just been diagnosed with hypothyroidism

[sophie45]

The doctor said I have it, but that it is probably something that has only developed recently due to how marginal the T4 levels were off balance in my blood test results.

Having suffered from headaches for a number of years almost every day of my life, I was wondering if anyone else experienced these symptoms as doctors have never been able to find a cure or a cause despite a long list of attempted prescription medications....

I am on 50mg levothyroxine now and have been for a week... so is it likely my headaches might go soon?

Also I have been reading a lot and there is a lot of information online about links between hypothyroid and celiac's disease... is it worth asking to get tested for it or something the next time I see my GP?

Thanks in advance!

[greygoose]

I think your doctors are deluding themselves about the FT4 level and the length of time you've been hypo. Symptoms can set in a long time before any anomaly shows in the blood tests. Besides, if you have Hashi's, levels will fluctuate. Have you had your antibodies tested?

[sophie45 in reply to greygoose]

Hi thanks for responding! Yes I think that was included in the blood test? From what I remember she said that its unlikely i have Hashimotos because i had no inflammation in the neck when she felt it, but I did have a high level of antibodies... so I'm not sure. I am due to have another blood test soon so hopefully I can get some answers then

[greygoose in reply to sophie45]

If you have high antibodies, you have Hashi's. Your doctor's deluding herself again. You don't have to have inflammation. You might have had, at one point, you might have it again, at some point, but Hashi's people don't have inflammation permanently, forever.

[sophie45 in reply to greygoose]

Oh okay, thank you so much wow, I will definitely be talking about this with my doctor next time I get a blood test!

[shaws]

Welcome to our forum sophie45

You have just been diagnosed as hypothroid and it is a very common condition in the UK, due to our thyroid gland slowly declining in it's production of thyroid hormones.

These hormones are needed in billions of receptor cells in our body (metabolism) and we have to take them for life once diagnosed. You also don't pay for any other prescriptions for any other illnesses you may develop.

We have to read and learn and ask questions so that we recover or health and feel well.

You have to take levothyroxine with one glass of water on an empty stomach - most take it when they get up and wait about an our before eating. Food can interfere with the uptake.

You can also take it at bedtime if you prefer as long as you've last eaten about 2.5 hours previously.

Blood tests for thyroid hormones have to be as early as possible and allow 24 hours gap between your dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. This can prevent the doctor adjusting doses unnecessarily.

If you've not had B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate, plus thyroid antibodies. ask if these can be done at your next blood test. (usually every six weeks till you are on an optimum dose of levo (not clinical symptoms).

Always get a print-out from the surgery of your results with the ranges and post if you have a query.

[sophie45 in reply to shaws]

Thanks! I am slowly understanding more and more about it It says on my medication to wait half an hour, is that too short a length of time then?

[shaws in reply to sophie45]

On the forum it is suggested 1 hour which is due to the fact that if we are 'hypo', everything has slowed, pulse, temp, digestion etc. Food/coffee also interferes with the uptake of levo.

[sophie45 in reply to shaws]

okay I will start doing that from now on then! Thank you

[shaws]

As greygoose has mentioned your thyroid gland has probably been failing for longer than you imagine. It can take years until we are finally diagnosed.

[sophie45 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for the reply! Yes that what I had imagined... because I had relatively minimal other symptoms other than the headaches it never even occurred to me that I could have a thyroid problem, and it didn't occur to the doctors either! It was my mum who suggested a blood test in the first place after years of consultations and about 10 different doctors! Three of the doctors started googling whilst I was sat in front of them as well!

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Sophie45.

I agree with Greygoose, symptoms can precede abnormal bloods by years. If your headaches are related to low thyroid hormone they might improve now you are taking Levothyroxine.

The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

For maximum absorption Levothyroxine should be taken with water 1 hour before or 2 hours after food and drink, 2 hours away from other medication and supplements, and 4 hours away from calcium, iron, vitamin D supplements and oestrogen.

It takes 7-10 days for Levothyroxine to be absorbed before it starts working and it will take up to six weeks to feel the full impact of the dose.

You should have a follow up thyroid test 6-8 weeks after starting Levothyroxine. Arrange an early morning and fasting (water only) blood draw when TSH is highest, and take Levothyroxine after your blood draw.

Get into the habit of asking for a printout of your results with the lab ref ranges after blood tests to track your progress and post for advice.

[sophie45 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks so much for all this information its really helpful I'm saving it! I will definitely ask for a print out next time, it looks like that would have been really handy to have so I can understand a bit more...

[Clutter in reply to sophie45]

Sophie45,

Ask your GP receptionist for a printout of your results with the ranges and post them in a new question.

[greygoose]

Can I ask what your FT4 level was? Just out of curiosity.

[Jazzw in reply to greygoose]

Some doctors make up rubbish, don't they? Unless the doctor's been monitoring Sophie's thyroid function on a regular basis it would be impossible to tell. Plus many of us look back now at how we felt right from childhood and wonder whether we had it then - but earlier blood tests didn't show anything up. What a pile of bulldoodoo...

[greygoose in reply to Jazzw]

Totally agree! I'm pretty sure I've been hypo since I was about 8, at least. But nobody ever did a test.

I often wonder if they actually believe these strange things they say, or do they just enjoy the sound of their own voices, saying the first stupid thing that comes into their heads, thinking that we're all so ignorant, we won't know any better, anyway.

[sophie45 in reply to Jazzw]

No annoyingly the recent blood test I had was the first one I ever had, and I am turning 19 in a couple of months! My doctors weren't even the ones to suggest it either... having said that so so much is making sense my mum and I sat down and looked up some information and all of a sudden we remembered so much that all fit into place now I know I have it!

[sophie45 in reply to greygoose]

I can't remember I didn't ask for a copy of the results annoyingly! I think I was around 7? I might be remembering incorrectly though haha

My TSH levels were a lot higher than the norm though I do remember that it was around like 10 I think

[greygoose in reply to sophie45]

Difficult to say without the range, but 7 doesn't sound 'marginal' to me! A TSH of 10 certainly isn't! Plus, you have Hashi's, so it will have been fluctuating for a long time. Your doctor really knows very little about it.

[sophie45 in reply to greygoose]

Yeah I didn't think it was marginal but because that's what she said I just believed her judgement! I might have to go through 10 more doctors before I find someone who is a bit more experienced... thank you so much for all your help I'm definitely learning a lot about this now!

[greygoose in reply to sophie45]

The object of the exercise is to end up knowing more than your doctor - most of us do, now! That way, you can call their bluff when they try to BS you! lol