Underactive

[Frankboii]

Hi I’m 15 and have a underactive thyroid can I up my dosage myself

[Nanaedake]

Hello Frankboii, How do you know whether you need to up your dosage? Have you had blood tests? Is so, what were the results? Generally this forum suggests people post their latest blood test results for best information and help. If you live in the UK, you can get a copy of your results from your GP surgery, ask for a print out that includes the lab ranges, and if you live in England you can often register to get results through an online portal.

[Judithdalston]

It's great that at such a young age you are thinking about controlling you own health and wellbeing Frankboii; you will find lots of fascinating research and life experiences on this forum too. Have you had all your thyroid blood tests: TSH, FT4, FT3, Total thyroxin, plus two thyroid autoimmune antibodies ( TgAb and TPO), plus your Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin? If so post any results here. You will have gathered most of us on this forum are women over 45, so it's very unusual to find a 15 year old asking for advice. What medication are you on, and what symptoms do you have? What does your doctor or your parents say (yes I know you are thinking lots of us go it alone, but it's often after years of misdiagnosis/ undermedication)...I hope you get your problems sorted out now and controlled well into your dotage!

[jimh111]

The short answer is no. You are a minor and it is illegal for us to advise you to consider it. In any event you need your blood test results and to consider your signs and symptoms. If you are not doing well I recommend you see your doctor and politely insist they sort you out.

[Mary-intussuception]

No.

Are you under an Endocrinologist? If having problems contact him/her via Secretary or see your GP asap.

[greygoose]

On the practical side, rather than the legal, if you increased your dose, your levo would run out before the next lot is due, and you'd have some explaining to do to your doctor.

[Boohbette17]

Hi Frankboli, I would also say no BUT look about what you are eating. Many of us have sensitivity to gluten & dairy ( usually a protein called casein) . You are still developing & you need GOOD nourishment for all your developing needs PLUS thyroid function REGARDLESS if you are female or male. LOVE UP your food intake with lots of good REAL food.🍐🍊🍋🍌🍒🍍🥦🍓🥕🍅🥑🍉 Vegetables ( season them so they are extra yummy - especially if you aren't used to them) Fruit and some meat if its your liking. REALLY limit the white carbs like bread. Give yourself 2-3 weeks & you'll see how much better you'll feel from this action step alone. 👍🤗 HUGS from Ohio 🌈🌅

PS keep in contact w/your doctor for labs

[shaws Administrator]

When you go for your blood tests to check thyroid hormones. These are some hints so that you keep your TSH at its highest on the day of the test:-

1. We take thyroid hormones once a day with one full glass of water and don't eat for about an hour. Food interferes with the uptake of the hormones.

Some people prefer to take hormones when they get up and others at bedtime. If you've eaten before bedtime - you have to leave about three hours between a meal and the dose.

2.. Always get the earliest possible appointment and fast (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levothyroxine and the test and take afterwards. (If you take a bedtime dose, miss it and take after test and night dose as usual the same day.

This helps keep our TSH at its highest and prevents doctor putting dose lower when we might need an increase.

Always allow one hour gap between taking levothyroxine and food as food interferes with the uptake of the hormones.

Once a year ask doctor to test (or if you don't feel well) Free T4 and Free T4 as well as TSH and T4 as they usually only TSH and T4 and we need to know what the Frees are, especially if we don't feel well - they have to be near the top of the range.

Doctor should also check your B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate - to get better everything has to be optimal. We have a lack of the most important hormone in the body (T3) and it is this which is converted from T4 and it enters all of our T3 receptor cells and runs our whole metabolism from head to toe. Brain and heart need the most.

Always get a print-out of your blood test results for your own records and you can post them for comments. Take note of Judithdalston advice of tests to ask your GP to take.

[Eddie83]

Do you have any idea of what the cause of your hypothyroid is? Have you checked to see if you have anti-thyroid antibodies? If you do, you should be concentrating on ways to get rid of Hashimoto's, rather than taking the simple out of increasing levo. Nutrient deficiencies, unsafe foods, and environmental exposures can all have negative effects on the ability of your thyroid system to function well.

[Frankboii in reply to Eddie83]

Yh I have hashimotos

[Judithdalston in reply to Frankboii]

Best way for most to help limit Hashimoto's disease is to go gluten free - reduces the antibodies - so you might have to get your Mum and Dad on your side assuming she/he buys the food and cooks! You will find lots of websites with gluten free recipes.

[Eddie83]

Many "alternative" practitioners discuss the reasons for it, but the one person I would recommend over others is Izabella Wentz, who had Hashi's, figured out how to get rid of it, and wrote books and did online seminar(s) about it. Her book(s) are on bn.com, amazon.com. Bottom line for many people: environmental pollution and unsafe/crappy foods & meds are killing our thyroids. And the average allopathic doctor is clueless about what is going on; many of them won't do anything other than give you levothyroxine!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Eddie83]

This is a link to Isabella Wentz and patients who followed her advice and reduced TSH thyroidpharmacist.com/:

excerpt:

Hey guys,

A few of you have emailed me and said that you were not able to get the program at the 50% off discounted price last night. We’ve decided to extend the offer until the end of the day today.

If this is your first time hearing about the program, here’s a quick overview:

The Hashimoto’s Program is my 12-week Hashimoto’s Self-Management Course that focuses on addressing your root causes and symptoms.

This program will be the equivalent of 12 coaching sessions with me, but is available for a fraction of the cost of consulting with me or another practitioner.

I spent a large part of 2014 developing this program with my clients, and then tested the program with over 1000 participants in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Here are some of the results people have reported (you should expect similar results if you implement the changes recommended in the program):

Here are a few examples of the results we have seen:

“This course is the best course available not just for Hashimoto's, but for any autoimmune illness. I've done many free online conferences and webinars and none came close to this course in giving information that can quickly be used to reduce your symptoms, especially in hard to treat cases. Well worth the money!” -Maria

“This course is a must for anyone who has Hashimoto's Disease. It empowers you to take action so you can live a happy healthy life.” -Kim

“The program is a encyclopedia for people with Hashimoto's. Dr. Wentz is enormously intelligent, talented, and generous with her knowledge of how to heal Hashimoto's.” -Pamela

“Going from doctors and endocrinologists to this course was like night and day. Dr. Wentz opened my eyes to a way of healing that I didn't know existed before. Looking at Hashimoto's (and health in general) from a functional standpoint has made all the difference. I appreciate that she has been through it all, and has a background in healthcare. Her program is evidence-based, yet has a personal aspect and you can tell she truly wants to improve others' lives. I am so glad that I decided to take a leap of faith and invest in this program and myself.” -Laurie P.

[kluang]

could you talk to your parents about how you feel you need more help as you are not as well as you would like to be, and see if they can join this forum to learn how to support you. There is lots that can be done with your diet and supplements that can help you to feel better. You need to get a print out of your test results and post them on here, and someone can help to interpret it for you. You might need some private blood tests doing if the doctor can't provide them. You need the support of your parents first, so please ask for their help.

[Frankboii in reply to kluang]

Don’t live with my parents and my dad died

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Frankboii]

So who is your guardian, you must have one if you are only 15 years old.

[Frankboii in reply to SeasideSusie]

Nan

[Karenk13]

Don't mess with your medication Frankboii thats up to your Doctor or Endo to do. If you feel like you are not on enough go back and talk to your GP please don't try to change your medication without your Doctor knowing.