Is it thyroid related??

[deb25426]

When I eat anything within 15 mins or so i go fuzzy headed and very lethargic, legs feel like I’ve run a marathon.. any ideas??

[Lalatoot]

The stomach and the brain are the 2 biggest users of T3. Have you had your levels checked recently. Could be that your T3 is low. Just a thought...

[deb25426 in reply to Lalatoot]

Ok, thank you for your reply... it’s a strange experience. Feel really weak with it. I have an Endo appt on 30th so yes my T3 will be tested (and other stuff) before I go. X

[hdm46 in reply to deb25426]

Hi Deb

Having had RAI therapy, adequate control of symptoms by achieving an ideal medication dosage is definitely hard for most people. Most commonly there can be an inadequate amount of T4 prescribed or there can be a failure of the conversion of t4 to t3, which occurs to some degree in 40% of people treated with T4 only.

There can also be food food sensitivities to gluten, dairy or lectins such corn. This may be especially important if there is any anti too or tag antibodies present in your blood.

It’s unfortunate that natural desiccated thyroid in the uk. In my experience, people not responding to synthetic T4 do much better on NDT when on an adequate doses, independent of TSH levels.

So be sure to have your T3 levels checked and interpreted properly.

I hope that you will soon find the appropriate solution that will eliminate your troublesome symptoms.

Hdm46

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking?

Best to Always stick to same brand of Levothyroxine

Always recommend getting full Thyroid and vitamin testing BEFORE seeing any specialist endocrinologist, especially if it's private consultation

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also 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. 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).

If/when also on T3, make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

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

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

come back with new post once you get results and ranges, members can advise on next steps

[deb25426 in reply to SlowDragon]

I’m taking 125 T4. My vit d is “within range” but still not at 125. Don’t know bout b12 as not been tested. My ft3 & ft4 is really good from the last bloods (May). Not private Endo nhs. What it TPO & TG

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to deb25426]

TPO and TG thyroid antibodies are tested to see if cause of hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune thyroid disease

About 80-90% of primary hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's

Ever had thyroid antibodies tested?

Vast majority of NHS patients forced to test FULL Thyroid and vitamins privately

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_...

The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 in top third of range and FT3 at least half way in range

All four vitamins need to be regularly tested and frequently need supplementing to maintain optimal levels

NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.

nhs.uk/medicines/levothyrox...

[deb25426 in reply to SlowDragon]

I’m Hypothyroid due to RAI nearly 17years ago.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to deb25426]

So you may benefit from strictly gluten free diet

RAI was presumably due to Graves

Low vitamins are common after RAI

You can have Hashimoto's as well

Medichecks or Blue Horizon will test vitamins and antibodies

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal

While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet




(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)




Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

20% Patients with no thyroid can not regain full health on just Levothyroxine

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[deb25426 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for all the information. I had RAI (yes graves) as I was allergic to carbimazole and other meds like it. They made me quite poorly!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to deb25426]

Suggest you get full Thyroid and vitamin testing

Come back with new post once you get results and ranges

[MaisieGray]

It might be an extreme degree of post-prandial somnambulism perhaps. I experienced that reaction to eating for several years, some years back, but didn't seek any help about it and it eventually abated without my doing anything.

There is also of course, the direct connection via the vagus nerve and the wider parasympathetic nervous system, between the digestive tract and the brain, which might be over-reacting for whatever reason. My trigger nowadays is that when my IBS is prompting an urgent visit to the toilet, again I experience the symptoms you describe - and without understanding the brain:gut axis who would think that reaction would be 'a thing'.

[TaraJR]

I was diagnosed with reactive (post prandial) hypoglycaemia, after a prolonged glucose tolerance test. I felt wobbly, shaky, weak and fearful about 2 hours after I'd eaten, and it was proved that my glucose level dropped significantly at that point. Maybe you have something similar. I'm careful to eat regular snacks - mostly protein - during the day, so that it doesn't drop. Having said that, when I started on T3, the problem was vastly improved.

I'd say definitely check your T3 level.

Or try finger prick blood glucose measuring, if you can get or borrow a kit. Also, try taking some glucose tablets when you go fuzzy etc, and see if they help. That's not a permanent answer, but it may help to show if it's a low blood sugar problem.

[deb25426 in reply to TaraJR]

Thank you so much