I was diagnosed with hashimotos about 9 weeks ago and have been on levothyroxine 50mg, blood test due at 12 weeks. Have also been taking vit d and ferroglobin. I have awful upper back, neck and foot pain. Currently under physio. Doctor did blood tests for rheumatoid arthritis this was negative but positive for anti nuclear antibody and titre Is 320 which it says is normal and staining is nucleolar which again says its normal? I have a follow up appointment with gp in two weeks but I was just wondering if anyone has experienced this with hashimotos or if it's likely I've got another autoimmune going on. Thank you 😊
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Nattycake
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yes, I had all those pains, it took me a year or more to titrate up to the correct dose for me and to heal the inflammation and 3 years on it’s easier to manage but o have to consider my health in all aspects of life.
Highly recommend reading Izabella Wentz books,
Highly recommend private testing of full thyroid panel TSH FT4 and FT3 vits and minerals alongside GP tests. Post results here and follow the amazing advice you will receive.
Rest rest rest and be gentle with yourself, eat good food, have a look at my ridiculously over sharing bio for parallels.
Ps pain between shoulder blades for me is grain related, spelt, rye, wheat, barley all do it. Ask GP to do coeliac test to rule out before you give it up 🌱
Yes, it doesn't seem right waiting 12 weeks I actually feel worse!
B12 was 445 (187-883)
Ferritin 19 (20-204)
Flolate 4.2 (3.1-20.5)
Vit d 39.9 (50-150)
I have been taking vit d 3000 + K2
Ferroglobin capsules
Nothing given by GP
I have bad feet and shoulder blade/muscle pain which GP said likely due to posture, got worse over last few months. Has ruled out RA but ANA positive with nucleolar pattern and 320 titre so not sure If I've also got something else going on!
With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement
A week later add a separate vitamin B Complex
Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week
Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) Thorne can be difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
This should improve as dose Levo is slowly increased over coming months
Even if we frequently start on only 50mcg, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or near full replacement dose
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.
Some people need a bit less than guidelines, some a bit more
NICE guidelines on full replacement dose
Though many/most of us, especially with Hashimoto’s need to start on 50mcg, but still important to increase dose until on full replacement dose
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.
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).
Thank you 😊 I don't think it's plantar fasciitis as I've had that before and this is the tops of my feet mainly. Will be interesting to see what next blood test says
Hi Natty
I went through Physio back in 2013 along with Hydrocortison injections neither worked for me as the pain was very intense, however everyone is different and it may help you keep your chin up and let us know how you get on.
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First antibody test results
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