Hi, I believe I may have had thyroid problems since my 30’s when I ballooned from a petite size 8 to size 16 over a few years.
I am 69, in 2016 I was diagnosed with AF think I had heart issues 10 years before that.
I was put on Apixiban and beta blockers while I was also taking seratonin reuptake inhibitors for Fibromyalgia diagnosed in 2005 aged 50.
I had a few heart med changes then given Dronedarone, Apixiban and Sertraline in 2019.
Over COVID I felt awful, tired, aches and pains, brain fog, head dripping wet, doing nothing after two years by accident I forgot one night to take the bedtime meds (am, pm, 12 hours apart) I woke up with a clear head and energy….took the car for its service, met my son, walked 2 miles in city, had lunch at the art gallery, then walked back for the car, no sweats, felt great.
Decided to stop all meds felt fine for a while had hospital Cardiology appointment was given new meds…Amiodarone and Edoxiban Feb 2023.
Amiodarone known side effect Hypothyroidism. That is what happened over 10 months until so low and depressed I was put on 25mg Levothyroxine in December and changed to Ramipril in January 2024.
I have terrible groin and abdominal pain, sciatica and bad ankle pain.
I have diverticulitis, anterior and posterior prolapses, I think I have liver pain in upper right quadrant.
Had TFT this week levo upped to 50mg.
I read about someone getting colonoscopy and endoscopy tests and wondered what for. I want my bowel and stomach checked as having terrible pain. Terrified to eat. GP have Laxido powder took a sachet with water, 2 hours later I was up 4 hours going to the toilet, terrible pain almost passing out. Slept most of next day.
I did not think about Ferrous and Vit tests until reading on here…I have constant pain lower right side and have awful difficulty passing wind. Never bothered with wind before.
Advice please!
Written by
Ruffi
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Many of those things are way over my head but are often treated when it's actually low thyroid hormones that are being ignored..... but I would recommend sticking with the levo and working up to a full replacement dose and see how you feel (not a quick fix I'm afraid) when you are there I'd recommend getting a private full thyroid panel to see if you are converting to the active hormone (fT3) which the NHS rarely test 🙄
Get bloods retested 6-8 weeks after dose including to 50mcg
Likely to need further increases in dose over coming months
which brand is 50mcg
ALWAYS take Levo
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested
Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to see if your hypothyroidism is autoimmune
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 TPO and/or high TG 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.
Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies (thyroglobulin)
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)
T3 ….day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day, with last dose approximately 8-12 hours before test
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
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