First of all I want to say a huge thank you - without these forums and your help I never would have known how to get tested or treated for my symptoms and now that I am sitting here with treatment for what my endo believes is central hypothyroidism after almost 2 years of failing health and what feels like missing out on my early 20s I am so grateful. After posting my medichecks results and symptoms on here it was recommended I see an endo and luckily one of the listed endos on thyroid UK lives fairly near so we went to see him. He was the most helpful, kind and understanding consultant I have ever seen after being passed around almost every department and various consultants for years who have no ideas about my various symptoms and results or acted like I'm exaggerating/making it up. He said from my results and symptoms it looked like a pituitary problem and performed 17 blood tests to check my full function and vit/mineral levels. I just got back today from my follow up and he said that luckily my other pituitary hormones are OK but despite blood test being done at about 1.30pm and not fasting my T3 and T4 were both worse than a few weeks ago - he said my T4 was RIGHT at the bottom of range about 12.5 normal above 12 and my T3 was under range just below 3 (range 3.1+). He has prescribed me levothyroxine and given me 25mg for first 4 weeks then 50mg a day for 2 months (starting smaller just in case of side effects like palpitations) for a review in 3 months. I am so grateful I could cry and just wondered if there is any tips/advice going forward? He said it will be a slow improvement - my main troublesome symptoms are my slow and difficult digestion - I am eating small plain meals and no animal protein because of uncomfortable burping/regurgitation/fullness and silent reflux if I try to eat normally and I also suffer with fatigue, amenorrhea, severe cold intolerance and constipation. I am also eating far less than I normally would/should but not losing weight - though I neither need or want to - but I imagine this will change after a time on levo. Is the digestion something that will take a while to improve? Is it worth trying to eat more as I start levo and using lemon juice etc to try and aid digestion in the mean time? Thank you so much again for all your help!
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liaratsoni
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my main troublesome symptoms are my slow and difficult digestion - I am eating small plain meals and no animal protein because of uncomfortable burping/regurgitation/fullness and silent reflux if I try to eat normally
One extremely common effect of hypothyroidism is having low stomach acid. The symptoms of low stomach acid are similar to what people assume are high acid symptoms. But having high stomach acid is rare! Indigestion, heartburn, bloating, feelings of fullness, wind and burping are far more often caused by low stomach acid than high stomach acid.
To test your stomach acid levels read this page and try the baking soda test.
If you get a result suggesting you have low stomach acid there are various ways you can help yourself.
Betaine HCl is one. It is an artificial substitute for stomach acid. You need to buy the type that includes Pepsin in the capsule, which is required to digest protein, including meat. But read these links first before you buy or try Betaine HCl - it isn't suitable for everyone. Avoid it if you have a history of gastritis or stomach ulcers, or if you take NSAIDs or corticosteroids or any other medication that can irritate the gut :
Other things that people try for low stomach acid are :
1) Apple cider vinegar (which is the US name) or just cider vinegar in the UK. You need to try a brand which has "the mother" in it, and is organic and unfiltered.
The Braggs cider has become very popular, and the price has rocketed as a result. The Aspall cider is much less expensive and has all the properties required. So I'd try the cheaper one first.
To try the cider option you start off with a low dose - say 1 teaspoon diluted in a small glass of water. Start sipping it (use a straw to help in avoiding the teeth) just before you start a meal and sip it throughout the meal, aiming to finish it by the end of the meal. You can raise dose by a teaspoon at a time up to a maximum of one or two tablespoons, depending on results.
Note that drinking vinegar, even when diluted, isn't great for teeth and it can temporarily soften tooth enamel. To deal with this, DON'T brush teeth immediately after the meal because over time you might remove your tooth enamel. Just rinse and spit plain water until you feel the vinegar has been washed out. You can brush your teeth normally about an hour after you've finished the vinegar and water - the enamel should have hardened up again.
Some people add a few drops of lemon or lime juice to make the vinegar and water more palatable to them.
2) Another possibility, for people with more delicate digestion, is digestive bitters. I've never tried this, and I have no idea how effective it is.
You may find that using one of the suggestions above will allow you to eat your normal diet again.
I am so glad you found your answers. I have none from 3 consultants, including a private one, though I didn't get him from Thyroid UK list, perhaps I should have another look.
I'm so sorry! I understand the struggle with consultants. I've been passed around so many departments and faced some truly dismissive doctors. It might be worth looking at the list as this is the first endo I have seen and after a useless experience with a private consultant (not endo) before I was keen to not waste money again and he was so so helpful and understanding. I can PM you who I saw if it's helpful - I live in surrey
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