Hi all; having a bad time at the mo. Off work because the brain fog and exhaustion are just too much and worrying about everything! Have the odd glimmer of being ok and think I’m going to go back to work yay..then wake up the next day and could just cry with tiredness. Is it always a yo-yo thing or is this just me getting used to the meds? Only been on them a few weeks. So wish I’d gone to the doctors sooner!! Don’t feel like anyone is taking it seriously; my partner is lovely but says things that make me think he feels like I’m not as bad as I say. Mind you it must be confusing to see me do stuff one day and the next just lie on the sofa and stare into space! No idea where the days go some times; other half asks me what I did all day and I just can’t tell him..think I just sat at the kitchen table staring at a wall! Am just about to ask the doc for another sick note for next week because I’m just not able to concentrate enough for my job (and have to cycle there and back at 10 miles a day which makes me want to weep just thinking about it!) and last week she was all surprised I wasn’t feeling better yet...just hope she will let me have another week as I just cannot cope with it right now. Feel like I should be able to ‘shake it off’ and so used to being active and multi tasking but cannot even remember at this point how I could manage all of it! Just on here posting because it feels so lonely right now stuck at home by myself with no one else who understands. Yeah basically feeling sorry for myself!
Feeling Pathetic!: Hi all; having a bad time at... - Thyroid UK
Feeling Pathetic!
It’s not surprising that you are feeling the way you do, having just been diagnosed. You need to be kind to yourself and allow yourself time to recover and you will once your medication is optimised. Unfortunately this is a slow gradual process so you will need a lot of patience.
Do you have your most recent blood test results? If you post them here along with your current medication then members can give some advice.
Hi thanks for your kind words. Trouble with the brain fog is my results didn’t stick well in the memory! One of them was just over 20 and the other 4.8 not sure what way round or of any others! Was also anaemic but am used to that after years of being a vegi; have gone gluten free which seems to help my stomach so I’ll stick with it. Dose was 50 on Levo and when I returned last week the doc upped me to 75. Taking supplements at different times than my Levo. Not sure how long I have been hypo but my monthly cycle started going wonky at the start of last year and it was only that going totally haywire that sent me to the GP. I thought it could be peri menopause but researched first, did a test bought online for hypo and menopause and the hypo came out positive. Doctor initially said she didnt expect it to be that and told me it is more likely to be a virus causing the exhaustion etc but did bloods anyway-called the next day with my results apologising! Just been so damn tired and foggy it is driving me nuts.
I’d call the Doctors and request a printout or email copy of all your results ... you’ll need them to track your recovery progression.
Don’t just get them over the phone as mistakes can be made and you’ll need the test ranges as well as the test result, so a printout is the best option.
Thanks I will ask her to printout the next time I’m there (probably next week!)
Also ask if she has tested the thyroid antibodies. You’ll want to know if you have Hashimoto thyroiditis.
First thing is, do you have any actual blood test results?
if not will need to get hold of copies. 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
You need results and ranges for TSH, FT3 and FT4, plus have you also had thyroid antibodies tested
Also vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested.
Add results and ranges if you have them, or come back with new post once you get results
Do you supplement B12 anyway already? If not you are likely to be deficient
It takes 6 weeks for each dose to have full effect.
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase. Dose increases slowly in 25mcg steps until TSH is around one and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range
All four vitamins need to be optimal too
All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH and lowest FT4. (Patient to patient tip, not to be mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Hi and thanks for the reply. I did get full bloods done but was given the results by phone the first time and the second time I asked to see them and promptly forgot the specifics! All I can remember is one was 20 and one was 4.8 I think; bloody brain! I expect I’ll be back there next week so I’ll get a printout then. She said everything else was ok apart from slightly anaemic. Been taking multivitamins and thyroid support at opposite ends of the day to my Levo. Doc seemed shocked I wasn’t feeling better after 2 weeks.
Essential to test thyroid antibodies to confirm cause is Hashimoto's.....sounds like it is as you are finding gluten free helpful
Ask GP to test vitamin D, folate and B12
"Thyroid support" sounds extremely dubious....most contain kelp or iodine
As you most likely have Hashimoto's both kelp and iodine should probably be avoided
drknews.com/iodine-and-hash...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
Multivitamins are not usually recommended on here either for same reason, often have iodine in and cheap ingredients that give too little of benefit
List of hypothyroid symptoms
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...
