Recently diagnosed hypothyroid.

[jamiface]

Hi

New to this forum

February this year, after routine blood test results :

Serum free T4 level 12.7 pmol/L [11.0 - 23.0] Slightly raised TSH, suggest repeat in 6 months to check trend

Serum TSH level 5.0 mU/L [0.27 - 4.5] Outside reference range

GP put me on 25mcg Levothyroxine and 20mg Fluoxetine, taking me off citalopram. Fluoxetine made the pressure on front of my neck much worse, so I went back the next week and told her. She then took me off antidepressants completely. I managed to get an extra month's worth of citalopram from another GP so that I could taper off the dose, cos cold turkey from 26 years of various antidepressants isn't fun... I didn't go back for blood tests until 26th May, due to various factors ( surgery in special measures, no pre-booking of appointments, my distrust of the doc, my Asperger's making it impossible to cope with ringing up at 8am every day in hope of getting appointment, etc)

Collected latest results last Friday, receptionist said "Normal, no further action" so I queried that and got a print out

Serum free T4 level 15 pmol/L [11 - 23]

Serum TSH level 2.4 miu/L [0.27 - 4.5]

I told her I feel really lousy, can't continue like this, and burst into tears when she told me to ring at 8am to try to get appointment with doctor, I explained why I can't cope with doing that, so she kindly got the nurse to ring me, nurse got me appointment with GP, which is tomorrow afternoon. I feel worse than before hypothyroid diagnosis.

I have written a long list of how I'm feeling , will print it out and hand it to the doctor.

Is there anything I should add to my list to give the doctor, maybe other blood tests which might be useful or summat?

By the way, I'm not a child, nor do I have a heart condition and I don't think I class as elderly (54 years old) so I have no idea why GP put me on the micro starter dose.

Thank you

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Jamiface.

You are a little undermedicated to have TSH 2.4 and FT4 is low in range. TSH is within normal range but so is the 0.27-1.0 most people will feel better with lower TSH and higher FT4. Ask for a dose increase and arrange to have a follow up blood test 6-8 weeks after the dose increase. Ask your GP to include thyroid antibodies in the next blood test so you can see whether your hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's).

The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

[jamiface in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutter

[jamiface]

In addition, 26 years ago, a doctor noticed a lump on my throat when admitting me to hospital (severe post natal depression). Doctor asked whether I had any thyroid problems, I said I didn't know of any. Whilst in hospital I had bulging eyes and felt really warm amongst other things but they didn't test for it because, of course, having mental health problems means that there is never anything physically wrong. (!)

Over the years since I've occasionally noticed a tightness and lump at the front of my throat as well as other symptoms, (hissing in my ears, tinnitus, anosmia, fatigue, weight gain/inability to lose weight, thinning body hair, constipation, dry mouth, painful legs, carpal tunnel syndrome to name but a few) but I tend to ignore things because they go away eventually, and don't seem worth bothering the doctor about, because it's only me.

I haven't had an alcoholic drink in over four years so the doctors can't blame my drinking any more.