50mcg Levo and GP refusing to increase dose

Hi all,

I was started on Levo at 50mcg in January and my GP said after retesting my bloods in March (TSH1.81, T4 14.8 - the latter he admitted wasn't great) should remain on this dose for another 6 months and have another test then. I have Hashis and my previous Medicheck results are on here in a previous post. I'm working on increasing my folate, iron, vitamin D and B12 levels, supplementing heavily with B12 as I have a history of poor absorption.

So I've been on 50mcg for around 4 months already and yesterday submitted a repeat prescription request, asking if I could increase my dose to 75mcg. I'm permanently freezing, have headaches and palpitations, brain fog, no libido whatsoever, tingling extremities, numbness and stiffness in my fingers plus a whole raft of other Hashis symptoms. This is not something to be taken lightly as obviously a poorly performing thyroid can lead to all kinds of issues.

The surgery just phoned and my (now female) GP said she sees no need for my Levo to be increased. So she's keeping me at 50mcg. I'm fuming. And there's no point seeing another GP in the practice as there are only three of them (all pretty useless). Changing surgeries isn't an option either.

I've been reading Dr Peatfield's book and am seriously considering self treating. Would this be with NDT? I fought for years for the Hashis diagnosis, I knew what was going on all along but was fobbed off with CFS/anxiety/poor circulation plus the usual inferences that I'm neurotic. I'm at the end of my tether with GPs and would appreciate any help here: basically, where do I go from here? I'm pretty much decided that GENERAL practitioners are just that. Jacks of all trades, masters of none.

Meanwhile she's running all kinds of blood tests to figure out why I'm getting tingly feet and numb fingers...

Help!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous results showed dire ferritin and low Vitamin D

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You really need to retest thyroid and vitamins levels

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi, I'll send off for another Medicheck test kit. Hopefully they'll have an offer on Thursday. My doctors won't take any notice of the results though, it'll be purely for getting advice from here! I really don't want to stop taking B12 beforehand though - would you recommend stopping my supplements temporarily? The tingling feet and numb fingers thing is concerning and I don't want to make it any worse if B12 (or lack of) is the culprit.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

You need to stop any supplements that contain biotin for week before as Biotin can falsely affect test results

B12 is fine to continue

If supplementing iron and wanting to know base level stop week before too

Vitamin D just don't take that morning

Make sure to do blood test as early as possible in morning and fasting and last Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to test

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks. Just one more question - I'm considering Blue Horizon. They test everything except RT3. It's less expensive (money's tight at the moment) but would it be OK? No idea if there are fewer tubes to fill than the Medicheck kit. Hopefully not.

[shaws in reply to Hidden]

Blue Horizon is also a recommended lab. You shouldn't have any problems.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

Which Blue Horizon test? They are generally more expensive than Medichecks.

With Medichecks you can get 20% off until the end of May with code TUK20, thereafter, code THYROIDUK gives 10% discount on any test not on special offer.

There's not much point in testing rT3, it can only tell you if you're level is high, it can't tell you why it's high and there are many, many reasons for high rT3 not connected to thyroid.

For fulll thyroid panel and all important vitamins:

Medichecks Thyroid Check ULTRAVIT medichecks.com/thyroid-func...

or

Blue Horizon Thyroid Check PLUS ELEVEN bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

They are basically the same test but with the following small differences:

For the fingerprick test, Blue Horizon requires 1 x microtainer of blood (0.8ml), Medichecks requires 2 x microtainers (total 1.6ml)

Blue Horizon includes Total T4 (can be useful but not essential). Medichecks doesn't include this test.

B12 - Blue Horizon does Serum B12. Medichecks does Active B12.

Serum B12 shows the total B12 in the blood. Active B12 shows what's available to be taken up by the cells. You can have a reasonable level of Serum B12 but a poor level of Active B12. (Personally, I would go for the Active B12 test.)

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Great! Thanks, I'll use the discount code and go with Medichecks again then 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

If you wait until Thursday before ordering ......it just might have extra offer of money off

£25 extra for private blood draw, if there's a private clinic near you

[Muffy]

Can you remember what time you had your blood drawn as it needs to be as early in the day as possible, also did you stop your thyroxine for 24 hrs before the test?

[Hidden in reply to Muffy]

Hi, I did for my tests back in April but had more a few weeks ago - not sure what for, think just random ones to try and find out what's causing the tingling and numbness in my hands and feet. They may have tested TSH and T4 then, in which case I would have taken my Levo that morning. I'm having more tests on Friday (again, not sure what for - I get the impression they're completely in the dark despite my suggestions of low iron/B12/lack of thyroid hormone).

But I ordered the Medicheck kit yesterday. I've reached the point where I'm going to try and manage this myself. I'm absolutely freezing cold all the time, forgetting words and now my finger joints are stiff and painful. I've never experienced that last problem before but it's worse at night and affecting my already poor sleep.

Sorry for venting and thanks for replying!