is there a link between hypo and change in temperature?

[bevlah]

I’m a 49 year old women and was diagnosed as hypo 13 years ago after I thought I was going mad. It took 6 months to become “ well” again . I take my Levo religiously every morning . For most of the time I’m ok but every autumn I start to feel unwell again . This year has been awful and I have been signed off sick I cannot concentrate am very emotional and can’t string a sentence together tsh is 15.7 and t3 low . Does anyone else notice a cyclical pattern to their symptoms and impact on health . I have seen and endo once last year but he just laughed at me I don’t think he had any idea about thyroid conditions ! I’ve had all test don’t for peri menopause and it’s not that . Any ideas ?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

your TSH is extremely high, no wonder you feel rubbish

Have you had 25mcg dose increase in Levothyroxine? If not see GP to request

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Vitamin D levels rise in summer and drop in autumn

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

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. When on Levothyroxine, take last dose 24 hours prior to test, and take next dose straight after test. 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 important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Aurealis]

You’re undertreated ..

That’s why your tsh is so high and why you feel poorly.

x

[bevlah in reply to Aurealis]

I was taking 125/150mcg alternate days now it’s been increased to 150 daily bit I know this take a while to have an effect , I’ve been back to work and barely managed the last 2 days I’m going away to Spain for a wedding st the weekend and feel totally overwhelmed at the moment!

[Aurealis in reply to bevlah]

In the days when I took Levo I did notice a cyclical pattern but not now (on T3 with NDT). I used to know within three days if I’d reached the correct dose though it would take six weeks for test results to stabilise. I know this isn’t the case for everyone.

For a large TSH and with you poorly enough to be signed off, that’s a very small increase. Do you have a heart condition leading GP to be very cautious?

Take care, hope you soon feel better.

[retrieverk9]

OMG! If I didn't know better you sound Iike me 17 years ago. I was referred to a Gynaecology consultant who proceeded to put me on Prozac! Listen to your body, don't be fobbed off by the NHS. I work for the NHS on an administrative basis, its a wonderful organisation, but still has a lot to learn. At 66 yrs I have just this year been diagnosed with under active thyroid, much better, but still not right yet. Good Luck

[milkwoman]

Dr. Kenneth Blanchard (God rest his soul) believed strongly in seasonal changes affecting dosage of T4. He found his patients (I was lucky to have been one of them) to require slightly more T4 in the colder months and slightly less T4 in the warmer months.

To prep for an increase in the colder months, he would advise a “jumpstart” which meant, he would have a patient increase the dose of T4 by 50 percent to 100 percent for 3 to 5 days, then bring it back to a slightly higher dosage than they were taking before.

To prep for a decrease in the warmer months (or even in the cases of over medication), he would advise stopping T4 for several days, then resume it at a lower dose.

Generally speaking, the results of increasing or decreasing T4 in this manner are realized in 2 to 3 weeks, rather than the normal 6 weeks.

[Gillybabe48]

Do you mean tsh is 15.7 or T4 is 15.7.

[bevlah]

Tsh 15.7 t3 2.5