Underactive Thyrio Treatment

[JaxH]

Hi, looking for some advice - was diagnosed with an under active thyroid in March. Started straight away on Levothyroxine 100mcg then blood taken again after 5 weeks told that it was back in the normal range so annual blood test. None of the symptoms I went originally to the GP about have got better, tiredness is getting worse has anyone else had these issues? I have another appointment to see GP but not until 8th August

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and the members will also respond.

Unfortunately, we have to educate ourselves on the workings of the thyroid gland

Make an appointment and if there's a query say you don't feel well and have symptoms.

When first given levothroxine, it is usual for bloods to be checked every six to eight weeks with increases in levothyroxine until our TSH is 1 or lower and we feel much better. Most Gps wrongly believe 'somewhere' in range is fine - even if it is at the top. WRONG.

Our vitamins/minerals should also have been checked as they can be deficient and also cause unpleasant symptoms.

When having a blood test it should be at the very earliest, fasting and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. This prevents the results being skewed.

Levothyroxine should be taken first thing, on an empty stomach, with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating Food interferes with the uptake.

Make a new appointment, the earliest possible and follow procedure above. Also ask for B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be checked too as we can be deficient. I'd also ask if Free T4 and Free T3 can be taken too but may not. You can get these privately and we have recommended labs. I'll give you a link and read about why FT3 and FT4 are important tests.

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

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records and post if you have a query. In the meantime this is a list of clinical symptoms. Thankfully we may not get all of them.

[JaxH in reply to shaws]

Thanks for the reply, didn't know about not taking medication before a blood test and I have never been given the actual test results just that it was underactive and now it's OK. I've got an appointment with a GP but not for another few weeks. So I have just ordered a private test so that I have the results before I see my GP otherwise if they want more tests done the waiting time for bloods is another 2weeks, then a weeks wait for results. Once I get the results I will post them for help again!

[shaws Administrator in reply to JaxH]

It can make a difference between being diagnosed or not as TSH is highest early a.m. and drops throughout the day. I don't think GPs are aware of this either.

[Barrister]

If you could post your blood test results along with the laboratory ranges that will help the people on here to be able to best advise you. You are entitled to have a copy of these results so don't be put off from asking. Clemmie

[JaxH]

Hi - I now have the results back THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE * 6.56 mI U/L 0.27 - 4.2

FREE THYROXINE 16.4 pmol/l 12.0 - 22.0

FREE T3 4.7 pmol/L 3.1 - 6.8

I have a GP appointment this afternoon (they cancelled the previous one!)

Any help with the results or what to push for would be great

[Marz in reply to JaxH]

More peiple will see these results in a new post 😊

TSH too high ! No anti- body results or B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD .....