In 2010 I had 3 surgeries within 9 weeks, which I was told could have been a factor in me having thyroiditis. Even though my consultant suggested I may need thyroxine the GP's I have seen since do my bloods and tell me my results are normal. When questioned they have all said I am on ' the lower side of normal'. I am 56 years old and most days I need to nap I am so tired and lethargic as well as having other classic symptoms. On a recent medication review for the Sertraline I take, I saw a different doctor, and I again questioned my thyroid and T4 results. Again I was told I am on the lower side of normal and I explained I feel my memory is poor and my tiredness. She offered me a trial of levothyroxine 25mcg for 28 days and then to have a blood test 6 weeks later. After reading and researching I am now wondering if taking this dose for such a short period will do anything for me at all?
A trial dose of levothroxine: In 2010 I had... - Thyroid UK
A trial dose of levothroxine
I very much doubt it will make you feel better - might even make you worse. That's the sort of offer that is no offer at all! You can't just stop taking levo after four weeks, the T4 won't even have been absorbed and converted by then.
Do you never ask for copies of your results, to see for yourself? It's your legal right to have a copy.
Thank you for your reply grey goose.
No I haven't asked for copies of my results but tomorrow I shall go to my surgery and ask for them.
I shall question the 4 week dose also. My appointment was rushed, and I am concerned the GP told me to rebook with another GP when my next results are due because me being perscribed could be controversial. Giveth with one hand and taketh with the other comes to mind.
Thank you.
Here is a paper that compared using a trial dose of 25 ug T4, against a full blooded starting level. No disadvantage was found in going for broke right away.
Arch Intern Med. 2005 Aug 8-22;165(15):1714-20.
The starting dose of levothyroxine in primary hypothyroidism treatment: a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial.
Roos A1, Linn-Rasker SP, van Domburg RT, Tijssen JP, Berghout A.
You can find the full paper diogenes refers to here :
After three surgeries in 9 weeks your vitamin B12 level may have been very, very low. If the anaesthetics included nitrous oxide it will have oxidised the B12 you had stored in your body, making it unusable. Your B12 would have needed to be replaced.
If you lost a lot of blood during those three surgeries you could have ended up very anaemic.
After all this time you may have managed to replace the B12 and the iron from your diet, but if you can't absorb them very well you may have continued to have very low levels permanently.
Ask your doctor to test Vitamin B12, folate, ferritin (iron stores) and vitamin D, and make sure you get copies of the results including the reference ranges - the word "normal" isnt sufficient you need the actual numbers.
If your doctor won't test then you can get them done privately with finger-prick testing from Blue Horizon. See these links :
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T...
bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/W...
If you decide to go for the private test, collect the sample before 9am (preferably 7am - 8am), don't take your levo for 24 hours before the blood collection, and delay eating and drinking (except water) until after you've collected the blood.
Advice desperately needed!
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