At a loss

[Fourwhitesheps]

Hi I had a heart attack in September and am currently waiting for surgery . I am on lots of medication different beta blockers, a statin and others. While I was in hospital they bought me my tablets every morning including 125mg levo. Each nurse I questioned said it’s fine take them all together. On discharge I asked the doctor the same question, shouldn’t levo be taken separately? Same answer. I am so fed up at the moment with everything that’s going on as I know they say don’t take statins, beta blockers interfere with thyroid medication. When should I retest privately my last test was in October but just don’t know if all these medications will have a big effect on my levels. Sorry for the rant just feeling so low at the moment x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Yes you must take levothyroxine on it’s own at least two hours away from any other medications or supplements

You can take levothyroxine at bedtime or in middle of night

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

Which beta blocker are you currently taking

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels last tested

Get thyroid levels tested 6-8 weeks after starting to take levothyroxine correctly

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)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

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/

Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65 

(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies) 

monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...

10% off code here 

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

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

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

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

[SlowDragon Administrator]

previous post shows you do have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You were working on improving low vitamin D

Have you had coeliac blood test done yet

Are you now on strictly gluten free diet or considering trialing it

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to SlowDragon]

Coeliac clear, vitamin d supplementing. Not gluten free at minute. Last private test October. Beta blockers Bisoprolol alongside chemydur, lisinopril, and rosuvastatin. I have been underactive for 20 plus years on same brand accord and Teva. I really was just wanting to know why doctors say it’s ok to take Levo with other tablets as it went against all I had done for 20 years. Will do another private test to see what my levels are doing thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Fourwhitesheps]

I really was just wanting to know why doctors say it’s ok to take Levo with other tablets as it went against all I had done for 20 years

Because thyroid disease is extremely poorly understood

Interesting research on just how sensitive levothyroxine is to malabsorption issues

academic.oup.com/edrv/artic...

With Hashimoto’s it’s always worth trying strictly gluten free diet

[arTistapple]

You will still be reeling from everything that has just happened to you. You have been correct about your thyroxine timing etc. It’s all the new medicines you need to get to grips with. I remember the big handful of pills coming round every morning. Even then I understood I should not be taking omepramazole with the bundle of new meds, never mind levothyroxine. It’s more convenient for the staff to give them to you all at once. However it’s not convenient for you! After my heart attack I was not quite with it for a good wee while, plus I had no idea I was already hypothyroid because I was “within range”, without looking at ALL the ranges. It’s a very poorly understood condition by most medics. Your new medicines will be making an impression on your body and mind too. Give yourself some time.

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to arTistapple]

Thank you I just feel I want this surgery done and then get back to sorting out my thyroid as I don’t know what symptom is coming from what

[arTistapple]

Off course you want it sorted and a better understanding of your symptoms. Hold tight. You have been given good information and off course it will take time to sort things out. Just do what you can and don’t do what you can’t.