Hypothyroid

[wildekathryn]

Looking for some advice or at least find out if it’s just me. I’ve been hypo for just over 6 years, the last few months I’ve had awful symptoms of anxiousness, mood swings, can’t sleep but waking up ever so tired and so many more. It has affected my relationship to the stage we have almost broken up, my family don’t like being around me and I’m snapping at everyone at work. After calling the doctors and explaining my symptoms of depression but not actually depressed and all the above I get “okay, so what do you want me to do about it” - finally got another appointment and all my bloods done, I am now hyper. I know this explains the above, at least my doctor thinks as much but how long will it take for me to feel “normal” again. I’ve been told 3 months. Have others felt like this and if so how did they over come it and not let it affect their relationship and life. The way I feel, I would never wish on my worst enemy. The constant mood swing and crying all the time is physically and emotionally draining me. Thanks in advance.

P.s - if anyone thinks I am depressed, I know it’s not depression as I have struggled in the past and this is completely different. It’s like I can’t control these moods swings, which can be over 5/6 times a day.

[Clutter]

Wildekathryn,

If you post your recent thyroid results and ranges we can see how overmedicated you are and estimate how long it will take for thyroid levels to drop into normal range.

[wildekathryn in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter,

The only one the doctor gave me was my TSH which was 0.006. Everything else he stated was ‘normal’ but I can speak to them Monday and get my full blood results, if that would help everyone. My doctors are very funny about printing results the last 3 years.

[Clutter in reply to wildekathryn]

Wildekathryn,

If FT4 and FT3 were normal you aren't overmedicated even though TSH is very suppressed. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

How much has GP reduced dose?

[wildekathryn in reply to Clutter]

Thank you, I will give them a note. It was reduced by 25mg, so back to the same dosage I’ve been on for almost 6 years. Early last year they increased my dosage and in the last few months I’ve felt quite the opposite hence going back. My dosage is only small when compared to others... 75mg, was 100mg.

[Clutter in reply to wildekathryn]

Wildekathryn,

It's hard to comment without seeing the results but if you are feeling overmedicated you should start feeling less overmedicated after a week to ten days as the higher dose washes out.

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

Definitely get hold of copies of test results, you are legally entitled to your own blood test results

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Essential to test thyroid antibodies, FT3 plus vitamins

Private tests are available

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 ideally 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. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

With Hashimoto's levels can swing up and down. Hyper phase can be very short lived.

[SilverAvocado]

The fact this has been a sudden change makes me wonder if Levothyroxine is starting to give you trouble. It's quite common to be fine on it for years and then suddenly not do so well.

I think you definitely need to see those results. If it's easier to pay than wrestle with the GP surgery, you can get a mail order finger prick test from Blue Horizon or Medichecks.

You need to see TSH, freeT4, freeT3, and perhaps antibodies. And if you can afford the extra get ferritin, folate, vit D and vit B12 as well. They do these as packages where all the tests are done from one sample.

As others have mentioned, Hashimoto's can cause flare ups, short periods of being hyper as extra hormone is dumped into your blood stream. It would be amazing to see the older set of blood tests, too.

Handling relationships is a difficult and big question It's common to have partners be very un sympathetic to illness. The biggest thing that helps me with coping overall is Mindfulness meditation.

And also beautiful writing about how to cope, such as the Dear Sugar online column, How to be Sick by Toni Bernhard, general Buddhist stuff.

[wildekathryn]

Doctors have agreed to send me my blood results so when I get them tomorrow, will post them up

[wildekathryn]

Okay so got my results. These are the ones that came back abnormal:

Red Blood Cell Count: 5.15 (range: 3.88-4.99)

Serum Potassium: 5.3 (range: 3.5-5.1)

Progesterone: 1 (range: 0.2 - 0.5)

TSH: 0.05 (range: 0.3 - 3.94)

Serum Free T4: 20.3 (range: 12.3 - 20.2)

So... I didn’t realise I had that many abnormal results 😧😧