long term throid condition minimal improvement-new/repeat tests??

[dlj2]

Hi my sister has been unwell with auto immune thyroid for many years now, this has stoped her fulfilling a normal life and with time ticking by I am really trying to get her more help, she takes a natural form of thyroxine as connot tolerate the norm, but cannot seem to get to the level she needs to give make her feel well before her system becomes toxic and she has to stop increasing it. My real question is what other tests are available, what endocrinoligists are good in Kent area, we have seen one at Canterbury before who wasnt very good. Would anyone recomeend a ct/mri scan to check the thyroid and pituartry gland? any advice massively welcomed!

[RedApple Administrator]

Can you post some recent test results so that we can get a better picture of what's going on with your sister?

What are the symptoms she's experiencing when her "system goes toxic"?

If she already has a diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease, I don't think a CT or MRI of the thyroid would help in any meaningful way.

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK]

I remember reading somewhere, possibly Mary Shomon's website, that some people with autoimmune hypothyroidism do not do well on natural thyroid hormone. However, if your sister didn't do well on the synthetic then natural is the next step.

Some private docs feel that cortisol and DHEA levels should be looked at in cases like these.

Also try looking at B12 and D3 levels.

[smudgerthepainter]

What is her ferritin iron level like? less than 50 requires supplementation. And maybe discuss substituting some or all theT4 for the already converted ready to go to work T3! some people who have no joy with T4 do better on T3 or a combination of T3 /T4 its may be worth a try. They dont like prescribing T3 because it is much more expensive than T4 (£26 as opposed to less than £2)