I dont know what to do.
I hate this.
I cant.
How do people do this??
I dont know what to do.
I hate this.
I cant.
How do people do this??
Chin up, smile, read or watch something funny and on occasion when it was bad I raised the thyroid dose. If nothing else vote with your feet and find people who will help, there are people out there.
I would sing Men of Harlech, there is a better life and resolution ahead.
So whats hit you today?
It is hard. It sounds as though you are drowning. You need to divide the whole into parts, it impossible to solve everything at once. What is your history? Are you on medication and/or any supplements? Do you have recent blood results you could share. What is the most debilitating symptom you would like to improve. If you start a new thread with some of this information, hopefully some of the other members who have suffered from the same problems will be able to offer advice.
Only you can to choose to move forward, if you have any support network ask them for help. I hope you choose life and to get better. Goodluck.
Got hypo since my childhood, but the doctors ignored til I found out on my own. And since then I been on levo and my bloodtest has been up and down and my health just been and is crap. No doctor will listen they just look and tsh and say well its ok you should be ok.
My bloodtest (some I paid for)is in my other thread. If you have any advice just write. I will read and consider everything that can help.
My b12 folate and iron is low. Ive been on iron bt it hasnt helped so Ive begged my doc for injections and they will think about it while I suffer.
My whole body hurts,panic attacs and anxiety from hell, I forget everything, just a feeling that I might aswell give up forever.
When you read sucsess stories I feel hope and hopeless, that will never be me.
Thank you for writing! It helps!
Your body hurting could well be because of the low vits and minerals and yours are really low, it's no wonder you feel crap. I had vit D deficiency and rock bottom ferritin (aswell as low ft3) and I felt dreadful. There were times when I slurred my words, my legs felt like lead, everything was an effort and I was depressed. I'm not completely 'fixed' as my T3 has dropped again recently sso I'm working to raise it again but I am nowhere near where I was 2 years ago. I had a year on levo, got my deficiencies sorted and then switched t NDT, which I have been on for about a year now.( When I first started on NDT I increased to quickly a couple of times and suffered awful (but temporary) anxiety)
Another point..make sure the supplements you take are good quality and of a high enough dose. Just ask if you have any queries about them
Ive started ndt 2 days ago.
I just want to feel good. I have felt bad for so long. I hoped a change would be my hope.
Ndt half a grain at night and half in the afternoon.
I dont know what to do.
I hate my body, I would rather be in a wheelchair then this. If it was a choice.
You will get better I promise but you will need to be patient. If I were you (but it's your decision) I would go back to levo and address the deficiencies. Give it a couple of months on some good quality supplements and see how you feel and then start thinking about moving over to NDT.
Try not to think of it as your body failing you but as something that needs to be nurtured back to health. Be kind to yourself, get plenty of rest, don't try dieting and just do some gentle exercise if you feel up to it.
Something else you could try that may make a difference (it did for me), is to try taking your levo before bed if you don't already. It made an immediate difference to me and meant I didn't have to worry about eating, drinking and taking supplements first thing in the morning.
Try and stay positive, I do know how hard it is and how crappy and desperate you are feeling right now but it won't last, you will start to feel better. I am back to being able to go for long walks with my dogs, I don't feel the need to nap in the day, my brain fog is gone and I'm no longer depressed. I still have the odd blip and occasionally (like recently as my levels had dropped) have a week or so of feeling tired but not like before. I never get that 'walking through treacle', dragging my limbs around exhaustion that I used to get or feeling like I want to cry all the time and I no longer take days to recover from exercise.
If ever you feel down just post on here and we'll do what we can to help xxxx
We feel for you we really do!! Get your vits and mins up to a good level, get your NDT dose to a good level and I'm sure it will start to turn around. I was the same, being ignored by drs, endos talking absolute rubbish so I had a private blood test, found I had Hashi's, Vit D deficiency, low convertion and high range RT3 ... Been on liothyronine now for about a month, just tweaking it now but I'm really starting to feel the benefits at last .. have my off days but they are getting fewer and far between .... You will get there and we will help you ok.
