Under now over active thyroid.

[Clarabella72]

Hi there been on 125mg of levothyroxine for 10years now, I have been unwell for a few weeks now, weird headaches dizziness chronic heartburn that won’t go away and the past few days really bad heart palpitations this list goes on! Ended up going to hospital to be checked out and now my thyroid is overactive!!! Need to reduce meds how can this happen? 🧐🧐

[greygoose]

It can't happen. Not truly over-active. If you are hypo, and your thyroid can't make enough hormone to keep you well, it cannot suddenly regenerate and start making too much hormone.

However, you could be over-medicated. When did you last have an increase in dose?

Or, it could be that you have Hashi's. Have you had your antibodies tested? Hashi's is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks and slowly destroys the thyroid. As the cells in the thyroid die, they release their stock of hormone into the blood, causing levels of T4 and T3 to rise sharply, and therefore the TSH becomes suppressed. This is not the same as being truly over-active.

But, this is all conjecture without seeing your actual blood test results and ranges. Do you have a copy? If not, you ought to get one and post it on here. Then we'll know what we're talking about.

[Clarabella72 in reply to greygoose]

Hi yes thanks for that I will get a copy of them. I’m going to the GP today because this is not getting any better my heart feels like it’s beating out of my chest and my headache is horrendous. Xx thank you for the advice ❤️

[greygoose in reply to Clarabella72]

You're welcome.

[Suffolklady in reply to greygoose]

Sorry I have to disagree. In January I was under active then next bloods in March I was over active.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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 and thyroid antibodies if not been done

If vitamin levels are low this can make conversion of FT4 to FT3 much worse

This can result in appearing to be over medicated

Or if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) having a temporary hyperthyroid phase as thyroid is attacked can cause temporary odd results

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).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Is this how you do your tests?

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

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

For thyroid including antibodies and vitamins

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

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

Add results and ranges if you have them

Or come back with new post once you get recent results

[gizmomonster]

I had this happen. I was hypo after pregnancy then went hyper after 10 years. 3 medication reducations later, ended up getting a thyroidectomy because they couldn't control the thyroid or the medication dosage. If I went off the medication, I went hypo. If I stayed on I would have bouts of hyperthyroidism due to a nodule and changing hormones.

With Hashi's you can go up and down. Also, changing fluctuations of hormones like estrogen and progesterone as you get older can cause your thyroid to go up or down.

Some people can also have Hashi's and Graves at the same time. Get your antibodies checked!

[Clarabella72 in reply to gizmomonster]

That’s great thanks do I just ask my GP to get my anti bodies tested? X

[eachpeach]

It also happened to me. I was diagnosed with Hashi's then a few months later was also diagnosed with Graves'. Agree with comment above - you need to get thyroid antibodies checked to see if it's truly Graves' (hyper) or just a blip in your Hashi's. If it IS Graves' you need different treatment as quickly as possible. Best of luck.

[Clarabella72 in reply to eachpeach]

Thanks so much x

[Clarabella72]

Been to GP have asked for a full blood count to be done he was very dismissive x

[Lora7again in reply to Clarabella72]

Why was he dismissive? He has a duty of care to his patient and you are feeling ill.

I would see a different GP if I was you.

[Clarabella72 in reply to Lora7again]

Yes I’m going to I also told him I thought he was rude and that I prefer someone to make eye contact with me when I’m talking to them lol. He seems to think it’s perfectly normal to be over medicated after 10 years of being on the same dose. Blood tests tomorrow and results next week x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Clarabella72]

For full test 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

Frequently NHS only tests TSH

Come back with new post once you get results

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

[Clarabella72 in reply to SlowDragon]

Really? I’m about to get mine done and I was told to take my thyroxine as normal

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Clarabella72]

About two hours after swallowing a levothyroxine tablets (and that time does vary), people have a spike in Free T4 concentration in their blood.

If you are tested for FT4, what will be seen is that spike. The spike slowly reduces over the hours and FT4 probably drops to a value that more closely approximates your "average" FT4 about 8 or so hours later.

No doctor on the planet can take account of that spike - because a) it is very sharp; b) the precise chape will vary even in an individual. Ask them how they will cope with that peak.

The ONLY sensible approach is to test in the trough - the hours before taking your next tablet.

(TSH is much less affected but time of day does have a significant impact on TSH with a peak in the early hours and a trough in the afternoon.)

[Clarabella72 in reply to helvella]

It will be about 4 hours since I took my thyroxine. Thanks x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Clarabella72]

So you will have false high FT4

A few knowledgeable thyroid specialist endocrinologists always advise no Levothyroxine in 24 hours prior to blood test.

Vast majority of medical staff unaware of significance of when taking Levothyroxine

So This is patient to patient tip

Most important results are FT3 and all vitamins

TSH is highest very early morning and drops after eating and tea/coffee

Frequently only TSh is tested which is obviously completely inadequate

Full testing available privately via Medichecks or Blue Horizon

[Clarabella72 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much I cancelled my appointment and rescheduled for next week. So that way I will get a much clearer picture thanks x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Clarabella72]

Book test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/252...

If you normally take Levothyroxine first thing in morning, just delay taking until immediately after blood test