I’m so sorry my thyroid is underactive.I’m new to this diagnosis.Was before lockdown now just been left not noing a lot about it
Carys: I’m so sorry my thyroid is underactive.I’m... - Thyroid UK
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If you were just diagnosed hypothyroid (underactive ) before lock down and started on 25mcg Levothyroxine, then GP should have told you to have a repeat blood test after 6 weeks on 25mcg . 25mcg is just the small starter dose to get your body used to it gradually.
Dose should be increased gradually in 25mcg's to start with and retested 6 weeks after each increase .
You need to contact GP and tell them you need a repeat thyroid function blood test, to check your dose is correct. (It almost certainly won't be )
Thank you I am concerned.my weight gain is out of my control.Also the lump under my chin (neck) is getting larger
I'm assuming you feel dreadful ?
Weight gain is because of being hypothyroid ,and should improve when you are on the right dose.
Thyroid swelling is also a sign of being hypothyroid. called a 'goitre'. thyroid can't make enough thyroid hormone so it gets bigger to try and make more. Again when you are on the right dose it should reduce in size .
make appointment with GP to let them know it has got bigger.
I've just noticed you are in your 30's , so it is odd that you were started on just 25mcg .
The usual starting dose is 50 mcg Levo thyroxine, and then it should be increased as soon as possible to the full replacement dose, which often ends up being somewhere between 75-150mcg.
(25mcg is recommended for elderly , or people with heart issues, or people who have been extremely hypothyroid and undiagnosed for a long time)
Did the Doctor give any reason for starting you on so small a dose ?
Don't worry 
things will get better now you've found your way here.
It can all be overwhelming , especially when your brain won't work anymore , which is also a hypothyroid symptom.
The doctor who actually discovered the thyroid problem was actually treating me for something else but orderded a full blood count test and it was him who discovered it.The doctor who put me on the 25mg wasn’t even my own so didn’t want to risk putting me on any higher.I have to have b12 injections again havnt had due to lock down.I’m at my wits end of feeling so so tired and bloated.thank you for you reply
it seems like you have fallen through the cracks in 'the system' . I wish i could blame covid , but actually 'the system' when it comes to proper thyroid treatment is a bit **** anyway.
Unfortunately the effect of just being on 25mcg can actually make you feel worse than before.
The 25mcg of synthetic T4 (levo) does not 'add on' to your own thyroids production of T4 and T3.... it REPLACES it... so you see the job is not done until you've replaced all of it.
I had read that they stopped giving B12 injection at the moment and were giving tablets instead, but in UK GP's never offer Levothyroxine or B12 injections unless you really were short of thyroid hormone (and B12)
So ...if you have been left like this for months it....
a) explains why you feel dreadful.
b) is pretty appalling
Hang in there thing's will start to improve when you get the Levo dose sorted out.. so find the strength (from somewhere) to get past the receptionist's and get a repeat blood test booked.
Thank you so much I will and I shall pray I get it sorted soon x
You're very welcome
x
and until your brain works again , if you need help understanding anything just ask here. We've all been there.
Thank you x
What a lovely kind person u r xxx
SlowDragonAdministrator
Contact GP urgently on Monday
B12 injections should not have been stopped. How long since your last had B12 injection?
B12 injections during Covid crisis
pernicious-anaemia-society....
sps.nhs.uk/articles/injecta...
Oh goodness well over 6 months.I don’t even understand what b12 injections are for.I’m not stupid but nothing ever really gets explained to me
How long ago were you diagnosed as B12 deficient
B12 deficiency can be caused by 3 main reasons
1) Pernicious Anaemia an autoimmune disease. Means you need B12 injections every 2-3 months for life.
B12 sublingual supplements unlikely to help
2) if vegetarian or vegan diet is deficient in B12.
Daily B12 supplements should help
3) low stomach acid, (extremely common when hypothyroid). leads to B12 deficiency.
Daily vitamin B12 supplements should help
Low B12 symptoms
b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
Low stomach acid also leads to low vitamin D, folate and ferritin
Ask GP to test these too
So tomorrow get urgent appointment for B12 injection and thyroid and vitamin blood test done ASAP
I will get on too go tomorrow my b12 has been bad for quite a while now
guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight
Even if we frequently don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or near full replacement dose
As you have been left on far too low a dose for far too long you may have to increase very slowly
Important to get vitamins at GOOD Levels as this helps tolerate increasing levothyroxine dose up quicker
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.
Also here
cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hypo...
gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...
Traditionally we have tended to start patients on a low dose of levothyroxine and titrate it up over a period of months. RCT evidence suggests that for the majority of patients this is not necessary and may waste resources.
For patients aged >60y or with ischaemic heart disease, start levothyroxine at 25–50μg daily and titrate up every 3 to 6 weeks as tolerated.
For ALL other patients start at full replacement dose. For most this will equate to 1.6 μg/kg/day (approximately 100μg for a 60kg woman and 125μg for a 75kg man).
If you are starting treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism, this article advises starting at a dose close to the full treatment dose on the basis that it is difficult to assess symptom response unless a therapeutic dose has been trialled.
BMJ also clear on dose required
SlowDragonAdministrator
Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase
Dose levothyroxine should be increased slowly upwards in 25mcg steps as FAST AS TOLERATED
Levothyroxine doesn’t top up failing thyroid it replaces it. Having been left on minuscule dose far too long you likely have low vitamin D, folate and ferritin
See GP. And get full thyroid and vitamin testing done ASAP
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Ask GP to test vitamin levels
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)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Thriva also offer just vitamin testing
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
vitamindtest.org.uk
Hi thank you so much for helping me.I’ve just gone through my notes and is hypothyroidism I’ve been diagnosed with
