3 years ago a nodule was discovered on my thyroid during various scans for breast cancer. I opted to see an endocrinologist privately just so I could get away on holiday. I had blood tests and a biopsy and was diagnosed with sub clinical thyrotoxicosis. The option was given of monitoring with blood tests or starting Carbimazole, I chose monitoring. I always try to find ways of helping myself through diet or supplements. The consultant looked somewhat bemused and gave me a list of foods to be avoided.
21 months ago I was called in by my GP and told I needed to start Carbimazole and would need to be checked 5 weeks later, great, I was just leaving for a 3 month holiday! I returned to the U.K. armed with all my test results and $500 lighter, thankfully my American friend found a wonderful Endo, she gave me a cheap rate as her mother in law was British. The first comment by U.K. hospital consultant was “ you needn’t have started Carbimazole so early”, as you can imagine it went downhill from there, any symptoms were brushed off with “see your GP for tablets”. I gave up. I realised early on his interest was only diabetes as there were studies by him posted all over the waiting area.
The 3rd Endo I saw was when I was referred for RAI in jan this year. Equally uninformative. My thyroid packed up at the end of March. As you can imagine I haven’t had a face to face consultation, the only time I spoke with the consultant I mentioned my scalp was in a very bad way, extremely dry skin, he paid attention, the minute I said it felt like a cheese grater he lost interest. Any consults I have now are with an Endo nurse.
Since then my scalp is dreadful, on fire, extremely dry and covered in scales, hence the cheese grater effect. I’ve got eye infections, dermatitis? behind the ears, and various horrible rashes on my body plus I’m losing hair. I’m waiting to see a dermatologist. I bullied the nurse into increasing my levo to 100, she also changed the brand from Teva. Are all these issues a result of the levo or hypothyroidism? I’m slowly educating myself through this wonderful site but any help, advice, would be very welcome.
p.s. I did request a check on my vitamin levels , her response was that he didn’t like to do that but she would try, not happened! I’ll try the GP and maybe resort to medicheck
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Roulette26
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I am very hypo its making me very unwell but one of my symptoms is extremely dry skin. I call it across between sand paper and lizard skin and is extremely itchy. My upper back and shoulders hurt a lot and the skin feels on fire, like bad sunburn. I have dry itchy irritated eyes and my skin just isnt good in general, easily damaged very unlike my usual skin plus I have dermatitis behind my ears too.
. I am losing my hair, I have thick hair so you cant thankfully see much difference but I am losing a significant amount and its course and wiry too. I had long thick shiny soft hair, its certainly not that anymore.
At the moment Im trying to find the right treatment as levothyroxine has stopped working but when it used to work I had no skin or hair issues at all.
Before levo stopped working I did have periods of severe hypo and every time my skin and hair was like this and every time with an increase in levo those symptoms disappeared as if they had never happened. Unfortunately thats not happening at the moment but my point is hypothyroidism wrecks your skin and hair amongst a long list of other things.
Seeing a dermatologist will be a waste of time until your thyroid is treated properly, plus all your vitamins have to be right too.
Being told everything is fine by your gp or endo does not mean it is, being in some “ range” does absolutely not mean its right for you.
In hindsight I dont think levo worked perfectly but it certainly helped with the severe symptoms I have now and the difference between then and now is night and day.
Your other recent post says last TSH 8.71 & T4 18. TSH way too high should be nearer 1. FT4 & FT3 should be upper part of range. F?T4 of 18 looks ok (depending on the range, include them if you have them, ranges vary between labs). FT3 Could be extremely low if you are not converting, which is why it should be tested. FT3 is the active hormone so the lower it is the more severe the symptoms you experience.
Using the TSH is not adequate test. The mechanism known as HPT axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid) Can become disrupted, especially since being thyrotoxic and being treated with RAI which by design destroys part of the thyroid. Your thyroid is no longer healthy and applying heathy standard range doesn’t account for these factors.
With regards to your nutrients, you could legitimately claim that these nutrients are recommended on charitable and information sites the NHS suggest patients link to. These nutrients are proven to be vital to thyroid health. You could also state what symptoms you have which could be due to a deficiency & that you want to rule out what is caused by thyroid issues or by other issues.
If they still refuse you may have to resort to paying privately.
I am sorry you are having to fight your corner to get full care, but be persistent. keeping your own records & notes and making sure you are chasing up on blood testing, results, referral & appointment is what we all must do in order to help ourselves.
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose or brand change in levothyroxine
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)
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
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Grrrr! A bit of a rant! 'Hashis patients no longer need to fast before blood draw'?! 
Latest results, I’m a bit confused
Why are Endocrinologists So Useless - My Rant of Today!
Feel so Disappointed I’m back on Levo 
So I guess I’m just fat! 
