Is there anything I can do to improve further?

[RickGrimes]

I'm finally, finally having much better days. I could weep with relief. I'm so thankful. I still have symptoms though and don't feel back to full health.

My latest blood are from being on 100mcg levo for 6 weeks.

I'm already gluten free and am supplementing with spatone, vitamin D oral spray, Ingennus B complex, selenium and magnesium spray.

I think my ferritin could be better so will work to improve this.

Is there anything else I could do?

Can I expect to continue to see improvements or is a plateau likely?

Looking at my bloods I don't think a dose increase is appropriate.

I'm also nervous that when my NHS bloods get back to the GP (TSH only) she'll want to reduce. Which I will strongly oppose.

Thank you to all on this fab forum xx

[Buddy195 Administrator]

I’m so glad you are feeling much better Rick! What symptoms are you still experiencing?

[RickGrimes in reply to Buddy195]

Thank you! Me too! Symptoms are lack of energy, heavy achey legs, brain fog, headaches after exertion, tire easily.

The difference now, is I have clear periods during the day where I'm pretty much symptomless.

[Lotika]

I didn’t realise you’d retested already - ignore my response on your Dec thread! Great to see your improvement It looks like you are getting awesome conversion from T4 to T3, which is great! I guess you did your test 24 hrs from your last dose of levo as I get the impression you are very much taking control of this, which is wonderful. As T4 and TSH are both a teeny bit outside range, GP may push back... But you could refuse to drop the dose and offer to retest in 6 weeks to give things a chance to stabilise, perhaps, as a negotiating tactic? And you were feeling quite unwell on 75 mcg, which is another good reason... I just wonder if it is a slightly funky result. We saw someone get two quite different FT4 results from the same blood test sent to different labs earlier today...

[RickGrimes in reply to Lotika]

Indeed I did take my last dose more than 24hrs before test but I take the suggestion the result could be funky. I will use this possibility to ask for a retest if my GP wants to reduce. Thanks for the suggestion!!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Results and symptoms should continue improving over coming weeks

Especially if ferritin continues to improve

Delay getting NHS test for as long as possible. And get test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

[RickGrimes in reply to SlowDragon]

I've already had the NHS test ( result due in day or two) and I'm kind of kicking myself now for dutifully going along for it. In fact I think my Levo is on repeat for 12 months so I might have gone under the radar for a while. I could have just monitored privately. I wonder if GP practices actively check that there's an in rangeTSH before issuing a repeat?

[Jazzw]

It can take a while to feel better even when medication is optimal. Your body’s got to make a lot of repairs now that it’s got the “fuel” to do so. But you should slowly start to feel better over the coming months.

[RickGrimes in reply to Jazzw]

That is good to hear and makes sense. Thank you!!

[Arrigo]

Rick- congrats on feeling better! Got 2 questions for you, please (of which 1 is silly, maybe): the autoimmunity testing you did, is one for Hashi and the other for Graves- if so, which is which? The silly question: did you get the blood for all the above drawn in one sitting? I get a bit queasy with the whole blood testing, and if the above would take a large number of vials, they'd have to scrape me off the floor. Thanks, hope your improvement is sustained!

[RickGrimes in reply to Arrigo]

Hi Arrigo,

All of the results came from a finger prick blood test I took and home and posted to the lab. Both the antibody tests were for hashimoto's. There is a different one/s for graves. The Thyroid UK site has helpful information.

thyroiduk.org/thyroid-antib...

[Arrigo in reply to RickGrimes]

Thanks both!

[humanbean in reply to Arrigo]

the autoimmunity testing you did, is one for Hashi and the other for Graves

For info on thyroid antibodies and under what circumstances they can be found...

labtestsonline.org.uk/tests...

Click on the + signs to see all the info on the link.

[jrbarnes]

Hi Rick, I'm on 100mcg but only for 2 weeks so far. I've had some improvements but still have all those symptoms you list. I think it could take more like 3-6 months to normalize. I could only hope for your T3 levels!

