job and thyroid

[lovelab]

I wanted to just share my current situation.

My brain fog is finally improving since being on Euthyral. Been on it for 6 weeks but I fear it may be too late to save my job. I'm devastated.

I started my new dream job last May and initially my probation period was 4 months but they have just told me they are extending it by another 2 months as they feel I am not autonimous enough. I struggled terribly with brain fog at the beginning during the training period. I understood everything they were saying but my recall memory was non existent. I was also writing figures back to front and couldnt find my words and gosh I was anxious. At the time I was on 100mcg Levothyroxine but knew I had low T3 and bad conversion (see previous posts) but was having trouble getting prescribed T3.

They took a bit of a gamble taking me on as I am 57, as they said they were fed up of training youngsters who would then leave 2 years later or going off on maternity leave. I am paranoid they think I am over the hill. But I just cannot tell them about my woes with thyroid.

Feeling very isolated. My husband listens a bit, he himself had thyroid cancer 13 years ago but has never had problems with T3. He has advised me not to tell them about my struggles as it could make things worse and they might think I am using it as an excuse.

I also have some other weird things going on in my blood tests, such as Mild Hypogammaglobulinemia - whatever that is, and regularly reversal of neutrophile to lymphocyte count, which makes my doctors raise their eyebrows but they are not forthecoming. And just say I have to have it checked regularly because that is what the lab said. So I worry about this too and have googled far too much.

Thyroid illness is a total pain. No doubt about it. But I suppose on the upside I am feeling quite a lot better on Euthyral. I take half a tablet ( = 50 mcg levo and 10mcg T3) and add 50 mcg of Levothyroxine. Will be doing bloods soon. I feel there is still more room to improve though.

Sorry the post was long. I needed really just to get things off my chest.

[Hidden]

I quite often say on this forum that it’s a mistake to put everything down to thyroidal illness. By doing that, you can miss other issues that can contribute to your health concerns.

What other medications are you taking? Are you taking any psychotropic drugs such as antidepressants? Are there any ‘life issues’ which could be affecting your health? Do you suffer from anxiety?

It’s really important that you ‘think outside the box’.

[lovelab in reply to Hidden]

only on hrt but I do suffer from anxiety but think this is most definitely linked to my thyroid as as it gets bad when TSH rises . My eyesight also gets bad at the same time. I have started to wonder again if it is not alzheimer, just as I did before I was diagnosed hypothryoid early 2020.

[greygoose]

May 2023:

TSH 0.35 (0.27-4.20)

FT3 4.90 (3.10 -6.80)

FT4 24.4 (12-22)

What was the logic behind the decision to take half a euthyral tablet and 50 mcg levo? That may have been ok in the beginning, when you first started euthyral, so that you didn't start T3 on too high a dose. But, given your poor conversion, I can't understand why you haven't progressed to one full euthyral tablet and dropped the levo. Have you tried that and found it didn't suit you?

[lovelab in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose,

I only started taking the Euthyral end of July when factory was closed for 2 week summer break and I was at home to monitor things. I haven't tried upping it yet as a bit worried cos of high FT4 back in May. Didnt want to feel unwell with palpitations from over medication etc. while at work. Maybe being too cautious.

My doctor made out a prescription initially for me to take euthyral just on weekends and levothryoxine the other days at first to see how it went and I soon realised this was not a good idea when consulting the forum. So I took the initiative to go to half tablet every day with 50 levothryoxine as . I didn't consult my doctor on that one but it seems to have gone smoothly, no palpitations etc. And as I said I feel less brain fog and less tired already.

I suppose I could try going onto the full dose now and drop the levothyroxine. I wont be able to get a prescription for blood tests for a couple of weeks according to DoctorLib in anycase, so I might as well try. I can always stop if I feel ill.

Will let you know how it goes.

Thanks to you all.

[greygoose in reply to lovelab]

Don't worry about the FT4. Taking T3 will lower it, anyway. And, palps tend to be a hypo symptom.

[thyr01d]

Hi lovelab, I have a thought for you, based on my daughter, who had an ongoing back problem that could cause her problems at work. I think it might be worth seriously considering explaining about your thyroid to your employers for two reasons. One is that you can truthfully say that you are better medicated now and should keep improving. The other reason is that employers are obliged to help employees who have a disability, and I think that like my daughter's back your thyroid condition counts, and, it is good for businesses to be able to record that they are employing people with a disability. (I don't know why that is, perhaps a tax perk or similar, but that's what my daughter was told and so whenever she applied for a new job she mentioned about her back in her application - and she is often the chosen candidate in a strong field). Hope that is of some help to you.

[lovelab]

thank you Thyr01d for your reply. It is a bit of a double edgd sword. I could check with the works nurse maybe. Being in France, not sure how the law lies, especially during my probation period. I feel there is so much incomprension around thyroid disease. But will definitely give it some consideration. thanks