Hypothyroidism :: Levothyroxine For Underactive Thyroid
Nov 7, 2012
During a routine blood test in August I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid. I wasn't feeling ill so was quite surprised when I read the symptoms. I've been on Levothyroxine for 3 months now and I feel terrible. I'm so drained and exhausted, angry and frustrated, bloated, fat, stomach pains and unhappy, I keep going back to the doctor but she just pops me more pills and I don't feel she is very understanding or sympathetic. I didn't feel this bad before I started the medication so I'm going to stop it. I was placed on 50mg and two weeks later my blood tests were normal and have been since so for such a small dose does it really matter? I'm so low, sometimes it's all too much I want to have a paddy and a tantrum and smash the place up and if anyone gets in my way then they'll get it too.
The doctor wants me to try CBT self help courses to understand what troubles me. When I'm not having some kind of flip out I know what troubles me - things are a struggle and I hate being ill and I want to be better.
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I have complex PTSD and Bipolar Disorder 1. I was diagnosed in September 2013 during a manic attack and started medication regime: Lithium (225+450) and 300 mg Seroquel. Now, 2 years + later, my Thyroid is underactive due to Lithium and my Psychiatrist wants to change Lithium to something else.
My challenge: I start a new job next week (after being unemployed for 7 months and really need this job!) and a few weeks ago I went low on my Lithium (skipped a few morning doses and ended up in mixed episodes and had a spider-related psychosis!)
I am really anxious about one day changing my Lithium. I was wondering how long can I be on it before it will damage my kidneys like it is affecting my thyroid now?
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When taking ADCAL -D3 for Osteoporosis and THYROXINE for underactive thyroid, there should be a space of at least 4, yes 4 hours between these medications as side effects could be upset tummy, wind and constipation etc.
So tomorrow I will leave off the ADCAL-D3 for a few days to see if this is the problem.
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I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 14, and since then i have been taking Levothyroxine to help with it. I am wondering, will I need to take levothyroxine forever? Or is there a fix for thyroid problems? I don't see my weight going down at all, or my thyroid level. My doctor has been increasing the dosage of my levothyroxine, and has three times now. I recently got Levothyroxine in 0.137mg dosage, and it smells terrible. My old ones were 0.125mg. Is this a very small change, and will it even do anything?
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I've made an appt with a naturopath next week as I'm having an increase in bad symptoms since starting levothyroxine 4mths ago and cannot stand it any longer.
I'm expecting to be told to go gluten free. However there's corn/maize starch (contains gluten) in the meds so I'm wondering about those of you who are gluten free - what type of meds are you on?
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After many years struggling with ongoing Hypothyroid symptoms, despite continuous treatment with Levothyroxine (125 mg daily) I came up the plethora of information, mainly from the USA challenging the efficacy of the current tendency of GPs to test only T4 and TSH Levels and to prescribe only Synthetic Thyroid Medications (like Levothyroxine) despite evidence that people so treated continued to suffer from many Hypothyroid symptoms. I asked my own Doctor- apparently, tests for T£ levels are "very expensive" and so won't be offered on the NHS, and even if I had private blood tests done, he wouldn't be able to prescribe additional T3 (Cytomel) or Natural Thyroid Extract for my condition. So, I'm left with a choice- self medicate, buying these products from possibly "dodgy" online sources, or continue to take my Levothyroxine and suffer from ongoing symptoms in silence. Not a great choice, is it? I'd be interested to hear about fellow sufferers experiences and advice, please, on what I should do.
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Diagnosed hypothyroid >10 years. I have struggled all of this time to feel 'normal'. Drs have continually increased Levothyroxine to attempt to normalise TSH. Six months ago they prescribed 300mcg. The pharmacist queried this! I take it regularly, without food etc. I am still symptomatic and free T4 & T3 still low. Anyone else on this dose without effect?