[RickGrimes in reply to jrbarnes]

I am blown away by the T3 level tbh. I feel so lucky that I appear to convert well.

I hope you still continue to see improvements. I was feeling perkier around two weekend in then dreadful at three weeks, then seeming to improve again in the last two weeks. I've read other posters reporting this phenomenon.

Seeing at least some improvement really helps to give hope that feeling well *is* possible. I have had some pretty dark days where I feared Is be living this half-life forever.

[RickGrimes]

Thanks Jonathan, I too have seen that advice (I have devoured most threads on here looking for help). I use a topical magnesium spray before bed, so well away from Levo. And I think the interaction is less of a risk than with oral supplements?

I hope your wife's brain fog has improved with the new regime!

[Newmummy82]

I’ve been taking co enzyme q10 for around 6 weeks now and have noticed a definite improvement in energy and focus so that could be worth trying?

[RickGrimes in reply to Newmummy82]

I've not heard of that so I will investigate. Thank you!

[KittyAO]

Hi Rick glad you are feeling improved. My Docs were insisting that I had a blood test before they would issue the annual prescription for call off at the Chemist in the surgery. I said I was waiting for my Medichecks test and would let them know the result. My Doc who listened to me and accepted my blood test spreadsheet has recently retired so am in the lap of the gods hopefully I will get a similarly good GP but am not hopeful. My hospital has stopped doing private bloods so I am waiting for a private nurse to come to my home so not sure if they will issue a new prescription without having the results, but yes I am on an annual review. Hope your better news continues.

[RickGrimes in reply to KittyAO]

Thank you for that Kitty. I hope you get a sympathetic new GP.

[tattybogle]

I'd give it 6 months to see if further gradual improvements happen in how you feel . I often feel better the longer i stay on a steady dose. and changing it often upsets me for about 8 weeks anyway, so yes you might feel better as time goes on if you can persuade them to leave you alone.If they are not willing to continue current dose , try suggesting it in terms of "i think it takes me a long time to settle after a dose change , i've only recently started to feel much better, can we leave it for 6 months to see if my results are the same once i've had long enough to stabilise on this dose ?"

[RickGrimes in reply to tattybogle]

The GP has left me on my current dose and I'm having a retest in 6 weeks. I wish I'd put it as elequantly as you did but instead I went in all guns blazing!

No matter, I've got the result I wanted and I've pursuaded them to 'leave me alone' as you say. For now.

[pennyannie]

Hey there RickGrimes

Just a thought :

As well as Spatone I maintain my ferritin with 1 tub a week of Asda Frozen Chicken Livers :

Defrosted and flash fried down in a little olive oil I then whizz down and keep in the fridge.

I take about a spoonful a day, and a dollop of mayo helps this little medicine go down.

The chicken livers are very clean, mild to taste and helps keep me topped up with this mineral.

[RickGrimes in reply to pennyannie]

Diet is definitely an area I can improve upon. But being so knackered it's hard to plan and eat well! But I've ordered a ginormous gluten free black pudding to be getting on with. I'm not sure about the livers😬. Although I eat pate so maybe not so different?

[pennyannie in reply to RickGrimes]

Hey there - it's so quick and easy - defrosted - 10 minutes tops flash fried and then whizzed down into a pate using a little mayo to help this medicine go down.

Just one tub a week and give it a month or two :

Good luck with the black pudding :

[69dream]

I find that clove tea helps. drhealthbenefits.com/food-b...

[RickGrimes in reply to 69dream]

Thank you. I well check that out

[69dream in reply to RickGrimes]

The secret is, not to have it too strong or you get sick of it. Start off with just a pinch of ground cloves in a mug of boiling water.

[Sewit1]

Try an autoimmune protocol diet, this really helped me. Stay away from nightshade vegetables too. Keep well hydrated with lots of water, cold or warm. Avoid additives so cook from scratch whole food. Good luck

[RickGrimes in reply to Sewit1]

I'm investigate this too. Thank you. Hopefully now I do have some energetic periods I can focus on my diet more and eat as cleanly as possible!