Feel awful after being busy: I am hypothyroid... - Thyroid UK

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Feel awful after being busy

Repton1 profile image
13 Replies

I am hypothyroid - apparently I have Hashomoto's. I only take synthetic thyroxine at the moment. I have recently had a busier than usual week due to my husband being away. So I was the only 'taxi service' for the kids and had to deal with various other things including a long drive to a funeral, school stuff, and all the household things my husband would normally deal with etc etc. It felt like a really tough week, even though I'm not currently working. I was glad when my husband got back two days ago, but since then I seem to have gone to pieces, feeling weak and on the verge of sleep all the time. One endocrinologist once told me ages ago that the more you do the more thyroid homones you need. Is this actually true and does it mean that if you are busier than normal you might well feel bad afterwards? And does anyone else experience this?

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13 Replies
Jazzw profile image
Jazzw

Yes. Yes. And thrice yes!! It's like you're a car and you've run out of petrol.

How much thyroid hormone replacement are you on?

Repton1 profile image
Repton1 in reply to Jazzw

I'm on 225mcg, so it's a fairly large dose. I like the petrol analogy!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Repton1

Yes, but how much of that are you converting? That is the question.

All that extra activity has used up your T3 - and it's low T3 that causes problems - and if you cannot easily replace it, then you are going to feel bad. No doubt about it.

Have you ever had your FT4 and FT3 tested at the same time to see how well you are converting? You might find that you'd be better off reducing that T4 somewhat, and adding in some T3.

Repton1 profile image
Repton1 in reply to greygoose

Hi, I had some tests done in May. FT4 was 25.4 (ref range 12-22) and FT3 was 4.5 (ref range 3.1-6.8). Do you think FT4 a bit high and FT3 a bit low? I feel worse now though compared to how I felt then!

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Repton1

Yes, T4 is a bit high, and T3 is a bit low, because you're not converting very well. If your last tests were in May, I think it's time you have some new ones done - the FT3 could be even lower by now. Especially as you have Hashi's. And it's low T3 that causes symptoms.

If you can't convert very well, there is absolutely not point in keep increasing the levo to that point, because it's obviously never going to convert enough to make you well. And unconverted T4 slopping around in the blood, causes problems.

So, the solution to that is to add some T3 to a lowered dose of T4. And continue to increase the T3 and decrease the T4, slowly, until you feel well.

At the same time, you should address your nutrition. You probably have a lot of nutritional deficiencies. And if you don't optimise them, no form of thyroid hormone replacement is going to work for you.

You should test vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin, to bego, with, and post the results on here - with the ranges - and work from there. :)

Rennixon profile image
Rennixon

Oh absolutely! When my husband goes away, it wipes me out the week after. He actually does so much...it makes me appreciate him that little bit more. ( I need to tell him that..lol)

I try to prepare by having meals set out for each day, & a specific timetable with my boys- they do help with walking the dog & keeping the place tidy, but there is a lot to do. It makes me wonder how people on their own cope.. They need a medal!

Remember to be kind to yourself & try not to do it all.. lots of things can wait a few days until you have your husband to help again.

Rx

Repton1 profile image
Repton1 in reply to Rennixon

Yes, perhaps more preparation is the answer. Then hopefully I won't feel so wiped out afterwards!

claudiasmum profile image
claudiasmum

I feel exactly the same. When I do something out of the ordinary I tend to crash for a few days afterwards. When I know I have to do something more strenuous such as travelling or walking a lot, I take a bit extra of my NDT to get me through it and that definitely works although my endo would not approve!

My husband had an accident once which meant he could not walk for 12 weeks. I had to do everything including all the school runs, working full time and all housework/cooking and took a bit extra then. Looking back I can't believe I managed it all but it was fine with a slightly higher dose than usual.

redhotchestnut profile image
redhotchestnut in reply to claudiasmum

Can I just ask - what NDT you are on, and what dose normally? And by how much do you increase it when you say a slightly higher dose?

claudiasmum profile image
claudiasmum in reply to redhotchestnut

Normally on 3 grains (currently on 3.5 as my levels have gone down because I am ill with other unconnected things). When I take a bit extra it's probably a third of a grain or 5 mcg of T3 as I have some of that lying around from old prescriptions.

My elderly mother takes extra T4 whenever she feels she needs it and is always very fit and energetic! She takes no notice of her prescription amount at all! Not sure if this is a good thing but she's in her 80s so the fact that she is physically able (does not drive) and sociable with lots of friends probably outweighs the risks of taking too much hormone.

thyr01d profile image
thyr01d

Me too, just came back from two lovely days with my daughters watching horsemanship and felt ghastly all day on Monday, not just physically but I could barely form sentences and could not grasp what other people were saying - I kept saying "I can't think when you talk that fast" but of course they are talking normally!

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Have you had vitamin d, b 12, folate and ferritin levels checked?

Are you on gluten free diet? Can really help reduce symptoms if have Hashimoto's

Repton1 profile image
Repton1

I have had vit d checked and it was too low. I am trying to address this. B12, Foliate and ferritin were all OK.

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