I have had an uat for over 20 years and have been medicated. I have been feeling awful recently fatigued and muscle aches and just a general unwell feeling. My latest bloods revealed my tsh was 70 and my thyroxine has now been upped from 175 to 200.
My gp was surprised at that reading considering I’m already medicated. I feel rough as anything plus also going through menopause.
Could something else be going? I feel like I’m dying!
Do you have any other labs on 175 mcg levo? It could be some sort of error in the lab.
Did they just test the TSH? Or did the do the Frees? If I were you I would ask for a retest doing TSH, FT4 and FT3, because there's something strange about a TSH that high after 20 years!
Everything else was normal. The test had been redone in case of error and the result was similar, I’m on hrt for menopause and wonder if that is interfering although the doctor says not, but if you read the meds sheet it does say there could be some inter contradiction.
OK, I would suggest you get your FT4 and FT3 tested privately, along with your TSH. It could be TSH antibodies causing the problem. In which case, the only thing to do is get the TSH tested on a different machine. If you have a private test, it will be a different machine.
You cannot know if you are adequately medicated without testing the FT4/3. Doctors are bonkers thinking that that tells them all they need to know. It doesn't tell them anything - but as they don't know anything anyway, I suppose it doesn't make much difference! I really feel a private test is the only way out.
Ok thank you how do I go about doing this privately. Any advice greatly received
Perhaps you’re not absorbing the levothyroxine? / or not converting it to T3? When you reach menopause there is less carrier protein in the blood, I wonder if that could have caused you to need an increase in dose?
I’d return for a retest quite quickly, explain how poorly you feel and ask for T3 to be tested, or else prescribed.
Good luck
My doctor said they would only test t3/t4 for people that have just been diagnosed, it’s all very confusing. My doctor knows how poorly I feel as I am practically living st the surgery at the Moment
If you’re feeling that poorly I’d demand a prescription for T3 then. If they’re not able to test T3 to rule out the possibility that it’s low T3 / difficulty converting then you may be best to start T3, then they have to test it.
Or present at the walk in clinic? (If you feel well enough!)
Have you had a change in brand of Levothyroxine?
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.
Many, many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Though it is the only one for lactose intolerant patients
Ask GP for coeliac blood test, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
These must be at good levels for thyroid hormones to work well
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
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.
Have you changed the amount of thyroid meds since being on HRT? I can remember adjusting mine when I stopped so I presume I had to alter them when or around the time I started.
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