Hypothyroidism for 20 years

[jiffie]

I'm diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My T3 and T4 are normal but I have high TSH levels. (Really high) I'm on thyroid suppliment 100 mg. Is there any advice for me that may help me in my condition. I have put on a lot of weight in the resent time. And I have goitre also. Any helpful advice is welcome. Thanks.

[puncturedbicycle]

My advice would be to get a copy of your test results and post them here. 'Normal' can mean a lot of things to a lot of people and it is sometimes used to justify undermedication. If you're gaining weight and still have the goitre I wonder if you'd benefit from a bit more meds, or different meds.

Do you know if you've ever had vits b12 and d, ferritin, iron and folate levels tested? Antibodies? All of this is helpful.

Do you take your levo well away from iron or calcium, well away from food and non-water drinks? And finally do you ensure you leave your levo dose until after your bloods are drawn?

[jiffie in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Hi, thanks a lot for taking time to reply me. No, none of the mentioned tests are done in my case. I will make sure to check out the levels. And about my test results, I don't know it's always too fluctuating that I doubt the lab's authenticity. I tried many but really don't know which one to rely. Anyway thank you once again. And do I need to take any other suppliments along with my thyroid suppliment.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to jiffie]

You need to be tested at exactly the same time of day each time (fasting) and you should not take meds for 24 hours before test. TSH levels can fluctuate by 75% over the course of a day, so if the tests are at different times of day, and some are fasting and some not, the restults will go up and down. But you shouldn't be treated on TSH levels - you need to know Free T4 and free T3. You also need to know ferritin (stored iron), B12 and folate, as they are all needed to convert T4 to active T3. Those results will tell you what you need to supplement, if anything.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to jiffie]

Some of us just have that issue that results are all over the place. That can happen w inflammation. My dose is changed virtually every time I have a test. This means you may never feel really well because you're never on the right dose of meds to restore health.

But make no mistake, it is not normal to have a v high tsh all the time. You might want to ask to be referred to an endo if this is the case. Often if you don't fall into the usual shape of what hypothyroidism looks like the gp will just throw their hands up and your problem remains unsolved. Before you ask get the list of TUK endos (who are historically potentially less rigid than the usual endo) and then request a referral to someone on the list.

Impossible to know what you need to be taking right now unless your blood is tested, and best to test before starting anything so you get a baseline. A lot of us need b12, d, iron and folate. If/when you start supplements you need to take them (esp iron) well away from your thyroid meds, which should always be taken on an empty stomach.

Actually, that's a point. When you go in for your blood draw do you usually take your levo before or do you miss it out on the day? If you're taking it before the test the results may be misleading.