Hi have you read Izabella Wentz book Hashimoto's thyroiditis lifestyle interventions for finding and treating the root cause
A year ago I was fully functioning. Now virtually housebound and often bed ridden- it is aweful and the help I have got here is awesome. One step at a time! Read the introductory info slowly, get a friend to read and help you process the info. Its a roller coaster yes but step by step try the things that have worked for others. Post all your questions! We r here for u and know what you ar going thru. . You are not alone
Just read your previous posts T2017. I get where you are coming from...i've got low vits too which is all to common with this condition and realise i need to get these sorted to give my thyroid medication a chance of working but like you i'm fed up of feeling bad and want something to work to feel better quickly. All i can tell you is that a lesson i have learnt is that it probably took you a long time to get this poorly and equally it is going to be a bit of a journey to get you better again too...you will come to crossroads not knowing which way to go next, take a few wrong turns etc but you must keep going in order to help others find their way too. I had a bad day yesterday but today is a bit better, dont get me wring i still feel like cr*p but i'm feeling more positive after some fellow nice folk on here responded to one of my posts...so my action plan is continue with the current dose of levo and keep taking the vitamins, give it time and hope that i start to feel better...i need to have more patience and not flit too quickly from one thing to another to give things chance to work...i havent found a magic pill yet...i though T3 (liothyronine) would be but for me it wasnt the answer because my nutrient levels are too low for any amount of thyroid medication to work. I do think from your previous posts you need to find a doctor to investigate your low folate and B12 levels before supplementing though, all of these low vitamins will make you feel very rubbish on top of the low thyroid condition, some symptoms overlap infact. Take each day at a time T2017...
Thank you for writing. Its just hard to feel bad for many years and just wait wait and wait.
How did you feel on t3?
And what made you decide to wait?
Maybe I have to switch doctor, Just talked about my health and the doc said well it could be many reasons to your bad health you should just stop thinking so much about your thyroid and let it be.
Will it go away and solve it if I stop thinking about it? No.
thanks for your support!
Ive been feeling bad for years too, but i do know that when i was taking vitamin supplements i did feel better than i do know...dont get me wrong i'm not saying you will only feel well if you do the same...thats just my experience. I cant really say whether you should stop the NDT and carry on with levo only but i do wonder whether your anxiety may be made worse by the NDT but thats me thinking aloud. I did take T3 and was pleased to try it but my FT3 did not improve much on it, at the time i was taking 125mcg levo and 35mcg T3 daily and only managed to get my FT3 up to about where it is now on 250mcg levo only which was around 4.7 or 4.9 which is still pretty low in the scheme of things, however, that was taking no supplements at all, it has been higher taking supplements but only around 5 or 5.2 but i was experimenting and didnt take the supplements for long enough so my advice is you need to give things long enough. Natchap has given some good advice to you too....
I agree, you have had some good advice in previous posts. It is overwhelming but you must remember that this isn't permanent, you feel so bad because many of your levels are very low..ferritin, folate, vit D, B12 etc.. Once you start supplementing and getting these levels where they need to be you will feel much better. Also, if you have switched to NDT it can take a while to feel the benefit and even longer to get your dose right..it's not a quick fix but ultimately you should find it more effective than levo. You can run into problems trying to raise your NDT dose though if your vitamin and mineral levels are low so I would address those first. Frustrating I know but you will get there xx
Is it better to go back to levo and get my levels up?
This anxiety and crap feeling is just overwhelming.
reading others feeling better just like magic is good, I Just want to be one of them.
I got other autoimmune so it was weird that the antibodies came back low. But I think it is hashi but the levels change so the test was taken at the "wrong time"
Anyways thanks. Im so glad I found this site. Hope it will get better, because my life right now is crap and more crap.
How long ago did you switch? I would be tempted to do that to be honest, just because it's easier not having to deal with too many things at once. If you stick with levo then you will notice if it is the supplements making you fee better. Once all of your vitamin and mineral levels are where they should be then you could consider switching to NDT if you still feel you need to. It might help make you feel more in control if you have a plan, write it down, tick things off as you get them sorted and keep a diary of when you start which supplements and how your symptoms are. I really think that once you get your B12, vit D and ferritin up you will feel better able to cope with your thyroid issue. Taking a good selenium supplement is thought to help with your thyroid function too.
