was originally say, 1.0, then the patient will be undermedicated.

This is why on this site the general consensus is that although the 0.5 to 5 range might (or might not) be useful for diagnosing hypothyroidism, the level of medication should be increased until the TSH is at or below 1. This seems to help many people to recover from their symptoms.

Quite a lot of the people you read about on this forum don't do well on Levothyroxine, either because they are unable to convert the T4 in Levothyroxine to the T3 which is used in the cells of the body, or because they are unable to absorb it in the first place. Some medications and foods inhibit absorption, so it is advised that you take the Levothyroxine on an empty stomach, 2 hours away from any other food or drink. I take mine last thing at night because that suits me best. People taking medication for acid reflux often have problems because typically people with hypothyroidism have low stomach acid, not high (although the symptoms are similar).

The good news is that although 10% of women develop hypothyroidism, many of them do well on Levothyroxine, and so don't end up posting on this site.

I hope you find an answer to your problems soon. There is a lot of really good information on this forum.

[Mwife in reply to eeng]

Thank you, your information has been very helpful and reassuring, there is light at the end of the tunnel!