Hi everyone, I am 21 years old, female. I am currently being monitored for autoimmune hypothyroidism/Hashimotos. It has come as a bit of a shock to me to be given this diagnosis. My heart had been beating really slow, about 47 beats per minute, eyes becoming puffy, very tanned everywhere, cold hands and feet, constipation, heavy periods, dry skin. I also have eczema and possible coeliac disease and confirmed PCOS. I am taking 25mcg levothyroxine, when will I likely feel better on this please? I feel very alone with this. Advice greatly appreciated, thank you
*TSH 20.3 (0.2 - 4.2)
*FT4 10.1 (12 - 22)
*TPO ANTIBODY 447 (<34)
*TG ANTIBODY 804.3 (<115)
Written by
Kyla665
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Welcome to our forum and I am very sorry you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's. It is the commonest form of hypothyroidism due to you having thyroid antibodies. The antibodies attack the thyroid gland and wax and wane until you are hypothyroid. It is a lifelong autoimmune thyroid disease.
You can help reduce the antibodies by going gluten-free.
The dose your've been given of 25mcg of levothyroxine is so extremely low unless you are very frail with a heart disease. Common initial dose is 50mcg with a blood test every six weeks with a 25mcg increase until TSH is 1 or lower.
All blood tests have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take it afterwards.
The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower with a Free T4 and Free T3 near the upper part of the range.
Ask GP to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.
Your PCOS may be helped by taking thyroid hormones and I shall copy a page I have about it.
Extract re PCOS:
Multiple Ovarian Cysts as a Major Symptom of Hypothyroidism
The case I describe below is of importance to women with polycystic ovaries. If they have evidence, such as a high TSH, that conventional clinicians accept as evidence of hypothyroidism, they may fair well. But the TSH is not a valid gauge of a woman's tissue thyroid status. Because of this, she may fair best by adopting self-directed care. At any rate, for women with ovarian cysts, this case is one of extreme importance.
In 2008, doctors at the gynecology department in Gunma, Japan reported the case of a 21-year-old women with primary hypothyroidism. Her doctor referred her to the gynecology department because she had abdominal pain and her abdomen was distended up to the level of her navel.
At the gynecology clinic she underwent an abdominal ultrasound and CT scan. These imaging procedures showed multiple cysts on both her right and her left ovary.
The woman's cholesterol level and liver function were increased. She also had a high level of the muscle enzyme (creatine phosphokinase) that's often high in hypothyroidism.
Blood testing also showed that the woman had primary hypothyroidism from autoimmune thyroiditis.
It is noteworthy that the young woman's ovarian cysts completely disappeared soon after she began thyroid hormone therapy. Other researchers have reported girls with primary hypothyroidism whose main health problems were ovarian cysts or precocious puberty. But this appears to be the first case in which a young adult female had ovarian cysts that resulted from autoimmune-induced hypothyroidism.
The researchers cautioned clinicians: "To avoid inadvertent surgery to remove an ovarian tumor, it is essential that a patient with multiple ovarian cysts and hypothyroidism be properly managed, as the simple replacement of a thyroid hormone could resolve
the ovarian cysts."[1]
Reference:
1. Kubota, K., Itho, M., Kishi, H., et al.: Primary hypothyroidism presenting as
multiple ovarian cysts in an adult woman: a case report. Gynecol. Endocrinol.,
24(10):586-589, 2008.
Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records. Ranges are important and you can post results for comments.
Thank you! I have had vitamins tested. I don't know what they are. I don't have a heart condition or frail but I have a very strong family history of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke
From now on always request a print-out of your results, with the ranges, for your own records and you can post if you have a query.
When you are on an optimum dose of thyroid hormones which suit you and you feel well, I believe thyroid hormones may prevent you developing heart disease as the thyroid hormone T3 is required in every one of the millions of T3 receptor cells in our body.
T4 also called levothyroxine is an inactive hormone. It has to convert to T3 also called liothyronine. T3 is required in our T3 receptor cells to enable our body to function normally, i.e. we feel well with no symptoms, heart functions well and temp usually returns to normal. Before we're diagnosed we can have low temp/pulse.
If are in the UK, I'd make an appointment for six weeks ahead as surgeries seem to have long queues nowadays and make it for the earliest possible as TSH is highest then. Doctors are apt to go by the TSH alone.
As your dose is increased you should begin to feel better. The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and Free T4 and Free T3 in the upper part of the range. The latter are rarely tested but we have two private labs which can do these.
Also as dose is increased you should begin to feel an improvement and I hope your doctor is knowledgeable but members will help you and this is a list of clinical symptoms and you will probably have quite a few:-
Read and learn from posts on the forum so that you will become knowledgeable as many doctors in the UK seem to only look at the TSH and adjust dose according to it and ignore clinical symptoms.
You have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease also called Hashimoto's which is the commonest form of hypothyroidism and the antibodies attack the gland until you are hypo. I shall give you two links:-
You might know more than your GP in a few months time.
Once you get to a dose which suits, you will feel well and be able to do all you did before. It may take a while as it has probably taken a few years before hypo is diagnosed.
It's doubtful you ever will feel well on that dose. You might even feel worse. Make sure you go back for a retest in six weeks time, and get an increase of 25 mcg.
When you go for the retest, makes sure that your appointment is as early in the morning as possible, and fast over-night. Leave a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the blood test.
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