Would you be taking levothyroxine

[Fiaxseed]

If you showed these results. - tsh 0.23 ( range 0.5-5.5) ft3 4.9 (range 2.7-6.1) ft4 13.8 (range 11.0-22.0)

[Lalatoot]

If I had been prescribed levo having previously been diagnosed hypo then yes I would be. There is no cure once the thyroid goes wrong. You can't stop meds because blood results come back looking okay.

[Fiaxseed in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank lalatoot But I wasn't diagnosed hypo. I've never taken Levo. Please Dont misunderstand me here. Carbi was stopped by my gp and assigned surgeon because it was making my condition worse I was told. My gp suggested levo because I told her how unwell I felt.

[greygoose in reply to Fiaxseed]

How long ago was the carbi stopped?

[Fiaxseed in reply to greygoose]

10 weeks ago. To the day I got those test results.

[greygoose in reply to Fiaxseed]

OK, so your thyroid should have settled down by now. And your results aren't brilliant. Your FT4 is very low. So, if you don't feel good, why not try the levo and see if it helps?

[Fiaxseed in reply to greygoose]

Is it still too low.? It was only 9.2 /10 weeks ago. Gp wasnt concerned and didn't even want to see me about it.

[NWA6 in reply to Fiaxseed]

So this is why I’d wait and see because FT4 has risen. With any condition causing thyroid issues it’s never cut and dry, if you had Hashimotos My symptoms would prompt me to have a blood test which would only confirm what I felt. I’ve had my condition for years so I know what’s going on, there’re ‘rules’ I can stick to. How long have you been dealing with this? Is there a pattern. If not then maybe it’s better to wait and see what your pattern is?

[Fiaxseed in reply to NWA6]

Pattern yes. That why I asked about levo. It was very tempting to give it a try 10 weeks ago but I wouldn't have got a true test result. And I wanted that more than anything. I've been dealing with it since 2014.

[greygoose in reply to Fiaxseed]

Yes, well, as we all know, doctors don't know much about thyroid. But, in any case, 10 weeks ago, you'd only just come off the carbi, so they weren't going to put you straight onto levo. They would wait and see if levels rose. But, I think that your present FT4 would be too low for most people, yes.

[Fiaxseed in reply to greygoose]

My gp wanted me straight on it. I told her no I want to wait and see what it does by itself.

[greygoose in reply to Fiaxseed]

OK, well, you could carry on waiting, see if it rises any further. Your FT3 isn't too bad. So, maybe wait a while longer.

[Fiaxseed in reply to greygoose]

Thank you grey goose I can hear the compassion in your words. I can hear your wisdom. X

[greygoose in reply to Fiaxseed]

You're welcome.

[Fiaxseed in reply to greygoose]

I picked up about 2weeks ago. Do we go on blood or do we go on symptoms.?

[greygoose in reply to Fiaxseed]

Should be a combination of the two. But, only you can know how you feel.

[Fiaxseed in reply to greygoose]

Currently I feel fine with low ft4. It was ft3 thyrotoxicosis I was diagnosed with in 2014 triggered by a ct scan. Trouble ever since.

[greygoose in reply to Fiaxseed]

OK, then maybe best to leave things as they are, now, and see if your thyroid has sorted itself out a bit.

[Lalatoot in reply to Fiaxseed]

Sounds like a real pickle. It is very difficult to make sense of what is going on with our bodies sometimes.

[Fiaxseed in reply to Lalatoot]

Its my gp that worries me lalatoot. I find I have to check up on what she tells me. She was the one that told me thyroidectomy is simple surgery haha

[NWA6 in reply to Fiaxseed]

I think I’d give it a full 6mths to settle and reboot (if it’s going to) it’s nodules you have, is that right? So are you going to go hyper again? Is that why your GP thinks that thyroidectomy is the way forward? What does your Endo say?

[Fiaxseed in reply to NWA6]

A big fat YES that's exactly right. Dont know about my endo. I see her next month.

[Lalatoot in reply to Fiaxseed]

They are all worth checking up on. This site is invaluable. I would be in a real pickle if it wasn't for folks on here. My friend in Germany cannot understand when I go against the medics and say they don't know what they are doing! She is hypo but just listens to her endo in Berlin and all is fine. She is lucky!

[NWA6 in reply to Lalatoot]

Lalatoot. Your German friend sees an Endo for hypo? Big difference from us Brits, hypo isn’t considered worthy enough to see a specialist. And for the majority that’s true. They say 80% of underactive patients do well on Levo alone ( yes probably it’s more like 60% but you get my meaning)

My German friend was on a low dose of Levo when she was complaining of feeling lethargic and her hands began to crack. I suggested an increase and she said no I’ve just had a blood test and my GP says my levels are fine. We talked it through, she went back and demanded an increase and her symptoms abated.

[Fiaxseed in reply to NWA6]

Do you think it might help me take a liking to my gp ?

[Lalatoot in reply to NWA6]

Yes she can pick whoever she wants and just makes an appointment with the endo She can't believe the hoops we have to jump through here. She also doesn't realise how uneducated our GPs are about thyroid.

[Fiaxseed in reply to Lalatoot]

Mine doesn't know the difference between why I need less carbimazole and not more

[Lalatoot in reply to Fiaxseed]

I consider myself lucky with my current endo as she listens and thinks I am quite a character so I can get away with batting back some of her wayward suggestions. I have 1 GP who is lovely and admits he knows little but is prepared to learn and then another GP who knows nothing but is arrogant and bullshits.

[Fiaxseed in reply to Lalatoot]

My endo knows I Dont want thyroidectomy unless all else fails. My gp on the other hand says well you're having it. You'd think I was 2 years old.