Good supplements for energy?

[Jordanshaylajay]

I would do anything to have my old life and energy back. Does anyone know anything that could help? I'm on 175mg of Levothyroxine. Levels are up and down constant. And I take my medication religiously

[pennyannie]

Hello Jordanshaylajay and welcome to the forum :

T4 - Levothyroxine is a storage hormone and needs to be converted in your body into T3 the active hormone that runs all your bodily functions.

Your ability to convert the T4 into T3 can be compromised by non optimal levels of vitamins and minerals, antibodies, inflammation and any physiological stress ( emotional or physical ) depression, dieting and ageing can also down regulate T4 to T3 conversion.

So in order to know how well your body is utilising the T4 we need to see a full thyroid panel to include TSH, Free T3, Free T4, thyroid antibodies, inflammation, and ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D.

If your doctor isn't able to run this, you can get this advanced full thyroid blood panel actioned by one of the private blood companies as listed on the Thyroid UK website - which is the charity who supports this amazing forum - thyroiduk.org

Once with the results and ranges simply start a new post and you will receive considered opinion and support as to how to get yourself back on track and to better thyroid health.

Arrange an early as possible morning blood draw appointment, ideally at the beginning of the week so the blood doesn't sit anywhere in the post or laboratory system over a weekend.

Stop any supplements and anything containing biotin around a week before the blood test.

Leave 24 hours between your last T4 dose and the blood test and take your T4 for that day after the blood test and fast overnight before the blood test, just taking in water.

I think I saw the Medichecks private blood test company offering a 25% discount yesterday and along with Blue Horizon offer a nurse home visit should this suit you better and I think, between them, cover most if not all of the country with this additional service.

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to Jordanshaylajay]

I'm going to ask my gp if I can have a copy of my levels. Which I've never done

[pennyannie in reply to Jordanshaylajay]

Ok then - we are now legally entitled to copies of all our medical records so it might make sense to register with your primary care provider for ' on line ' access.

If you were replying to me ' for instance ' you need to use the reply button at the bottom of my reply to you - and then ' my name ' comes up as you type your reply - as above you appear to be replying to yourself.

Generally a new post like yours will be actioned within around a day - so if you have new information or questions - start a new post as then you get full forum ' eyes ' on whatever you post as opposed to tacking things on the end of what's considered ' an old post ' and unless you write to someone specific no one is alerted that you've added new information.

The icon above that looks like a paper plane is where forum members can converse with you as a Private Message - as we are not allowed to openly discuss some matters.

Don't worry, it will all fall into place as will your health once we have some bench readings and ranges and help you recover your energy, health and wellbeing.

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to pennyannie]

Okay thanks. As I'm new to this. With my first post ❤️

[Aurealis]

I wonder what you mean about your levels being up and down. Do you mean measured TSH, fT3, fT4? Or how well you feel? Or the dose you take?

You could be under or over treated, or need T3. If you provide test results with ranges then it might be possible to determine which.

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to Aurealis]

Yes eveytime I go to have blood tests. Every few months. They are up and down I assume. As some months I'm on 175mg levothyroxine a day then the next few months the gp puts me down to 150mg then a few months again I'm back on 175mg. Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Jordanshaylajay]

Jordanshaylajay

Do you always do your thyroid test as we advise, this is very important so that we can compare results accurately:

* Book the first appointment of the morning, or with private tests at home no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day.

In fact, 9am is the perfect time, see first graph here, it shows TSH is highest around midnight - 4am (when we can't get a blood draw), then lowers, next high is at 9am then lowers before it starts it's climb again about 9pm:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.

* Nothing to eat or drink except water before the test - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Certain foods may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.

* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw. If taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw, split dose and adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.

* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it can give false results (most labs use biotin).

These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with phlebotomists or doctors.

Does your GP test only TSH? If you do one test at 9am and another test in the afternoon there will be a big difference in your TSH. If you take your Levo before the test you will get a higher FT4 than if you leave the recommended time gap of 24 hours. These could be possible reasons for your GP changing your dose.

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi. Everytime I have my blood test i book it for 9:30 on the day straight after I take the children to school. I take my medication at 7 o'clock everymoring with my other medication (sertraline loratadine and levothyroxine) all at once. I do have a coffee. So il be following your advice on the next appointment. I recently read to take them with milk before I take the other tablets. So I've been setting an alarm for 5am to take them first then the others at 7am. I been doing that for a week so I'm hoping that's better

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to Jordanshaylajay]

I'm not sure what the doctors test for. If it's only TSH or not

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Jordanshaylajay]

Jordanshaylajay

Always ask for a print out of your test results (unless your surgery offers online access where you can check them). We are legally entitled to our results so you can ask the receptionist (not the doctor) to arrange for you to pick up a print out, then you can see what's been tested, the result and the reference range.

I recently read to take them with milk before I take the other tablets.

No, you can't take Levo with milk. Milk contains calcium and calcium should be 4 hours away from Levo. Just take your Levo on it's own, with water only, then nothing can affect Levo's absorption.

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to SeasideSusie]

Brilliant. Thanks for your help.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

 

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies 

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis. 

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis 

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test 

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

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

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins 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

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery 

Link about thyroid blood tests

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

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism 

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your advice

[Regenallotment]

You have had great advice above on vits and levels, but also I find life’s’bumps in the road’ really impact my energy levels. Despite bloods being improved and supplements closer to optimal than ever. Stress and anxiety at home at work,, busy days, long days, colds and flu, eating the wrong stuff can all leave me tired and needing a few days to recover. 💚

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to Regenallotment]

Thank you. My life is constantly on the go. But lucky my older 2 children 18yrs and 16yrs understand and let me have my nap in the days when need and look after my 7 year old. When he is in school I constantly worry about sleep and all my jobs to do

[Jordanshaylajay]

Thanks all for the great advice. I don't take any supplements at the moment. And i will follow your advice to see if i feel better. Somedays i dont want to be here under the stress and tiredness. If i could pay for energy. I would. Its exhausting. I also suffer with severe OCD (cleaning and sorting and symmetry) So its a terrible battle everyday. As everything has to be done. I stress myself out as im getting tired throughout the day. And looking after children. I'm on other medication for that too. Is it best to take the levothyroxine separately? Thank you

[pennyannie in reply to Jordanshaylajay]

Yes, absolutely - T4 - Levothyroxine is a very fussy hormone and needs to be taken on an empty stomach with a full glass of water and then you need to wait around an hour before you eat or drink anything and well away from any other medications.

Please advise what other medications you are taking as they may well have a bearing on the absorption and conversion of the T4 levothyroxine into the active hormone that runs the body, energy and metabolism - T3.

[Hidden in reply to Jordanshaylajay]

My OCD was vastly improved when I got near to an optimal dose.

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to Hidden]

That's good to hear. I hope so. I'm having OCD therapy too so I hope my life can calm down soon. Thanks

[chrisbuy63]

It could be other hormones that need support, depending on age or other underlying conditions.

[Jordanshaylajay in reply to chrisbuy63]

Yes I thought that too. Il have to book in some blood tests