I just wanted to say hello, I have been feeling off for the past 2 years with numerous things , even spent a week in hospital due to stomach issues but never complained about 2 stone weight gain, sore joints , hair loss , very bad dry skin or tiredness I just thought it was me getting older, since then they found lots of fun things wrong with me ( nothing serious but haemophilia being one ) but in all this finding fun things they forgot about what started things off (this is all genetic tests now and hospital based nothing to do with my GP). I recently saw my local GP and we went over blood tests from the last 18 months done at my local GP 1st: had TSH high, 2nd blood test had it borderline ( 12 months ago ) then I just let it go but had another bad stomach attack and went to see my GP again and she was great and wanted to start again as the hospital doctors were focusing on all the fun things we re did bloods 14 days ago my TSH was 87 she was shocked and wanted to ask Endocrine team about this before starting me on meds , they wanted me to have a Cortisol test , did that the next day and at the same time they did my TSH again , she called me 2 days later Cortisol fine but my TSH was now 118 and asked me to pick up a prescription right away and start taking 50mgs Levothyroxine . I have an appointment tomorrow to talk to my doctor ( who has been great ) what should I ask her ?? sorry I rambled on !!.I have my blood test booked for exactly 6 weeks from the day I started taking the levo. I am 38 and do have Noonan Syndrome in my family so some of my issues are to do with that, but I am a fit healthy woman, I was a jockey and ran the London Marathon last year even though I felt a bit crap but I did not loose any weight even though I ran miles and miles and I am a vegetarian and have been for 90% of my life.
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HypoF3XXY
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50mcg is a starting dose and you will almost certainly need a higher dose which is why your GP is checking thyroid levels 6 weeks after starting Levothyroxine. You will probably find it impossible to lose weight until you are optimally medicated which may take a few months.
90% of hypothyroidism is caused by autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's) so I would ask your GP to add thyroid peroxidase antibodies to the blood tests you are having in a few weeks.
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. Symptoms may lag behind good biochemistry by several months.
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.
As your are a vegetarian your B12 levels could/will be very low. Are you supplementing ? Your test result needs to be near the top of the range. Folate - halfway in range and Ferritin. VitD around 100.
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