This is the battle. It shouldnt need to be. - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

142,582 members167,964 posts

This is the battle. It shouldnt need to be.

Lucy___ profile image
16 Replies

Most of it is in the screenshots.

Endocrinology discharged me without telling me.

The 25mcgs of levo I was taking was enough to switch my own ability off but not enough the replace it so my T3 and T4 are dropping even lower and are both well towards the bottom end of the range (especially the T3)

My GP wants me to remain on the 25mcgs and not do anything about it which surely is going to cause me to just get worse and worse isn't it?

Is it safer to continue on the 25mcgs knowing that it's causing me more damage or should I come off it completely until someone sensible can take over?

I'm just concerned that I am feeling so ill (which may also be related to my shockingly terrible menopause) and I don't have any room to feel more ill than I am as I've had to take lorazepam the last couple of days just to manage the level of anxiety I'm feeling over feeling so poorly.

What is the best route here to do for best?

I know I could also just double up on my levo now myself but I'm frightened as I have a heart condition which includes non sustained ventricular tachycardia (a potentially dangerous heart rhythm) and it can be triggered by some medications and I know that levothyroxine is particularly irritable to hearts.

I just don't know what to do for best.

I just want to stop feeling like I'm dying.

Written by
Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
16 Replies
Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___

Email

Email
Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___

Email

Email
Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___

Email

Email
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAmbassador

If endo has discharged you …..if GP won’t increase dose

Then you need to see different thyroid specialist to get dose levothyroxine increased slowly upwards in 25mcg steps until Ft4 and Ft3 are at least 60-70% through range

Typically that’s around 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight per day

Roughly where in U.K. are you

Here’s link for how to request Thyroid U.K.list of private Doctors emailed to you, but within the email a link to download list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists

Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations so that might eventually transfer to NHS

thyroiduk.org/contact-us/ge...

Essential to also test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin and maintain GOOD levels

What vitamin supplements are you taking

Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___ in reply toSlowDragon

Problem is that I just don't think I can afford to see anymore private ones and nearly every single private one I've seen have completely dismissed my low T3 and T4 and none have even wanted to put me on levothyroxine.

The only endocrinologist who's ever wanted to put me on levothyroxine is the NHS endo who's released me 🙄

So even if I can find money to see someone, is it going to be another waste with them saying my T3 and T4 are fine?

I mean, maybe they are because they are worsening on the levo so maybe I shouldn't be on it and upset the status quo?

Maybe my body is just meant to have low T3 and T4?

My TSH leapt from 3.2 to 1.1 on 25mcgs but lowered the T3 and T4 so if I go upto 50mcgs is my TSH going to end up going hyperthyroid as it jumped so much on such a small dose of levothyroxine.

I have substantial heart problems and I really cannot run the risk that levo is going to bring on NSVT in me as other medicines can do this.

I genuinely don't know what to do and have no where to go to ask.

I'll keep taking the 25mcgs for the meantime but does that mean I'm just going to get worse and worse?

I need an endocrinologist who will probably help me and I can pay for that privately but I can't afford to keep seeing doctors at 300 quid a time that say my thyroid is fine.

My vitamin levels are all ok.

My vitamin D has jumped from 46 to 132 and my ferritin has increased a little and now around 65 I think. Vit B12 has always been good.

I take the sprays , vid D and K and iron as I can't tolerate tablet supplements due to side effects.

I'll have a look through the list and see if I can find someone.

I wanted to go to Miles Levy because his colleague Trevor has been saying some wonderful information on the pituitary site about T3 and T4 but last time I checked, I couldn't see Professor Levy for months.

Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___ in reply toSlowDragon

I'm in York but can travel the country

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply toLucy___

Have you considered trying to find out if the NHS endo. who put you on medication will see you privately? Or ask him to put you back on his NHS list? He will be horrified if he could see what's happening.

Low T3 is not good for the heart. The heart has a lot of T3 receptors in it and needs a good reliable feed. So you can get problems with too much, but also too little.

Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___ in reply toFancyPants54

I'm really really frightened because I had a long run of non sustained ventricular tachycardia last week. Could that be connected?

What do I do?

Come off the levo and let my body make it again or increase it to 50 mcgs myself.

This might kill me

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply toLucy___

50mcg is still considered a starter dose, but of course I can't advise you regarding your particular condition. I have permanent Afib, but that's much less serious. Do you have a cardiac nurse you can speak to? How about your cardiologist? In theory a cardiologist should understand the need for T3, although mine didn't and told me some scary rubbish about it that frightened me half to death at the time. He was so wrong. He has since retired and gone private!!! His replacement discharged me from clinic so I've not been reviewed since 2020. Rubbish. I've had to ask to be referred all over again because I have some concerns and I need to see a cardiologist about them. Hey ho!

I would see if I could speak to your heart team about this if I were you.

Then if they can reassure you but not help in other ways (I'd hope they could give your GP a right telling off!) you could cut a 25mcg tablet in half and increase by 12.5mcg at a time if you wanted to be ultra cautious.

Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___ in reply toFancyPants54

Would that dose be enough to start increasing it though because the 25mcgs has decreased it so I don't want to take more and find my levels drop even further. That's what's frightening me so much

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply toLucy___

It won't increase it, but it's a cautious way to increase slowly. You could do 12.5 for a couple of weeks to make sure there was no reaction and then up to the full 50mcg for 4-6 weeks before testing.

If your FT3 continues to drop on that dose it's still too low for you. But you can't jump up more than 25mcg a time.

Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___ in reply toFancyPants54

Thank you, it's just like absolutely everything in this - frightening. I'm terrified of how bad I feel. Terrified

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply toLucy___

Being low on thyroid hormone means you have flat batteries and you can feel terrible like that. I do! What I meant was raising the dose by 12.5 won't raise the T3, but should slow down the decrease, ready for the next increase.

How did you feel and what were your blood levels before you started Levo?

Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___ in reply toFancyPants54

Ah I got you. I definitely had more energy then. My energy has declined and declined and declined.

My TSH I think was about 3.2 when I started with a T4 of 16 and a T3 of 3.7

My TSH now is 1.1 and T4 is 14 and T3 is 3.1

Hence why I'm getting a bit frightened but I will add in the 12.5 tonight and do that

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply toLucy___

The lower the TSH goes the less it asks your thyroid to produce more hormone, hence the drop in levels. So you will need to over ride that loss of TSH. It's odd it fell down there so fast. But it is what it is and right now you either need to stop it completely (but it will take a while to recover and you will feel possibly worse) or keep going.

Do you have access to a cardiac team for a chat about it?

Do you normally take your thyroid medication at night? if so, what time of day did you do the blood test? How long from the last medication was the blood draw?

Lucy___ profile image
Lucy___ in reply toFancyPants54

My TSH in November after I'd been on the levo a couple of months was 1.8 so it went from 3.2 to 1.8 to 1.1. The only thing is that this test was done in the afternoon so potentially if it'd be done in the morning, it might have been closer to 1.8 like November.

I have a cardiology appointment tomorrow morning actually but they are fkkking useless so I don't expect much help from them.

I take my meds around 2am so I took it at 2am then had the bloods done at 5pm so 15 hours later

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

I know this is silly but......

You don't die do you if you have low T3? Please don't tell me that you die if you have low T3. I...
Lucy___ profile image

Results after T3/T4 trial...is this it?

Hello, Medicheck results after T3/T4 trial since 15/11/23, reduced levo then from 150 to 125,...
Klawd profile image

Is this possible over medication?

Yesterday I came on here in a state because my heart had gone into a fast, irregular beat at 8am...

is it worth trying t3?

Please see my last post for some context. I am just feeling so lost and wondering if t3 might be...

Feeling very alone?

Anyone else feeling alone? I know there are so many on here having battles due to the lack of...
magsyh profile image

Moderation team

See all
PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator
Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator
helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.