On levothyroxine for 7 months but nothing's changed

[angelindisguise]

Hi friends! I just want to have some insights. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 7 months ago, since then Im taking levothyroxine, I started with 50mg and then increased to 75mg.

i thought taking the meds would make me feel ok but its the reverse. I feel as if im not a normal person. I still feel anxious, depressed with suicidal thoughts, i have face acne, I easily get confused,and I gained weight . The only thing that vanished is my insomnia.

I am supplementing with, vitamin b complex, vit b12, vit D, vit C, magnesium malate (800mg/day), gtf chromium (200mg/day), fish oil, CQ10, collagen and probiotics. I am also taking VCO 2 tablespoons every after meal.

I wonder how in this world, with all those supplements and medication, why I still feel anxious and depressed?

Any insights? Thanks

[shaws Administrator]

Supplements are not your problem, it is probably your dose of 75mcg which is too low for you.

Doctors who seem to be so poorly trained in anything to do with the thyroid gland are not knowledgeable. They are happy when the patients' TSH is 'in range'. Once a patient is diagnosed they are unaware our TSH should be 1 or lower and some need it suppressed. They are willing to do another prescription for the symptom you are complaining about as they know no symptoms. and it usually does no good as we need optimum thyroid hormones.

First thing to do is make an appointment. The 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 afterwards. This helps keep our TSH at its highest as doctors only seem to go by the TSH and T4. TSH drops throughout the day.

Ask GP for a Full Thyroid Function Test, i.e. TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 (and antibodies if you've not had them done befor). Also request B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

They wont all be done but if you can afford it we have recommended labs that do home pin-prick tests. The most important are the 'Frees' FT4 and FT3 and I'll give you a link for the reason.

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

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges (ranges are needed as labs differ and it helps members to comment) for your own records or post if you have a query.

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

[greygoose]

Just the fact of taking the 'meds' (levo is a hormone, not a drug) won't do anything for you, it's taking enough that is important. And 75 mcg is little more than a starter dose. Also, 7 months is little more than a blink of the eye, in thyroid terms, it can take years to feel well. But, you either have to have a doctor who knows what he's doing (difficult) or you have to know what he's doing - or not doing, which is more to the point.

So, for a start, you need a copy of your last blood tests. You need to know exactly what was tested and exactly what the results were. When you get them, post them on here, with the ranges, and people will be able to explain them to you.

I'm curious to know how you arrived at your list of supplements. Did you get tested for anything before starting to take things? If so, do you have the results?

[angelindisguise in reply to greygoose]

Hi! I never been tested for anything except for my TSH, FT3 and FT4. The last time I had my check up (last April), my endo just requested for FT4. The result is below normal that's why from 50mg of euthyrox, he increased it to 75. I told him about my other symptoms and he said that its only psychological.

Im taking those supplements which I mentioned above because I read some articles that those supplements are good for depression and anxiety.

With regards to magnesium malate and gtf chromium it is recommended to me by someone who does facial analysis.

[greygoose in reply to angelindisguise]

Oh, dear god! These ignorant, miserable doctors! Psychological my backside! Let's remove his thyroid, and see how psychological his symptoms are!

You can read recommendations for supplements all over the place, doesn't mean they are useful. On here, we always recommend that you get your vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin tested before supplementing anything. That is because you need to know your level, so you know how much to take. There's no point in taking excess anything, and with some things, like vit D and iron, it can be dangerous. No point in taking too little, either.

However, now you've started taking B12, there's no point in getting a blood test, because the result will be skewed. You would have to do an active test, and they don't do that on the NHS. Or, you would have to stop the Bs for 5 months. However, as B complex contains biotin, you should stop that for a few days before a blood test for thyroid, because it will skew those blood tests. But I strongly recommend you get your vit D tested!

And, I have to say, recommending people take things because it's good for this or that, is absolute claptrap. A vitamin or mineral is only going to help you if you need it. More is not better, and can be dangerous.