Hi I have just joined. I am 29 years old and I was diagnosed with hypothyroid 6 years ago. My current dose is 100mcg Levo and 5mcg T3. My doctor has said I am suffering from a nervous breakdown but I have physical symptoms like joint pain, constipation, periods that flood through my clothes and are clotty, feeling cold even from light breezes, feeling tired, sighing from time to time as if out of breath and I am just so fed up of how physically ill I feel but the doctor saying I need antidepressants or mental health support. Could someone please help advise?
Serum TSH - 4.50 (0.2 - 4.2)
Serum Free T4 - 14.9 (12 - 22)
Serum Free T3 - 3.7 (3.1 - 6.8)
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies - 295 (<34)
Thyroglobulin antibodies - 665.2 (<115)
Thank you
Written by
Pixie21
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Your symptoms aren't in your head, you are under medicated and that's why you are symptomatic.
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_... Email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org.uk if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies are positive for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). There is no cure for Hashimoto's which causes 90% of hypothyroidism. Treatment is for the low thyroid levels it causes. Many people have found that 100% gluten-free diet is helpful in reducing Hashi flares, symptoms and eventually antibodies.
Joint pain can also be due to vitamin D and/or low ferritin. Ask your GP to test vitamin D, ferritin, B12 and folate and post the results and ranges in a new question for advice.
It's your doctor who needs the anti-depressants as he has seriously undermedicated you, thus you have all those horrible clinical symptoms. One of which could be called depresssion because you are left to flounder on your own whilst he is determined to give you anti-d's instead of a decent dose of thyroid hormones.
Why they are so poorly trained in hypothyroidism I do not know but you will have to read and learn (like us on this forum) in order to get back to reasonable health and at the moment I should think you don't know where to turn.
Your TSH is too high, you should be given enough hormones to bring your TSH to 1 or lower. FT4 and FT3 are too low. Should be towards the upper part of the range. The big mistake your doctor has made is to believe that once the TSH has reached within the range that his job is done and all other complaints you make are unconnected. There are two main thyroid hormones, T4 and T3. T4 is inactive (levothyroxine) and T3 is active. We have billions of T3 receptor cells and our brain contains the most, so where is the T3 to come from if your dose of T4 is too low.
Blood tests should be at the very earliest possible, fasting, you can drink water. Allow 24 hours gap approx between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. Get a print-out of your results each time for your own records and post if you have a query.
I am not medically qualified but had undiagnosed hypothyroidism myself. I am well now. Heavy periods, pain are all clinical symptoms and I shall give you a list and tick them off and show your GP. You can tell him you are a member of the NHS Choices for advice and help with dysfunctions of the thyroid gland dysfunctions Healthunlocked Thyroiduk.org.uk for information.
He is not the only doctor to misunderstand how to treat so we cannot really blame him but the process which leaves patients floundering. Tick off your clinical symptoms.
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