Please be assured that you are not pathetic. And you cannot just shake it off. No-one can. It is a serious illness that takes a long time to resolve. All things hormonal work slowly - hormones are not like aspirins. And, nobody can understand that - not even doctors! - unless they have been there themselves. Try to explain to your partner, but it will take him a while to realise just how ill you are. Mainly because you probably don't look ill, but also - as you said - your state isn't consistant. There are good days and there are bad days, and he is just going to have to come to terms with that, just as you are, I'm afraid. 
Just reading your post and agreeing with with everything you have said. Yes it is exactly like that to feel hypo. It’s very weird how it almost feels like you should get able to shake it off but can’t. I totally get that. And it’s almost cruel how you have “good” days and even “good” hours and in that moment you feel like ok maybe I’m getting better, or maybe I was making a fuss and I’m not that bad. And the. It hits you again and you realise you are still not well and it is that bad.
I have avoided and fought not being off from work and have battled on even taking a new job which I have managed to do over the last few years of being ill but at the detriment of absolutely everything else in my life. I have no friends any more as I never have that energy to do anything at the weekend and definitely not after work. Not even to call someone. In the last few weeks/months all the pressure has started to affect both mine and my husband’s mental health. So the week before last I finally gave in and went on sick leave, have been doing reduced hours this week and am thinking of taking more sick leave next week if I don’t feel better. Feel a bit crap about it to be honest and angry that this thing I can’t control is having such an impact on my life. I am going to have to reduce my hours which I don’t want to do but hopefully this will mean I will have some resources left to do something else in my life other than work.
My situation isn’t the same as yours so yours is likely to be a quicker recovery (🤞🏻🤞🏻!). I have Grave’s disease and it is suspected that I also have hashis. I was diagnosed hypo last year, went on levo in May and started to feel better gradually but almost back to normal by September. So it takes 4/5 months ime for levo to take effect from starting the meds. I have since developed an overactive thyroid and been on carbimazole and it is now suspected I am hypo again (I certainly feel that way, blood test on Tuesday!) and in a wait and see period of 6/8 weeks so on no meds at all. Have been feeling increasingly hypo for about 3/4 months now. If I am put back on levo it’s another 4/5 month wait before I feel “normal” again. 😢
Re your partner. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t had a long term illness understands what it is like and what it means. For most people, you get ill and then you get better after a few days or weeks. You can push through and get on through most short term illnesses if you really need to, and that is the limit of their experience. It’s taken my husband up until a few months ago I would say to really get it and accept it and I have been unwell for 3/4 years now. And it’s taken me a long time to accept my limitations too as evidenced by my stubborn refusal to give up or reduce my working hours. It’s hard to adjust to but hopefully you will be someone that does well on levo and will hopefully be feeling better in a few months.
Has anyone mentioned that you shouldn’t be doing any strenuous exercise until your thyroid hormones are optimal, it will deplete your T3 and make you feel very unwell for a number of days afterwards. Gentle exercise only! If you start to feel well enough to work you may need to work out another way to get to and from work for a while.
Hi I can so relate to your story I found out in sept I had hashimotos before that I was hypothyroid , I have energy one day and zero the next I’ve gone from exercising rigorously to lose weigh to feel like me again to nothing now plus I had surgery on my hand 2 wks ago which prevented me going to the gym or driving anyway , I posted my story here a while back and I’m due to my bloods re done after 8 on Monday and thanks to the kindness of others on here I’m going in armed as I feel I’ve been fobbed off by both GP and endocrinologist they have upped my meds 5 times in less than 2 yrs but I feel worse now than ever with fatigue and brain fog which my endo said was no relation to my Thyroid bTW and not to google anything yet they explain nothing about the severe constipation or bloating or to avoid gluten I’ve learned all that from this forum and googling sites , I think we just have to be more gentle with ourselves and realise that this condition is a bit of a rollercoaster! Thankfully my husband is very supportive I have found a trainer who understands and is working on a specific slow program for me to return to exercising which will be nothing like it was before so I need to accept that lifestyle change also as the gym was my saving grace and I felt like I had control of my hypothyroidism rather than it controlling me so you’re not alone in feeling the way you do , I’ve read so many of the stories on here but couldn’t reply because of my hand being bandaged up ! I wish you luck Just tell your GP you’re not up to returning to work it’s your life your body they need to listen to the patient more
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