Hi guys, I’ve wrote here a couple of times and your advice has always been appreciated and acted on, I’m on levothyroxine 50mg a day.. and multiple supplements as per advised my you guys, magnesium, vit d, b12,b complex, vit c as well as others. I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid 6 months ago but I feel no better, constant fatigue and body pain plus still have oral thrush after months and months and even my specialist has no idea .. so I spoke with my GP 2 weeks ago and he offered me citalapam !!! I declined- strongly. So after getting upset with him he finally agreed to more blood tests, which is were I get confused my thyroid tests have come back fine but there are a couple of observations on my full blood count, is anyone able to look for me and explain, I’m so frustrated, I’ve had to go part time at work because I can’t physically stand any longer then 4 hours I’m and trying to live my best life but I’m just so exhausted and getting fatter by the minute
Thank you in advance, uploading results
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Taytay68
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Can you get 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine “as trial”
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
Was this test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Exactly what vitamin supplements are you currently taking
Did you stop any supplements like B complex, that contains biotin a week before blood test?
Thank for getting back to me, yes i stopped everything over a week before the test and no levo 24 hours prior, and the test was early morning, im taking..
1000iu vit D
Vit C 500mg,
b12 100ug,
selenium 50ug,
b complex,
i-tyrosine 500mg,
im also taking activated charcoal for bloating as my stomach swells so bad, i can be one size of clothing then in an hour i can be a size up... ive gone gluten and dairy free as well. i havent spoken with the GP yet regarding results, i wanted to be for armed first, they want to put everything down to depression, im not even depressed, yes i get fed up with myself, also they did my vit D last time and said the results were fine, but for some reason i cant find the number.
the levo brand is accord and its always the same yes, i can sleep at any time of the day, regardless of what i do, and i know the GP is right in saying i need to give it time, and if all i had to do was sleep that would be okay..but im literally dying on my feet at work, ive explained my wrists swell my ankles swell my whole body hurts even laying down..and he just said ill give you some citalapam to see if that helps ........... i was just lost for words
ill speak to the doctor on Monday and ask if he will add 25mg to see if it helps with symptoms and check the vit D result with them as well, its not on the list but i was sure he told me it was fine..again their fine isnt optimal for us, this i am learning. Ihad no idea about the antidepressants.. shocking!
An thank you for advice on thyroid specialist, ill look into that now.
Guidelines could help you argue for next dose increase
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
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.
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.
i think they also get QOF ? points for patient's on statins. this benefit's the surgery financially. I vaguely remember a few years ago they used to get points for keeping a list? of hypothyroid patients, but not anymore.
so there are indirect incentives to offer antidepressants/statins.. and no incentives to diagnose hypothyroidism.
If vitamin D is low, this might just improve Ft3 enough
How long have you been on 50mcg levothyroxine
Some people have success in raising TSH higher by splitting dose taking 25mcg waking and 25mcg bedtime ……bit of a faff but possibly worth trying if you can’t get dose increase in levothyroxine
Request referral to thyroid specialist endocrinologist
Email Thyroid UK for list of recommend thyroid specialist endocrinologists...NHS and Private
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
The aim of levothyroxine is to increase dose upwards in 25mcg steps until TSH is ALWAYS under 2
When adequately treated, TSH will often be well below one. Most important results are ALWAYS Ft3 followed by Ft4. When adequately treated Ft4 is usually in top third of range and Ft3 at least 50-60% through range (regardless of how low TSH is)
Extremely important to have optimal vitamin levels too as this helps reduce symptoms and improve how levothyroxine works
there are a couple of observations on my full blood count, is anyone able to look for me and explain,
What exactly? I can't see anything, they all seem to be in range. Or am I missing something?
B12: 343ng/L
This is low. Some people with B12 in the 300s have been found to need B12 injections.
According to an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
Do you have any signs of B12 deficiency – check here:
If you do then list them to discuss with your GP and ask for testing for B12 deficiency and Pernicious Anaemia. Do not take any B12 supplements or folic acid/folate/B Complex supplements before further testing of B12 as this will mask signs of B12 deficiency and skew results.
b12 100ug,
Is that a typo, is it really 100mcg or should that be 1,000mcg B12?
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