Just joined Thyroid UK

[Antherb]

Hi

I am a 58 year old Male living in Bristol Uk and looking for some help in getting some feeling of well being after a 20 year struggle.

At that time I was prescribed a antidepressant (paroxetine a SSRIs) by my now retired GP, not long after this I was told I had hypothyroidism and was giving 50 micro gram of Levothyroxine which I am on too this day, and being told that my blood tests are normal having read quite a few blogs on this site in the last few days, this "normal" doesn't seem to apply to most people struggling to feel normal including myself,this gets me too the question that I've asked myself for many years, should I have never been on antidepressants in the first place? Over the first 16 years I've had many failed attempts to come off it with both the GPs help and on my own mainly because of weight gain, foggy head, high blood pressure (also on long term 10mg Ramipril for that) etc.Finally managed to get off paroxetine about 4 years ago after a two year struggle that felt like my going to hell with all the withdrawal symptoms, at that with various things going on in my life and with the GPs advice I went to see a leading psychologist privately in Bristol who appeared now not to offer me anything else other then prescribing me another antidepressant,(was this a expensive mistake)? after reluctantly accepting this I started taking 60mg of Duloxetine, which I've taken daily until ten days ago( now stopped completely !!) the reason behind this decision although I can hear some of you saying AM I MAD is that at the moment the symptoms are mild compared to coming off Paroxetine and having seen another psychologist he couldn't see at that moment why I needed to be on Duloxetine and sent a letter to my new GP stating this and felt they should be looking at my Thyroid function being at optimal levels first of all.

So I am here at this point today on the following meds/supplements;

50microgram Levothyroxine taken with water just before bedtime

10mg Ramipril with food at breakfast time along with;

1000mg Cod Liver Oil which it's says is rich in Omega-3 / Vitamin A / Vitamin D;

Multivitamins one a day tablet ; just started taken as I read on here that that the following are good Vitamins for Thyroid function

Vitamin D my total daily intake from the above; 10 ug or mcg

Vitamin B12 my total daily intake from the above; 25 ug .

I feel I soon will have cut back to the the basics so I can start a fresh with getting to grips with this Thyroid function, so I would welcome any good advice from others on here.

Many thanks Antony

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Antherb.

Can you post your recent thyroid results and ranges as it will help members to advise whether you are optimally dosed on your current thyroid medication?

If you have any resultsand ranges for ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate please also post those.

[Antherb in reply to Clutter]

Hi, thanks for you post, I believe I've had all these tests many times in the past, but always been told that they are normal.

Booked now for blood test on the 12th of June, but at this moment not to sure what ones, so will contact GBs to find out.

Thanks again

[Marz in reply to Antherb]

..... and make sure you obtain the results with ranges Come back here and post them in a NEW post for us to comment. GP's know diddly squat ! - well some do but not many.

When I first saw your picture - and without reading anything I knew you had a thyroid problem. First of all you are holding your head slightly back to keep the vision clear when the eye areas are swollen. Secondly I was informed by a Greek Doc ( I live in Crete ) - that when he sees patients with two necklace type wrinkles around the neck - he knows they have a thyroid problem. I can see yours clearly in the picture.

So if your GP does not do the tests that have been suggested - then CLICK onto the links given to you by shaws

[Antherb in reply to Antherb]

Thank you to all who replyed to my posts around a month ago.

I've now got some test results from a blood test taken at the GPs as follows;

TSH, 2.56miUL (0.27-4.2)

Free T4,14.8pmol/L (12 - 22)

Free T3, 4.7pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8)

Vitamin D, 72 nmol/l

Vitamin B12, 340ng/L (180 - 900)

Ferritin, 164 ug/L (33 - 490)

Folate, 16 ug/L (2.5 - 22)

All my results show up normal and No action needed, The doctor has prescribed me 25mg extra of levothyroxine (total 75mg)for six weeks before retest on advice from my Psychiatrist as mentioned in an earlier post, although the last two days I've taken 50mg extra (total 100mg) because new batch from chemist isn't same as before cannot split in two easily like old batch, made by a different company.

So any good advice would be appreciated. Thanks Antherb

[shaws]

Welcome to our forum and it is good there's another male to join the females. As you've probably guessed females outweight the males with regard to hypothyroidism but I am sure the males will also help you.

You are not mad and we all fail at the feet of people we expect to know more than us but later on you find out the real cause but, however, 50mcg is a starting dose and should have been increased by 25mcg every six weeks or so until you felt well.

This physchologist who knows far more than doctors it is so good to hear him advise your GP to get your thyroid hormones optimal first. I realise he also means that your dose is far too low.

