FEELING SO TIRED

[nognora]

Thank you all for your posts, I am so grateful. I have printed off all of them and will study them. I had no idea about any of this. My doctors have been useless, I suppose they cannot know about everything. I am feeling so bad at the moment, this has been going on for 3 years, I have really had enough, you have given me hope if I could only feel able to do anything, instead of struggling everyday. Thank you all again.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

See/contact your GP and request they test

Full thyroid TSH, Ft4 and Ft3

Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Book test for early morning, ideally before 9am if possible and take last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Come back with new post once you get results

Even if GP requests TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested, often the lab will refuse

But you may be lucky

If not you can test via private test companies…..I gave you links in previous post

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you again, I have this morning contacted Medichecks, I feel so awful at the moment, you have given me hope. I feel my doctor has let me down, so will not bother with them. To hell with the expense, go without something else. Thank you again. I will be back.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

Here’s the tips on DIY finger prick test First time…..allow yourself plenty of time and read all instructions first

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Alternatively you can pay extra for private blood draw at a clinic near to you (if there’s one close by)

They have quite a number available.

Or more expensive, a nurse can visit you. If choose this they need to understand you need early morning test done

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I have been in contact with Medicheck, there is not a clinic near here, so will have to pay for a visit. Should I have the advanced test please?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

Yes

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

This one

medichecks.com/products/adv...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

10% off the price with this code

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

get a 10% discount using code THYROIDUK10. A doctor’s report and private thyroid test interpretation are included in the fee.

It’s not worth having the doctors report. It slows up sending results out and is not worth waiting for

You can just not tick the box for Dr report

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

Please c ould you help me. I want to get a private blood test, I can spend up to £150, I have been on Medicheck and the bluehorizon, there does not seem to be a clinic near me, they are all too far away, so will have to have home visit. do not know which sort of test to have. Sorry to bother you, but I feel so awful, I can't think.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

It’s this test

medichecks.com/products/adv...

£79

Plus £55 for home visit by nurse

Go to basket

The blood test - £79

Nurse - £55

Click - check out securely

Then you need to create account

At next page button for

Gift card or discount code - click apply

get a 10% discount using code

THYROIDUK10

You need to make sure the nurse knows test 9am or earlier if at all possible

Only book test for Monday or Tuesday morning ideally, post off to lab straight away posting in a “priority postbox”

Come back with new post once you get results

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much will do.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking?

Teva brand upsets many people.

So if on Teva might be worth trying different brand

Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine.

Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems.

Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half

But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)

Teva, or Aristo (100mcg only) are the only lactose free tablets

Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord

Mercury Pharma make 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets

Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets

Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, and Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg via Lloyds ....but Accord doesn’t make 25mcg tablets

beware 25mcg Northstar is Teva

List of different brands available in U.K.

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

Posts that mention Teva

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Teva poll

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.

Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.

Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

Are you currently taking any other medications or vitamin supplements

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

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

I am taking codeine sulphate for arthritis and omeprazole. Thank you for your time.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

Omeprazole should be at least 4 hours away from levothyroxine

Taking levothyroxine at bedtime if you take omeprazole in morning

Omeprazole is a PPI

You need to keep very careful watch on vitamin levels on PPI

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Omeprazole will lower vitamin levels especially magnesium and B12

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/p...

webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/ne...

pharmacytimes.com/publicati...

PPI and increased risk T2 diabetes

gut.bmj.com/content/early/2...

Iron Deficiency and PPI

medpagetoday.com/resource-c...

futurity.org/anemia-proton-...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

Not taking any vitamins at the moment, I do have a good diet, fresh fruit and veg, not much red meat. I cannot tolerate cows milk so have Soya.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

If you’re lactose intolerant you need a lactose free levothyroxine tablets

Teva - available in 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets. But Teva contains mannitol and this upsets some people

Aristo brand is lactose free. Only available in 100mcg tablets

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

High percentage of autoimmune thyroid patients are lactose intolerant

However soya is not recommended for any thyroid patients

There are other milk alternatives

Rice, almond, oat etc

So soya milk is likely causing you some issues

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

Are you on dairy free diet?

Goats cheese or milk might be tolerated….

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for even more info. I have never been tested for lactose intolerance. I gave up milk about 40 years ago because of eczema, and it worked, but do not follow a complete dairy free diet,, I do eat cheese and some food products that contain a little milk. I forgot I do take theiCal-D3. I am grateful for your advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nognora]

Again any calcium or vitamin D supplement needs to be minimum 4 hours away from levothyroxine

nhs.uk/medicines/levothyrox...

There are some foods and drinks that do not mix well with levothyroxine:

drinks containing caffeine, like coffee, tea and some fizzy drinks, can reduce the amount of levothyroxine your body takes in. Leave at least 30 minutes after taking levothyroxine before you drink them.

calcium-rich foods, such as milk, cheese, yoghurt and broccoli, can reduce the amount of levothyroxine your body takes in. Leave at least 4 hours between taking levothyroxine and eating calcium-rich foods.

soya in food and supplements may stop levothyroxine working properly. If you regularly eat soya or take soya supplements your doctor might need to do extra blood tests to make sure you're getting enough levothyroxine.

kelp (a type of seaweed) can contain high levels of iodine, which sometimes makes an underactive thyroid worse. Do not take supplements containing kelp if you're taking levothyroxine.

[nognora in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you I have a lot of work to do. My next shop will include almond milk instead of soya milk, more expensive unfortunately. I take my levothyroxine very early morning probably between 3 and 5 am so I am avoiding most food and drink, at least I am doing that right. Thank you again.

[shaws Administrator]

I don't think that many people who join this forum have any idea of the symptoms of a dysfunctional thyroid gland. I found that neither did any of the doctors/specialists I consulted. I was given diagnosis for 'this - that - and anything else except hypothyroidism.

We can also sign up to become a member of Thyroiduk.org.uk who are behind this forum. I shall give you a link of its history.

thyroiduk.org/help-us-to-he...

[nognora in reply to shaws]

Thank you will join. I also have been tested for everything. As I am on Levothyroxine and tests say normal, it seems that is it, get on with it.

[shaws Administrator in reply to nognora]

Reading other members questions and responses we will know more than many medical persons who we would expect to know more than the basic symptoms. In fact I doubt many doctors know anything at all about symptoms of a dysfunctional thyroid gland.

One of my GPs phoned to tell me:-

"Your TSH is too low, your T3 too high and T4 too low.".

My response: I know doctor, my TSH is low because I take T3 only therefore TSH will be low. T3 will be high because I take T3 only. His response was "but T3 converts to T4". I'm sorry doctor that's incorrect.

[Sparklingsunshine]

Hi

Well I hate to disagree with you but doctors should know, thyroid conditions are extremely common, especially amongst women. If I was getting on my sexism high horse I might be tempted to suggest that it might be the reason why it's so poorly understood and treated.

Historically women have often suffered from very poor treatment from doctors. Levothyroxine is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the world.

It's ignorance, stubbornness, arrogance and not keeping themselves upto date with medical advances and guidelines on treatment. It's keeping people ill.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Finally with a TSH of 100 my GP phoned to reassure me that there was nothing wrong with my blood test!

I had never heard of hypothyroidism before and am thankful I found Thyroiduk.org.uk who assisted me in getting diagnosed and alleviating all ymptoms.