Hi I was diagnosed as having underactive thyroid 20 yrs ago,taking 75 / 100mg levothyroxine alternate days seemed ok on that.
2 1/2 yrs ago started feeling unwell night sweats hot flushes then cold,low & fed-up.anxious,almost like being over active,was given a course of anti depressants,
early2016 dropped to 75mg levo.
Last blood test 5/11/17 TSH 10.7 Free T4 14.2
dose upped to 100mg levo. Now feel even worse aches,joint and back pain and really fed up feeling this way.
for the last 6 months I have been taking 100mg of Lustral Sertraline as perscribed,all to no avail.
aged 71 HELP.
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Breena
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Hi Breena It seems from those numbers that you are under-medicated, which could be causing/exacerbating your symptoms. Whilst you wait for others to reply in greater detail it would help for you to add the reference ranges (the figures in brackets) so that members can see exactly where your levels sit, within the ranges. If you have any other results, post those too, including your thyroid levels which led to your dose being reduced - some symptoms, confusingly, can indicate being both over- or under-medicated.
With a TSH of over 10, you are very, very under-medicated, and it's not surprising that antidepressants aren't helping. Your dose needs increasing by a lot more than that. But, you have to go slowly - a 25 mcg increase every six weeks, until your symptoms are gone and your TSH is one or under. So, get a retest six weeks after starting the 100 mcg and demand an increase in dose.
Blood test should be as early as possible in morning and fasting. Don't take Levo in 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. this gives highest TSH and lowest FT4 as there is over reliance on test results not symptoms.
Have done this today. Blood tests tomorrow morning.Will post results when we get them.my hubby just had a thought when taking levo in the morning as I always do would a cup of decaf tea have any affect on the levo?
Also am thinking of taking some highly absorbable, fast acting liquid curcumin,(500ng ) any thoughts on if it would cause problems.
Thanks I had blood drawn today have decided to try taking levo at night then I can have my tea(decaf) in the morning. WILL POST BLD RESULTS when I get them.thanks for your help.
At last blood test results not in plain english but maybe someone can tell us what they are we did ask for was thyroid antibodies,Ferriitin,Folate,B12, Vit D3 B2 Iron Zinc TSH, FT4 ,FT3, rT3,totalT3, stand by for a long read. those with( NNA ) = normal no action reqd as said on report
Sethyroidperoxdase Ab conc (DDG3004) (nna) 4 iu/mL 0.00 - 50.00iu/mL
PlasmaC reactive protein (nna) <4.0 mg/L 0.00 - 10.00mgL
This is too low. You need to self supplement. GP can only prescribe 800iu which is unlikely enough
Better You vitamin D mouth spray is good. Perhaps try 2000- 3000iu for 6-8 weeks.
Retesting via vitamindtest.org.uk £28
Aiming for around 100nmol
B12 465 ( 200-900)
GP would think this fine. You may not. With thyroid issues we often need B12 at high end of range
If you experience any low B12 symptoms you may need to supplement. Sublingual B12 lozenges and/or a good vitamin B complex. This helps keep folate good level too
If you are 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
Medichecks Thyroid or Blue Horizon Thyroid 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, lowest FT4 and most consistent results
Thanks for info We will go for blood checks privately , we were never told to fast and not to take levo 24 hrs before tests.
all tests done before this last one were none fasting
May 2015 feeling very unwell
TSH 1.7 (0.35 - 5 )
FT4 19.8 (9 - 24 )
levo 100 / 75 alternate days
Dec 2015 feeling very nervy on the go all the time. Hospital Endo reduced Levo dose to 75
TSH 2.7 (.35 - 5)
FT4 16.7 ( 9 - 24 )
FT3 3.7 ( 3.5 - 6.5 )
Sept 2016 yearly test Still not feeling well
TSH 3.7 ( .35 - 5 )
Vit D 87 (75 - 200 ) perscribed 800
Nov 2017 feeling extremely unwell
TSH 10.7 (.35 - 5 )
FT4 14.2 ( 9 - 24 ) Levo uped to 100
Sorry to be a pain but full details may give give a better picture
At present I am suffering with so many aches and pains,pushing myself to do all the normal things,I feel like throwing all the pills in a bin.I am still cutting back on the sertraline I am down to 50mg for the last 3 wks and will go to one every other day.
Well you are now very under medicated. A TSH that high no wonder you were feeling terrible
Most patients need a TSH around or just UNDER one and FT4 towards top of range
You have never had FT3 tested
Or had antibodies tested
Ask GP if they can please test Thyroid antibodies
If antibodies are high this is to diagnose Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease. Important to know.
You should get bloods retested after 6 weeks on new dose.
Ask GP to test TSH, FT4 AND FT3
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, lowest FT4 and most consistent results
These are patient to patient tips (plus endocrinologists who are thyroid specialists also recommend this too)
Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased
Selenium supplements can help improve conversion of FT4 to FT3. Look for one with vitamin E in as well
Please see post of 4 days ago tsh was under 1 you did comment on the last test report the g p was asked for antibodies etc bear in mind all previous tests ere non fasting 0ur last results were fasting and the tsh had come down from 10.7 to .35.sorry if I gave you the wrong info.
Sorry to butt in SlowDragon, but reading down this thread I think Breena's results from four days ago do seem to include antibodies (albeit with a typo which is easily done!): Thyroid Peroxidase Ab 4 iu/ml (0-50 iu/ml). I'm still a novice at this so apologies if I've got that wrong though... But still no T4 or T3. Good luck Breena as you look for the best way forward - you'll get good advice here from people who know far more than me!
Despite taking enough Levo to get FT4 high in range and low TSH, your FT3 is not very high
You might need small dose of T3
Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.
In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.
Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.
This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."
You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor
please email Dionne: tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Professor Toft recent article saying, T3 may be necessary for many
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