I don't think any of us have felt magically better though, it is a marathon not a sprint unfortunately but with the help of this site we help each other get through it xx
Sorry to hear your struggling. Have you looked into adrenal testing? It sounds like they are suffering especially if you have gotten worse introducing t3 via ndt. I would if I were you drop back to where you felt better if that was on levothyroxine, and sort adrenals out first. Do you feel worse in a morning?, get dizzy or have low blood pressure? These symptoms point to poor adrenal function. Hope it improves for you x
I dont know what to do.
Try to rest and not stress yourself too much if possible, get an early night and drop back on thyroid meds to see if you feel less panicked tomorrow. There is hope, this will pass, hang in there X
Also try something sweet and something salty to see if this helps. I had that reaction to antidepressants as they lower cortisol and blood sugar hence panicked feeling.
Just deal with one thing at a time T2017. Start with vitamins and minerals, then your thyroid meds and then if you think you have a problem with adrenals you can get tested for that later. It's too overwhelming to think about everything at once and you'll also not know what is affecting your symptoms and what's not if you try too many things at once x
Ive just been reading for months about people going over to t3 or ndt and stopped feeling bad. Ive been writing with people who say just try and you will thank yourself for the rest of your life.
Its hard to be in this feeling. Just want things to be better.
NatChap hi sorry to butt in but is lowb12, folate and vit d common in thyroid disorders then? I have all three yet my doctor just thinks they happened out the blue and through stress/ diet but I haven't changed my diet over the years
Yes, it's due to low stomach acid usually x Doctors don't know diddly about thyroid or vitamin problems it seems 🙁
My doctor said the same, you must be eating bad and not go outside so much. I said might be because my thyroid, and the doctor didnt really see that as an option.
When you have hypothyroidism your whole system slows down including metabolism therefore it makes sense that your digestive system will be affected. If you can't digest your food properly then you won't be getting the nutrients from that food no matter how healthy it is.
T2017 I know I've always been pale since forever and that automatically means I avoid the sun ( which I don't ) I just don't tan at all
Same. Pale skin doesnt mean you are dracula.
I am so sorry you are feeling like this. It's so hard feeling ill all the time, I am still trying to get a diagnosis and struggle through every week so can empathise. Some weeks are better than others but I do have times like you when I am not sure how I can go on. The hope of finding the answer and my son are sometimes the only things that keep me holding on.
What is your GP doing about how you are feeling emotionally? Have they offered you any emotional support? Have you considered trying some anti depressants to support you until you get your health sorted? I know some people are resistant to these and feel fobbed off but they have literally been a life saver for me. When my health problems are sorted I hope that I will be able to come off them. In the meantime they are keeping me going.
From a GP perspective, they can't blame the physical symptoms on anxiety or depression if these are being managed.
If you are feeling like you can't cope any more please phone the Samaritans on 116123. In some areas Mind also provide an advocacy service to help people get the support they need from their GP. You can see if they offer this service by checking your local Mind's website.
Keep going. You can get back to good health. Use this forum for the great advice and don't give up. 💐💐💐
Antidepressants is given at first visit, and they offer 50+ pills. But I dont know. Ive started one but it hasnt helped much. Thank you for writing.
I hate this. I just want to feel good.
Antidepressants don't start working until at least 2/3 weeks after you've started taking them. And you may need to try a few until you find the ones that work for you. And play around with the dose.
I resisted them for years, and then tried after I ran out of options and felt I had nothing left to lose. And I did feel worded before feeling better but it was worth it.
Has your GP asked you to go back and see how you are getting on? I hope so.
What ones have you been given and how many have you taken?
Im having a panicattack.
Feel like crap.
I will reply .
I hate this
Anxiety is so awful and pervades everything. Try not to fight it. Just let it sit there. If feeling is overwhelming try to lay in bed with cover over head to reduce external sensations. If you don't fight it, it might start to lessen. Anxiety is fed by fighting it. Just let it be.
Don't worry about replying. Do so in your own time.
You will get past this.
Anyone who has been in this situation? What did you do. It seems so far away.
You seem to be doing and trying all the right things. You need to keep this in mind when having these dark and difficult times. Bringing up your vitamin levels and getting your medication right takes time but you are on the road to recovery.
Hi T2017, I am in New Zealand. I switched from Goldshield synthetic thyroid to porcine natural thyroid, which has become very expensive. I am looking around for cheaper porcine or bovine thyroid which I can import into NZ. The NZ Customs restriction may prevail and I may have to revert to the synthetic thyroid. I don't know what country you are in, but if you have to use synthetic thyroid at least you will avoid the horrible symptoms of extreme hypothyroidism. Please consider this option. I am very concerned that you feel there is no hope. Kind Regards, Magill69
Ive been on t4 since I found out. And it has almost not got rid of any symtons.
