Blood pressure dropping is it levothyroxine

[Hather]

Hi, just wondered my blood pressure has got much lower lately, I,have bought a machine and check fortnightly.

IT used to be about 140/80 (153/90) while looking after hubby,before he died..now it's about 115/74/86 I read that is ok but although I sleep well and don't really feel tired during the mornings , in the afternoon/evening..some really late evening, I,suddenly fall into the deepest sleep without knowing that's going to,happen and I really fight to wake up..almost like I,am not going to be able to..it's very weird, I've,tried this week not going out walking down town and back every day, but that has not made any difference..I am usually on the the go till after lunch..no problem..Due for a third blood test in a couple of months..don't really want to bother dr with all the illnesses going around..so asking your advice if,this is a worry..I,am on a very low dose of,Levi 25..

I've mentioned before TSH 3.94 T4 13.9..and also told you I am an 81 year old lady and apart from a gallbladder full of,stones (only,causing occasional probs) consultant not wanting to operate, and a second prolapsed,bowel and chronic constipation with IBS which idmI am brave,enough might need another op, but with this deep short fatigues that worries me as well

THank you for reading

Ps..to be be honest I find it beyond my understanding of all the technical readings regarding underactive thyroid, details, though I,do read your comments but don't have,enough knowledge to challenge my Drs, even though they are nice

HAther 😊

[marsaday]

looks like you are under medicated. Could easily go to 50 T4.

BP coming down is an excellent sign. Pressure in your vessels is relaxing a bit.

Try taking the T4 at bedtime to see if that makes any difference.

[Hather in reply to marsaday]

😊👍 is that why you think I'm experiencing the deep sleeps ..I've got a form for blood tests but she said to wait the six months first..think that's prob March

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hather]

six months is ridiculous for the next blood tests. Your TSH has to come down so you need more levothyroxine. Deep sleep may be caused by too little thyroid hormones (levo).

When you go for a blood test it has to be the earliest time, fasting but you can drink water. Also allow 24 hours between the last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards.

Ask GP to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we can also be deficient.

Get a print-out of the results with the ranges and post if you have a query.

You can say you've had advice from the NHS Choices for advice on hyptohryoidism.

[Hather in reply to shaws]

Thank you Shaws for replying I ve just looked at the blood test form it says Thyroid Function (TFT)

1 x Clotted with gel (serum) Gold Top .

The second test last Nov dr said it came back as normal and couldn't give me a print out as there was nothing to gove..I must have had some other info from the first one as she said vitD was border line, but that really applied to Bone scan which I still have not been offered, and a,so that my hormones came back as normal, even though I was concerned that although I dry skin and Brittle nails I am not losing hair ! But the opposite lately which was also worrying me a lot, as that pattern is changing and she thought that was genetic maybe and that is very embarrassing to,say the least.

MY weight is just under 9 stone, which is fairly stable

THanks for your input ..I appreciate it 😊👍Hather

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hather]

I didn't gain weight and many people dont.

We are entitled by LAW to get a copy of all our blood test results. So try again because normal is absolutely meaningless. Your TSH has to be 1 or lower.

If your dose is too low you can develop other more serious diseases and you don't want that at all.

When you realise that doctors are so badly trained and/or have made assumptions we take things into our own hands and have a life

I was undiagnosed for years and extremely unwell and I was given other diagnosis and an op for something I didn't have - none of th 10 doctors I saw ever did a blood test. A first aider suggested hypo to me as he could see my swollen gland.

[Hather in reply to shaws]

Thank you..The Duty dr will be a different dr who will phone me back quite likely which will give me a different opinion perhaps, so that would be a sensible way to go and I'll ask if if I can have that blood test now..

What does the TST blood test actually test for please

Thanks Hather

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hather]

Both the FT4 and FT3 give good information and I'll give you a link:

Even if doctors is happy with TSH and they rarely do FT4 and FT3 the tell exactly what's happening in our blood.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

levothyroxine is T4 and it has to convert to T3. Liothyronine T3 is the only active thyroid hormone and if we haven't sufficient our body doesn't work efficiently.

(I will say I'm not medically qualified - I had undiagnosed hypo for quite a number of years).

[marsaday in reply to Hather]

When your thyroid system is too low the body compensates and will run on more adrenal hormones (cortisol) and adrenaline. We don't want high adrenaline or high cortisol. Both will push up blood pressure. So your adrenaline may be dropping off and so you are getting these sleep issues.

FT4 sort of shows your stores of thyroid hormone. The norm is 10-24. Lots of people say you want to get the Ft4 into the high teens. So at 14 you are lower in the range, but far from being bad. Taking 50 T4 would probably get your level up to around 15/16, but it is hard to say really.

I would really try for a push to 50 T4. Plus get on some Vitamin D, really important for all our health in the winter time.

[Hather in reply to marsaday]

Thanks for your reply..I will phone dr and see if the duty dr will phone me back and ask if I can have a blood test earlier

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hather]

If you didn't have a fasting blood test and left 24 hours between levo and the test ask for one. Say that you have so many symptoms you need another blood test as you have asked NHS Choices for information about the thyroid gland and they have made some suggestions you'd like to follow up.

Doctors are unaware that the TSH varies throughout the day so early a.m is best as it is highest then.

[Hather in reply to Hather]

Thx ..I can't remember if I fasted I think I did but not sure if she told me not to take the Levo that morning

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hather]

Doctors don't know about not taking levo before tests. Many say it doesn't matter but it can mean the difference between having to adjust your hormones or not

[shaws Administrator]

Your TSH is too high so you need extra levothyroxine even if 81 years old. The aim is a TSH of around 1 or lower. Constipation and other symptoms are caused by hypothyroidism, or too low a dose, as our metabolism is so low and that's why we get levothyroxine - to raise it. You might find that you feel better if doctor increased by 25mcg. I am not medically qualified but 50mcg is usually a starting dose with increments of 25mcg - if you are frail the doctor may be ultra cautiou..

Many times we are given too low a dose of levothyroxine and clinical symptoms are then diagnosed as 'another' problem instead of interconnected to the thyroid gland.