Health care

[Burnley1882]

On going health problems to do with my thyroid

[greygoose]

Burnley, after your last post, people asked you to post your blood test results, so that they could help you. You never replied. We cannot make any suggestions without the details. You're probably under-medicated, but without seeing the labs and knowing what you're taking, we cannot know.

Do you have an results to share with us? Are you taking levo? If so, how much? How long have you been hypo?

[Burnley1882 in reply to greygoose]

My medication has just been reduced from 125 to 100 Levi. but told me my results were normal

[greygoose in reply to Burnley1882]

There's no such thing as 'normal', because we're all individuals. You need to know exactly what was tested, and exactly what the results were. So, you really ought to ring the receptionist, tell her you want a print-out of your results - it's your legal right to have one - and ask when it would be convenient to go and pick them up.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Burnley1882]

You are probably so unwell you find it difficult to concentrate.

First thing you have to do is to get a print-out of your results. You may be shy but we need to have the results and the ranges (just ask the receptionist and we are entitled by Law to have them). Some surgeries charge a nominal sum and some nothing. Mine charges 30p if they're for myself and others more.

It is all new to us when newly diagnosed and as we've never had to get copies of other blood tests before being diagnosed as hypo we don't really know how to go about it.

When you have a blood test it should be at the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water). This keeps the TSH at its highest as the doctor adjusts our hormones due to the TSH, just as they've done to you. The TSH is highest early in the morning and drops throughout the day.

Forget 'normal' o.k. 'fine' with regard to blood tests. It doesn't mean we feel well. We always need to know exactly the results and ranges so we can get better. If you have antibodies. Those three words only mean that result is 'somewhere' in the range and it may be at the top but that's not good for us. We need a TSH to be 1 or lower.

Ask GP to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we are usually deficient and can also give us problems as well.

You take levo first thing with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. except when you have a blood test - take levo afterwards.

[Katepots]

Don't lose hope there's loads we can do to help. Post results.

So important to make sure your GP tests Folate, Ferritin, Vit D, B12, thyroid antibodies. T4, FT4, FT3, RT3 if pos but they probs won't do that!