Tired and achy

[Suzanneharb]

Hi all,

I'm so tired and achy all the time. It's really worrying me now. Thyroid levels are excellent and stable (see my previous posts), so it must be something else.

I can't afford tests at the moment as I'm unemployed. But I'm also so achy that I can't imagine where I'll get the energy to work again (I left my previous job as I was so stressed/burnt out by it all).

Is this a case of time is a healer? Or is this the dreaded adrenal fatigue? Dr Is Wentz has an adrenal recovery programme... should I sign up for it in the hope it might help, or would it be unhelpful for those without adrenal issues? (Since I don't know IF that is the problem).

Sorry for the ramble.

Thanks!

[greygoose]

What about your nutrients: vit D, vit B12, folate, ferritin? You may have excellent thyroid hormone levels in the blood, but it won't get into the cells and/or work correctly without optimal levels of nutrients.

Or, could be that you are over-medicated for you. Your FT4 is very high, that does have a negative effect on a lot of people. You can't rely entirely on symptoms. Could be that being tired and achey are over-medication symptoms for you.

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for the advice! Do you think a gp would test those levels? My t4 has been stable at that level for about 10 years, and it’s only recently I’ve not felt great. I’d be nervous to mess around with my medication in case it makes me worse?

[greygoose in reply to Suzanneharb]

Sometimes, we have to take the risk.

What do you mean by 'the range that's advised on this forum'? We don't advise about any ranges, because they are what they are, and are fixed by the labs doing the tests. What I always say for a serum B12 test is that it should be over 550. But, I imagine you did an active test, did you? In which case, I think it should be around 100.

When did you last have your ferritin tested?

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

Can’t remember the last ferritin test - probably 3 years ago?I’ll dig out my b12 test again. It was through medichecks

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

Also, my b12 is excellent (I tested it last month and it was up in the range that’s advised in this forum). I do take daily iron supplements as well as a b complex. 🙂

[Lalatoot]

Suzanne For me your thyroid results would cause concern. I personally feel that your ft4 level is too high.On combo therapy I think that we should adjust our doses so that both ft4 and ft3 remain within range.

In your situation I would reduce my levo dose.

An adrenal programme should only be followed if you have been diagnosed with adrenal issues otherwise you risk creating the imbalance you were seeking to heal.

Please realise that this is my opinion and that you must do what you feel is right for your body.

[Suzanneharb in reply to Lalatoot]

Thank you! Should I find a good thyroid doctor to help me? I always thought if I had too much t4 then my body was just get rid of it, and that it wouldn’t cause symptoms as it’s inactive? But can it make someone feel a bit rubbish then?

[greygoose in reply to Suzanneharb]

If you have excess T4, your body converts more to rT3 than T3. The rT3 is then converted to T2, T1 and the iodine is recycled. But, obviously that is not getting rid of all your excess T4 because you level is still high.

Also, given that taking T3 usually reduces the FT4 level so that, percentage-wise, the FT4 is much lower in range than the FT3. This has not happened with you, so the conclusion must be that you are taking far too much levo (T4).

T4 is not exactly 'inactive'. It has a role to play. And too much is always too much. Recent research has shown that too much can be a problem in several ways. Have a look at the posts of jimh111 to learn more about this.

What's more it's possible that your FT3 is also too high, as I said before, and that being tired and achey is the way your body expresses that.

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

This is so helpful! I never knew this. I wish I could give you a hug!So perhaps a gradual cut back and test? Drop down by 50mcg a week for 6 weeks and see?

[greygoose in reply to Suzanneharb]

Sounds like a good idea.

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

Thank you! I’ll give it a go and keep you posted ☺️

[greygoose in reply to Suzanneharb]

You're welcome.

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

My b12 (active) . I didn’t take supplements for two weeks before

Active b12

[greygoose in reply to Suzanneharb]

If you're supplementing B12, a blood test doesn't give you much useful information. And leaving off the supplement for two weeks doesn't change much. You would have to stop B12 for about five months to get a base-line. Do you remember the result when you first tested it, before you started supplementing?

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

Oh wow. That would be hard to do.My b12 has never been tested before.

[greygoose in reply to Suzanneharb]

OK, well, you'll never know if your B12 was low enough to suggest Pernicious Anemia, then. That is why we should always test before supplementing.

[greygoose in reply to greygoose]

Have you been taking a B complex with your B12?

[Suzanneharb in reply to greygoose]

Also, my symptoms are so mixed. Achy suggests over medication . But I’m also tired, less regular on the toilet and (bizarre thing to notice) but I don’t sweat as much as I used to when working out. I’m usually dripping after spin, but lately I’m not. And not because I’m fitter - I’m about the same

[greygoose in reply to Suzanneharb]

Who told you achy suggests over-medication? Not in my book it doesn't. Anyway, you can't rely entirely on symptoms, because so many of them can be both hypo and hyper. Tired can be both hypo and hyper. But, lack of perspiration is quite definitely a hypo symptom. I haven't used a deodorant in years! I just sweat on my head when my vit D is low.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin last tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Remember to stop taking vitamin B complex a week before all blood tests as biotin can falsely affect test results

Presumably you have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies?

Have you had coeliac blood test done

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

[Suzanneharb in reply to SlowDragon]

Sorry I didn’t reply!Strict gf for 11 years now . I have hashimotos

I take d, b complex, iron and melatonin for sleep.

I think I’ll try reducing my dose, but I do seem to have more hypo symptoms than hyper

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Suzanneharb]

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test 2-4 times a year

It’s possible to have low ferritin and high iron

Iron is very toxic in excess

When testing iron, stop iron supplements a week before

Test early morning, fasting and don’t eat high iron food night before test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

You need to stop vitamin B complex a week before all blood tests as it contains biotin and biotin can falsely affect test results

Test folate and B12 annually and vitamin D twice a year

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

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