Daughter keeps fainting

[anjh-blue]

My daughter has hypo thyroid and lately she keeps fainting at college just wanted to know if this is a typical problem with thyroid sufferers? She is 20yrs and take 100mcg mon to fri and 70mcg sat & sun. She has been checked for diabetes x3wks ago - her bloods were fine and blood pressure was normal at the time.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

anjh-blue It shouldn't be typical if she is adequately medicated. My ex daughter in law had similar episodes prior to diagnosis.

What are her latest thyroid test results (include reference ranges)?

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum but I am sorry to say that most doctors/endocrinologists are not always the best to consult.

You need someone who has a more holistic approach and treats the patient's symptoms rather than the result of a blood test.

Levothyroxine is the only hormone replacement to be prescribed in the UK. Most times the dose is too low to benefit the patient as doctors are apt to keep the TSH within a range which keeps patient unwell. We need optimal Free T4 and Free T3 but these are rarely tested.

Your daughter needs a Full Thyroid Function test, TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.

All tests for thyroid hormones have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (she can drink water) and allow approx 24 hours gap between last dose of hormones and the test and take them afterwards.

If she can afford a private test we have recommended labs which will do all of them.

The GP should test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. We are usually deficient in these and B12 and Vit D are pro-hormones.

Can you get a print-out of the results as we should do this each time we have a test for our own records and so that you can post for comments. Never take notice of 'fine' 'o.k.' 'normal' when referring to thyroid hormones - we need Optimal but often the GP or lab only do the TSH and T4. This isn't sufficient particularly if we're unwell.

Most of us on this forum, are here because we couldn't get well by the method of diagnosing/treating but I have got my health back again and I am very grateful as when first diagnosed you don't know what's happening and why you're far worse than before you were diagnosed.

It is an uphill struggle but you can get there.

Your daughter will have been frightened about fainting especially if she's not on sufficient levothyroxine.

Up-to-date Research has also shown that most feel better with a combination of T4/T3 but for an unbelievable NHS the Powers that Be have stopped prescribing T3. Of course that's down to the Pharmaceutical Company bleeding the NHS by charging more than £300 per month for T3. It has caused members who take T3 great stress and many members are now sourcing their own.

[Marz]

I would check out her levels of B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD. B12 & VitD need to be near the top of the range and Ferritin & Folate halfway ....

Anaemia could be the cause so a FBC or Full Blood Count too. There is more than one type of anaemia. Lots of young people often do not eat liver - which used to be a common food and good for iron 😊

[greygoose]

Is she eating enough? Being hypo, she might have put on a bit of weight, and be trying to lose it. It's very important that she eats enough calories to fuel conversion. Low-calorie diets are a false solution.

[anjh-blue]

Thank you all.

I should have added that my daughter also takes 20mcg of T3 - 10mcg morning and 10mcg pm. However, cutting the tablet was a pain so she started taking the 20 at 2pm each day. The endo did say that taking the full amount might cause her energy level to fluctuate - thinking could this be the case. She will now go back to cutting the tablet in half and see if that is the cause.