Hi, and thank you for letting me join. I am at the very beginning of my journey I’m hypothyroid symptomatic and have been for a few years with GP telling me my results are normal. I have ordered a private test so am waiting for that to be done. I’m concerned because I am currently on statins, BP meds and a prescribed laxative for constipation which by the sounds of it are adding to my issues. I have NAFLD, CKD, I’ve had gallstones so had my gallbladder removed, and the last couple of days I’ve had what I can only describe as bone pain at night. I feel so upset that these medications are supposed to help you but it looks like if they are making everything worse. I feel like just stopping everything and going cold turkey. I eat healthy and am exercising daily but struggling to lose weight. Sorry for long post but I want to do what’s best for my long term health. Both my parents died of a stroke my mum at only 51 so I’m considered high risk. What do you suggest? I don’t feel that the GP’s want to know or care about us as individuals.
medication concerns : Hi, and thank you for... - Thyroid UK
medication concerns
Hi SaladQueen99, welcome to the forum. 
Are you taking any thyroid hormone replacement - levo? Do you have copies of your blood test results? If so, post them here with the ranges and let's have a look. Doctors can have some weird ideas about what is 'normal' and what is not.
High cholesterol, high blood pressure and constipation can all be symptoms of low thyroid. If your thyroid were optimally treated you probably wouldn't need all those drugs. And if you're hypo you definitely shouldn't be taking statins.
Just because your parents died of strokes, doesn't mean you will - and certainly not because of high cholesterol! It just doesn't do that. Doctors tell you that cholesterol causes heart attacks and strokes to scare you into taking statins, but it's just not true. High cholesterol is a symptom, not a disease.
It's pretty common for hypos to need their gallbladders removed.
Have you had your nutrients tested: vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin? It's very common for hypos to have nutritional deficiencies despite good diets. So, if you haven't had them tested, try and do so. Low vit D can cause bone pain.
I totally understand your desire to go cold turkey and stop everything once and for all - it's the sort of thing I do - but I wouldn't recommend others do it! If you're going to stop them, do it gently. Vit C and magnesium citrate will help with the constipation.
I agree with you, doctors don't seem to care much - especially about those of us with thyroid problems. It's due to their inadequate training. So, we have to look out for ourselves.
Thank you for your prompt reply, I have managed to put my readings together and will attach them. I also forgot to mention that I am now pre diabetic so trying to battle that as well. I am having my bloods taken for the advanced thyroid test from medichecks so hopefully that will give me more clarity for the way forward. Sorry I am not currently on any thyroid meds as they say my results are normal.
So your high thyroid antibodies in 2021 confirms autoimmune thyroid disease
You should have had 2nd blood test 6-8 weeks after 2020 test with TSH over range
Likely vitamin levels have been dropping as your thyroid levels drop
Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH
TSH is all GP (incorrectly) looking at
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and 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
Post all about what time of day to test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
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...
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...
Thank you. I have a blood test booked for the 14th ( next Monday) at 9:30 that’s the earliest that I could get. Medichecks recommend before 10am so do you think that this will be ok?
High blood sugar common when hypothyroid
thyroid.org/patient-thyroid....
Low GFR (poor kidney function) common when hypothyroid
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
The GFR is reversibly reduced (by about 40%) in more than 55% of adults with hypothyroidism
Hello SaladQueen and welcome to the forum :
Normal - means in the NHS range - it does not mean you do not have a thyroid health issue - just that it's ot seen as ' bad enough ' to be treated yet !!
Considering you had over the range antibodies in 2021 - your results were not normal and you should have been picked up then for closer monitoring :
A euthyroid thyroid - meaning a ' well functioning thyroid ' would have a TSH reading at around 1.20 - 1.50 - with a T4 at around midpoint in its range.
Within the thyroid NHS ranges you may well have symptoms of hypothyroidism - and possibly symptoms of ' hyperthyroidism ' as it's all about where in this range your T3 needs to sit for you to be well and metabolising.
Your positive antibodies are indicative of Hashimoto's - a thyroid AI disease where your daily own thyroid production becomes erratic due to your immune system attacking and ultimately disabling your thyroid with you then becoming hypothyroid and the first line treatment needing to be prescribed is T4 - Levothyroxine - thyroid hormone replacement.
Many forum members find the research and suggestions of Dr Izabella Wentz useful and who writes as thyroidpharmacist.com
No thyroid hormone replacement works well until the core strength vitamins and minerals - those of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and maintained at optimal -
so good idea on the full thyroid panel -
just start a new post/question and share the results and ranges when you have them back and forum member will talk you through what it all means and your next best steps to getting treatment and better thyroid health care.
Many thanks for your response. It just annoys me that I have been saying to Drs for years that I feel as if my body is fighting something particularly at night and I think that they think I’m a hypochondriac 😡. Thanks again, just keen to get these forthcoming blood results back.
pennyannie
If you are replying to someone in particular you need to ensure you reply within their post using their Reply icon - as then their name comes up as you write to them and they get an email to notify them that they have a message -
as otherwise you may feel you have been ignored - which is not what we are all about -
No worries - Helvella kindly notified me - ( see below )
We can all read everything that is being written so there is no need to keep repeating details :
I'm afraid it's a common issue - most forum members have spent years dealing with symptoms and being fobbed off, some prescribed anti depressants - and sent away feeling as though it's just them - and it's all in their head and a mental issue - which of course it can lead to if not optimally medicated.
Good you've found this forum - saved my sanity some years ago as it has the many who come back on to help others struggling with a system not fit for purpose -
we are an open, patient to patient forum and most speak from experience and just trying to give back a bit as a form of ' thanks ' - to Thyroid UK - who is the charity who supports this forum for us - where you can read further on all things thyroid - thyroiduk.org
P.S, you can read any forum member thyroid journey - just press their Profile icon that sits alongside anything they write -
If you get lost reading around - just go back to you Profile Icon - that sits alongside -
My Hub - Chat - Posts - Alerts - and Menu sections on this page facing me on my laptop.
Thank you
No worries - I think I just tacked a PS on the above - you may not have seen !!
Should I stop my medication
Labs and medication dosage question 
No Longer on Medication
Feeling worse on Levo?
