Please help

[joni64]

I started feeling reeling unwell last June and was at the Doctors constantly. I eventually asked her in the November to check my Thyroid as everyone in my family has an under active thyroid. Her response was, I only checked it in March!! I demanded she humour me and check it again. By then my thyroid had become inflamed and flipped to an over-active state. So I had to wait until January to see a Doctor at the Hospital and then wait on those results. February they finally started me on 100 micrograms of Levothyroxine. I was told to visit nurse 6 weeks after starting for my blood to be taken. Now I know through family that they are checking if you need to up or not the dose. In March I called to speak to a Dr as I had heard nothing. I was told my bloods were normal and make an appointment in a years time to get them done again!! I still have all the symptoms and my wait is still (slowly) going up. I am soo depressed it is affecting my whole life. I have no clue what you are all talking about T3 T4 nothing has been explained to me and I am not a "silly young lass" but stupidly believe the Doctors know what they are doing. I just want to feel better.

[Rapunzel]

I just want to feel better.

Then you must arm yourself with knowledge. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index.... may be a good place to start but also your family will hopefully be able to assist with their knowledge gained through their similar condition. The awful thing is that what works for some of us doesn't work for all of us. You need to get copies of your blood tests - post the results in a new thread and members will comment.

Welcome to a fantastic resource. The Topics sidebar on the right-hand side is useful and there's a search facility at the top

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and I am sorry you are distressed, which isn't suprising according to your GPs response.

First of all - they are all poorly trained - you will get more help/support on this forum as we have all been in the same boat at one time or another.

Phone the surgery and make an appointment to have a blood test for your thyroid hormones, TSH and T4 is the basic given but we need TSH, T4, T3, Free T4 and Free T3. (FT4 and FT3 can be done privately). Ask for B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate too as deficiencies can give us symptoms.

When we are newly diagnosed, we have a blood test every six weeks or so until we feel well (not until bloods are in range). So we have to educate ourselves.

Blood tests have to be at the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and blood test. Levo should be taken first thing with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. Food interfers with the uptake of hormones.

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges to post for comments. Ranges are important as labs differ. TSH is highest earliest a.m. and drops throughout the day and would mean dose might be adjusted unnecessarily.

[joni64 in reply to shaws]

Thank you so much. I will call for an appointment.