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So my latest blood work revealed that I need a dose change and that I'm insulin resistant. I am now taking 200mg of levothyroxine for hypothyroidism and 40mg of atorvastatin for cholesterol and fatty liver. I also take fish oil, multivitamin, D3, allegra, and baby aspirin. My medical provider is focusing on my thyroid before tackling everything else. I should also mention that my mother has non alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, dementia, diverticulitis, and myopathy. I'm considering taking coQ10. I'm just wondering what is the safest otc pain medicine for me to use(ibuprofen, goodies), and is there anything else I should know?
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Hello I am 30 years old and a smoker for about 14 years my results came back for my ct spine scan and an incidental finding of a 9mm cyst in my upper lung should I be concerned that this maybe cancer? Will they remove the cyst if at all anyways thanks for any information I appreciate it.
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I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto. Everywhere I read it is controlled with Armour or some kind of thyroid medicine. I have tried Armour and Synthroid and Levothyroxine and have had no change in my leves. One is suppose to be a 4 and mine is a 7 and one is suppose to be less than 9 and mine is greater than 900.
What happens when it us uncontrollable with Medicine?
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I was diagnosed only yesterday and took my first pill today. I have been quite worried to hear about people's experiences levo, but more importantly I'm worried about the antibody attacks!
I don't have many symptoms except feeling the cold - that's the main one.
But my results were really bad: TSH 79.9, T4 6.8, AntTO 4777.7
My question is, while the thyroxine will regulate my hormone, what do people do about the anti-body attack? I'm getting a coeliac test done, although have previously come out negative.
What do people think? I've read about functional medicine practice is to heal the gut and cut out grains, which I will certainly try. Just wondered because no one seems to be questioning this and it's the antibodies causing the destruction!!
Do antibody levels decrease on Levo? What do you do about this? Anyone else gluten free?
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Not sure what vitamins I should be taking as doc diagnosed me and prescribed me and off I went , ive no idea what my TSH level is either, just that i have underactive thyroid, I'm taking Levothyroxine lowest dose? I'm feeling cold and tired most of the time too.
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I've been on 300 mcg Levothyroxine for several years. Was still hypo until I was given Adderall 40 mg day. Except for PTSD was fine. Old Doc retired and new Doc is freaked because my TSH is almost undetectable, T3 and T4 high side of normal. She lowered it to 250mcg and I'm in a tailspin in less than a month. Crying, shaking, cramps in my feet, leg tremors, etc. ANXIETY out of control.
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how do I control hypothyroidism when I can't tolerate the meds?
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Hi everyone! I am totally new to this group and excited to get input from everyone! I'll try and give you a quick synopsis of the past year and a half for me when I gave birth to my first child....
Initially I felt fine, until about 4 months after I gave birth. I had initially lost all the baby weight and then I started gaining again, had major brain fog, dry skin, cold, crazy water retention and bloated face, unmotivated, etc. all the usual symptoms. In February I was diagnosed with Hashimotos by my regular doctor and here are my levothyroxine dosages and blood results since...
Feb 2015 Tsh 269. T4. <0.11. T3. <20. (No meds yet...initial blood work)
Apr 2015. Tsh 156. T4. 0.45. T3. 42. (25 mcg)
May 2015. Tsh 6.69. T4. 1.83. T3. 96. (75 mcg)
Sept 2015. Tsh 2.89. T4. 1.59. (100 mcg)
Oct 2015. Tsh 8.61. (75 mcg)
Nov 2015. Tsh 1.21. (100 mcg)
Feb 2016. Tsh 2.36. (100 mcg)
So my original Doctor began my levothyroxine regimen at 25 mcg for 6 weeks. I immediately felt much better even though my numbers were still going crazy. He upped my dosage twice then sent me to an endocrinologist. Both agreed that my numbers were so bad it could not be postpartum hypothyroidism and I had probably had this for a long time undiagnosed and the pregnancy made it officially just turn off. In October we lowered the dosage to double check this theory and I felt terrible and my numbers changed right away so my endo put my meds right back up.
Now, hair loss was actually never one of my initial symptoms and I am convinced that it began when i started my medication, but both doctors insist that it's my body getting used to the meds and my levels getting better and better. My endo thought perhaps it's was especially bad because I was also experiencing postpartum hair loss. But at this point it is now a full year since I have been diagnosed and on medication. Coupled with the hair loss I also started getting serious joint pain, but again my endo said I was adjusting and this was a common symptom of hypothyroidism.
