Tired exhausted

[rogerant]

Hi guys I've just found this forum and reading through it it describes my symptoms exactly. I'm currently on 275 milligrams of thyroxine every day but I am still constantly tired. I have my bloods taken every 3 months and they show up as normal. I have asked my gp for a referral to a consultant many times but he thinks that as my levels are normal that issue is fixed.

I regularly go to the gym to try and keep my weight down but am nearly 17 stone at moment. I recently ate 1500 calories every day for a month and did not lose 1 pound ?. 

I can literally sleep for 10 hours and then go back to bed an hour later. I constantly complain of feeling tired think my family think it's my catchphrase. As I get older I'm currently 43 it's having more and more impact on my work and quality of life.

Could any of your members be able to provide me with any useful links to address problems I've mentioned I would be very grateful 

[Marz]

First of all it would be good to obtain those so called normal results with ranges and post them here for people to comment.  Preferably in a new post so it does not get missed.  Sounds as if you may have a problem converting the Levo in to the ACTIVE thyroid hormone T3.  So that is one of the most important tests required.  GP's rarely seem to understand this ....

Also do you know your levels of FERRITIN - B12 - FOLATE - VITD ?  They need to be OPTIMAL and not just in range.  When your GP says normal - push him/her further.  Normal is an opinion and not a result.  They usually mean in range - when WHERE you are in the range is important.

Do you have Hashimotos ??

How do you take your Levo ? - away from food for at least an hour .....

Glad you have found this site - onwards and upwards from now on !

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum rogerant

First things first. We the patients have to read and learn in order to reduce our symptoms and feel well again. Most specialists don't appear to be 'special' in that the patient still has symptoms.

So, if you have had a recent blood test and didn't have it at the earliest possible, not having eaten before it (you can drink water). If you had taken thyroid hormones before it, your results will have been skewed.

Blood test should be the earliest possible and don't eat before it, you can drink water). Allow 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test. This procedure allows the TSH to be at its highest and that seems to be the only result doctors are interested in.

Always get a print-out of your blood test results with the ranges for your own records and post for comments if necessary.

Ask for Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we are usually deficient. Also antibodies should be checked in case we have an Autoimmune Disease called hashimoto's. This Autoimmune Thyroid Disease means at times the antibodies attack and wax/wane till the person is hypo.

All of your symptoms above are clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism, and if you were on an optimum of thyroid hormones (ones that suit you), you should feel well with no symptoms.

Weight gain is another common question as, because we are hypo and metabolism is so slow, weight increases if meds are too low to raise metabolism. There's no point in trying to lose weight until your symptoms have gone due to being on an optimum of hormones and sometimes the weight drops off without dieting.

[shaws Administrator]

Rogerant, if you could put a short history of your thyroid gland journey, i.e. when diagnosed, what thyroid hormones (usually it's levo), and dose into your profile that would be helpful in future.

To see others histories (if they've completed them) you just click on their name.

[rogerant]

Thanks so much for your help I've known that my thyroid is under performing for years and years but have no luck with doctors so can't thank you enough. I'm on such a high dose and still symptoms persist 

[rogerant]

Thank you all do much for your responses I've booked doctors appointment so as soon as I have had the results I will post them on here. So good to know that I'm not alone and that I'm not a hypochondriac thank you 

[rogerant]

Any way I had my test results but I don't understand them to be honest

Tsh serum level 1.27 mu/L

Serum free t 4 levels 16.8 pmol/L

My gp won't refer me to consultant so I'm thinking of going private I'm willing to pay to resolve it as it appears to be progressing in wrong direction