Hi, so I've only just started medication and few days ago and am really struggling with my symptoms.. I spend 90% of my time either in bed or lying on the sofa I've had to cancel my gym membership and rarely see any friends. My husband has had to take over my share of the housework and even has to wash my hair!So I have 3 children and I work full time supporting survivors of sexual violence through the criminal justice system and I LOVE my job. I currently have a caseload of 40 clients, which ordinarily would be fine. My manager has been semi understanding and has said that I can do phonecalls instead of face to face (so that I don't have to drive) but i still have to do things like travel to court or supporting people to do a video interview etc.
But I still have a LOT of admin to do, I really struggle with this.. my brain just can't focus, to be honest if it's late in the day, I can't focus when talking to clients either.
Basically I'm after some advice, because I don't really know what to do.
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SickandTired25
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It can take several weeks for your body to adjust to Levothyroxine. I think your starter dose was 100mcg (what brand?) which is quite a substantial amount (50mcg is often prescribed as an initial dose, with further 25mcg increments prescribed as needed). Has your GP said to retest levels in 6-8 weeks?
Did you get your vitamin tests back from your GP? Having these optimal should really help with your symptoms, as they support thyroid health.
Hang in there! Many of us (myself included) required time off work when initially diagnosed with a thyroid condition.
Hi, thanks, it's Accord - although I realised after that this has lactose in it. On advice given on my last post I have been taking 50mg.I have an appointment with my GP tomorrow, but yeah they've said that I will need to be retested every 6-8 weeks.
I actually am having another blood test next week anyway because my white blood cell count is low: Total WCC 3.7 (4.0-11.0)
Neutraphils: 1.8 (1.9 - 7.5)
All vitamins etc are good apart from serum ferritin which is 25 (11- 306.8)
I was wondering whether I need to be signed off or not? I don't want to, but im really struggling.
If you need to take time off work, I would definitely consider this. It’s hard to say how long it will take for you to feel better, as you may need several increments of Levo to find your optimal dose. Going low and slow with adjustments means you are less likely to miss your ‘sweet spot’ where you feel most well.
Keep working on including iron rich foods in your diet/ having vitamin C with your iron rich meal to aid absorption etc (as per links in last post)
All vitamins etc are good apart from serum ferritin which is 25 (11- 306.8)
Can you list your nutrient results so that the more knowledgeable people than I can verify that they’re optimal because you say you’re vegetarian, in which case unless you’re supplementing with a good B complex I’d be surprised if your folate and B12 are “good”
Yeah sure.. to be honest you might be right. I do take a good b12 supplement, but I hadn't been taking it for ages up until a few weeks ago, just because I kept forgetting to buy some more. I also take vitamin D and magnesium - and iron now!Serum vitamin b12: 357 (133 - 675)
Serum folate: 5.6 (3.10 - 19.9)
Combined total vit D2 & D3: 88.9 (50 - 150)
I have had quite a detailed panel of bloods done, so if anyone thinks levels of something else might also be helpful to know- just let me know, as I might have it!
Ok, so someone else will comment on those levels for you to ask further and appropriate questions but at first glance folate is pretty poor and although B12 isn’t dire, I read on here all the time that closer to 500 is preferred
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.
As a Vegetarian you’re likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week
Igennus B complex popular option. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose and may need 2 per day and/or may need separate methyl folate couple 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 3-5 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 if last test result serum B12 was below 500 or active B12 (private test) under 70
be kind to yourself ,,,it takes time to get better and there will be ups and downs ... it's better if you , your family and your employers have realistic expectations :
A Helpful Quote from another members GP ,on what to expect when starting treatment for hypothyroidism.
"The way my new GP described it was ..."You know how your body is continually breaking down and rebuilding itself? Well, the thyroid controls the rebuilding, so if it isn't working you carry on breaking down but don't rebuild properly. Your body now has a lot of catching up to do, which will take a minimum of 12 months, probably a lot longer...." or words to that effect. He also said it would be a saw tooth recovery (get better, go backwards a bit, get better, go backwards a bit) and he's been right so far."
Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency
retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing.
It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
Test early morning, only water to drink between waking and test. Avoid high iron rich dinner night before test
If taking any iron supplements stop 3-5 days before testing
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
Thank you for your incredible patience while you have been awaiting the outcome of our ferritin reference range review. We conducted this with Inuvi lab, which has now changed the reference ranges to the following:
Females 18 ≤ age < 40. 30 to 180
Females 40 ≤ age < 50. 30 to 207
Females 50 ≤ age < 60. 30 to 264
Females Age ≥ 60. 30 to 332
Males 18 ≤ age < 40 30 to 442
Males Age ≥ 40 30 to 518
The lower limits of 30 are by the NICE threshold of <30 for iron deficiency. Our review of Medichecks data has determined the upper limits. This retrospective study used a large dataset of blood test results from 25,425 healthy participants aged 18 to 97 over seven years. This is the most extensive study on ferritin reference ranges, and we hope to achieve journal publication so that these ranges can be applied more widely.
Just wanted to say I do hope you start to feel better soon. I’m coming up to seven weeks on 50mcg Levothyroxine for hypothyroidism. I’ve begun to notice some slight improvements which give me hope.
I also struggled with work. Tasks I ordinarily took in my stride had become daunting. I was usually really efficient but I was getting forgetful and not thinking clearly.
I was persuaded to take some time off by my manager. I love my job, so this was the last thing I wanted to do. My initial fit note was for 4 weeks, and I have just been given another one, also for 4 weeks.
Taking time off has turned out to be the best thing I could have done. I’ve been able to attend medical appointments whenever I’ve needed to. I’ve had time to read up about my type of hypothyroidism and make lifestyle changes. I’ve had naps during the day. My stress levels have dropped significantly. I’m still feeling exhausted, but there is no quick fix for hypothyroidism.
I’m seeing occupational health in two weeks to discuss my return to work and reasonable adjustments. I’ll ask for a phased return with reduced hours to begin with. It was only when I took time off that I realised just how much of a strain struggling on at work had become.
It was really difficult to take time off work because, like you, I love my job but sometimes self care has to come first. Accept all the help you can get and be as kind to yourself as possible. Sending you my very best wishes.
Thank you, that's really helpful and I'm definitely thinking that taking some time off my be for the best.I'm glad that you're starting to feel better! That gives me hope that I may start feeling better at some point! Xx
The early days can be really disheartening - it feels like turning round a tanker and so few people understand what the fatigue and brain fog are like. If you do take time off make sure it is recorded as disability related absence. Hypothyroidism qualifies as a disability. I did a bit of pruning in the garden a couple of days ago which is a really good sign. Also watched a TV crime drama and managed to keep up with the plot. Feels like I am gradually coming out of the fog and getting some energy back. xxx
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I've had to cancel my gym membership and rarely see any friends. My husband has had to take over my share of the housework and even has to wash my hair!So I have 3 children and I work full time supporting survivors of sexual violence through the criminal justice system and I LOVE my job. I currently have a caseload of 40 clients, which ordinarily would be fine. My manager has been semi understanding and has said that I can do phonecalls instead of face to face (so that I don't have to drive) but i still have to do things like travel to court or supporting people to do a video interview etc.
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