So basically, I am wondering how after a year of medication I would still be experiencing symptoms with levels that are now perfectly fine? Unless it was related to the medication??....I feel very guilty bringing it up all the time to my doctor because I know I should be glad that the huge issues of brain fog, concentration and mood are generally good (I still say I am not exactly myself yet). I feel silly bringing up something cosmetic but it is so depressing to look in the mirror. I hate doing my hair, washing it, sometimes just running my fingers through my hair I get five more. Even though now I can say it's less, it's definitely still happening and I don't see any new growth. But, on the flip side, hair loss is associated with adjusting to armour and I am terrified to lose any more.
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I would like to know just what happens when a person stops taking their thyroid medication; I had a TT a few months ago. Like apparently a lot of other people, I have lost medical insurance. I want to know literally what happens to the body once I quit taking the levothyroxine, and is it painful? How long before a person's body shuts down and coma happens?
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I am a normal, healthy 28 year old with a beautiful 8 month old daughter - I was born without a thyroid (picked up on the heel prick test introduced in Wales 82) and have been monitored all my life and also have been on different dosages of thyroxine throughout my life so far! My daughter is absolutely perfect and has thankfully not got CH. I was fine at school (a bit of a daydreamer and a bit forgetful) but I still came out the other side with 11 GCSE's, 3 A-levels and a degree! We are no different to any one else, as long as we are on the right dosage and judging by the way that I've been monitored, this shouldn't ever be a huge issue!
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I have hypothyroidism and for some time have felt this presence deep in my throat, sometimes it aches and it's Definitely hard to swallow dry foods. My doctor sent me for a scan where these nodules were discovered and they attempted a biopsy.this proved awkward as the larger nodule is beside the carotid vein. However the scan results were sent to the doctor who has made an urgent referral to surgical. The biopsy results aren't back yet. Anyone know what I should expect.am I possibly looking at cancer/ surgery?
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For the last 6 months illness has progressively become worse. Having been tooing and froing the doctors, yesterday i had the diagnosis of Autoimmune attacked thyroid. I know nothing much about the illness. I've been given 50ml dosage of Levothyroxine to take daily. The question i have is this. For the best part of the last 6 months i have been unable to walk properly or without pain 80% (thereabouts) of the time. I spend most of my time being asleep. Im in chronic pain with my joints (been tested for various arthritis, but nothing showing in tests) Is there any possibility the the pain and exhaustion are connected with the Thyroid issue? My doc said i should start to feel a little better soon, but seems perplexed by my exhaustion and chronic pain.
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This is my lab results:
TSH = 2.91 (0.45 - 4.5)
T4 = 3.0 (4.5 - 12.0) -- low
Free T4 = 1.05 (0.82 - 1.77)
Free T3 = 2.6 (2.0 - 4.4)
Rev T3 = 8.2 (9.2 - 24.1)
I have all the hypothyroidism symptoms like fatigue, cold hands & feet, losing hair & eyebrow, brain fog. I was tested for thyroid antibodies (TBA & TPO), and they are all negative. Recently I have increased my carbs intake and felt much better. I believe I also have adrenal fatigue as my daily cortisol cycle are inverted so I wake up several times during sleep.
My question is do I have subclinical hypothyroidism? Why my reverse T3 is low? Or I have iodide deficiency?
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On last testing I was under active again and only on 5mg of carbimazole, so as no endow appointment for another 8 weeks was advised to make arrangements with family doctor, as it's been christmas peroid I couldn't get to doctor as booked up and also couldn't even get a telephone call so I decided to go with 5 mg every other day to I arranged something, I still feel underactive tiredness, cold and puffy lips and tongue, the main concern is the appearance of my eye and face swelling has went extreme in last week , I am so depressed with this puffy face I don't know if it's as my throid is underactive or because I have cut down the medication, I find endo doctors useless , this diease has left me I don't want to leave the house, I also have dry very spotty skin which has got worse all over christmas I do not recognise the person I have become anymore
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