I had some bloods done in May - my thyroid hormones were in range but my TSH was very low 0.013, obviously suppressed.GP told me to lower the dosage of Levo and then wanted to retest in August and decide if I should see an endo.
I go in for retesting and hopefully a referral to endo. She looks at the computer screen and says I don't have a thyroid issue because my TSH got too low while on Levo...
So apparently, when your TSH drops below 1 while on Levo you don't have thyroid issues. She closed the case and declared me healthy.
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zerendipity
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GP always tested TSH, never my actual thyroid hormones. I was already depressed due to a health issue that requires occasional surgery and the last one didn't go well. Then I got severly depressed after unexpected loss of my Mum and ended up seeing a psychiatrist. He was very thorough and our first session took 2.5 hours! He was the one to suspect thyroid problems so I had some labs done. My TSH had always been in range but the thyroid hormones dropping. So I'm not a text book case of hypo.
No antibodies, and lot of symptoms eased or disappeared after I started treatment.
Yes, I have a feeling that the line has been crossed and I cannot trust her at all.
She would rather leave me untreated than admit that she doesn't know/understand non-textbook thyroid issues. It also explains why she would not give me a referral.
She got her last chance - I emailed her a copy of my bloods from before treatment. Since I had these done privately they weren't in the system, although I did give her a copy at one point. I guess she didn't care much to put it in the system.
I'm p***d off by her scepticism and superior attitude towards me plus her doubting my psychiatrist (who did see a problem in my th. levels).
Oh that's interesting because my GP won't up my low dose of Levo but my TSH has dropped to 0.95 on it and he was happy because he said it wasn't supressing my TSH and I can continue to have it. I've actually seen Dr P and am in the process of dropping levo anyway but he didn't say that. To be honest I think every GP is different and knows very little about thyroid problems, you'll give far more comprehensive advice on here!
OMG, I've been taking Levo for about 43 years, and keeping results for over 20 years and since then I've only once had my TSH in range 😮 Does this mean I've been treated for something I haven't got for all these years???
But I'm really pleased to hear you're now cured and healthy
And seriously ..... your doctor is woefully inadequate in her understanding of Hypothyroidism.
Do you have the article Dr Toft wrote for Pulse Online Magazine?
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.
In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.
But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.
This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."
If not, email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org.uk for a copy, print it and highlight question 6 to show your GP.
Or better still, find a new GP.
I think this is possibly the most surprising post I've ever read!
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