Being anxious about Hypothyroidism

[Dakota1234]

In about May 2023 I was sent as a matter of urgency to a doctor (I had just changed surgery due to moving, but I don't have much of a history of bothering with doctors anyway) because I had a pre-op medical (bloods, weight, heart etc) and a nurse discovered a thyroid problem. So I went to the doctors, was immediately put on Levo 100mcg (Accord) (I was at that time 65, and weighed 60 kgs). I eventually managed to find out my hospital blood results (posted elsewhere, not handy at the moment). After 7 or 8 weeks I had further tests (obeyed instructions, early in morning, nothing except water, no biotin) and my results showed I was eu-thyroid - I was "normal". I am now waiting to go for further blood tests after now about 4-5 months. I have, to my mind, never had any symptoms before, during or since this whole episode. I don't feel different to before taking the Levo. I don't have (and fortunately never did have) menopausal symptoms. My weight doesn't change beyond the norm, up or down. I don't have fatigue and never have had, if I understand the definition. I suppose I will have to wait for the next tests as I am still taking the Levo 100 mcg, but I can't help feeling anxious that I am being medicated for little or no reason. I'm not saying I don't have problems - the operation was on my hand by the way, and I had already made it clear that I would have it done on a local anaesthetic, not a general (due to fear!). This is a worrying puzzle to me, but I don't suppose it is of help to anyone else unless I find out something drastic with the next test. By the way, the operation was cancelled. I just wanted to get this off my chest because it does worry me. Thanks.

[Lalatoot]

Dakota 1234 welcome. We will be able to comment if you post your blood results and their ranges when you have them.

A starter dose of levo is 50mcg or 25mcg if over 65. If you are on and we're started on 100mcg levo then it would seem to imply your thyroid hormone levels were very low. On 100mcg levo you don't feel any different to your normal, this could mean that the levo is maintaining your status quo and that you need it to do this

However let's see those results and we will comment

[greygoose]

Hi Dakota1234, welcome to the forum.

Rest assured that it is very, very, very rare that doctors prescribe levo without good reason. Normally people find trying to get treatment is like trying to get blood out of a stone! So, you must have been very hypo to get put on 100 mcg immediately without further testing.

After 7 or 8 weeks I had further tests (obeyed instructions, early in morning, nothing except water, no biotin) and my results showed I was eu-thyroid

Well, yes, no surprise there. You were euthyroid because you were taking the levo. It didn't mean you don't need the levo.

If you had been given 100 mcg levo when you didn't need it, it would have made you so ill, you would have rapidly stopped it. So, you really can stop worrying that you're taking it for nothing.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous posts your TSH was 18 at diagnosis so clearly hypothyroid

See what results show after next test

Remember to stop taking vitamin B complex or supplements that contain biotin 5-7 days before test

[HealthStarDust]

I’m sorry, I can’t help. But, I am curious if you was started on Levothyroxine after just one over range TSH? I suppose it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the testing was inaccurate or some other thing has caused your TSH to raise (that’s why they usually have 2 tests of raised TSH before diagnosis and treatment). I do find it strange that you have no symptoms either on or off the Levothyroxine.

[Gingernut44]

What was the operation for and why has it been cancelled? Who knows if the problem you were having was down to low thyroid hormones.

[SYLVIE15]

Hi Dakota

When I was first diagnosed with under active thyroid I had no idea I had that problem

I had an attack of urticaria which I had an attacks all my life periodically

At this time a

I was about 55

it was the skin clinic that diagnosed thyroid from many blood tests

However after a week on thyroxin the urticaria disappeared

I since learned low thyroxin causes an attack of my urticaria

The point I am making is I had no idea I neede it felt normal stable weight about 60 k

as the years have gone by I gad a period of losing weight had bloods done they reduced the thyroxin and the weight loss stopped

2 years ago a was feeling dreadful gaining weight my bloods showed thyroid was enough

But as most people will tell you on this site ferritin folate and b12 vit D

If they are low thyroxin isnt absorbed into the body properly and increasing the dose doesnt help

I started taking 1 ferritin which is iron

And I feel so very much better and the weight is slowly dropping back to normal

I think you must need the thyroxin as your bloods would be through the roof if you took 100 mg if thyroxin and didn’t need it You would lose weight and be hyper

I lost weight and was only 25 mg too high

You must need it if you go long enough without it you will suffer in the long run blood tests are done to keep the dosage correct

But like me you gave to remember

Those 4 vitamin levels need to be good and must blood tests don’t check for that

I am now 77 so have taken thyroxin fir many years

In the beginning I didn’t feel any different from before diagnosis only the urticaria had stopped which I now know is linked to a poor immune system

like thyroid

If your blood say you need it take it

I’m not as informed on technical stuff as done on this site but understand where you are coming from.

Sylvia

[Dakota1234 in reply to SYLVIE15]

Thank you. I know I am almost certainly in need of the Levo. I will keep taking it and getting my blood checked. By the way, there is little wrong with my vitamin levels, and I do take supplements anyway.