Feeling lost

[groaten]

I have been on Armour thyroid for years, thyroxine gave me migraines and since armour the last one was five years ago, it's appears I have had suppressed tsh and over range t4 and t3 this has been the case for years, as I had a week where I couldn't sleep and felt restless my armour had been reduced, to four grains no doctors understand meds, the Dr who first prescribed Armour has retired, I feel totally lost, i don't want to change drs as they will take me off it, I feel so depressed and anxious, I could cry all day, although the heart and eye pains have reduced, I have an angio gram tomorrow been waiting since Sept, but I'm surprised that my Dr hadn't worked out that chest pain is a sign of overtreatment of armour, and my eye pain which I have seen them twice about, I am on venflaxine perhaps I need too Increase doseage, I have asked too be referred too hospital for more knowledgeable drs I was told no, what would others suggest please

[SlowDragon Administrator]

First step is to get full thyroid and vitamins tested

Roughly what age are you

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

When were vitamins last tested

Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s. If yes, are you on strictly gluten free diet

If not,you want coeliac blood test BEFORE considering trial on strictly gluten free diet

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 at least annually

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 .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Day before test split Armour into 3 smaller doses at roughly 8 hour intervals

If/make sure to take last third Amour daily dose between to 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you do your tests?

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.co/tests/thyroid-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...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[radd]

groaten,

Sorry you are feeling so unwell. It can seem really difficult when our doctors have this control but don't understand our meds.

However, you do sound overmedicated. Can you supply recent blood test results complete with ranges (numbers in brackets) for members to comment. Also add any iron/nutrient test results you've had recently.