Do you get worse before you get better??

[Mags_23]

Looking for advice, my Mum recently increased her Thyroxine. Although her levels where "normal" she had really bad fatigue. Sleeping most of the day & hardly eating preferring to sleep than eat. After 2 weeks on the higher dose, there was a slight improvement, but going into week 3 she took unwell, we panicked & reduced her Thyroxine back down, turned out she had a UTI & it was that that caused her to be unwell. She's now increased her dose again, only a week ago & I ķnow it can take up to 6 weeks for it to work, but I'd say she's worse than ever. I have ordered T3 with the advice from here that with her results it looked like she wasn't converting her T4 into T3. I am just waiting on it arriving. Your thoughts & advice would be welcome.

[Clutter]

Mags_23,

It isn't normal to feel worse before you feel better when you've been diagnosed for years. Your mother's TSH and FT4 2 months ago were euthyroid (normal) and don't account for fatigue bad enough to make her sleep all the time. It would be useful to have FT3, ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate tested to see whether deficiencies are causing her fatigue.

[Mags_23 in reply to Clutter]

They started her on Vitamin D as they said it was low. She's now going into week 3 on it.

[Clutter in reply to Mags_23]

Mags_23,

Well that's not very illuminating. How low was her vitD and how much D3 is she prescribed. What about FT3, ferritin, B12 and folate?

[Mags_23 in reply to Clutter]

04/05/17 - 50mg of Thyroxine

T3 - 1.1 (0.9 - 2.5) TSH 0.54 (0.35 - 5.00) T4 - 16.8 (9.0 - 21.0)

Her T3 was taken in May too. They said the rest where "all fine" I'm trying to source the results as they weren't taken at the GP surgery . She's been prescribed Fultium D 800iu capsules 1 daily.

[Clutter in reply to Mags_23]

Mags_23,

FT3 is low so adding a little T3 might be helpful. I still don't think that your mother's results are bad enough to cause such fatigue though.

If your mother's vitD is deficient it will take years for 800iu to make an improvement. Can you find out the exact result? "All Fine" means results are in range. That's not the same as optimal. Ask for the results and ranges.

[Mags_23 in reply to Clutter]

Yeah, I'm trying to source them. But GP doesn't have them on their system. When I get them I'll post them on here.

[shaws Administrator]

How long has your Mum had hypothyroidism? I shall also give you a list of clinical symptoms and tick off the ones she has:-

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

[Mags_23 in reply to shaws]

My Mum has 48/111 symptoms on this page & they tell me her levels are "normal" yet she still has all these symptoms. She was diagnosed about 15 years ago.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Mags_23]

Arrange a new blood test, and ask GP to test TSH, T4, T3, Free T4 and Free T3 (labs may not do the latter two if the TSH and T4 and T3 are in range). Your Mum can get a private test for FT4 and FT3 and I'll give you a link. It is home tests so quite simple to do and make sure she is well hydrated a couple of days before and hands warm so blood is easy to draw.

GP should also test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Tests should always be at the earliest possible, fasting (she can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose hormones and the test and take them afterwards.

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

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