New results…

[JoJoloveschocolate]

Hi everyone, just a bit of background info:

These are my NHS test results from Nov 2023:

t4 13.8 (7-17)

tsh 0.10 (0.20 - 4.50)

although the TSH came back slightly under range at that time, thankfully the GP said “no action” so I have carried on with 75mcg (have been having my usual brands - no issues)

Things that improved on 75mcg (been on that dose since Sept 2023) =

1) Tinnitus pretty much completely gone

2) Severe constipation much improved and not needed any laxatives. IBS settled (not as many cramps and bloating, not had to take meds for extreme trapped wind). Also doing well on gluten free diet which seems to be controlling my appetite, bloating and hunger griping pains/pangs!

3) Started to have quite a few “good days”, whereas before starting levo I wasn’t having any at all.

4) Sciatica, foot pain on the top of my foot settled down and pain between my shoulder blades that affected arm movements actually settled too.

5)Not needed hardly any painkillers.

6) Deep, stabbing ear pain resolved.

7)More spells of feeling happy/more awake with a bit more energy.

8) Lost a little bit of weight! (88.7 kg from 90.7kg)

Folate, B12, Vit D all ok last time. Ferritin low, not yet checked again, but have improved my diet.

Recently, I’ve not been feeling so good again. This week in fact I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus. My elbows, forearms and hands have been weak and very painful for a few days with no specific cause - difficult to dry my hair, not able to lift shopping bags or use the hoover. Also had to limit my time on my ipad to just reading emails twice a day, reduce my typing. This pain/issue is new to me and haven’t experienced any issues like it before. Had to go back to using regular painkillers again. Have also had low back pain on and off with muscle spasms. The other day, I had a total fatigue crash and ended up staying in bed all day and staying at home them for a couple of days too. Today, I feel a bit better again - weird.

I did a fingerprick tests with MMH and have booked a blood test with gp next week to follow up. I think I need a raise in levo dose. What do you think of these results? Is the tsh high enough for an increase? My Gp looks at that more than anything else. I’m hoping it might go up a bit more at the test next week!!

Monitor My Health results April 2024: (test done before 9am, fasting, 24 hours since last levo)

TSH 1.35 (0.27-4.2)

T4 15.5 (12-22)

T3 3.4 (3.1-6.8)

Cheers, Jx

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Free T4 (fT4) 15.5 pmol/L (12 - 22) 35.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 3.4 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 8.1%

Both free hormone results are low in range coupled with TSH above 1 so you are ready for the next dose increase. Retest 6-8 weeks after increase.

[JoJoloveschocolate in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thank you, Jaydee. You’ve confirmed what I was thinking. I just hope the gp doesn’t refuse an increase! I’ll try asking to “trial” a small increase as that worked last time. I felt much better when my t4 was around 70% and could probably do with it being even a bit higher.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to JoJoloveschocolate]

You're still early days into treatment and levels can change. Although we say to test after 6-8 weeks, thats just the earliest you can test for stable levels and even after 10-12 weeks levels may have changed. So much healing to be done!

[JoJoloveschocolate in reply to Jaydee1507]

yes definitely! My levels were fairly stable even into January when I did a medichecks test. Tsh still under range then but slight drop in t4 and t3. Still, I felt fairly well and that was approx 4 months after starting the 75mcg. I’ve had awful back and joint pain this past week but now suddenly I don’t feel too bad again. Do you know why that might be jaydee? I wondered if that was due to t4 levels falling and rising intermittently?

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to JoJoloveschocolate]

Quite likely your levels are just settling down. It can take many, many months for everything to even itself out. Remember that healing is not in a straight line. There will be fluctuations all the way to fully healed.

healing graph

[JoJoloveschocolate in reply to Jaydee1507]

Oh yes!! That graph! I’d forgotten about that! I love that. That makes perfect squiggly sense to me and shows it exactly as it is. It’s very comforting I think. Thanks for reminding me. It also reminds me of what someone said along the lines of …however long it took to get ill, it can take that length of time to get well. (I think it might have been Helvella.) I also find that comforting too. These things have made it easier for me to stay the course with the levo and hang in there when things have been rough and to give it time. Thanks again Jaydee, I appreciate it.