Fainted after week of extreme fatigue - Thyroid UK

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Fainted after week of extreme fatigue

AnnaSo profile image
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Hi all,

Reaching out to you as once again I lost faith in any help from medical practitioners.

I have been battling Hashimoto’s for 12 years. Been on Levo 150 for 10. In November 2017 Endo told me to reduce to 125 given high FT4 and my symptoms of fatigue, low libido, hair loss, weigh issues and (horrendous) water retention. She said this was as I was overmedicated. I though to myself, these look like hypo symptoms and given my blood results my T3 looks low and fever has been top range so maybe conversion issues but I was stupid and listed to her. In February, 3 months, circa 10kg and weeks of feeling awful later I did the panel again. My TSH went from suppressed to nearly 4, both FT4 and FT3 dropped. I was like, great! Thanks a million for that! I contacted her and she said to increase to 175, I though to myself, no thanks for your advice. I reached out to online forums and got advice to drop Levo to 100 and take 25 of T3 to boost them to to range. I followed that advice. Weeks went on with no effect really up to circa 10 days ago when I started to feel weaker and weaker. I have to say it was a very stressful time at work and at home too. Eventually I had to take time off work as was too tired to work and function. I returned to the office on Thursday and passed out at circa 12:30. I started to feel weaker and weaker, my started to race, my legs turned into jelly, I had extreme headache and started crying like a lunatic. I refused the ambulance, my boyfriend was summoned and the company driver took us to nearest GP practice. They run ECG which was fine. They blood sugar test which showed 3.1. They also took blood and said they would follow up with me the next day with results. On Friday, I had to chase them as no one was reaching out to me all day and I was obviously worried. Finally the nurse who was there on the day called saying all your results are fine so all good. I was like errmmm excuse me? Am I? Cos I fainted yesterday... if I was fine why was that? She said she wasn’t a doctor so she would not know. The told me the doc looked at the results and said all is fine. Sure, thanks mate!

I’m not a qualified medical practitioner but I’m also not oblivious to my condition and I know about the main peculiarities that surround Hashi. After couple of quick checks, my fainting symptoms and blood sugar of 3.1 suggested it could have been an episode of hypoglycaemia. Since the diabetes was ruled out through the blood test this could have been driven by low cortisol, I’ve read. The doctor was made aware I’ve been struggling with stress recently and battling thyroid for over 10 years - adrenals? From what I know adrenals and Hashimoto are close friends so this is how I’m connecting the dots at the moment. But he obviously did not bother checking or coming up with some sort of explanation on why this happened. Cos you know, I’m fine.

:((((

Anyone has any suggestions on the course of action here? I currently work and live in Sydney so on private health so can do check and doctor visits anytime easily. I have a regular GP open to helping me out so as soon as I figure what to do next I’m convinced he’d support the investigation.

June 2017 (Levo 150)

TSH 0.2 (0.4-3.8)

FT4 18 (10-22)

FT3 3.8 (2.5-6.5)

Reverse T3 438 (170-450)

November 2017 (Levo 150)

TSH 0.2 (0.4-3.8)

FT4 27 (10-22)

FT3 5.0 (2.5-6.5)

February 2018 (Levo 125)

TSH 3.2 (0.4-3.8)

FT4 13 (10-22)

FT3 3.3 (2.5-6.5)

April 2018 (Levo 100 T3 25)

TSH 0.9 (0.4-3.5)

FT4 13 (9.0-19.0)

FT3 3.4 (2.5-5.0)

Other:

Ferritin 11 (15-200) - I know shocking! I’m been on injections they, just as tablets, did nothing. I’m vegan.

B12 281 (135-600) - dropped recently

Folate 24.6 (>7) - been stable

Vit D 75 (50-150) - soaking the sun, no supplements

TG 124 (<4.5) - stable

TPO 416 (<5.5) - dropped significantly recently

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AnnaSo
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shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

I am sorry you have had such a horrendous journey and it looks as if you haven't had a decent day after 12 years.

I am not medically qualified and have hypothyroidism but I did not improve on levothyroxine. Many people do not and have to have T3 added to their T4. A combination of 3:1 is recommended. In the UK T3 is 20mcg and 5mcg. Elsewhere T3 is 25mcg. 25mcg is around100mcg (approx) of levothyroxine.

Most on this forum self-treat and source their own hormones.

Your last FT3 is too low and should be nearer the upper part of the range.

Myself - I have taken levo alone, NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones - the original replacement before levothyroxine) and T3. T3 is what suits me - it has released all clinical symptoms and I feel well but everyone is different but I think everyone, who is not recovering on levothyroxine should be permitted to trial other options. Sometimes all that is needed is a dose of levo which resolves symptoms but they usually only look at the TSH and if it is in range don't increase and also don't know symptoms.

Go to page 80 and read top left statement for equivalence:-

tpauk.com/images/docs/reduc...

B12 is recommended to be nearer 1,000 in order to try to prevent dementia/alzeimers. We supplement with methylcobalamin B12 sublingual tablets.

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