Hi again. I am still trying to understand thyroid symptoms, this site is fantastic, I read the posts every day and have learned so much.
I lost the battle with my doctor to increase my Levo so have continued at 50mcg for another 6 weeks. My plan is to get a private test next week and then go back to the GP again armed with my results (assuming they indicate that I am under-medicated, which was the thought here in January)
I have noticed that my anxiety levels have increased tremendously lately it. As I take Fluoxetine for my moods, I just thought maybe I needed an increase. I don’t want to increase that and suddenly wondered if it was actually something connected to my thyroid issue (I was diagnosed with hypothyroid in November). I also find I am very short-tempered and get wound up by the slightest thing.
Has anyone else found this issue with anxiety? It may just be my age or perhaps I am simply a bad tempered person!!
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I become massively intolerant of everyone when any of my hormones are low, sex hormones or thyroid... I often tell people women need testosterone to tolerate men! 😆
So you lost that battle but you can still win the war. 😉
Go back to the GPs but pick a more helpful, accommodating doctor this time. Some of them are bigger sticklers on this than others.
I had anxiety at lower levo doses and found that they were more willing to attribute that to 'mental health' than low thyroid levels so it became difficult to state my case. You need to give them hard evidence that your TSH is too high and it's OK to get your TSH lower.
Going gluten, dairy and soy free really helped my mental health btw.
Your GP should be taking your symptoms into concideration along with blood results. This is from the NICE guidelines stating that your needs and preferences be taking into account.
The first paragraph in the NICE (NHS) Thyroid Disease, Assessment and Management guidelines says :
nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145
"Your responsibility
The recommendations in this guideline represent the view of NICE, arrived at after careful consideration of the evidence available. When exercising their judgement, professionals and practitioners are expected to take this guideline fully into account, alongside the individual needs, preferences and values of their patients or the people using their service. It is not mandatory to apply the recommendations, and the guideline does not override the responsibility to make decisions appropriate to the circumstances of the individual, in consultation with them and their families and carers or guardian. "
List of hypothyroid signs and symptoms on ThyroidUK's main website here and you will see that anxiety, mood changes, easily upset, etc, are listed under Non-Physical hypothyroid signs and symptoms
yes I am taking vit D now, haven’t started B12 yet. I plan to get full blood test done before going back to GP so I have plenty of evidence. No haven’t had coeliac test, not thought of that one.
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)
assuming you do have autoimmune thyroid disease as you have gut issues
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing
Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential
Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial
Hashimoto’s and leaky gut often occur together
Both dairy and gluten are inflammatory foods
A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and may slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Yes I get that and thought I must be such a grump, learning from this site has helped a lot but I find stressful situations trigger it again. I am sure it will improve once you get on top of this pain in the neck disorder!
Hi there, as I understand it 50mg of Levothyroxine is a starter dose, and should be gradually increased with regular blood testing after each increase.
I notice that your B12 levels are low. I found that I felt very anxious and easily upset when my B12 was low. I now have regular injections of B12, and have noticed a huge difference in my mood.
Thank you MariLiz. I have to say the whole thing is SO complicated! I thought I only had to worry about Levothyroxine, which is difficult enough when the GP refuses the change the dose. But the vitamin issue on top of that, and now the suggestions about gluten-free diets - all a bit overwhelming. I have started on vit D spray and will do the B12 soon too. So good to be able to chat to others in the same situation on this site.❤️
There are guidelines for GPs to follow for starting patients on Levothyroxine and increasing the dose after regular blood tests until the results are in range and symptoms are resolved.
Hopefully someone will come on with a link to the guidelines so that you can broach the subject with your GP.
Thanks Bearo. The issue I had was that my results were in range so the GP would not increase the dose. People on this site sent me lots of links to guidelines so will be fully armed when I go back!
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