Hi from France

[Sandrafrance]

HI this is my first post. I have hypothyroidism and I am on 25mg. For at least 6 months I have felt cold and then I am clammy also irritable . I asked my doctor to check my bloods and she said they were ok at 2.65. I don't feel good but feel frustrated and not sure where I go from here. I also have bad arthritis in my knees

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Perhaps this due to the change in formula of French Levothyroxine

thelocal.fr/20170824/france...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Sandrafrance in reply to SlowDragon]

I did wonder about the change in formula and I believe it will go back to the original formula. I wondered if I just stopped taking it until I could get original formula and then start again

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sandrafrance How long have you been diagnosed? Have you always been on 25mcg from diagnosis? 25mcg is a starter dose and you should have had repeat thyroid tests 6-8 weeks after starting Levo, an increase of 25mcg, another retest 6-8 weeks later and another increase of 25mcg, etc, until symptoms abate and you feel well.

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo.

What tests have you had done? TSH only? This is not enough once diagnosed. You need Free T4 and Free T3 also.

Can you post the reference range for your test, and any other tests that you've had done.

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested?

Vitamins and minerals all need to be at optimal levels for thyroid hormone to work. You need

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

[Sandrafrance in reply to SeasideSusie]

I checked my results and there is no mention of FT3 or FT4 just TSH.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sandrafrance]

You need them, along with the other things mentioned in my previous reply.

[Sandrafrance in reply to SeasideSusie]

25mcg of levothyrox.im off to uk for a week on Saturday so not much I can do before I go as having cortisone injection in my knee Friday. I feel awful, breathless and not sleeping, panicky, I don't know whether to take a chance and take 50mcg til I come back or stop it altogether.

[cjrsquared]

what medication are you on? Levothyroxine or liothyronine. I also imagine that your dose is 25 mcg, not mg. there are 100mcg to 1mg a big difference. If you are on 25mcg of levothyroxine that is a starting dose not a therapeutic dose, it is normal to have repeat blood tests after 6 weeks and then a dose rise of 25mcg , which continues until TSH is around 1 or symptoms improve. Have you had antibodies tested to see if you have autoimmune hypothyroidism ( also know as hashimoto's disease)? If so you need to have vitamin b12, ferritin, folate and vit d tested to ensure that your body can utilise the medication. There is lots of helpful information on this site, it is a bit daunting but it is worth while reading and learning more in order to take control of your own health. Good luck.

[Sandrafrance]

It's a bit difficult to read but I have on.y had TSH.

REF IS 0.35-2.83 mUI/1

Abbott

0.35 - 4.94 mUi/1

[Clutter]

Sandrafrance,

Ask your GP to increase dose. The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.35 - 1.0 with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...