Blood test and GP response

[Littlebuddha]

Further to SlowDragons extremely good advice and information, I physically took my results and a list of symptoms to the surgery on Monday morning and handed them over to the admin who assured me they would pass the details onto the duty doctor. Later that day, I received a text message to say that my "letter" had been sent to the relevant department!!Today, I receive another text message, which went like this ........

thanks for your letter - reference ranges vary and pertain to the lab involved. On balance it is fine to increase thyroxine - checking fully the results in 3 months - we can simply alter dose as needs accordingly- 50mcg once daily sent"

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Brilliant result 👏👏👏👏👏

Well done

you have been left very under medicated for years

Suggest you initially increase by 12.5mcg (cutting 25mcg in half) for first week or two

Otherwise it might be a bit of a shock to double the dose

Which brand of levothyroxine is your 25mcg

Ideally don’t change brand when going up to 50mcg

Retest thyroid levels 8-12 weeks after being on 50mcg daily

You will very likely need further increases in Levo over coming months

[Littlebuddha in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon once again for your advice x I had to laugh at the bit where the message said " reference ranges vary and pertain to the lab involved"!!! Yeah, we are all too well aware of that!!! Let's see if I get an appointment for a review!I'm on the thyroxine that only do 25mcg tablets, think it begins with a W?! Sorry not able to put my hands on them at the mo!

Have a lovely weekend.

[Littlebuddha in reply to Littlebuddha]

No idea what we would all do without this site .......brilliant all of you 🤗

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Littlebuddha]

It’s Wockhardt

Wockhardt only makes 25mcg tablets

So you could request new prescription for 2 x 25mcg per day

Or if don’t want to risk upsetting GP/getting prescription withdrawn …….try a different brand

Options are

Mercury Pharma or Eltroxin by Advanz 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg

Accord only 50mcg and 100mcg

Teva (best avoided unless lactose intolerant as upsets a lot of people)

Vencamil - lactose and mannitol free

Often very well tolerated ….previously only 100mcg Newly available in 25mcg and 50mcg

[Littlebuddha in reply to SlowDragon]

Notice no reference or mention of the vitamin deficiencies even though they got the whole read out!!

[diagnosed2013 in reply to Littlebuddha]

Hi Littlebuddha...sorry I'm new on here & wandered what your vitamin ranges were? Hope it's OK to ask this...Would anyone be able to recommend a good multivitamin as I've been depleted for a while now & think a few of my physical symptoms (along with getting my thyroid function privately checked as gp won't do more than tsh) hoping these results come back soon...so just wandered if people take a multivitamin to cover all bases or just a select few? & which would people recommend for someone with many allergies...

My fbc over last few months haven't been good, low white cells & red, but gp says all fine...but I don't feel fine! Hoping maybe a good multivitamin might help...my diet not great at mo unfortunately, no appetite...

Many thanks all

[Littlebuddha in reply to diagnosed2013]

Hi diagnosed2013.....no need for apologies, we're all here for the same reasons, we can't get anywhere with our GP's!!!! My active B12 and vit D are low, I'm looking into taking a supplement for both of these. I'm doing quite a bit of homework as I'm laid up at the mo. It has been suggested by SlowDragon that I look at " Better You" mouth spray for Vit D as this is better for the gut. With regards to the B12, I'm looking for pure vitamins as a lot of companies use fillers in their products !!! However, we are all different, so once you get your results, I'd put them on here and ask for advice, everyone is so pleasant and kind and extremely helpful. Good luck xx

[diagnosed2013 in reply to Littlebuddha]

Thank you for your reply....I've been looking at different vitamins too & managed to get a folate & vitamin B12 witout the added fillers from a company called health leads, they aren't full of fillers. The other one was igennus that I bought, that was a multivitamin from igennus with gentle iron as I think I'm deficient in that too....haven't tried the multivitamin yet, I react so badly to many things & additives in supplements/foods etc I tend to go very cautiously with any supplements....recommended dose for the multivitamin was 2 tablets per day which seemed a lot... but I'm not sure whether to try the b complex of that make (igennus) or to try the multivitamin that they do...its a job to know for the best what to take...I saw the recommendation on here for the b complex of igennus so might try that make....Thank you for taking the time to reply & hope you feel better soon xx

& yes I will pop my test results on here when they come...

I had accquired hypothyroidism back in 2013 & took levothyroxine 50mg for 3 years...stopped taking it as I thought I was well, but after total abdominal hysterectomy in 2018 & lacking in oestrogen for years (doc just last week prescribed hrt) I think the hypo symptoms have come back unfortunately 😢 hence why I'm testing these now xx

[diagnosed2013 in reply to Littlebuddha]

I've done the private tests for tpo & t3 & t4 so hoping to get those back soon..... I have never looked at my levels before....only since getting symptoms which could be nothing to do with thyroid & all menopauserelated...not too sure at mo, any help much appreciated xx

This was my last two tsh results....have never had t3 or t4 tested

[diagnosed2013 in reply to diagnosed2013]

The results are just the docs tsh...think all OK with them...will it be the t3 & t4 that I need to look at? Hoping these results come back soon 🙏

[Littlebuddha in reply to diagnosed2013]

You do need to look at all three readings, T3, T4 and TSH....I would suggest you put a separate post on (a new one) not on the back of mine, and you will hopefully get the advice you need. Thank you for the info on supplements, I have heard of igennus and the reviews are good, however I understand they are quite expensive 😀

[diagnosed2013 in reply to Littlebuddha]

Thank you 😊...I will do, sorry I jumped on your post yesterday...new to all this & definitely need to add less I think. Thanks again & please let me know if you find a good supplement I would be interested to have a look at new ones xx

[diagnosed2013 in reply to diagnosed2013]

I think some of the supplements are expensive... but then the cheaper ones tend to have all the fillers & bulking agents like magnesium stearate & silcon dioxide etc in....hard to know which ones to get & which ones we might not react badly to....trial & error I guess. Good luck with it all...its a bit of a minefield isn't it xx

[Littlebuddha in reply to diagnosed2013]

Oh please don't apologise, I'm happy for you to talk to me, it's just that I want you to get the best advice possible and I'm not the one, or in a position to, give you that!!! You have certainly given me some information regarding supplements, companies I hadn't heard of before ......it certainly is a minefield .....thank goodness there is a site like Healthunlocked. I hope you get sorted soon ....take care 😊

[diagnosed2013 in reply to Littlebuddha]

Hi Littlebuddha... for vitamin D....I found Natures Best Vitamin D3 drops i(n virgin olive oil for maximum absorption) pretty good, have been supplementing these for a couple of months now, they just contain virgin olive oil as a base & no nasties & for someone who is very sensitive to additives these have been fine, & they seem to be working ok...I've only found them on their website xx

[Starseed56]

very frustrating isn’t it but you can work on the vits And use them for you can’t do! Hope you feel better soon 💜