Hashimoto and corona virus

[Raf063]

Who decided who was on vulnerable list for corona virus, I ask this as I have found out a friends wife with same diagnosis as me was put on list yet I was not

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just having Hashimoto’s is not deemed as making us particularly vulnerable ....Assuming you are correctly treated and recovered

Previous post can see you were on low dose of levothyroxine and hadn’t had full thyroid and vitamins tested

Did you get full testing done?

[Raf063 in reply to SlowDragon]

No gp wont do them, low income, so they will not get done

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Raf063]

Are you still only on 100mcg levothyroxine?

NHS Vitamin D test £29

vitamindtest.org.uk

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Are you on strictly gluten free diet

Improving nutrients improves conversion

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Also ....guidelines by weight might help push for dose increase

Even if we don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until on full replacement dose

NICE guidelines on full replacement dose

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/...

1.3.6

Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.

gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...

BMJ also clear on dose required

bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m41

bestpractice.bmj.com/topics...

Ask GP for full thyroid and vitamin testing

Come back with new post once you get results and ranges

[Lora7again in reply to Raf063]

Most GPs will do a thyroid function test if you request it. Why won't yours?

[Raf063 in reply to Lora7again]

I assume cost, dont really trust them as they left me untreated for 5 years

[Lora7again in reply to Raf063]

Has your Endocrinologist wrote to your GP telling them you have thyroid disease? Usually GPs will follow a Endocrinologists instructions and do blood tests etc. I was left untreated for 2 years and then my GP followed my Endocrinologist's instructions However he didn't treat me that well and you can read my story on my profile page if you are interested.

[Raf063 in reply to Lora7again]

GP Already new had thyroid problem, had test done in 2013, but they never acted on results, not felt well for years and have had shingles about 7 times, it wasnt until I went to see endo last year that I found out been untreated since 2013 test results

[Lora7again in reply to Raf063]

Most GPs don't know much about thyroid disease but you must insist they do blood tests once you have been diagnosed. You should contact your Endocrinologist and ask him to request that your GP does the blood tests.

[Raf063 in reply to SlowDragon]

Seen endo once and she was gobsmacked that I had been left untreated for 5 years, maybe next visit she will do the tests

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Raf063]

Endo only usually does annual review and GP organises REGULAR testing and prescriptions

That’s testing 6-8 weeks after each dose increase in levothyroxine.....(or brand change in levothyroxine too)

Bloods are repeated until Ft3 and Ft4 are stable at higher end of range. Just Testing TSH is completely inadequate

[Raf063 in reply to SlowDragon]

Think I need to change GP

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Raf063]

Thyroid levels should be tested regularly until stable

When was last thyroid test and what were the results?

Hashimoto’s is a tricky disease and the only person who can manage it is you

Keeping good records of test results at each dose

Pushing GP to test vitamin levels at minimum of annually

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)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Raf063]

New NHS England Liothyronine guidelines July 2019 clearly state on page 13 that TSH should be between 0.4-1.5 when treated with just Levothyroxine

Note that it says test should be in morning BEFORE taking Levo thyroxine

Also to test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin

sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploa...

[Hidden]

gov.uk/government/publicati...

The government. It’s laid out on the gov.uk website.