It is very strange to me that there are many clinical symptoms which belong to hypothyroidism, of which GPs seem not to know any of them but is willing to prescribe another medication for the symptoms rather than an increase in hormones.

First make an appointment for a new blood test, the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards.

Tell GP you've taken advice from the NHS Choices Thyroiduk.org.uk and it is suggested that you get the following tests:

TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and B12, Vit D, iron, ferrtin and folate. It is the case that GPs have been told TSH and T4 are sufficient which is a 'lot of baloney' (which was repeated to me by a doctor who was treating left-overs from the NHS with hypo).

Get a print-out of your results every time you have a blood test and make sure the ranges are stated. Post your results on a new question when you get them.

When taking hormones, we cannot rush the dose - and you definitely haven't done that. So let's see what your GP suggests after your blood tests. (I think you may not be able to afford some private tests, i.e. the one the lab may not do (even if GP suggests) but we'll cross that if we come to it.

I shall give you a couple of links from which you will be able to gradually figure out for yourself how best to get better.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[Antherb in reply to shaws]

Hi, I did wonder of a while that I may be the only man out there to have this problem!!! So thanks for your response to me.

Not to sure whether you can see my messages to other people on here or not? Only for the point of view of repeating the same information.

I would like to know the best way to get these tests done privately if getting them done at GPs proves difficult, also any information about a Endocrinologist I could see privately preferably local to Bristol Uk or Nationwide if not who understands these Thyroid function issues.

I've promised myself it is time to sort this out by every which way I can.

Many thanks Antony

[bluebug in reply to Antherb]

You can use Blue Horizons or Medichecks without a GP referral. The companies frequently use NHS labs who do private work. You have a choice with both of having finger prick or venous blood draw tests depending what tests you need. Sign up on their websites so you know when they have offers.

If you want vitamin D tested only then use City Assays - they are a lab of an NHS trust in the West Midlands who do private finger prick tests for around £30.

I suggest you get a copy of your all NHS test results WITH ranges if you have had a lots of blood tests in the last year as hopefully you may only need a couple of tests done such as Free T3. Free T3 is often not done on the NHS due to lack of knowledge about it and cost. Though being on this forum a while I'm now not surprised by what other tests GPs haven't done they can easily do.

[shaws in reply to Antherb]

Re Endocrinologists - email [e-mail] she has a list. I'm not sure of the whereabouts.

Yes, we can read all of the responses on posts but if you want to draw attention to someone you put an @ before the name (a list will apear and you choose what one you want i.e. Antherb and they are alerted.

I shall give you a list of recommended labs and tests can be done by pin-prick too. Make sure you are well hydrated for a couple of days before the tests.

Blue Horizon and Medichecks are popular but Medichecks do a Special Thursday in which some tests are reduced.

I am not medically qualified like most on this forum, but they do say that experience counts

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Ask your GP to do most of the tests and then get the ones he doesn't or cannot (some labs wont do some if TSH and T4 are o.k.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also if you have been tested for thyroid antibodies? If high then you have Hashimotos

You need to know this (medics think it irrelevant- it isn't)

If you have Hashimotos then looking at gut & diet is very important. Very common to be gluten intolerant (don't need any obvious symptoms)

[Hoxo]

Hi there and welcome. So much excellent advice to be found here. Just wanted to say how much I sympathise with your experience of coming off Paroxetine. I had a terrible time and I was only in it for 6 months. Awful. Head zaps, terrible fatigue etc. Had to go on Diazepam to come off it. And at the time the GPs were not aware of any withdrawal side effects and made out I was making it up!

[Treepie]

Welcome from an older bloke on the site . 50 mcg is generally a starter dose .The aim is to achieve a TSH of 1 or below and to have FT3 and FT4 at least halfway up the range.Always get your blood results and the ranges shown in brackets ( as the lab machines and ranges differ across the country).

Suggest you read up on hypothyroidism at Thyroid UK, Patient Thyroid Advocacy and some books.A good basis ,although a bit out of date is " Thyroid for Dummies" which I found in the local library.

Depression can be caused by hypothyroidism.

[silverfox7]

Welcome. Glad you have joined us as you will be in safe hands. Agree getting your thyroid tests done and medication is the place to start but just to mention briefly something to consider later. Multivitamins are t the best way for getting vitamin levels to rise. We are usually pretty low on such things so there probably isn't enough in to make a real difference. Also a few inreact and cancel each other out. Forgotten which those are at the moment but it's another good reason to take individual ones where needed. So all I was going to say is carry on taking them but if you run out don't buy another lot but ask advice what to concentrate on first. If the doctor tests the ones suggested then deficiencies there need to be addressed first.