New hypo and the stomach

[Dewberry1]

Hi everyone

I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism this week and wanted some advice on the effects this may have on my digestion. I have been started on levothyroxine 50mcg.

Over the past year I have been in and out of the docters with stomach issues. Main one being I go up to 4 x a day, often it is urgent. Because of this I was shocked to be told I have hypothyroidism as a typical symptom is constipation which I clearly do not have.

What happens now? Even more bowel movements?

I am on the fourth day if levo and have gone to the toilet 7-8 times today. Could this be the levo?

Thanks

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum,

It may be that your stomach issues was caused by undiagnosed hypothyroidism

Digestion is sometimes hampered by hypo and it is common for us to have low stomach acid which is required to be able to digest food.

Symptoms of high and low acid are so similar that doctors are apt to give us antacids which doesn't help us.

Some may have constipation but I don't. Thankfully, we do not get all of the clinical symptoms.

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

It may be that your stomach is sensitive to levo at present until you reach a dose which relieves your symptoms. If your problem continues for more than a week ask pharmacist if he can give you another make of levothyroxine. You may have to get another prescription from GP. Sometimes fillers/binders in medication can affect us.

When you have a blood test for your thyroid hormones, it has to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards. This helps keep our TSH at its highest as doctors are apt to adjust dose according to the TSH, which isn't helpful for us.

Also ask for B12,Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be tested at the same time as we are usually deficient and deficiencies also cause clinical symptoms.

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records. You can post if you have a query.

[Dewberry1 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for the reply. Seems like I will just have to persevere for now and see what happens.

The diagnosis has come on rather quickly. A blood test 6 months ago showed no sign of being hypo

[greygoose]

You don't have to have all the symptoms to qualify - there are over 300 of them! It's very unlikely that the levo is doing anything, yet. It takes at least a week to start working, and six weeks to feel the full effect. Make sure you go back for a retest in six weeks time!

[Hypo51]

Hi dewberry I suffer with constipation but when I 1st was on Levo I was in the toilet going quite a bit... actually more in 2 days than would be in 2 weeks.. so I think yes it probably is the Levo..

[Marz]

Do you have Hashimotos ? If so then it may help to go gluten free and heal the gut. Also with Hashi's there seem to be more food sensitivities

Regarding your earlier tests that did not indicate you being hypo - do you know what was tested and do you have the results with ranges ? Possibly you were Hypo - just not enough testing done.

Always obtain copies of test results and ranges. Helps you to monitor your progress and for posting here 😊

Are you on any other medication ?

[Dewberry1 in reply to Marz]

Hi marz thanks for your reply!

I do not have hashimoto but it's likely I will go gluten free as it seems to suit me better.

I'm taking the odd lansoprazole here and there but nothing else.

My tsh in march was 1.98 IU/L it is now 8.35 and t4 13.8pmol/l

I had another blood test a week after this to confirm the hypo but am waiting on print out.

Thanks

[Marz in reply to Dewberry1]

The PPI could be affecting the uptake of your thyroid hormones as well as B12 and other nutrients.

To have the complete story you need all the Thyroid test results - TSH - FT4 - FT3. Were the anti-bodies tested ? - Anti-TPO and Tg ? Rarely done on the NHS - sadly

[Dewberry1]

Hi!

I was in the process of going gluten and dairy free and then got a stomach infection. So will be trying this again soon!

[Dewberry1]

Hi

It wasn't. Think it could have been food poisoning as I was unwell for around three weeks and was only better after a course of ciprofloxacin. All abit complicated!