Got tsh test of 7.5 the other week and doctor said it was subclinical but would give me levothyroxine if I was tired! I have gained 3 stone feel crap and just have no energy. Not working and cant do a lot. I have had tsh test in past as my mum and aunts have hypothyroidism. This was 2 about 5 years ago. This does not sound subclinical to me. Does this prove I have hypothyroidism as it's getting worse .
Taken tablets for 2 weeks feel no different. Only 25 mg to start .
What should I expect and what tests Including deficiencies should I request?. I'll have another tsh test in 2 more weeks. I am 42.
How can I stop getting fatter and fatter whilst the dosage is sorted? I'm too embarrassed to go out as it is.
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Feelshitnfat
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You are definitely hypothyroid..do you think you have Hashimoto's which is an autoimmune disease? You are way over clinical. The new ranges stop around 4.0 now. You should be raising your dose every two or so weeks and test within six weeks. You are trying to establish a certain level in your blood stream so when you get your TSH down to about 1.00 and your FT4 in higher part of that range which hoping makes your FT3 level above half the range. When you get there you can then determine your optimal dose. Why are they blind in seeing you are in a high risk group? You've probably been hypo for five years. Tell your doctor to get on with it and get you back down to less than 2. Tell him you would like antibody testing for Hashimoto's.
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Hi - whilst it is not good that it has taken so long, at least you are now being treated. The Levo you have been given is a storage form of the hormone that your body has to convert (primarily in the liver) before it can be used by the body in its active form of t3. The body then has to go through a process of realising it has it before it can have any impact. In all, this takes about 6 weeks. It is very common to feel no better, or only a very minor difference, usually at a minimum of 7-10 days, with the starter dose you are on. But because of the 6 week cycle and the fact that it would be too much of a shock to the body to take too much too quickly, the dose should only be raised by a maximum of 25mcg every 6 weeks.
There are other important factors in this that need to be optimised - vit d, vit b12, folate and ferritin. It is also important to know if you are antibody positive for auto-immune or hashimotos hypothyroid - 90% of us do - as there are other measeures you can take to help yourself. If your GP won't test for all of these, then many of us use private testing from Blue Horizons or Medichecks.
There is a lot to learn about this condition before you can properly participate in or control your care. A good place to start is our parent website ThyroidUK.org .
Sorry, should also have said it will be virtually impossible to lose weight until you are optimally medicated and that might take a while. Everything thyroid related needs patience I am afraid! But in the meantime, watch the white carb foods, make sure you get plenty of protein, some good fats (avocado, olives, nuts, oily fish for instance) and some gentle exercise.
The 1st thing you NEED to know is that doctors know VERY little about the thyroid. They rely too much on the TSH result, though in your case, it should tell them you have an underactive thyroid, as it is way too high! Most feel at their best when it is under 1.
2 weeks is not long. In that time and on such a low dose, it isn't unusual that you haven't yet felt any difference.
Ask your surgery for a print out of all your test results-Certainly the most recent but any previous ones you can get held of will help build a picture. (My GP has never had an issue with this, but some people have had trouble obtaining them, so you may need to let the surgery/hospital know that “You are legally entitled to these under the Data Protection Act 1998”-They are your results so you have every right to have them. You may be charged a small amount for printing and sometimes you have to wait a day or 2 for them to do it.)
You need to have a full panel of blood tests done. Ask your GP if s/he will do them. (GP’s will generally test TSH. They sometimes will also test FT4 and occasionally FT3 if they see a problem with FT4 but they will rarely test anything else. Anything they won’t do, you will need to test privately, using “Blue Horizon” or “Medichecks.”, blood testing. (They send a finger prick test to your home. It is a very easy, almost pain free test. The address is above)
Leave 24 hrs between your last dose and your blood test. The blood test should be a fasting blood test, so no food/drink for 12hrs beforehand.
(I assume you know that your thyroid meds should be taken on an empty stomach, 30-60 mins before a meal? )
TSH
FT4
FT3
TPO antibodies
TG antibodies
Ferritin
Folate
B12
Vit D
The last 4 are important, because if you don’t have optimal (“in range” is not good enough.) no’s, you cannot absorb your thyroid meds. GP’s don’t seem to know anything about this.
The antibodies results will show if you have Hasimotos or not. (The most common form of an underactive thyroid) One negative test does not rule it out, as antibodies fluctuate. (If it turns out you do have it, the biggest thing you can do is adapt a completely gluten free diet to help with symptoms. Even if you don’t have this form, some people have still found a gluten free diet to be helpful)
When you have your results, make a new thread, on the thyroid UK forum (so as many people as poss can see it) and post your results with reference ranges, so members can comment/help/advise.
25-50mcgs of Levo is considered a started dose/dose for the elderly or kids/dose for those at risk of a heart attack. You should have a re test every 6-8wks until you:
Feel well
Have a TSH under 1
Have T3 & T4 in the upper quarter of the range.
Weight gain is issue that you are unlikely to solve until the above things are in place. Once your thyroid is working well, members will suggest things that have worked for them.
Hi there, you are similar to me. I've gained about 2 st in approx. 18 months which previously would've been unlike me but I haven't been able to exercise and when you get tired you do lose the ability to be able to make healthy food choices. Add that to the slow metabolism and its inevitable that you'll gain weight. I also remember fretting that my weight was like a runaway train but just do your best to eat well, focusing on your nutrition, and when you start to feel better you will be able to address it.
As for the Levo, I've only just finished my first 8 weeks on 25mcg and honestly I feel amazing compared to how I was feeling, even a couple of weeks ago.
Everyone here quotes "6 weeks" and they quote it for a reason. You have to effectively hunker down and plough on regardless, just ticking off the days. You will feel better and you'll look back and be dumb struck at how bad you felt.
I was very fortunate in that I had no idea I had an underactive thyroid. My doc picked it up in a routine test along with low levels of iron and now further tests are confirming what everyone here says "vitamin deficiencies" . I am also fortunate to have an amazing doc who listens to me and wants to work with me to get me better. If you have a good doc, then use him and use this amazing site to get fully up to speed with what is happening with you and your body. It is the only way you will ever truly get back to you.
I remember thinking I would never feel "normal" again but it does happen and boy does it feel good. Give yourself more time and you will feel better.
Thanks everyone. Going to aim for gluten free and have written down the tests I need as a start. Thanks for all the support it means a lot to be listened to and understood.
Stop reading internet doctors. Read mayo clinic. It's difficult to diside start Levo with under 10 and maybe makes you worst. Visit real doctor stop reading sick people. We are not all same
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μεγάλο o it's not candy,, you must take only if it's complete necesery and your tsh say wait... You are not in danger with that tsh and only if you have symptoms 100%from thyroid you must start Levo. Thyroid symptoms it's same with 1000 others diseases, million people have fatique, joint pains, bd sleep, cold hands and legs, low temperature and more without thyroid problem. Levo is synthetic hormone when you take iofyour thyroid produce hormones That start a war. It's more easy to start Levo when you thyroid stop produce hormone. If you have tsh 7 but normal ft3 ft4 that's mean your thyroid works hard to make hormones but still works!!! Wait my friend dk real doctor
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