Help Doctors are useless! :( : After advice i... - Thyroid UK

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Help Doctors are useless! :(

Moonpig22 profile image
9 Replies

After advice i have been taking levothyroxine for 6 months now for hashis undracive thyroid ,after messing doses about and not feeling right (i am now on 75mg) i have now seen a nutrition lady who has put on on paleo diet etc so feeling good about that,having moments of feeling quite low and also have this annoying feeling in my throat i feel like the depression/anxiety only started when my dose was altered,so now even though im not tired im anxious and irritable but not all the time?? Seen 3 doctors each say my levels are fine and that i should take citalopram the throat is apparentky anxiety (it feels like a pill is stuck) ??? IM NOT CONVICED :( im so frustrated by the fact they dont seem to care ?! Should i take the citalopram even though i only feel like this some of the time?

Any advice grateful exhausted mum if two :(

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Moonpig22
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9 Replies
Marz profile image
Marz

Hi and Welcome ! Many members write posts similar to yours :-) To enable us to help and support - you will need to post results with ranges so we can comment and make sensible suggestions and not guess ! Sounds as if you are under treated. Messing around with the dose is NOT helpful when you have Hashimotos.

B12 - Folate - Ferritin and VitD could also be low in range - have they been tested ? Having Hashi's trashes our ability to absorb efficiently.

You are legally entitled to have copies of your test results - or possibly your surgery has an on-line service up and running. Worth checking :-)

Moonpig22 profile image
Moonpig22 in reply toMarz

Thanks Marz

I had my folate tesyed i think il see if i can get latest test results and update the post they are very reluctant to actially give you the test results which is mad xx

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toMoonpig22

You are legally entitled to have copies of ALL your test results with ranges. Ring them up and request them going back as far as you want and say you will be along in a few days to collect them. Be polite but firm ... See link below ... Surely your lovely friendly helpful Receptionist does not want to break the rules :-)

nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?...

Moonpig22 profile image
Moonpig22 in reply toMarz

Hi Marz

I've recently recieved my results last time they tested me they only did serum TSH level which was 3.16 i believe that's normal ,the doctor said they haven't tested any other levels since my first bloods in march where my antibodies were over 600 ??but she didn't give much else away abd was really rude, ive asked about a referal to ENT as still have this odd feeling in my neck/throat of this fails il go private ,on this citalopram for "anxiety" and feel worse now than before as i actually got anxious because they dont seem to care or want to know xx

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toMoonpig22

Lots of excellent advice below - really hope you soon find some answers and feel well ...

Aurealis profile image
Aurealis

My approach is to never accept treatment for symptoms as it is then impossible to adjust yourself until you feel well. In any case you could develop side effects and you won’t know which drug if any is causing them or if it’s non- optimal treatment. Some endos support this view. Adjust dose in direction you feel is needed. If symptoms get worse you’ve gone the wrong way, if they get better .... what dose were you taking before anxiety appeared? Good luck

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

When were thyroid levels last checked. Have you had blood test 6-8 weeks after dose was last increased to 75mcg

As Marz sats you are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges

UK GP practices are supposed to offer online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need enhanced access to see blood results.

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up. They can no longer charge for printing out, rules changed after May 25th 2018

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

Likely your GP only tests TSH or TSH and FT4.....which is completely inadequate

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)

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.

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_...

Come back with new post once you have results and ranges and members can advise

knitwitty profile image
knitwitty

Hi I was just wondering if you have been given the same brand of levothyroxine when you last had your dose increase. Many knowledgeable people on here say you should stay on the same brand as you can have adverse reactions to a change in brand.

It might be worth checking to see if you have been on the same brand.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

Before agreeing to take citalopram read this :

drugs.com/citalopram.html

and check each of the tabs on the page :

Overview, Side Effects, Dosage, Professional, Tips, Interactions

Be aware that SSRIs are addictive and severe withdrawal problems are common. And some side effects become permanent even if you stop taking them.

rxisk.org/guide-stopping-an...

bbc.co.uk/news/health-45717465

.

Doctors love anti-depressants. They save them lots of time and money because they can stop thinking about the patient. They can just blame the patient for feeling ill, blame the patient's mental health, and from now on they will blame virtually everything on your mental health rather than actually treat you (which costs money).

.

Your problem is thyroid related if doctors have been chopping and changing your dose of Levo. You probably have autoimmune thyroid disease. Anti-depressants don't help anyone's thyroid to function more effectively and don't help if the amount of thyroid hormone in the body is not right for you, but getting the dose of Levo right does.

Get hold of the results of ALL the blood tests you've had done over the last 2 or 3 years and see what your situation actually is. (And, probably, be shocked at how often you've been lied to by doctors.)

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