Daughters symptoms

[Footello]

I’ll have her blood tests this week but my daughter 26 is getting regular nosebleeds, heavy periods, headaches, lethargy and depression. She’s just been put up to 125 thyroxine - she’s been told tsh too high. Im so so worried

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Is this a different daughter to the one you posted about a few weeks ago, the one who is 32?

What are her thyroid test results, with reference ranges?

If her TSH is too high then she is undermedicated and an increase on dose is the correct thing to do.

Does she have Hashimoto's?

Has she had Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin tested?

[Footello in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes this is my youngest daughter 26

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Footello]

Gosh, that's such a shame that both are affected.

Can you answer the questions please.

[Footello in reply to SeasideSusie]

Not sure. Getting results soon and will post. Thankyou Susie xx

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Presumably you all three have Hashimoto's?

Are any of you on strictly gluten free diet?

Her bloods will need testing 6-8 weeks after recent dose increase

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

Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels if not been done

[Footello in reply to SlowDragon]

I’m seeing what tests she has had unfortunately she doesn’t really take on board how all her problems are possibly thyroid related. Thinks I’m a fussy mother - drives me mad!!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Footello]

Yes.....exasperating

Perhaps just one or two printed pages to give her

Eg

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

If her GP won't test...or she won't request vitamin tests

Then can you get her full testing privately via Medichecks

Or if that's too tricky you could start with just vitamin D test kit

vitamindtest.org.uk

[Footello in reply to SlowDragon]

So she got her blood test back from the doc it had 2 things on it serum tsh level 5.21 and serum free t4 12.6 and that’s it??

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Footello]

So that's correct to have increased her dose of Levothyroxine by 25mcg

Do you have the ranges on FT4 test result? Looks low in range. Each path lab has different ranges

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

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

nhs.uk/medicines/levothyrox...

Also what foods to avoid (eg recommended to avoid calcium rich foods at least four hours from taking Levo)

Her bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Find out when these were last tested

Ask GP to include these in Thyroid retest in 6-8 weeks time

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

[Footello in reply to SlowDragon]

9-22?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Footello]

So when correctly treated her TSH should be under 2 and her FT4 in top third of range.....i.e. At least 18 and Ft3 always needs testing.

NHS rarely tests FT3. Conversion of FT4 to FT3 can be very poor with Hashimoto's

Also low vitamin levels affect conversion of FT4 to FT3

All thyroid blood tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test

As she has heavy periods likely to have low iron /ferritin

As she has Hashimoto's highly likely to have low vitamin D unless supplementing

[Lora7again in reply to Footello]

Her TSH is too high and should be 1 or lower ... she needs an increase in Levothyroxine. Her T4 and T3 needs to be in the upper third of the range.

[Footello in reply to Lora7again]

Sorry I’m confused I’ve not posted her results I don’t know where you’ve got this from - maybe my other daughters a few months ago?

[Lora7again in reply to Footello]

You posted her TSH and T4 above I assumed this was your daughter so forgive me if I posted to the wrong daughter. Why don't your daughters join this site to avoid the confusion?