Hi everyone,I've been suffering from bad fatigue for months, as well as having prostate cancer last year, psa is good on last test, hot sweats reduced! I have purchased Ashwagandha from amazon, read lots of Google good and bads about it, but worried as quite a lot mentioned if on thyroid medication or problems and consult a doctor beforehand? Well seeing a doctor beforehand?? Say no more! anybody have any thoughts?
Am on 100mg levo
Have you got any recent full thyroid results to share with us as unless you are quite lightly built your dose seems small and would cause fatigue if frees are low?
Looking at a previous post...
17-Jul-2023 Thyroid function test - (Ralston5490) - Normal -
No Action
TFT results in euthyroid range.
Serum free T4 level 11.9 pmol/L 7.00 - 17.00pmol/L
Serum TSH level 2.62 mu/L
This shows you as under replaced but I don't know what dose you were on then?
Ashwagandha seems to be a bit hard to know what it might do for you but I never tried it as it is in the nightshade family which I can't tolerate 🤢
Hi Tigger, Thanks for replying, I had a thyroid bloods 8 months ago, I put it on this site and very interesting thoughts from others, I tried to put it on again for you by copy n paste, but unsuccessful, it's on my profile, I'd be happy if you can suggest anything,
Thanks
Time to get another full panel done, if you haven't upped your dose since these last results you are likely still under replaced
I asked 2 weeks ago , typical receptionist looked at the screen and said it was too early for my thyroid to be done! Week later I asked for a diabetees test as am so tired all the time, been like this for a long time, in between working night shifts, it's torrid! Anyway had a blood test, receptionist rang me to say the GP wants to discuss my bloods, she informed it will be 3 weeks for a telephone call, I couldn't believe it!! So worried, so looked at my NHS app, lots of abnormal bloods ( Triglycerides significantly increased) serum lipids, abnormal) ( serum urate, abnormal) ( urea electrolytes, abnormal) so will be expecting a call from gp next Tuesday morning, god knows what I'll be told?
Sounds like your cholesterol levels are up which is another sign that you are under replaced! If you are happy to wait then insist the GP tests your thyroid levels, have you been tested for antibodies to see if it's autoimmune?
I'd suggest grabbing a finger prick kit from monitormyhealth.org.uk/ and use ThyroidUK10 for 10% off as they are an NHS Lab so your GP will struggle to quibble with the results.... remember to test between 7-9am 24 hours after last levo and only water before test
SlowDragon helvella Not sure if night working effects TSH circadian rhythm? Any knowledge?
Shift working of all sorts has many times been reported to interact with thyroid hormones/TSH and their cycles.
I do not have any detailed information to hand but remember at least one member saying they had to quit shift work.
Thanks tig, I will mention it to her, one of the other bloods as follows, think it was the diabetees? HbA1c levl - IFCC standardised:36 mmol/mol
Normal range:
20 to 41
Your result
36marker
Yes it does
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl....
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
and affects cortisol levels
Ashwaghanda reduces cortisol. If your levels of cortisol were already low then the ashwaghanda might be doing you no favours, but if your cortisol was high then the ashwaghanda might be useful.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
This matters because there is an important relationship between cortisol and thyroid hormones.
ibrainandbody.com/the-stres...
100mcg for a bloke is not a high dose
Approx how much do you weigh in kilo
Guidelines is around 1.6mcg of Levo per kilo of your weight per day
Your last result shows you were in need of 25mcg dose increase in Levo to 125mcg per day
which brand of Levo are you using
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
Being on too low a dose levothyroxine will result in low vitamin levels
ESSENTIAL to include in test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
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
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...
Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test
support.medichecks.com/hc/e...
Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee
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/testing/priva...
