Ok, so I'm new to being diagnosed as having hypothyroidism. Since Feb 23 have been on 100mcg levothyroxine.. My blood test revealed recently that my TSH which 'was at 16, Has now reduced to 7..( range 0.3- 6) think that's the ranges my doc said.. So according to my doc I'm almost within range but not quite.. So have upped me to 125 everyday and will be tested again in about 8 weeks she said.. But thing is why am I SOOO bloody cold? I'm sat here freezing. And feellinf like I want to go to sleep even tho I've slept loaads last nite.
Also, can anybody relate to this? Is my doc basically saying that once I get to '6' I'm classes as fine?/coz I ain't feeling great still. I am craving carbs like mad, wanting to eat all the time but I need to lose alot of weight as I've gained so much the last few years, especially since my hysterectomy in 2012..
It'sproving difficult for me to lose weight as I've bee. Under alot of stress as well. Still am.
Plagued with stomach probs as well.. Burning in abdomen, chest .. And random needle type /quick stabbing pain in my breast areas which causes a redness to appear with it. Anyone relate to all this ??
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jojojowilts43
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It will take a little while to get to an optimum before you begin to feel better. A dysfunction of the thyroid gland is a gradual lessening of thyroid hormones until you actually have a TSH above 10 (in the UK) before you're diagnosed. Elsewhere if your TSH reaches 3 you will be given levo.
As the medical profession in the UK seem to be badly trained in endocrinology and recognise symptoms (such as heavy bleeding for instance) the patient continues with decreasing thyroid hormones in their body.
I think the guidelines are barbaric as some have terrible symptoms which are diagnosed as 'some other cause' due only to their TSH result. The range, in my view, is only for the diagnosing, i.e. if 'over range' but the BTA says not until 10 despite symptoms.
You are right that doctors believe that when the TSH is anywhere in range they stop increasing and prescribe 'other meds' for the symptoms and tell the patient 'it's nothing to do with thyroid hormones'.
The aim is a TSH of around 1 or lower. That is usually when we feel much better with relief of symptoms. So we have to read, learn and ask questions.
Your blood test should be the very earliest and don't eat before it but you can have water. Allow 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. If you take it before the results will be skewed and may result in a change in your dose.
Always get a print-out with the ranges for your own records and you can post if you have a query.
If you've not had Vit B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate, and antibodies checked ask for these too. We should have them towards the top half.
I am not medically qualified so cannot advise on your symptoms but I will say that stomach issues can be due to being hypo, which causes low acid rather than high although symptoms are so similar GP thinks and prescribe for high acid.
A survey of healthy people showed that something like 95% had a TSH between 0.5 and 1.5, so anything above 2 is starting to look as though the thyroid is struggling. For people who are suffering fertility issues such as recurrent miscarriage their TSH is kept below 2.5 I believe. However infections and inflammation can give a 'false' high TSH reading, and very occasionally people with an abnormally high TSH have no symptoms and don't need medication. For this reason (and possibly to save money) the UK system tells doctors not to diagnose hypothyroidism until the TSH is over range twice three months apart, and sometimes not until the TSH reaches 10. By this time many patients are extremely unwell. The goal of thyroid replacement therapy is to restore the TSH to the range for healthy people (0.5 to 1.5). Your doctor should know this, but if he doesn't someone here can point you at a scientific paper for you to show him.
In actual fact it is much better for a doctor to adjust his patient's dose by looking at what the thyroid is producing (FT4 and FT3 hormones) rather than the TSH, which is the hormone that is sent to the thyroid from the pituitary. Unfortunately not many doctors will do this.
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