Please help!

[Mimimimimi]

Hello everyone,

I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid 7 years ago... I’m not sure if it’s hashis or not. My dad also has it but he’s in his late sixties whereas I was 30 when diagnosed.

I’ve been taking Levo since then. I started on 50mcg and now take 100mcg. I should be taking 100 one day and 75 the next but I have been taking 100 as I hoped it would help me feel better. Which it hasn’t!

I’ve seen a private surgeon today for something else and he has told me to go back to my gp and insist on a referral to an endocrinologist. I’ve been fobbed off for years about this and feel quite anxious.

Any tips on what I should take or say?

When I’ve asked before I’ve been told my levels are normal and they’ve tried to prescribe anti depressants, this is probably because I burst into tears when talking about how ill I feel and not due to any low mood problems.

I find it so frustrating that no one listens. I got diagnosed with fibromyalgia which I don’t have, the joint pain is a symptom of my low thyroid and I also have a b12 deficiency which I have injections for every 8 weeks (that still isn’t enough but took me 2 years to get them down from 12 weekly). My hair is snapping off, I have zero eyebrows, even my eyelashes are falling out.

My skin is dry and waxy on my face and legs. I’m puffy and fat and fed up!!

I am a bit of a pushover so any good reports or anything that may bolster my confidence... particularly around what I could take instead of levo as my GP said that was the only treatment.

Any help appreciated. I feel like I’m dying a slow death here.

Michelle x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

First step is to get FULL TESTING ....but only after 6-8 weeks on a CONSTANT dose

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that 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)

Is this how you do your tests?

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_...

As you already have B12 injections it's likely other vitamins may be low

Come back with new post once you have results and ranges