Hi im 35 with 3 children. I had alot of 'hormonal issues ' in all prenancys. I have always been on antidepressants on and off (sensibly) after my 3rd baby in 2016 i have been bleeding 3 weeks out of 4..heavy! Im tierd alll then time properly exhasted..and my kids thankfully sleep pretty well. I was told i had a thyroid problem given meds...but feel no different. What do o need to ask for it was 4 months ago when o got prescription didnt tell me to go bk?
Thanks any advise welcome x
Hi Smuse, Your doctor should not have abandoned you if you have any gland problem. If you've been on anti depressants you probably have had either adrenal or thyroid gland problems since they both impact neurotransmitters. What medication did you receive? Was it levothyroxine? This needs to be monitored and increased as needed. Did he have you take blood tests for TSH and T4 or T3? Please post them if you can. Also, call your doctor tomorrow and find out any instructions he failed to give you and then post again here.
Thank you so much for reply...im now thinking maybe i neber needed to be on so many antidepressants who knows. yes thats what they gave me 25mg but i know me and i feel exhausted..2 kids at school and my youngest is nearly 2. Ive been bleeding 3 weeks out of 4 since i gave birth..told its normal (for how long) i called drs and said so do i just keep taking these tablets, aa i was told over phone i needed to pick up prescription. They said the dr will contact u if needed?
WHAT??? I've read a thousand posts and never come across anyone who could manage on 25 mcg. of levo or Synthroid unless they were 80 years old. Are you in the UK and the NHS?
I'm not saying that pregnancy can't temporarily throw off your thyroid gland but usually it persists. The thing is....the doctor should go over all this with you and often you have to keep increasing your dose until you feel more normal. It takes adjusting after each dose so you should have had at least three by now. I'm incensed. Yes, bleeding is a sign of low thyroid but there are many others.
Rule 1, do not count on your doctor to treat this correctly, very few do.
Get more tests and insist on seeing the results. Really important to know your TSH, FT3, FT4. Then to determine whether your thyroid is sluggish due to an autoimmune attack or not, you need to have two anytibody tests done.
Here is a short video that tells you the thyroid hormone is a most important gland. youtube.com/watch?v=nZ_CP7l...
I was given 25 mcg in july still on that i also take sertraline and my contraceptive...everything is hormones. Im really forgetful shattered as soon as i wake up cant concentrate tried to see doc no joy so i have ordered a privite test covering bp04 ? Im sick of feeling like a zombie and hearing i have kids and a job...thats not a new thing ive had kids and a job for many years ..uhhh
So today i called for my blood results and was told by the receptionist my results were satifactory..so i asked do i need to take meds still or is it satifactory because im taking meds...she obvs didnt know..so i asked for a call bk from dr. They called me and was told to keep taking 25mg for a year then get bloods checked again...because of bleeding (over a year) o was told to stop taking pill and use condoms...see if that resets me???
Sigh. All right, the PILL probably is throwing hormones off to some degree but the symptoms you have are hypo symptoms and unfortunately antidepressants can interfere with thyroid hormones.
We are not doctors so I hesitate telling you what to do about your other medications. Plus you have been through so much and the bleeding, you really need professional help. I can't believe what they have told you to do. Can you see another doctor or get a referral to an endocrinologist? At least someone who can advise you and get the test results. I often post this video by Dr. John Bergman because he explains what hormones really do.
youtube.com/watch?v=SDphVgA...
Its wierd never really felt 'normal' but was my normal...from 11...ive always been on some sort of antidepressants. I knoe it doesnt work likenthis but i dont feel depressed? Prob cause od tablets 100mg anti dep... now im thinking was it a hormone thing and its masked by anti d? I told doc i dont feel any better than b4 i took thyroid meds...she then said she thought was the pill...
Sorry i prob feel like ky counceller...i understand if ur getting tierd of my questions.😁
Oh, no, not tired of questions, but some I can't answer. Men like Dr. Bergman DO understand and teach very well. Many others do as well but the thing is we need to see the tests. It's a pretty complicated condition which I think your doctor doesn't want to deal with. You aren't taking enough Levo to make any difference. People take four or five times more than that. Can you get more tests done by ANYBODY????? I'll get you a list that's recommended.
This man is a real authority. These are the tests he feels are necessary. hormonerestoration.com/Test...
Your amazing thank you...i ended up ordering a private test? Sorry tmi...i have no energy no libido generally low..no reason ro ne really its always been my norm but worse in last year or so. I called dr surgery today they can see me 7th nov! Yes uk sth west (wiltshire)
If you are in Wiltshire there is a good natural doctor in Winchester but you would have to pay.
Good, take charge. Your digestion is probably way off due to inflammation in the gut so try to get as many nutrients as you can and also use digestive enzymes so that they break down particularly minerals and amino acids. You may need to use an acid like vinegar especially with starchy meals but not at the same meal you use digestive enzymes. Two nutrients your body cannot make and need to come from food or supplements are essential fatty acids and vitamin C. Coconut oil is great addition. I spread it on toast or put it in a smoothy.
