Hi Everyone and thank you in advance for any replies.
I was diagnosed underactive 2 years ago and taking 125mcg Levothyroxine daily but unfortunately after all this time I constantly feel lethargic all the time. I can easily sleep 15 hours plus a day and still feel I haven't slept at all. My weight has gone from 10st 2lbs to 15st 2lbs. My doctor says he will check my bloods again in a year but I feel that this should be done sooner. I am afraid to ask for this to be done sooner as I feel my relationship is not to good with my GP. I just feel as though i can't cope with how I feel any longer.
Maybe these two links will be helpful as we do need doctors like this one who understands metabolism and none of the nonsense that many doctors believe nowadays.
It's no wonder he cannot accept any more patients.
By reading posts and asking questions you can begin to learn how best to bring yourself back to good health.
What you need to start is a Full Thyroid Function Test.
It should be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a 24 hour gap between your last dose of levo (or whatever you take) and the test and take afterwards.
You need:
TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.
B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Deficiencies in vits/minerals also cause symptoms.
You take thyroid hormones either first thing when you get up with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating. Food interferes with the uptake of the hormones.
If preferred you can take at bedtime as long as your stomach is empty (about 2 to 3 hours after eating). If having a blood test next a.m. miss this dose and take after test and at bedtime as usual.
Get a print-out of your results with the ranges. Ranges are in brackets after results and are necessary for members to comment upon them.
Just to let you know you are not alone, I take 75mcg of Levo and can sleep the same amount as you, there is no way that I could work feeling like this - I put it down to it just being how I am - after all I was the only child that would want to go to bed! But coming onto this site, I realised there could be a problem with my thyroid, so the doctor is coming out to do a full thyroid and vitamin test tomorrow (private) and I can then investigate what needs to be done. This could be your route too.
If you really can't get your tests done sooner at your surgery - and I personally would be trying a different GP - then why not get your own private test done and present the results to your GP explaining that you felt so unwell and desperate that you had to do private tests because he refused.
Do the whole thyroid panel plus vitamins and minerals for a full picture
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. If on Levothyroxine, don't take 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. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's very important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
I recently been told that Vit. B1, can raise energy levels Advice is to start with a low dose (100 mg) or even less which would probably mean splitting the tablet. Good luck if you decide to try - let me know how you go. I'm going to ask TUK if ok to take with levo.
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Advice please! Tired of feeling ill!
So tired and fed up!
Tired and achy 
Tired of being tired and tired of doctors... 
Still so tired :(