High cholesterol directly linked to being on inadequate dose levothyroxine
Thank slowdragon, am on Aristo, have been on these so.time, mu weight is 110 kg, 17 stone
So you are highly likely in need of 25mcg increase in dose Levo
And further increases over coming months
Retest 8-10 weeks after any change in dose
Aristo don’t currently make anything other than 100mcg tablets
But 25mcg and 50mcg tablets available by June - hopefully
Meanwhile get extra 100mcg tablets and cut into 1/4’s to give 25mcg extra per day
Use sharp craft scalpel to cut into 1/4’s
110kg x 1.6mcg = 175mcg as possible eventual dose
pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...
Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
TSH should be under 2 as an absolute maximum when on levothyroxine
gponline.com/endocrinology-...
Graph showing median TSH in healthy population is 1-1.5
web.archive.org/web/2004060...
Comprehensive list of references for needing LOW TSH on levothyroxine
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...
If symptoms of hypothyroidism persist despite normalisation of TSH, the dose of levothyroxine can be titrated further to place the TSH in the lower part of the reference range or even slightly below (i.e., TSH: 0.1–2.0 mU/L), but avoiding TSH < 0.1 mU/L. Use of alternate day dosing of different levothyroxine strengths may be needed to achieve this (e.g., 100 mcg for 4 days; 125 mcg for 3 days weekly).
NICE guidelines on full replacement dose
nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/...
1.3.6
Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.
Also here
cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hypo...
One more thing, as am typing this message, my hands are like ice, almost everyday, would this have anything to do with my condition re thyroid?
Yes absolutely
Low thyroid = low metabolism
There’s over 300 symptoms, fortunately we don’t get all of them
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...
Very Informative, I can concur to many of them, than you
Thank you so much for the information, am expecting a phone call from my GP and will mention to her regarding increasing the medication, I will spit on this evening and have normal 100mg in the morning and continue the same, I just feel so lethargic, I have had 2 days, one tablet of ashwagandha, had terrible stomach pains the last hour, don't think I'll be having anymore
As a very rough guide 1.6 x weight in Kg 110 = 176mcg
This is from the NICE guidelines so your GP should be aware
Generally cold is a low thyroid symptom (if you have a thermometer handy you could check) along with slow heart rate, constipation, dry skin.... it's a really long list but it could also point to Raynaud's which is another auto immune condition
Sounds like you might have a nightshades intolerance, do you find potatoes, aubergine and peppers have a similar effect? Your stomach is going to struggle as hypo's generally suffer from low stomach acid which makes digestion less effective.
Whilst educating your GP it would be worth asking for folate, ferritin, B12 and Vit D tests as these are often low and play an essential roll in helping T4 convert into active fT3
What is a nightshade intolerance? I do bloating, especially potatoes a d pasta, or greasy food, although I try to avoid, I've suffered with really bad stomach accid foe many years, I take omoprozol, thanks for your time, really appreciate it
It's where the body reacts to certain foods, so how are you with tomatoes as they are in the nightshade family too.... I can't tolerate any of them they make me feel poisoned 🤮
Also with googling Burp Test as you are very likely low on acid, symptoms are much the same but Dr's just hand out more and more antacids.... omeprazole also inhibits uptake of levothyroxine so needs to be kept well away if you really do need it 😕
It's more diary foods, or Chinese, I think am. Gluten intolerance, although never been checked for it, anything like bisto, oxo cubes, I will choke in my sleep
Yeah, I can't do dairy either... Bisto granules contain potato starch, Chinese takeaways use monosodium glutamate which is also in Oxo... It takes a bit of detective work to find the triggers, I'm ok with gluten just not barley 
Hopefully once you are on the right dose of T4 many of these things will improve
Tigger me is correct for all the above. I have hypothyroidism. My doctor lowered my medicine and now I can’t sleep and get hot if I’m walking because I have COPD also and depression meds. But then when I am still I am freezing! I told her to leave my medicine where it was. They do not listen to us. We know our bodies and how we feel!
Good luck to you and have a great day! Breathe easy…
Thank you pam, so many wrongs in the medical world, but this site helps us feel more confident after today
Yes it really does. I think the medical industry really doesn’t know or doesn’t care.
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