And I said to my doctor how sick it is that they have years of school, a patinent infront of them and they wont help. And patients have to seek support on the internet and other contries who have got further in their ways of treating.
The doc just said "maybe its the internet who is making people sick because others convince them its the wrong treatment that they are on"
That is an arrogant response from your doctor. If possible, find a doctor who specializes in endocrinology. Many general practitioners only rely on TSH and T4 testing. Good Luck
I know how you feel. It's like living half a life. Hope getting all your meds and bits help you x
Chin up t3 If you plough thru the bad days keep reading here and something will catch your eye and give you a tiny lift I'm as fed up as you! Burning up every couple of hours read about Evening Primrose started taken it been about a week....slight improvement Something will suit you but don't let it pull you down There's some clever people here Honest xx
Thanks to everyone for help. Ppl here are really amazing. I still feel like crap but I hope it changes soon.
I'm new to this thyroid stuff but I've had anxiety as long as I can remember. I've had panic attacks since I was a little girl. In June of this last year, under severe emotional and physical stress, I broke. Deep depression and anxiety. But I've pulled back. I now know that it was also from my thyroid. I'm off my thyroid meds because of side effects but I did up my anti-depressants. Many days over the last few months, I've felt hopeless at times. But I've learned that while my body is not under my control, my mind is. My mind is a bully and I have to work hard sometimes to make it behave. Sometimes just when I think the depression and anxiety are leaving, I get a form of OCD called pure-O. I still feel yuck most days. I have a new appreciation for others with chronic illness. I wish I could offer something other than moral support.
Stay in the present as much as possible. When panic hits, go to your senses. What do you see, smell, hear, feel? Stay with your breath. Focus on your breath. This too shall pass. Be kind to your self. Think about the things that you love about yourself.
I'm on my third doctor and he's not much better. I go back in a week. Maybe my labs will be more to his liking, the dufus. I have half a thyroid and I want it to work. Since NDT is not for supplementing a thyroid, I'm sort of stuck. You are important to this world. There is no one else like you. Hang in there.
I had anxiety since childhood, it gets worse in periods and sometimes panic attacs that last for hours.
Im really sorry to hear that you also feel crap.
Feel free to wtrite me, maybe we can support eachother if you want..
What do you mean ndt is not supplementing your thyroid?
Whats ocd pure o?
Thanks for support!
Pure-O is a form of OCD where you get horrible thoughts but no compulsions. The thoughts are like nightmares: usually about sex, religion, violence to one's self or others.
I think NDT will not supplement my thyroid as it is will suppress it. I would like my thyroid to work better on its own. I still have half. I'm trying to get it to work. I'm not sure. It's hard to get a straight answer on that.
Ive never heard of pure o.
I heard ppl say well everybody has "a little ocd"
What have you done to help with this?
Ive always had the feeling of being the most evil human on earth, but ppl around me often describe me as the most kind person ever and that I always try to help others. But still I feel like everything I do is wrong and hurt others.
T2017
Are you taking levothyroxine again? How much are you taking? I agree with NatChap that it may better to wait with ndt until you get your vitamin and iron levels sorted. Ndt contains T3 and taking T3 when iron is very low can cause anxiety.
What iron supplement did you take in the past and why you think it wasn't helping?
Your B12 is also very low. Is it being investigated by your GP?
serum iron ? It should be over 90 μg/dl, ideally close to 100-110 μg/dl
serum ferritin 16. (5-150) Should be at least in the 70-90 ng/ml range
B12 150. (140-730) Should be near the top of the reference range.
folate 4. (6-40) Should be at least in the middle of the reference range.
D3 24. (60-200) Should be 50-70 nh/ml
B12 supplement: amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...
You need to increase your B12 before you start taking folate supplement.
Iron: amazon.co.uk/Solgar-Gentle-...
info on supplementing iron: rt3-adrenals.org/iron.html
Iron needs to be taken with vit C: amazon.co.uk/FSC-Vitamin-10...
