Help with results please!!

[Charltonjl]

GP refuses to increase my Levo and says my levels are fine but I still feel awful

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism during my pregnancy last year (baby is now 12 months old). For the last 6-8 months I've suffered from unusual weight gain, hair loss, fatigue, muscle ache, carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome and just a feeling of generally unwell. I've paid for a couple of private blood tests before and sent them through to the GP (as well as posted on here) but doc says my levels are fine. I am on 50mg of Levothyroxine (I take it in the middle of the night). And bloods are done first thing (no food) with the last dose of levo 24 hours before. These results are the recent NHS blood test results:

TSH 0.59 (range 0.27-4.2)

Free T4 14.1 (range 12-22)

My doc refuses to increase my Levothyroxine dose and says they are in range. When I said they are not optimal though, she says they are?! What can I do??

Any help appreciated (ps. previous private bloods done on 29th Sep, also posted on here, checked my ferritin, Vit D and folate levels etc which seem fine). Thank you x

[Charltonjl]

Hello, I've just updated my post to include these. Thank you xx

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Email Dionne at Thyroid UK for list of recommend thyroid specialist endocrinologists...NHS and Private

[e-mail]

You may need to go over GP head

The aim of levothyroxine is to increase dose upwards until Ft4 is in top third of range and Ft3 at least half way through range (regardless of where TSH is) ...important to have optimal vitamin levels too as this helps reduce symptoms and improve how levothyroxine works

Previous post shows Ft3 is only 25% through range

Do you have Hashimoto’s, TSH is especially unreliable with Hashimoto’s

[Charltonjl in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much. I don't believe I have Hashimotos as my thyroid antibodies were tested a few months ago (also posted on here). I will go private I think. I did email Dionne after last time but wanted to wait for my NHS results. Don't have a choice now it seems. Thanks again xx

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at this post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Yes antibodies negative

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

Can be helpful to get ultrasound scan of thyroid

Costs £150 privately. PM me if you want details of London scan options

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies

paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...

Did you have traumatic birth, loose a lot of blood? Or sudden drop in blood pressure

Could be looking at some degree of central hypothyroidism

Sheehan syndrome can cause this

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

[Charltonjl]

Thank you, and thanks for the referrals that's very helpful. And I didn't know that about Hashimotos. I wouldn't mind an ultrasound scan.

I had a traumatic birth but didn't lose lots of blood. My BP during pregnancy was normal but I generally have always had pretty low BP (even now). It just normalised during pregnancy.

I will now look at your link of Sheehan syndrome. Thanks a million for all your help :))))

[silverfox7]

If you look on the Thyroid Uk site, they run thisxforum, I understand they have sheets for you to share with your doctor on many problems. Well worth a look and if he berated you for using the Internet then tell him that under the umbrella of HEALTHUnlocked then info is recommended by the NHS for thyroid issues

[Charltonjl in reply to silverfox7]

Thanks so much for this. I will check it out right now 😊 x

[Roadrunnergreg]

Your FT4 is low, ideally needs to be about 17, and without a FT3 result its harder to help, also do you have candida overgrowth..??

[Charltonjl in reply to Roadrunnergreg]

I have no idea, sorry. I do have my FT3 results from about 6 months ago on here? Not sure if I need that tested again? X

[Roadrunnergreg in reply to Charltonjl]

Well looking at your results from earlier this year, your FT4 was just in range, and its increased a bit, so guessing FT3 would too. But both would be quite low seeing as your FT4 is only 14 instead of 18 ideally

I can understand in a way why your doctor doesn't want to increase your thyroid meds, because their taught TSH is what they look at, but that said there's a reason why your FT4 and FT3 are rock bottom, RT3 needs checking to start with... hope that helps

[Roadrunnergreg in reply to Charltonjl]

Also looking at your vitamin D its low, and only 1000iu is inadequate, personally I take 4000iu a day to maintain it in the range of 80 on my blood test, your magnesium is quite adequate so that shouldn't be the reason for vitamin D not rising, I'd say its inadequate intake. If I were you I'd take 10,000 to 20,000iu a day for a month then get retested... Hope that helps you

[Charltonjl in reply to Roadrunnergreg]

Thank you so much. I'm taking 5000iu of Vit D a day... Would I just spray more times a day to get to the 10000? Or can I buy specific larger doses of Vit D? Thanks again x

[Roadrunnergreg in reply to Charltonjl]

You could just spray more times to take it to 10,000-20,000iu a day. Also edited my other response on thyroid

[Roadrunnergreg in reply to Charltonjl]

As said you can spray more but are you just spraying 5 times @1000iu to get to the 5000iu, but larger amounts are available generally from your doctor or amazon, high Street chemist and health stores tend not to keep higher doses... your choice

[Charltonjl in reply to Roadrunnergreg]

Thanks so much. Just read everything. My doc just told me to take 1000iu of Vit D a day after my initial result of 38. I told her that I was already taking 1000iu so she said take 2000iu. I knew that wasn't enough so started taking 5000. Unfortunately I doubt my GP will prescribe it so will have to buy it. But thank you 😊. Also I have a feeling that my rt3 is high because I've been on a low calorie diet. Will test everything again soon. Thanks a million x