Really bad day today. Woke with a migraine which was not shifting. Had to ring in sick but hate not being able to function and go to work.
Went to GP as felt it was time for them to see me at my worse, I am sleeping so much at the moment, still feel so tired, have had neck pain for 8 weeks and joint pains in fingers and shoulders over last few weeks. My hands feel so stiff and sore. General swelling in fingers, joints all so clicky at moment but the worst feeling is that I just want to go to bed after work as I am so fatigued.
The GP was asking if I am stressed and was I coping. I am trying to get across that is physical not depression. I am hypothyroid. GP will do bloods next week after what feels like some sort of flare. She then said come back in two weeks or it may go away on its own. I cried all the way home. My sister is being taken seriously in the States for celiac and pernicious anaemia, just awaiting a scope to confirm.
I am just at a loss what to do next as feel that they think I am just a hypochondriac. Any advice welcome as it feels like I am slowly losing my life. Xx
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Lizzie69
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vitamin d, b12, folate and ferratin all need to at good (not just average) levels for thyroid hormones (our own or replacement ones) to work in our cells.
Your previous postings show very low B12 and Vit D - have you been supplementing?
Also have you had thyroid antibodies checked? There are two sorts TPO Ab and TG Ab. (Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin) Both need checking, if either, or both are high this means autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimoto's, the most common cause of being hypo. NHS rarely checks TPO and almost never checks TG. NHS believes it is impossible to have negative TPO and raised TG. It's rare, but not impossible.
Make sure you get the actual figures from tests (including ranges - figures in brackets). You are entitled to copies of your own results. Some surgeries make nominal charge for printing out.
When you get results suggest you make a new post on here and members can offer advice on any vitamin supplements needed
If you can not get GP to do these tests, then like many of us, you can get them done privately
Blue Horizon - Thyroid plus eleven tests all these.
This is an easy to do fingerprick test you do at home, post back and they email results to you couple of days later.
Usual advice on this test, (home one or on NHS) is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water) don't take Levo in 24 hours before (take straight after). This way your tests are always consistent, and it will show highest TSH, and as this is mainly all the medics decide dose on, best idea is to keep result as high as possible.
If you have Hashimoto's then you may find adopting 100% gluten free diet can help reduce symptoms, and lower antibodies too.
It is quicker and cheaper in the short term to give people anti-depressants. In addition the NHS gets to deal with loads of social problems due to the lack of social care and support for people.
Therefore as GPs are generalists their first thought when someone, particularly a woman, turns up with anything wrong is that it is stress or anxiety related. This is a slight step up from them just thinking you are crazy which I got from my last male GP.
My Dr tried to steer me into taking anti depressants but I was adamant that I wanted to try alternatives to lift my mood especially a I know it was all linked to my thyroid ' thankfully I feel loads better but it took time and patience from others ,I still have a tendency to blame everything on my thyroid now !
Full of sympathy as trodden the road of migraine and carpal tunnel myself. I know it's little consolation at the moment but once my thyroid was treated adequately the hormonal migraines stopped (after reducing in intensity over about a year and a half, went from 7 day migraine every 14 days to 3 to 4 day migraine every 14 to 1 to 2 day migraine every 28 to a 'bit of a headache for about 6 hours every 28. This latter is not shifting but it's back to how I always was pre hypo....)
I supplement with daily feverfew which has helped with the tension headaches I used to get (non hormonal)
I had a steroid injection for the carpal tunnel in my right hand, decided that I wasn't doing it again and am now wearing a magnetic copper bracelet, doing hand exercises and reducing keyboard time which seems to have sorted out my left wrist (which hasn't had an injection)
As per previous posts; try the supplements. However you may want to also test for Dio2 gene (available from Blue Horizon not on NHS) as if this is positive you will then know that you need t3 or ndt to get fully well.
I have Dio2, felt better on levo (took it for a year) but that was not hard as I'd had untreated hypo for at least 6.5 years) but still tired, migraines etc. Ndt cleared up all my remaining symptoms in 6 months.
You are very likely to have Hashimoto's and need to be strictly gluten free diet
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
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Suggestions for persistent tiredness. 
Getting GP to take over T3 prescription?
Constant tiredness & aching legs
Is there anything that can be done to stop this tiredness, no energy, pain and weight gain.
