Endocrinologist

[Strayspark]

I can't believe I am going to see the Endocrinologist on the 5th December, I have never been referred to one before, I was diagnosed 11 years ago, hopefully, my high blood pressure will get sorted out, and my sensitive temperature, high cholesterol, and photosensitive problem, I shall post more info

[greygoose]

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are probably hypo symptoms, so if your endo prescribes thyroid hormone replacement, that should - eventually - bring them down. If he wants to give you statins, refuse them.

[Stray in reply to greygoose]

Thank you, i have been taking levothyrixine 100mcg for 11 years, I was on Atorvastatin 40mg for high cholesterol, 7.4 it went down to 3.9 so I asked my GP if I could stop taking it, he said just stop then have a blood test in two months, that blood test is due 4/12/18, hopefully it hasn't gone up. I was taking Ramipril 2.5mg for blood pressure but my blood pressure was high so my GP increased the dose to 5mg, I had a blood test for my kidneys after two weeks and my creatinine was 9 it worried me so I asked to go back to 2.5mg, I have been having uti's frequently

[greygoose in reply to Stray]

100 mcg levo is not a very high dose. You could very easily be under-medicated. So, if the cholesterol and blood pressure have gone up again, it won't be surprising.

Statins do reduce cholesterol, but so what? Who wants a low cholesterol. I think at 3.9 yours is too low. And low cholesterol is far more likely to give you a heart attack than high cholesterol. Plus, statins also lower other things, like Q10 that we need for energy, and sex hormones. Given that when we're hypo we're already hormonally challenged, the last thing we need is low sex hormones! Hormones are all inter-connected.

So, if it has gone up, and your endo suggests statins again, tell him to treat the disease, and the symptoms will take care of themselves.

[Stray in reply to greygoose]

Thank you so much, you have been so helpful, no more statins

[greygoose in reply to Stray]

You're very welcome.

[Stray in reply to greygoose]

To be honest I've had no sex drive for 11 years

[greygoose in reply to Stray]

Well, to be honest, I was thinking about sex when I mentioned sex hormones. lol Perhaps I should have said 'hormones produced by the adrenals.

Sex hormones don't just provide you with libido, they have many important jobs to do in the body, and they - like every other hormone - need to be optimal for you to be completely well.

Having low thyroid hormones can also kill your sex drive.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

High cholesterol is indicative that you may not be adequately treated for your hypothyroidism

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...

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

Absolutely essential to test FT3, both thyroid antibodies and all four vitamins. Also request coeliac blood test

Don't assume that endocrinologist will actually test all thes. You may need to insist

Is this an endocrinologist of your own choice, from the Thyroid UK recommended list?

Most standard endocrinologists are Diabetes specialists, not Thyroid

All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

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 special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

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_...

[Stray in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you, I will try my best to get tested for all, I am taking a B complex at present

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Stray]

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[Stray]

Thank you, I have my blood test today for my cholesterol, no thyroxin what about Ramipril before a blood test