Hello everyone, just need some help/advice as I’m feeling quite worried and anxious.
Yesterday I was told I have subclinical hypothyroidism and told to start taking 50 of levothyroxine. My tsh results were 18.1 so she said I am literally heading fast towards full blown hypothyroidism.
I do get a lot of muscle pain/strains and fatigue but I had a thyroid test in 2018 which was perfect.
I’ve recently been told I’m deficient in B12 and B6 so been supplementing with them (spray and drops) and also a gut phytobiotic. Could those have pushed my TSH levels up to look this abnormal? I’m also scared that as I’ve only had one blood test with this level it could be a mistake or a fluke? As I have always had normal thyroid tests come back before. Should I start the levothyroxine or should I insist that I have another test in 6-8 weeks? I am confused and feel overwhelmed with all the information and what I should do. Also seeing other people’s results which are so low and subclinical I feel like why are mine so high and subclinical apparently?
Can anybody help me?
Thank you.
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jm2450
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I’ve only got serum free T4 it say which was normal. That’s what I don’t understand. Is from what I’ve been reading my level is considered high so why has she said subclinical? Is it reversible? If I start taking Levothyroxine is it possible to reverse it or is it something I will likely have to live with and take for the rest of my life?
I'm still classified as subclinical with a TSH over 10 but T4 within range. I suppose it doesn't really matter what they classify you as long as treatment has started. Good luck 🤞 I started to feel an improvement almost immediately after starting levothyroxine.
The guidelines the medics work from class a TSH below 10 and in-range T4 & T3 as 'subclinical' which loosely translates to them as 'doesn't cause symptoms' which is nonsense. I was symptomatic with a TSH of 4 and many on here never had a TSH over 10 but were symptomatic.
Now you have your diagnosis, TSH can be a helpful guide but for health, the most important results are T4 and T3. If your T3 is low that is what will be causing symptoms.
"normal" isn't a result. It's an opinion. Do you have the actual result and range? (I've just seen your result further down the thread. It is very low! and if T4 is that low, T3 will be very low too in all likelihood.)
Did you have antibodies tested? Most hypothyroidism is caused by autoimmune disease and unfortunately, is not reversible and will require hormone replacement for life. Personally, I struggled with that. I was so grateful to finally be medicated but had to go through a grieving process for my lost health and thyroid.
There are things you can do to help the healing process though, which I found empowering. Giving up gluten is the first thing. It can be overwhelming to start with, just go at your own pace and you'll get there.
I am female age 35. I am currently taking a spray B12, a gut phytobiotic called bio.me essential and a multivitamin tea which does have a small amount of biotin in (17% nrv). Before my thyroid test I didn’t stop any of these as I didn’t know/wasn’t told. I also had my thyroid test at about 2pm after lunch and eating normally all day. I didn’t know if any of these things have an effect!
I think that they’ve named it subclinical because my T4 is normal. But she obviously has suggested I start levothyroxine because of my high TSH levels, she said to put the brakes on it so to speak.
My results for T4 is 10.3 (9-19) So that result is within normal range. T3 wasn’t tested! And thank you for your responses, I suppose yes you’re right it isn’t a medication it is a replacement hormone. I have been getting lots of muscle problems like soreness/stiffness and aching and fatigue so I guess hopefully levothyroxine will actually help those things. How long before I should see any effects or things being better?
I am picking up my levothyroxine this morning so not sure what I have been given yet! I will update when I’ve got it.
Thank you for your help. It’s much appreciated. I feel quite overwhelmed with it all. I’m away for the next three days. Are any side effects usually mild enough to manage at the start or should I wait until I’m back in my own home to start?
Thank you Rob that’s reassuring. I’m already pretty hyper sometimes (or go through phases of it) so I’m not particularly looking forward to it if it does that but I know it’s for the best long term x
If I don’t get along with Teva I can always request a different brand next time. My body is quite sensitive to anything going in it so I am nervous but I don’t know what the best thing to do is!
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
REMEMBER.....very important....stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results - eg vitamin B complex
Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).
50mcg is only a starter dose. Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks time and dose is likely increased to 75mcg ….retested 6-8 weeks later etc
Just to reassure you, there are many of us on here who take a tablet of Levothyroxine every day and have no side effects and continue to feel good. Thyroid issues are extremely common.
I had a mild panic once when I was given a different brand to usual and thought I’d better check. It turns out I’d been using Teva brand all along, so not all of us have a problem with it. Brands seem to make no difference to me, nor taking my medication with a meal.
I was borderline when I was first diagnosed many years ago, but my GP decided to start treatment because I had antibodies. Within days I was feeling like I had more energy when I hadn’t realised I was sub par.
Lots of people are afraid of taking thyroid hormones. But having levels of thyroid hormones that are too low for you will be bad for your health. Your Free T4 is only 13% of the way through the range. Most of us on this forum need our Free T4 to be at least half way through the range up to as high as 80% of the way through the range, with the average being (I'm guessing) perhaps 70% of the way through the range.
Whenever you read something along the same lines as I've just written don't get hung up on the percentages. Your level is right for you whenever you feel well, wherever that happens to be in percentage terms. There are no hard and fast "rules" - it's how you feel that counts.
Always keep good records of your results and doses of Levo. Keep records of your symptoms. If you start to feel better or worse you want to know what results and doses you were taking at the time you felt better/worse. It will help you in future to avoid feeling bad and increase your chances of feeling well.
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