Underactive thyroid post iodine treatment for graves disease

[Verve001]

Hi I'm new to this but I feel it would be good to know how other people manage their underactive thyroid. I was over active 8 years ago then had iodine treatment for graves I'm now underactive have been for about 5 years. I can honestly say I don't feel much different to what I was when I was over active . Put on weight tired pins and needles sore joints I'm at the point where I'm fed up going to the doctor as they just seem to fob me off with oh it's your thyroid I take 75mcg of levothyroxine daily. I'm hoping someone has or is experiencing what I am and may be able to share what has worked for them. 😊Thanks

[bantam12]

You need to get a copy of your results and post them on here, 75mcg is a small dose so more than likely you need an increase.

[Verve001 in reply to bantam12]

Hi bantam 12 ,My doctor won't increase the dose as they feel it takes a long time for my body to get used to levothyroxine years In my case which I keep explaining that surely years can't be right I'm at the point where I feel blood tests are a pointless exercise ..

[bantam12 in reply to Verve001]

Your doctor is talking twaddle !

Dose should be increased every 6-8 weeks until levels are good and you are symptom free, a change of doctor would seem a good move, find one who knows how to treat you correctly.

[greygoose]

Sounds like you also have nutritional deficiencies - very common when hypo. So, ask your doctor to test vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin.

[Verve001 in reply to greygoose]

Hi grey goose, do I have to ask for this to be tested or is it included in the test ? Thank you

[greygoose in reply to Verve001]

Oh, you have to ask. And maybe even insist. Doctors do not understand the importance of nutrients.

[pennyannie]

Hello Verve, just found your post.

I'm with Graves post RAI 2005.

Graves is an autoimmune disease and as such, it's for life, it's in our blood, and DNA.

Drinking the drink, complicates all your blood test results, but no doctor appears to understand this - in fact in my experience, no doctor knows what to do with you.

After medical intervention, either by surgery or rai you have lost the thyroid and it is a major gland that is the main conductor of all your bodily parts.

A fully functioning thyroid would give you approximately 100 T4 + 10 T3 daily.

I believe therefore that it is necessary to have the option of replenishing both these vital hormones.

With Graves we have TSI/TRab antibodies controlling our TSH readings.

That is why we went " overactive " in the first instance. Our pilot light, our TSH, was out of control. Imagine a pilot light that doesn't cut out.

So now, our feedback is " broken " through medical intervention, and our pilot light ????

It is not appropriate to monitor and treat Graves patients on their TSH because it's now not a measure of anything.

All thyroid blood tests need the parameters of a T3 and a T4 measure and medicated to get both these hormones into the upper quadrants of their relevant ranges.

You may find difficulty getting these tests along with the necessary vitamins and minerals that are detailed on this website, from your doctor.

You may need to get them done privately - once with the results, post them on here for people more able than me to offer expert guidance.

Reading list :-

Elaine Moore - Graves Disease A Practical Guide - this lady has Graves and had RAI -

there is also a very comprehensive website ( USA ) based :

Barbara S Lougheed - Tired Thyroid - this lady has Graves and had RAI - she debunks the overreliance of the TSH test for Graves patients - USA based :

Dr Barry Durrant Peatfield - Your thyroid and How to keep it Healthy - this doctor has hypothyroidism and writes about all things thyroid and it is so relevant, especially since we now don't even have one, as we have to work ten times harder to get our health back.