I know your flooded with information but just do what you can handle.
Hi Smuse get a different doctor sweetie you need to be look after the depression medication will make thyroid disorders worse I recommend you read dr Amy Myers book or Izabella Wentz book on thyroid disease
Thank u
First thing is do you have any actual blood test results? If not you need to get hold of them. You are entitled under data protection laws.
You may be able to view test results online - ring and ask about this. If you can then apply for online access to your account. All GP practices are supposed to offer this, in reality very few have blood test results available online.
If not then ask for print out of recent tests. Pick up in a day or two. They may make a nominal charge for paper.
You need to know results for TSH, FT4 and FT3.
Do you also have high thyroid antibodies? You need to know. Did GP or Endo ever test these? If not ask that they are tested.
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known as autoimmune thyroid disease). About 90% of hypothyroidism in UK is due to Hashimoto's.
Hashimoto's very often affects the gut, leading to low stomach acid, low vitamin levels and leaky gut.
Low vitamins that affect thyroid are vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. If they are too low they stop Thyroid hormones working. Have these been tested, if not ask that they are.
Always get actual results and ranges on all blood tests
With very heavy and long periods, ferritin is very likely too low
When we start on Levothyroxine, normally at 50mcg, not 25mcg. Then should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change.
Dose increased in 25mcg steps, retesting each time until TSH is around one
Make urgent appointment to see GP and request full Thyroid blood test and vitamin D, ferritin, folate and B12,
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. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw or
All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after.
Welcome to the forum. Sadly there are many on here thatcknow more about treatment than the doctors do so stick with us! I understand it is quite. Moment for thyroid issues to start after pregnancy do you are not alone in that. Your doctor has started you on a. Dry low dose usually now only given to the elderly of someone with heart problems but no matter. In theory it's only held you back for six weeks but in practice much more as he hasn't followed up treatment. We are started on a low dose, usually 50 mcg , to get our bodies used to the medication but each new dose takes about 6 weeks to build up in your body then you should have been retested which would have shown you needed more so an increase would have been given. These continue in 25 mcg increments until you are up to the dose that is right for you. So you must get another blood test and increase and repeat the cycle until you are fully medicated. There is a lot to learn and it's a steep learning curve so when taking your medication it should be on an empty stomach with a full glass of water. The water makes sure it gets to where it needs to be absorbed and then nothing more other than water for an hour. Food stops it absorbing well and it's important that you get a fegulsr dose each day. There are other things as well to take into consideration and these can befound on the Thyroid Uk site who run this forum.
Another good habit to get into is to always ask for copies of your bloods, not just thyroid butcaby otgersas well. Always make sure you get the rangesas well as ranges differ from lab to lab. If you post your results we can help you to understand them but without the ranges we would just be guessing. It can be useful to keep a diary as well if your dose, results and lingering symptoms so you can track your progress. I do wish I had done this! So get that blood test sorted and take on board what I've said about taking meds etc and you will have made a good start. When you can read up what THYROID UK site says and shout out if anything you don't understand. When you get your results post them and we can advise further then though it will take a time before you are optimally medicated so it will take time before you start to feel better. In the meantime get as much rest as you can, not always easy with little ones I know! And keep in touch and we can help you along the way. It's sad so many are diagnosed with thyroid problems but you are not on your own anymore!
It sounds to me as though you are getting very low on iron as well as having a thyroid problem. Low iron makes you feel tired and breathless if you try to do anything. It also causes heavy periods, which in turn makes the your iron levels even lower. Between now and when you see your doctor you could start taking ferrous fumarate 210mg 2 or 3 times a day, with vitamin C to aid absorption and help with constipation. You can get them from Amazon. It will of course affect the results of any blood test for iron that you have in November, which, by the way, you need to have done first thing in the morning having not taken your Levothyroxine for 24 hours before the test, but it sounds to me as if your doctor is so incompetent he probably won't do the iron/ferritin/vitamin tests you need.
You need to take your health into your own hands. Joining this forum is the first step, which you have done, but You need to learn how to get your body together again - doctors often behave towards their patients as if they own the patient's body, but they don't. The chances are you won't need the antidepressants once your thyroid is properly treated (or at least a lot less), then your head will clear and you will get your life back.
All the very best
Hi all..so even though my thyriod tests were satifactory...i was rold to keep taking 25 mg for a yr and then get bloods checked again..and stop taking my pill. EVEN though i told dr im shattered all the time like a Zombie...im always cold i get pins and needles ivw lost weight (i have under active thyroid ) im so forgetful like my brains been replaced with fog its horrible...she said prob the pill...im on my 2nd heavy period for 2nd time this month..heavy painful. I have 3, 7 day periods a month for a long time..they know all this. Can my contraceptive pill really be doing all this to me???? I do have a private test but not sure who can do blood draw, surely i cant ask my gp...noy sure i want to anyway..Thanks again xxx
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