Hi I am new, I have symptoms listed below:
Eyebrow loss
Eyelash loss
Hair loss
Hard stool
Muscle spasms after coming in from the cold
Heavy and irregular periods
Joint pain
Dry skin
Weight gain
Tiredness
I also have a history of iron deficiency, are any of the above symptoms attributed to hypothyroid?
Thankyou
Sapphirepink,
Some of the symptoms may be attributed to hypothyroidism but some, in particular heavy periods, hairloss and fatigue, can also be attributed to low iron. Joint pain can be due to low iron and to vitamin D deficiency.
Typical hypothyroid signs and symptoms are listed in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
You should ask your GP to do a thyroid function test, ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate test. Arrange the thyroid test early in the morning when TSH is highest and fast (water only) as TSH drops after eating and drinking.
Ok taking 50mcg diagnosed 2011.
TSH 28 (0.2 - 4.2)
FT4 10.1 (12 - 22)
Ferritin 14 (30 - 400
Folate 3.1 (4.6 - 18.7)
Vitamin B12 102 (180 - 900)
Vitamin D 15.3
Sapphirepink,
Has your GP seen those results?
You are very undermedicated with TSH so high and FT4 below range, and severely deficient in ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate.
The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.2 - 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_... Email dionne.fulcher@thyroiduk.org if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.
Vitamin D is deficient. Your GP should refer to local guidelines or the NICE CKS recommendations for treating vitamin D deficient adults cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-d... Do not accept a prescription for 800iu which a maintenance dose to be prescribed once deficiency is corrected. My GP prescribed 40,000iu daily x 14 followed by 2,000iu daily x 8 weeks which raised vitD from <10 to 107. Vitamin D should be taken 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.
Ferritin is deficient and this may indicate iron deficiency anaemia. Your GP should do an iron panel and full blood count to check. If you are prescribed iron it should be taken 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.
B12 and folate are deficient. Your GP should initiate B12 injection 48 hours prior to you taking 5mg folic acid and should check intrinsic factor antibodies to rule out pernicious anaemia causing deficiencies. Symptoms of B12 and folate deficiency are listed in b12deficiency.info/signs-an... go to healthunlocked.com/pasoc for expert advice on B12 and folate deficiency.
Thanks GP has seen them and I had a complete blood count and iron profile done and he commented on the results from them saying they are not clinically significant.
MCV 80.5 (83 - 98)
MCHC 374 (310 - 350)
Haemoglobin 112 (115 - 150)
Iron 5.7 (6 - 26)
Transferrin saturation 13 (12 - 45)
They had exclamation marks by them
Sapphirepink,
Your GP is an ignorant and dangerous fool. Write a letter of complaint to the practice manager and see another GP at the practice or change GP practice.
They have exclamation marks by them to flag up to the doctor that action is required. You have iron deficiency anaemia and your GP should have prescribed 3 x 210mg Ferrous Fumarate daily to correct it. Take 1,000mg vitamin C with each iron tablet to aid absorption and minimise constipation. Take iron 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.
You can buy Ferrous Fumarate and vitamin D3 without prescription but your GP should be prescribing them as you are deficient. You need a GP prescription for B12 injections and 5mg folic acid.
How often has your thyroid been tested?
Wondering how long you have been so seriously under medicated
Do you have any previous test results
Do you know if you also have high thyroid antibodies?
Your Ferritin, B12, folate and vitamin D are all extremely low, dangerously so
This is because your thyroid is so very under medicated.
You need high loading dose of vitamin D
Very likely an iron infusion, certainly iron supplements
Full testing for Pernicious Anaemia and B12 injections plus folic acid supplements AFTER B12
See SeasideSusie detailed vitamin supplements advice to similar terrible results
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Make an urgent appointment, tomorrow if possible, with a DIFFERENT GP
Ask for testing for coeliac disease too
Make formal complaint to practice manager and possibly to local CCG
These ignorant doctors should be named and shamed
I have test results showing TSH over range about 7 times with no increase in dose thanks
Agreed, so obvious, shocking.
Hypothyroid 
Hypothyroid?
Hypothyroidism? 
Not hypothyroid...
Hypothyroidism
