In-between tests and feeling a bit confused re symptoms?

[Josephineinamachine]

Hallo lovely people

I wonder if you have had a similar experience to this?

Two weeks ago I managed to persuade my GP to increase my Levo dose from daily 62 and half mg per day to 75mg per day based on symptoms (which is good). I'm now waiting for another 4 weeks before another blood test. Last blood test TSH in the high normal range, and T4 and T3 low normal. What I'm feeling confused about is this: When I first started Levo the most immediate symptom relief was pain. The pain was in my shoulders, back and neck (hasn't touched leg pain yet). I had been wearing a soft collar to ease neck pain at night for about 4 years. GP said it was probably menopause related pain. Was amazed that it just simply disappeared after starting Levo! Unfortunately it seems to be returning - especially in my upper back and shoulders. I'm confused by this as my dose has been upped. I don't have any symptoms of being overmedicated that I'm aware of, unless this could be it? I was on 50 mg Teva Levo and now I'm on 50mg Teva and a different 25mg brand called Wockhardt. Could the brand change be causing issues?

Thank you

[Lalatoot]

Weeks 3 and 4 of a dose change always are bad for me.

It takes a while for the body and symptoms to settle when we change doses. We think we should feel better but even though the dose change will be of benefit we still have to go through that body adjustment period with all its symptoms.

[Josephineinamachine in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you Lalatoot I didn’t realise ‘old’ symptoms would return like this but yes I guess I’m coming into the third week of dose change so could be having a wobble! Shall hang in there and just hope it goes away 😊

[Lalatoot in reply to Josephineinamachine]

You have to otherwise you will never know if it is really what you need or not.

[JAmanda]

75 isn't a huge dose. Perhaps your body quickly acclimatised and is now wanting more. Best to post your actual results with ranges so people can see the true picture. Guess if you've had a dose increase (although a very small one) you might need to wait 4-6 weeks til you retest. Unless... looking at your results you really should have had a 25mcg increase?

[DuchessOfCatford in reply to JAmanda]

Suggestion. Keep on with what GP said but totally eliminate gluten, dairy, soy and processed sugars from your diet and you may be surprised at how the pains subside. Try for 3 weeks and if you want to reintroduce then you can monitor how you feel. I have many friends who have done this and notice the pains to. It’s like magic but it’s controlling diet too. Good luck

[Josephineinamachine in reply to DuchessOfCatford]

Thank you DuchessOfCatford I am strictly gluten free and proceeded sugar free too. I’m not dairy or soy free. I keep tinkering with that idea as I’ve read a lot about how it helps. I’m going to try to take the plunge. 5 years ago my GP suggested I use soya milk in drinks instead of dairy - to help with menopause and increase estrogen...I probably drink quite a lot and I’ve read this isn’t good for Hashis!

[Big-Girl in reply to Josephineinamachine]

So is dairy and milk supposed to reduce eostrogen levels ?

[Josephineinamachine in reply to Big-Girl]

Hi I'm not sure if dairy and milk reduce estrogen but I do now realise that soya increases it. I'm not sure where my hormones are after meno now as it's been a while. Hoping it's settled. No more hot flushes anyway. Are you having over-estrogen symptoms?

[Big-Girl in reply to Josephineinamachine]

Im trying to investigate ways to improve my libido which is linked to hypothyroidism and possibly diet

[Josephineinamachine in reply to Big-Girl]

Ah I hear you! Been there. Are you going through the menopause?

[Big-Girl in reply to Josephineinamachine]

Maybe it’s just my age 55 ?

[Josephineinamachine in reply to Big-Girl]

I’m 55 as well... the menopause and Hashis are both libido enemies. I read somewhere recently (vaguely) that the ‘female equivalent’ of viagria is being tested or is indeed available ? Or did I dream that? X

[grumpyold]

Your GP said it was menopause related pain? What fob off would they use if you were male, I wonder?

They really do come up with some c*** rather than giving you adequate medication.

Without test results and ranges, I'm just guessing that you need further increases in dosage. Having low levels within the ranges for Ft3 and Ft4 is probably not optimal for you.

TSH is generally best below 1, but everyone is different.

You should also get vitamin d, B12, ferritin and folate tested too because vitamin deficiencies can be the cause of pain/stiffness.

I find that my joint aches return on Mercury Pharma so it is also possible that the brand change isn't agreeing with you.

Good luck.

x

[Josephineinamachine in reply to grumpyold]

Thank you grumpyold I guess I was going through menopause at the time...5 years ago... I only had my thyroid tested 6 months ago (by chance really) so I think they didn’t suspect. Also some GPs have said to me that pain is not a hypo symptom (which is incredible given how much I read about this symptom)! Also my TSH wasn’t raised that much - subclinical. Cant even imagine how people cope with really high TSH - this has been enough to floor me. Think I’ve been bumping along subclinical for a few years now given the symptoms (and initial symptom relief)! Thank you x

[Batty1 in reply to Josephineinamachine]

I have a thyroidectomy in 2016 and was bedridden with extreme muscle and joint pains ....Your Gp is 100% wrong when he says hypothyroidism doesn’t cause joint and muscle pains.

[Josephineinamachine in reply to Batty1]

I’m so sorry to hear that. Cant imagine how painful that must have been 😞 x

[shaws]

The major problem is that few doctors, if any, know any clinical symptoms of hyper or hypo patients.

They rarely do a Full Blood Test for thyrod hormones. I doubt they are capable of knowing whether patient has hypothyroidism or any symptoms of a dysfunctional thyroid gland.

They may prescribe anything other than replacement hormones for a 'symptom' but don't get to the real reason of 'why is this patient suffering' so give a prescription for the symptom rather than a 'proper, authentic diagnosis'.

Even when someone has a TSH of 100 they have no idea or think 'could this person be severely hypothyroid'.

The patient had to diagnose themselves!!!!

[tattybogle]

My two 'penneth . don't decide what a new dose feels like symptom wise before a minimum of 5 weeks have gone by on it. Make a note off how you feel at the end of each week .it can take 8/10 weeks before you really know how you feel consistently.

I did 3 tiny reductions and then an increase in close succession a year ago , and each time the same pattern of feeling a certain way for x weeks , then a different way for x weeks then eventually settling down happened , and it made me realise in the past i'd decided too soon that a dose was not right.

My thinking is that there will be all sorts of subtle bodily adjustments happening over weeks after a change in dose, and some of them will be transient, so unless a 'new' symptom is really intolerable or worrying, try and avoid putting too much focus on how you feel each day and just 'keep on keeping on' until you get the blood test.

It's too easy to mess ourselves up by loosing confidence and second guessing what 's going on and altering dose again before it's had chance to really settle down. .

If it's really the 'wrong' dose , you'll know for sure after a few more weeks , but if it's an improvement, the improvement can build slowly in how you feel /function.

[Josephineinamachine in reply to tattybogle]

Thank you for your reply tattybogle . I know you keep cautioning for patience and you are so right. The pains have now diminished so that is one panic over. All still sailing on in the right direction I think at the moment. Thank you!

[tattybogle in reply to Josephineinamachine]

Glad it gave you the confidence to wait a bit longer ... i am a bit of a one trick pony on the advice front... patience.. slowly ... longer , all very boring

[Josephineinamachine in reply to tattybogle]

No you are far from boring. Your posts make me laugh! 😊

[tattybogle in reply to Josephineinamachine]

Thankyou

x

it sure beat's getting a proper job

[Josephineinamachine in reply to tattybogle]

🤣