Hi there, been lurking for a couple of weeks and it's great to see how helpful ad knowledgable you all are!
I'm Nik, I've been hyprothyriod for around 15 years. Had the usual nightmare getting diagnosed , was told I was depressed and prescribed anti-depressants. Following my own research I saw Dr Skinner who told one look at me, didn't bother with blood tests and put me on levothyroxine straight away. My dose has been changed here and there but I started suffering from increased health problems around two years ago. Kept getting ill, was exhausted, swollen, joint pain, memory problems etc etc and by now I have pretty much every symptom that comes up in my research. I am feeling pretty awful and really struggling to do my (very physical) job.
Went back to my GP last week, who is lovely, but looked at me like I was a little mad when I started talking about my research and T3 etc. They have already done a lot of tests - to be fair they are lovely people at my Dr's and very helpful , but I commented that T3 wasn't one of them. I was advised that they only did T3 on request from the hospital but she has agreed to include it in the bloods I am having tomorrow and also Vit D and Iron.
I am a veggie and take omaprozole so B12 is very likely i think to be an issue, however she isn't testing that as she said it would show up in the full blood profile via other levels.
The doctor wanted to go through my previous tests to try and fine tune the bloods I was having so other than the above I don't know what else they will include. I have had previous tests for cortisol, full bloods, immune, rhematiod and they have all been 'normal'
My last TSH and T4 resulted in my having an increase in my levothyroxine to 175mg and frankly i feel just awful now. It's become a struggle to function and function I must I don't have any choice but to keep going.
last results were:
Thyroid function test
Serum TSH level 4.90 mu/L [0.27 - 4.2]
Outside reference range
Serum free T4 level 12.9 pmol/L [10.0 - 21.0]
Any thoughts and advice would be more than appreciated. My GP really does want to help but I think they are at a loss whats wrong with me and although they acknowledge its likely to be thyroid causing all this, it seems all about adjusting the levothyroxine. There has been no suggestion of my being referred to an Endo so perhaps this is something I need to push for. I am tempted if these results come back all ok as normal to try self medication and see how it goes.. but have no idea what i'm doing, hence me finding this place to try and get some help.
right thats a lot for an introduction so apologies!!! Thanks to anyone who works their through this lot!
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Nikkib1
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B12 is only available from meat, fish, eggs and dairy and is not available from plant foods. If you've been vegetarian for a long while you may be B12 deficient. Your GP should test B12 in addition to FBC. A FBC will show red cell indications of B12 anaemia but a B12 test is required to see how low B12 is.
Your last thyroid results show you were undermedicated. Most patients need TSH 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range to feel well. FT4 is low in range so FT3 is likely to be low in range too. A dose increase will raise FT4 and FT3. GP practices are rarely able to get FT3 tested unless TSH is <0.03. Once your TSH is 1.0 or lower it may be worth you ordering a private thyroid test to check how well you are converting T4 to T3 thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.
Hi. Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply. I think I will have to get a private B12 test so thank you for the link.
My levothyroxine was increased after these tests but I have felt worse than ever, the GP has agreed to test T3 and I'm having those bloods taken tomorrow, I will post the results if you don't mind. Despite having this for years, I find that I have been really ignorant about it all, but this nose dive in y health has been pretty awful.
Thanks again everyone for the replies and the info.
Even if your gp requests t3 the lab may not do it, so hold off on the private b12 test until you get the results, as if they don't do the t3 test you may need to do that privately too. From your symptoms you sound under medicated, but there could be a conversion problem, so I think getting t3 tested is very important for you. Are you taking your levo 2 hours away from food, and away from iron supplements?
Hi there. Ok will do thanks, I'll do the private tests once all the ones from the dr are back. Yes I take my levo first thing, get up medicate me and the cat who's hyperthyroid. Although only started that about two weeks ago didn't know about it before. I also take it separate rom the Acid inhibitor. Not on iron at the moment but anemic historically so they testing that as well I believe.
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