D3: 10,000 IU for 2-3 months, then retest and reduce the dose: pl.iherb.com/pr/Doctor-s-Be...
D3 has to be taken with vit K2: pl.iherb.com/pr/Healthy-Ori...
Im on 100mcg levo (my dose is 125 but since ndt and everything I took a little bit less)
Im not sure what to do next.
hope my doc will give me injections. Thanks for advice.
Why do I need to get my b12 up before folate?
As Natchap and Kitten have already written, your B12 is very low and can cause many symptoms, including severe depression and anxiety. Here is a very helpful site with list of B12 def. symptoms and templates for writing to your GP:
b12deficiency.info/what-to-...
Latest BMJ research document on PA/B12def. with useful summary if GP won't read the whole document. A good idea to take someon close for support at your next appointment:
cmim.org/pdf2014/funcion.ph...
Sending lots of best wishes for better treatment T2017.
I had b12 injections before so it seems that I need help with that. So I hope my doc takes it serious.
I hope so too! I'm not sure why injections were stopped as, if you were found to have a problem absorbing B12 (meaning you have PA ), injections should be for life.
Any neurological symptoms should also have been treated every other day until no further improvement, as per BNF guidelines.
I fell asleep sitting up at the doctor and thats why they took the test.
They gave me a couple of injections and nothing else. No talk of coming back to check it.
They blamed me, eating bad. Eat better and it will be fine. But my diet wasnt that bad. And they didnt even ask about what I ate.
T2017 ,
I agree with NatChap that it would be wise to go back to 125mcg of levothyroxine. I don't have much experience with levo as I cannot use mylself but looking at your TSH, FT3 and FT4 on 125mcg of T4, there might be actually a potential for a small increase in dose, not decrease. Perhaps other HU members, who have more experience with using levo will advise.
Your results from previous post:
TSH: 1,9. (0,3-4,0)
Free t4: 22. (10-22)
Free t3: 3,6. (3,3-6,0)
Folate and B12 work together. Apparently adding folate when your B12 is very low can lower it even further and cause neurological symptoms.
Is your doctor investigating the cause of low B12? It would be good to start supplementing B12 but if you start supplementing and your doc is still investigating it will affect the results.
Having low iron, low B12 and low D3 is making you feel very unwell. Never mind the thyroid hormones.
I was very unwell last year. I'm better now, although still have problems with adrenals. You will get better but it takes time xx
Thank you for support. Im back on 125levo.
I hope the gp will take me serious or I will switch so I can get help.
What did you do to get better?
T2017 ,
The answer what makes us better is different for different people.
I don't tolerate T4 at all so I have to be on T3-only.
I also had severe D3 deficiency, much lower than yours. Supplementation really helped.
My B12 was low: I supplemented with the B12 product I gave you the link to. Now, since my B12 level is o.k. I take B complex with B12 and folate: pl.iherb.com/pr/Jarrow-Form...
I'm still working on healing my adrenals - they are my biggest concern at the moment.
My iron levels were very good so I don't know much about iron supplementation. I think that improving your iron, B12 and D3, especially iron, is what you need to focus on first.
If you are really stuck and your GP isn't helpful there is a good yahoo group: rt3-adrenals.org/ The link to the group is in the top right corner. I think they will be able to advise you on how to improve your iron. Are you a vegetarian? Eating liver, e.g. chicken liver is very good for improving your iron levels.
Getting better for us, hypos, is a slow process. It takes time and it can be very frustrating. You will get there. You are already on the right track.
Take care xxx
Kitten1978
I know, but its always good to hear how ppl move forward. Maybe something can help.
Did you find out why you had low b12?
Thanks for that site, alot of info, I will read more
Im not a vegetarian but I dont eat liver much but I will see if I can get it into my diet.
Its a really slow, I wish the doctors would have helped me as a child, maybe things would be different.
I don't know why my B12 was low, but it wasn't as low as yours. Mine was slightly over 300. It could have been genetic as I got my dad tested and he had low B12 as well. I responded very well to B12 supplementation with Jarrow B12 (methyl-cobalamin - the most bioabsorable form of B12). My dad is taking it now as well.
Eating liver is a great way of increasing your iron. Remember to take vit C with it. 15 min before your liver meal. It increases absorption of iron.
You'll get there. It just takes time. Do explore the adrenals website - you will find lots of useful info there.
Take care xxx