General Practitioners

[Lindam1077]

I have Hypthyroidism Vestibular Ear Disease and BiLateral Tinnitus are they related who knows. Why are the GPs I have attended I feel that they do not explain how life debilitating Hypothyroidism actually is how serious. It’s a case of you have thyroid problems take Levothyroxine all will be Ok questions unanswered. All diagnosis is Oh you’re borderline !!!!!!What borderline that means nothing to me I feel abandoned

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

2022 the GP advised me to have a Thyroid Test this was positive and I now have been on 50mcg and more recently 75mcg.

You are quite likely not on high enough dose levothyroxine

75mcg is only one step up from starter dose

What are your most recent thyroid results

Low vitamin levels too if not regularly tested and supplementing

Tinnitus strongly linked to low B12

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

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

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 that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test 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...

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...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

[Sparklingsunshine]

To answer your question yes they are, especially if you have autoimmune hypothyroid aka Hashimotos. There is a higher prevalence of vestibular disorders like tinnitus, Meniere's and hearing loss amongst hypothyroid patients, particularly those with Hashi's.

Its believed the immune system not only attacks the thyroid but can mistakenly attack the endolymph fluid in the ears which causes the issues above. Sometimes being put on the correct dose of thyroid hormones can reverse the damage but not always.

I often think that because the GP guidelines for initiating Levothyroxine are so rigid in the UK that a lot of people are suffering problems with their inner ears which is totally unecessary. If treatment was started sooner at least some would be spared vestibular problems.