I posted a couple of months ago when my TSH went up to nearly 11 (after decades of it being managed nicely on thyroxine).
I've just had my bloods back again and after 8 weeks on an extra 50mcg - now on 150 - it's still over 9. I do still feel rough - irritable beyond belief (it's been a happy summer holidays for all ), achy bones, definitely verging on depressed (i put this down to the fallout from the husband crisis - he was suddenly scarily poorly out of nowhere - but maybe thyroid related?), waking every 2 hours so very tired. I'm still struggling to keep weight on (but am coeliac with bile salt malabsorption too so I'm assuming that's the culprit here).
Doc is calling me back tomorrow - I assume to discuss putting up meds again. Anything else I should ask him (other than t4/t3 info)? Is it odd that 50mcg doesn’t seem to have made much difference, or is it just that I need more thyroxine?
Tilly if you haven't had a full thyroid panel recently I would ask for one. Definitely get ft4 and ft3 done. You need to see how much ft3 is being converted. Have you had vitamins tested recently? This also plays a part in how well thyroxine works. They need to be optimal not just in range.
Once yo have these figures you can begin to guess what your body is up to!
Perhaps more of your thyroid has now failed, perhaps following the recent increase in stress. You will get well with further adjustment.
Thanks all. I will ask for full panel and vitamins etc too. I’m coeliac as well as hashis so totally gluten free.
Interestingly your comments have made me aware I’m not actually sure what hashis physically does to the thyroid gland. Does it actually destroy it bit by bit (as coeliac does to the gut villi) or is it more complicated than that? Odd I’ve never considered that in 20+ years
As you are coeliac and have Hashimoto's, low vitamin levels are extremely common
What vitamin supplements do you currently take?
Low vitamin D, B12, folate and ferritin are very common
Low magnesium common too with gluten free diet/coeliac disease
Have you had change in brand of Levothyroxine?
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to regularly test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
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 all vitamins
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
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