headaches

[Thelostboys]

Hello everyone hope you can advise me i’m fairly new to this group i was diagnosed with a underactive thyroid about 18 months ago and was put on Levothyroxine accord. My doctor told me to stop taking them because the side effects were horrific.I waited three weeks and then had my blood done again. My thyroid levels were very low and the doctor has put me on a different brand 50 gram i have only been on them one month and i am going back for a check up in a few weeks. I felt ok but this week i have been so depressed and have had a headache every day do you think it’s the tablets please can you help i am also having my vitamins checked am i on enough or to much Thank You

[SlowDragon Administrator]

50mcg is only the standard starter dose

Your body is likely now use to starting dose and looking for increase in dose

Headaches and feeling down are both common hypothyroid symptoms

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Which brand of levothyroxine are you taking

Book your blood test for 6-8 weeks after starting

Likely to need several further increases in dose of levothyroxine over coming months

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)

My thyroid levels were very low

Do you have actual results?

It’s good idea to keep a good record yourself if test results and how you feel on each dose levothyroxine as it’s increased upwards

Symptoms improve slowly as dose levothyroxine increases

[Thelostboys in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you no i have no information yet i will let the doctor know i go back in three weeks ⭐️

[SlowDragon Administrator]

i am also having my vitamins checked

Come back with new post once you get vitamin test results

Low vitamin levels as direct result of being hypothyroid are extremely common

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Many, many thyroid patients need to take separate vitamin supplements to maintain GOOD vitamin levels

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to see if your hypothyroidism is autoimmune

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)

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)

[Jazzw]

How old are you? Male, female?

Just trying to get a feel for the most likely reason for what’s going on here.

My guess? That when you’re unmedicated, your thyroid is managing to pump out more than the equivalent of 50mcg levothyroxine.

When you take 50mcg of levothyroxine, it’s enough to stop your pituitary from signally to make more thyroid hormone naturally but not enough to be a replacement dose.

This might be hard to accept given it seems like it makes you feel terrible but I think your main issue might be that you aren’t on enough levothyroxine.

And given you are under active your B12, Vit D, folate and ferritin levels are probably in your boots (one side effect from having hypothyroidism is poor gut absorption—no matter how healthy your diet, you probably aren’t absorbing enough nutrition).

[Thelostboys in reply to Jazzw]

Thank you so much my diet is terrible i am a vegetarian so i think i am low on everything. But i am having it checked out when i go back to the doctor so i will wait until then ⭐️

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thelostboys]

As a vegetarian you are likely very low in B12 and iron/ferritin

On levothyroxine it’s essential to maintain GOOD vitamin levels

Vitamin D at least over 80nmol

Serum B12 at least over 500

Active B12 at least over 70 (private test only )

Folate towards top of range

Ferritin at least over 70

Good that GP is going to test now

Test levels at least annually

You will likely need to test these privately going forward

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/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...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Monitor My Health (NHS private test service) 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...

Request GP test thyroid antibodies

TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to see if your hypothyroidism is autoimmune

[greygoose]

No, it's not the tablettes, It's your body telling you it's time to increase your dose.

[Thelostboys in reply to greygoose]

Ok thank you ⭐️

[greygoose in reply to Thelostboys]

You're welcome.