Aching all over itchy scalp

[Gillybabe]

I am on 75 mgs for thyroid. I still ache lower back and now starting to ache around ribs and chest bone. Whether I have pulled myself but feels like ache not a pain and now getting a headache in the morning. My results last time were TSH 0.2 t4 17 t3 4. In fact the doctor wanted me to do 50 mgs and 75 mgs alternately. But I said I wanted to stay on 75 mgs as I had been on 50mgs before and ended up with a tsh of 6.9 and t4 10. Now I am wondering whether I am slightly over medicated as tsh 0.2 and that is giving me bone ache. I have had lower back pain before but never in my ribs and neck with headache. The lab ranges are tsh 0.35 to 5. T4 10 to 22 and t3 3.5 to 6.5. Any comments would be helpful.

[shaws Administrator]

I am sorry you have pains/aches and not feeling well. You have to also give the ranges when you give the results of your tests. The reason is that labs differ and it makes it easier to comment on them.

Before blood tests were introduced along with levothyroxine, we were diagnosed upon our clinical symptoms and given NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones) and the doses were between 200 and 400mcg daily. One doctor, deceased, said that nowadays we are given too low a dose to keep TSH in range, whereas before the blood tests NDT was increased gradually until we were symptom free.

This isn't the case for many people who are on dose of thyroid hormones which doesn't relieve their clinical symptoms.

You need a Free T4 and Free T3 blood test - the first gives us an idea of what is circulating and is it converting to sufficient T3. T4 is inactive and should convert to T3. T3 is the only Active thyroid hormone and it is this which is needed in all our receptor cells.

If GP wont or lab wont do these two, you can have them privately from one of our recommended labs.

Medical professionals fail to be knowledgeable about disabling symptoms we can have if not optimally medicated. I wouldn't lower your dose as too low a dose backfires and we feel worse so the aim is a dose of thyroid hormones which improves your health, or a change from levo to another but we don't have that freedom in the NHS nowadays. We used to. have good and sympathetic doctors who knew all how to treat patients' symptoms. Nowadays only look at a blood test result.

[Gillybabe in reply to shaws]

I did give labs reference ranges.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Gillybabe]

Apologies as I didn't see them at the end of the sentence. Your T3 is near bottom of the range and it is T3 which is the only Active thyroid hormone. Maybe you don't convert T4 adequately or are not yet on an optimum dose of levo. You were right to stay on 75mcg.

TSH is from the pituitary gland which, if thyroid gland is struggling, tries to flag up more thyroid hormones and that's why it rises. The recommendation is after diagnosis and prescription of levo a TSH of 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 towards the top of the range but the latter two are rarely tested in the NHS. We do have private labs which can do these.

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

[shaws Administrator]

You could be having a reaction to fillers/binders in levothyroxine. To find out if you do, take one anti-histamine tablet 1 hour before your next dose of levothyroxine and if it relieves your itchiness somewhat, you need to ask chemist to change levo to another make of levo. There is several different makes.

Your GP might have to give you another prescription.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I get itchy scalp when not on high enough dose of Levothyroxine

Have you had vitamin D, Folate, ferritin and B12 tested? If these are too low, it stops thyroid hormones working and bloods suggest over replacement , but actually you remain hypo

Your FT3 is low suggesting you are under medicated

For full evaluation you ideally need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

If you are unlikely to 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 and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results

Link about antibodies

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