Help under active thyroid !!

[Kay82]

I’ve been diagnosed with under active thyroid when my body starts getting tired just past 12pm my mouth and throat start going extremely sore and burning, I’m in so much pain I have to take pain killers does anyone else have this is there anything to relieve it, also has Levothyroxine made any one feel drug like state they make them that tired I’ve stopped taking them got another appointment in two weeks to see what else I can do ...... ?

[galathea]

Might be the fillers in the tablets. Worth trying a different brand, or taking anti histamines alongside them?

The getting tired half way through the day can be thyroid or adrenal related....

It takesaround 6 weeksto get the benefit of any dose. Ideally your doctor should be testing you ater ever 6 weeks and increasing your dose until you feel more normal.

Its probably taken you a long time to become unwell enough to get a diagnosis. Its probably goung to take almost as long to feel well again.... there are no quick fixes..... sorry... x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much Levothyroxine are you currently prescribed?

How long on this dose?

How high was TSH at diagnosis?

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 is in top third of range and FT3 at least half way through 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)

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks on constant unchanging dose after each dose increase

For full Thyroid evaluation you need 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

You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

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

Levothyroxine should always be taken empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more effective taken at bedtime

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.

Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.

Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Though it is the only one for lactose intolerant patients. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet.

No other medication at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap. Some like calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away

(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)

[Kay82 in reply to SlowDragon]

I won’t know properly till next appointment on what level was but last time she said was really high mention 7 ?? Not sure it’s all too much to take in I’m going ask tho is there any difference from last bloods, I had a baby 8 months ago it all started first it was over active next text under active doc mentioned should be settling now if it was going to ??

I was taking the Levothyroxine the make was actavis I was taking them for six week feeling awful each day then I forgot two mornings on the trot to take them realised the following day took one an I felt bad didn’t realise I’d felt better two days I’d not took them not sure if it was but stopped taking them until my appointment anyway seen a better doc this time who knew more about it other doctor said half of the symptoms I was having wasn’t connected to thyroid anyway she said they are an it will effect most of my body because level was high, it’s not easy to understand it all google give me different answers all the time makes me confused, we are going to talk about what to do next but not until two weeks away which is draining thought because it’s going to take much long process

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Kay82]

Autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) frequently starts after hormone changes....eg pregnancy or menopause

Yes Hashimoto's frequently starts with temporary hyperthyroid phase, (as thyroid physically starts to break down releasing thyroid hormones) before becoming increasingly hypothyroid

Yes it's EXTREMELY common to feel better when you initially stop Levothyroxine.....but the longer you are off the tablets the more symptoms will return

It is possible to have temporary thyroid issues after giving birth.......But yes usually settled after 6 months - a year if this

Make sure to get thyroid antibodies tested

Vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 need testing too

Low vitamin D is extremely common. Are you still breastfeeding?

[Kay82 in reply to SlowDragon]

No I stopped at 4 1/2 months due to all these symptoms I was exhausted like never before, becoming depressed got put on antidepressants but couldn’t shift tiredness low mood with more an more symtoms coming just walking felt like I was wading through thick mud, I prefer just to sit in when I can which don’t think helps my low mood but some days my energy levels are non existent I don’t have after I’ve done everything baby needs I’m exhausted, sometimes just someone touching my are hurts an as I said previously my mouth gets extremely sore and flu like symtoms, they get worse until I’ve had a sleep depending on what needs doing in the house for the kids something I run on empty, also should I be referred to a clinic or just keep going to the doctors thanks

[Wetsuiter in reply to Kay82]

so what was the actual dose of Levo you were taking?

[Kay82 in reply to Wetsuiter]

50 mg

[Wetsuiter in reply to Kay82]

other experienced members will tell you that that s just a starter dose and that its possible to feel worse on a v low dose, and its usually increased every 6 weeks

[Kay82 in reply to Wetsuiter]

Oh gosh what a horrible illness it’s awful when I’ve got the baby all day every day with no break only when she sleeps sometimes not for long or broken sleep Through the night I’m so tired all the time I can’t function, I’m going to try again then when I’ve seen the doctor I will have to get through it feeling awful how long have people taken to get the right dose x

[Wetsuiter in reply to Kay82]

if you re lucky, a few months. If you re unlucky, it can take longer. but you should gradually start to feel better before then. Hope you can get some support with the baby. You re proper poorly and should accept any smidge ofhelp you can get.

(here s a hug (((()))) )