Good morning,
I have just returned from a gp apt for blood results. I take 100 mcg levothyroxine daily and have been having leg pains and insomnia for about six months. My GP has advised me to reduce levothyroxine to 75 and 100 on alternative days as he says my tag was suppressed at 0.02 and should be within 0.35 and 4.7.
He also said I am borderline anaemic but not to concern myself with that FBC was 119 and should be 120 to 160. I asked if I should buy OTC supliments he said no need is that correct please ?
Am wondering if this is the cause of my leg pains. I have been putting it all down to the menapause symptoms which have been dreadfull hot flushes night sweats insomnia various pains in legs and wrists.
Would appreciate your input as you all seem much more knowledgeable then my GP.😂
Hello!
As you may already know to your cost, sometimes GP's advice is grounded solely in blood work ranges rather than paying attention to how a hypothyroid patient is feeling or responding to treatment. The experience of members here is that there needs to be a watchful eye on the levels of thyroid hormones and vitamin and mineral levels because there's a difference between something being within a reference range and being in a part of the range that is optimal for effective use of thyroid hormones (whether our own or supplemented/prescribed ones).
An appropriately-medicated hypo patient tends to find that the TSH is suppressed to <1 as that is typical for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo. So, yes, the TSH might be a little lower than the reference range but the other levels tend to be more related to how someone feels.
If you have the results of your recent blood work (TSH, FT4, FT3, thyroid antibodies, etc. plus any vitamins and minerals like iron, ferritin, folate, vitamins B12 and D), please post them, along with their reference ranges, as it will help members to comment. I know that you mention your FBC - is there a ferritin level? It will be easier to comment about whether OTC supplementation might be useful if members can have a fuller picture of your blood work.
Musculoskeletal pain is quite common when people are vitamin D deficient so I'm wondering if you know your level for that.
If you don't have your full results, please obtain a copy by contacting your GP's reception, and then post them, with details of your levo. etc. and that might allow members to make helpful observations or suggestions.
Thanks for your helpful reply I will get blood results printed and repost😀.