Feel unwell

[TJC55]

Diagnosed hypothyroid 2011, feel so unwell. Have high blood pressure, low heart rate, headaches, feeling low, swelling in neck. Please advise thank you

25mcg levo reduced from 175mcg

TSH 4.88 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 14.6 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.3 (3.1 - 6.8)

[bantam12]

Can you give us some clues, what you are taking and how much plus any recent blood results ? Makes advising easier if we have as many details as poss 🤗

[TJC55 in reply to bantam12]

25mcg levo reduced from 175

TSH 4.88 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 14.6 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.3 (3.1 - 6.8)

[bantam12 in reply to TJC55]

Have you been on that dose since diagnosis ? If so why ? is your doctor useless with thyroid problems ? You are undermedicated hence your symptoms, 25mcg is barely even a starting dose so will do very little to help. Your dose should have been raised every 6 weeks until your TSH was around 1 and T4 and 3 in the upper range.

Have you had antibodies tested to see if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimotos) ?

I would see another GP as your current one is doing you no favours.

[TJC55 in reply to bantam12]

Gp reduced from 175 based on

TSH 1.60 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 18.8 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.9 (3.1 - 6.8)

He didn't like where FT4 was.

I have Hashimotos I think

TPO antibody 271 (<34)

TG antibody 335.3 (<115)

[Treepie in reply to TJC55]

Totally idiotic .All your results are in range .If anything could have done with a small increase to raise FT3 .

Yes you have Hashimotos.

[cjrsquared]

Why was your medication reduced so dramatically? Dose reduction is normally in 25mcg increments. Your bloods and your symptoms show you are under medicated at present.

Have you ever had thyroid peroxidase antibodies tested? If they are raised it indicates that you have hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disease, which causes 90% of hypothyroidism in the uk.

At present you need an increase in dose of 25 mcg then a repeat blood test in 6 weeks and then if necessary increases until your TSH is around one or your symptoms have resolved. If you can get blood tested for folate, ferritin vit d, and vit b12, as the body needs good levels of these to use the levothyroxine correctly. Good luck.

[TJC55 in reply to cjrsquared]

Gp reduced from 175 based on

TSH 1.60 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 18.8 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.9 (3.1 - 6.8)

He didn't like where FT4 was.

I have Hashimotos I think

TPO antibody 271 (<34)

TG antibody 335.3 (<115)

[cjrsquared in reply to TJC55]

Did you feel well on that dose? I would argue that your ft4 was still well with in range. If you still had symptoms it is evident that you do not convert t4 to t3 very well as ft4 was just in the upper third of range and ft3 in the bottom quarter.

Your antibodies do mean hashimoto’s disease. It might be best to start a new post with all the above info so people can get the whole picture. Your gp is obviously poorly educated about thyroid disease. Is it possible to see someone else in the practice?

[TJC55 in reply to cjrsquared]

No I didn't feel well on that dose at all. Gp I see usually is not at the practice she has been off work for 2 weeks

[bantam12 in reply to TJC55]

T4 was perfectly fine at 18.8 well within range so your doctor is an idiot for reducing your dose by such a huge amount, clearly he knows nothing about thyroid treatment, ditch that doctor and see one who knows what he's doing.

[TJC55 in reply to cjrsquared]

Do I post vitamin levels here?

[diogenes Remembering]

I don't often reply to posts like this. But you know, as a scientist trying to solve finding out how the thyroid works and what happens when it fails, this post is one of many that takes my breath away in the sheer ignorance of medical advisers. Neither FT4 nor TSH results are of much help in deciding what medication you should take. Why, because neither of these measurements tell you what the level of the really important hormone (T3) is. First let's take your FT4/FT3 ratio (4.8/1). That indicates you are at best a mediocre to poor converter of T4 to T3. Next, changing T4 therapy from 175 to 25 is an act of the utmost careless stupidity. You simply cannot be subjected to changes as violent as that without the most severe results. Thirdly, your FT3, which is the hormone that controls your health is low in range. Forget the FT4 and TSH - they mean little. I would say that your T4 dose should be enough to get your FT3 to at least 5 if not greater.