Newbie

[Carolynn-Elamri]

1st time posting but feel like I'm losing my mind,iv been on tyroxine for 8yrs nothing has ever been explained to me was basicly told my metabolism is slow and will need medication for life ..but nothing else iv gone from25mg to 225mg,feel terrible tired headaches soreness weight gain mind fog the things that now seem normal to deal with , but I'm so low and now reading about this drug T4 or NTD but im clueless on where to start, I do no my doctors wontprescibe as I'm in 'normal range ...im also very confused with all the numbers results etc

Thanks for reading

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Carolynn - are you taking 225mcg Levothyroxine now?

T4 is Levo, it is replacement thyroid hormone not a drug.

NDT - Natural Dessicated Thyroid - is a combination of T4 and T3 and again is a replacement thyroid hormone not a drug.

You are already being prescribed T4 if you are taking Levo.

What are your latest thyroid test results? Can you please post them with reference ranges for members to comment. Ideally -

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid Antibodies

And if you've had the following nutrients tested it would be very helpful, us Hypos often tend to have low levels and this can mean that thyroid hormone can't work properly, they need to be at 'optimal' levels, not just in range

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

Have a look around ThyroidUK's main website to learn more about Hypothyroidism

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

Then work through the menu on the left hand side.

[Carolynn-Elamri in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi thank you

If never been given results but if booked to have my bloods took tomorrow so as soon as I receive the results I shall ask for a print out ( I'm prepared for a fight as they refused last time )

Yes I'm on 225mg now have been for few years now

I see people self medicate and having great results hair thickening energy feeling normal...i don't no what normal is as if been like this for years ..this is my normal

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Carolynn-Elamri]

Carolynn - if they refuse a print out you can remind them that you are legally entitled to your test results under the Data Protection Act 1998 and say you're sure that no-one in the surgery would want to break the law. If necessary you can put in a Subject Access Request thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/NHS_In...

Hopefully your test for tomorrow is booked for the earliest possible appointment of the morning, and it's always recommended here to fast overnight (water allowed) and leave off Levo for 24 hours (take after blood draw). This gives the highest possible TSH which is needed when looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction, and doing it for every test means that you can compare the results accurately.

225mcg Levo is quite a high dose and if you are still symptomatic it's possible it's not being absorbed properly, which could be caused by a number of things eg

Low nutrient levels

Other medication or supplements affecting absorption

Low stomach acid (easy home test here scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-... )

Poor conversion of T4 to T3 (T3 being the active hormone)

[Carolynn-Elamri in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you it's booked for 9.30 I won't take my meds tonight I'm going to ask for last test results as well

[shaws Administrator in reply to Carolynn-Elamri]

Ask for a print-out of the results from now on for your own records and you can post if you have a query. You must also have the ranges along with the results. Labs differ in their machines and so do the ranges.

[Carolynn-Elamri in reply to shaws]

I'll ask tomorrow