Energy

[vanharps]

I'm a group fitness instructor. Waiting results for possible under active thyroid. Have all the symptoms including very aching joints...not good in my line of work. Get results Friday. If it is confirmed will the medication bring back my energy and make my joints better? All in hips and shoulders

[PinkNinja]

Hi and welcome

Many people feel completely well once they are on the correct dose of thyroxine and the chances are that you will too. It can take a while to get to your optimum dose, but once you are there you should start to feel very much better soon after.

There are a minority of people who don't respond well to thyroxine and there are other alternatives, but that usually involves seeing private doctors and getting private prescriptions. The good news, however, is that most people are fine on thyroxine, including one of our admins on this forum

When you get your blood test results, ask for the actual numbers and the reference range. It is a good idea to keep an eye on your results yourself so that you get to know what levels you feel well at. You will soon learn to predict when your dosage needs tweaking. Actual test results are also very helpful if you have a question to ask because it gives us a starting point.

Other things to look into are serum iron, ferritin, vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D. Low levels of any of these could also contribute to your symptoms.

I hope that helps a little

Carolyn x

[vanharps in reply to PinkNinja]

Ah Carolyn thanks so much for your reply. Funny enough I've been reading the thyroid UK website and ordered myself some vital b12 and d just in case.

I get my results Friday. I known this sounds bad but I hope it's hypothyroidism as it sounds quite easily resoled. The last thing I want is loads of tests and dead ends whilst feeling this this. Due to the joint problems I've had to cancel loads of classes and it's costing me a bomb. Plus I feel rubbish!

Fingers crossed.... Thank you x

[PinkNinja in reply to vanharps]

I hope that you get the answers. Yes, in most cases hypothyroidism is easily treated, but in some people that is not the case, so if you find you are not getting better once treated, please post on here so we can make some suggestions as to possible next moves.

If it comes back that it isn't your thyroid, please let us know and post your blood test results here with reference ranges. It might be that your levels are not right for you even though they are within the reference range and under those circumstances your doctor may refuse to treat. Don't despair though. There is always an answer. It's just a case of finding it!

Let us know how you get on.

Carolyn x

[sporty333]

.....oh such positivity Carolyn! lol x

[PinkNinja in reply to sporty333]

I know it seems like most people don't get well, but that's because all the people who are well are out living their lives Every single person that I know personally with hypothyroidism is very well on levothyroxine and have never visited a forum such as this because they haven't needed to. If only we could educate doctors about the rest of us, but then we'd only have about 3 members, lol.

[sporty333 in reply to PinkNinja]

Well C I'm yet to meet someone truely well with hypothyroidism! Lol

[cal1971]

I would make sure that they give you a print out of your test, or tell you what the level is ( it will be between 0 and 5, and they reason that any level in this 'range' is normal) -they will test your TSH level, which I personally, and many others, do not believe to be the best way to test your thyroid- however, see what happens and go from there before reading all the other stuff! Good luck!

[Hidden]

I'm well again on levo, but as Carolyn says, learn as much as you can about hypo as things do not always stay the same and it's good to be prepared. Also it's good to learn how to help support your healing. Healthy living is really important, for me this is good nutrition, exercise, no alcohol and avoid stress.

When I have a flare up of symptoms and I need to take more levo it takes a few weeks to really feel good again. My muscles become very weak with a flare-up, as well as insomnia and aches and pains. I'm now active again and well - I even started running again last week!

Good luck - even with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, there's every possibility you may be able to continue with your work.

[Elaines]

Hi there,

I am fairly newly diagnosed, but while sometimes I read the posts on here and barely understand a word, often there are so many helpful hints and advice that it is fantastic. Until 3 months ago, I had no idea what the thyroid gland did. This site and the Thyroid UK site is a godsend as the little blighter seems to affect so much and not all the same things at the same time. I hope you get well very soon.

[vanharps in reply to Elaines]

Ah that's so nice thank you. And thanks everyone for your help. I hope I can carry on with my job. I absolutely love it and, well, teaching is now my full time job so I'm stuffed if I can't do it because of this. Today has been a nightmar. Bad papalpitations and hot sweats, no energy and had to teach and also do some personal training. Worried me a little when was told symptoms may not go even if I am diagnosed and put on medication.... But have heard so many success stories I'm justgoing tto make myself belive I am one of them....

[vanharps]

Okay so results were... If I have this right, thyroid 1.25 and t4 12...she said I was within nor. Al levels but low and some people don't feel right lower down in the normal range. So. Have been given thyroxine to see what happens....