Why am I so cold all the time

[Brumhoy68]

Hi I had radio iodine treatment a couple of years ago and I'm now on levoythryroxine, I'm freezing cold all the time. I'm taking 200mg of the stuff each morning

[greygoose]

Do you have a copy of your latest blood test results? Sounds as if you could have a conversion problem but we can't know unless you post your results with the ranges.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you take levothyroxine on its own, on empty stomach and then no other medications or supplements for at least 2 hours

Looking at previous post …you take a lot of other medications

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Are you now taking 200mcg or 150mcg

Only ever increase by 25mcg at a time

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

Which brand of levothyroxine are you taking

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

When were vitamin levels last tested

Recommended 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 and includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies -£29 

randoxhealth.com/at-home/Th...

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...

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £31 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Link about thyroid blood tests

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

Please add most recent thyroid results and say what dose you were taking at time

[Brumhoy68 in reply to SlowDragon]

I don't take vitamins but I do take lots of other medicines. They decided to increase my levothyroxine by 50 a day when I was in hospital in April. I don't know what my results where. I had a high heart beat and they thought the increase might reduce the beats down from 130 ish down to something more normal. I wasn't happy and told them so at the time. The reason I was in for 17 days was seizures. The fast heart beat just occurred in the last three days I don't buy it was thyroid related otherwise, apparently an endocrinologist had suggested we try it. I never got to see my blood test results so I can't provide them.All I know is I feel like a polar bear.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Brumhoy68]

How long since dose was increased

Do you take levothyroxine on its own on empty stomach

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

patients-association.org.uk...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet

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 

Also 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

Recommended 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 and includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies -£29 

randoxhealth.com/at-home/Th...

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. 

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...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

if you need to wait until 6-8 weeks to test thyroid

Request GP test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 NOW

or if GP reluctant

Perhaps test vitamin D your self now

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £31 via

vitamindtest.org.uk