New to hypo

[Mcrawley]

Hi, can someone please help me as I feel I am going round and round and not getting anywhere!!

I have been suffering with very low mood, insomnia, extreme tiredness, hot sweats, weight gain, memory issues and brain fog for the last 4 years, initially I put it down to menapause which I have been in for last 5 years. I cannot take hrt as it gives me severe migraines and none of the naturals helped so thought I just had to live with it.

However, the last 12 months I have felt dreadful, very depressed, can't get out of bed due to extreme weakness/tiredness. My gp put me on antidepressants but after a couple of weeks i developed a nasty rash all over my body so had to stop, tried various sorts but reacted the same so again thought I had to put up with it!!

I have got to the point where I can't function anymore, haven't been able to work because I don't know how I will be from day to day. The tiredness seems worse after I have done something like have my grandchildren for the day or exert myself in anyway.

This resulted in my GP taking thyroid bloods, which unfortunately was only FT4, it was on the low side but classed as no further action required.

I have been going to see a hydro therapist for the last 2 Years as I am permanently constipated (even though I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 24 years ago) and she suggest that I pay to have full thyroid bloods as she had a client with same symptoms as mine. I did and my results are FT4 (11.5) FT3 (2.87) TSH (1.25) anti thyrog (11) anti hyrope (17)

When I compared the results to thyroid uk levels they seemed low, especially TSH.

Can someone please advise me if I should persue this as really don't know what to do!!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Those results do look low, but difficult to tell without the ranges

Be very good idea to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Privately if necessary

Always get actual results and ranges

Low Vitamin D is linked to insomnia (and also causes low B vitamins)

drgominak.com/sleep/vitamin...

Magnesium is good for insomnia too, especially if you do start to supplement vitamin D.

Look at gut function too.

Probiotics and bone broth can both help

scdlifestyle.com

[Mcrawley in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much Slow Dragon for your quick reply and advice, I'm really at my wits end, I seem to have most of the symptoms i.e. Dry skin, weight gain extreme tiredness, low mood etc, I have also had operations on both carpal tunnels. I take regular probiotics but bowel remains sluggish!! I have also been taking b12 supplements for quite a while too but hasn't seemed to improve anything, do you think it is worth trying to see and endo?? Many thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mcrawley]

I would get tests on vitamins. Come back with new post when you have results

Start supplementing if required - members can advise

Retest full Thyroid and vitamins couple months after that

If you can't get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting to give highest TSH

Then consider options on endo or functional doctor

If supplementing B12 then adding vitamin B complex too to keep all the B's balanced is recommended

If you start taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

B12 test will be skewed when testing (takes 4-8 months to return to pre supplement levels)

Magnesium is excellent for constipation. Start low and slow increase dose until you get desired effect

I would recommend calm vitality magnesium powder- cheap and easy to use, widely available

[Mcrawley in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for your advice

[shaws in reply to Mcrawley]

The following is a list of clinical symptoms and I suspect you will tick off quite a few.

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

As you are new, when you give results you also have to put the ranges. Ranges are in brackets after the results and that's why these are important to post them after your results. It is a learning curve so don't worry too much as you will learn like all of us on here.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

We have to read, learn and we soon know more than most medical professionals re hypo.

Blood tests have to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of thyroid hormones and the test and take afterwards.

This procedure allows the TSH to be at its highest as that seems to be the only thing the doctors take notice of. and will adjust our dose unnecessarily to try to keep in somewhere in the range when it should be 1 or below if we are on thyroid hormones.

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records.

Ask GP to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as deficiencies can cause symptoms too.

[BadHare in reply to Mcrawley]

Try drinking kefir rather than take probiotic pills: chriskresser.com/kefir-the-...

[Mcrawley in reply to BadHare]

Thank you , I will try the kifir, sounds like it's worth being on for my ulcerative colitis alone!

[Mcrawley]

Thank you so much, I really am new to all of this and finding it hard to decipher everything! I thought the ranges in the boxes were the recommended levels by the clinic, which mine seemed to just about fall into!!

I do seem to have most of the symptoms on the page that you sent me and feel completely exhausted with it all, I am again in bed as I write this and can't seem to stop crying as I am isolating myself more and more as I feel so low. I am totally confused by what I am reading and just want to get some answers. I have made an appointment to see an endo privately on Tues which is two hours away from me and I really can't afford as not been able to work but now not sure what to do, I picked him off the list supplied by thyroid uk as it noted that he prescribed Amour, which I guess is a more natural med??

I just want to feel better and get my life back!!

[Hidden]

I can fully empathise with you, regarding wanting your life back.

I've just joined this forum too and have had more help and support here than my GP gave me.

I'm awaiting GP blood tests and hoping he'll treat my low ferritin. I'm not holding my breath with the hypothyroid though.

If he won't treat thyroid I'm having full thyroid panel and the ferritin, B12, Vit D and folate from Medichecks or Blue Horizon.

Good luck.

[Mcrawley in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, I hope you get sorted out too.

[Hidden]

Thank you, fingers crossed.