Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Cassie on May 15, 2013, 04:11:59 PM
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I had a blood test to check my thyroid my GP said that my TSH is slightly raised, ideally it should be under 2, although each laboratory has a different scale or range. I am currently on 0.05mg Eltroxin daily he has now said that I should just double up on the Eltroxin twice a week, this should help, for those thyroid experts, does this sound like enough Eltroxin to bring my levels down a bit? Prob why my hair is shedding!
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Hi Cassie my TSH was raised and i was put onto thyroxine 50mg per day a few
years ago. I am now up to 125mg daily on thyroxine.
I don't understand your dosage or if Eltroxin is similar to the thyroxine.
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Hi thanx Jgr, yes Eltroxine is the same thing I would imagine, so I am currently on 0.5mg daily. Dr said its not necessary to up it to 1mg daily I could just take 1mg twice a week and stay on the 0.5mg for the rest of the week. My TSH reading is 3.87, what was yours?
Thankyou
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Im very prone to those '"racy" feelings at the best of times, so I just hope that I dont get them on the new dosage, nothing worse than feeling like you have had a double strong espresso and are bouncing off the ceiling. Speaking of which, is it not a good thing to down ones morning Eltroxin with a cuppa, I think that I read that caffeine interferes with the absorption?
I am finding the 200mg of Utrogestan is giving me insomnia, its supposed to make one sleep, so clearly my body reacts in the opposite manner, sigh!
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I have an underactive thyroid too and I am at my best with a TSH just below 2 - TUK say that to feel at your best then you need a TSH at 2 or below and your T4 to be up in the top quarter of the range. It is very tricky to get it just 'so' as we are all so different. Also best to take your Levo completely away from anything else and to give at least an hour before drinking tea/coffee etc and at least 2 hours before eating anything. I take my Levo round about 4 in the morning when I get up for a wee - this works well for me as by the time I need to get up I have good energy levels. I am not sure about the Eltroxine meds and their dosage size - I am on 125mcg of Levothyroxine.
Hope this has helped a little
Hannah
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Hi Cassie,
I, like you, experienced the opposite of sleep on utrogestan- It made me hyper!
I am also n thyroxine and like Hannah said, best taken in the morning.
Racy feeling should settle within 2 weeks if the dose of thyroxine is correct.
If it continues the dose needs to be adjusted.
No iron, no herbal preparations to be taken at the same time as thyroxine as interferes with absorption.
Tabs to be taken with a Full glass of water on an empty stomach.
I have adjusted my own some time ago and all my readings are fine.
Suz
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The real rule on thyroid is do the same thing every day, one half hour before meals is sufficient. Don't take calcium within four hours BUT if you get racy you can pop half a Tums Antacid or some other calcium to neutralize.
My tsh was, read carefully: 0.08 and pulse 170 AND doctors did not notice and I was scheduled for surgery. Each doctor said it was the other doctors responsibility to check. I cancelled the surgery, which would have blinded me.
Estrogen has effect on thyroid, can't check now. But find a routine that works and don't change habits. That's what got me into trouble, I had been taking thyroid with my calcium for years and then I stopped calcium. Yipes.
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I've only just, after almost 2 decades on thyroxine, discovered that you arent meant to take it with other meds. So for the past month I have been taking it first thing in the morning, as I understood it had to be taken at least half an hour before meals on a empty stomach. I now have to remember to take my citalopram at lunchtime as I used to take that first thing too.
I have to space out my other stuff as and when - all supplements.
Never been told to take it at night. That wouldnt work as stomach wouldnt be empty!
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Hi,
I've been feeling exhausted and off since beginning of bank holiday , it took months to start feeling ok after being diagnosed with under active thyroid I was on 50mg thyroxin, I seem to be getting same symptoms again, including tingly lips, can your thyroid keep changing? my tsh was 2.5 or was 0.2 can't remember which, it had risen to 9.2. I'm going to book app for blood test ASAP I'm pretty sure it's not my MS as it feels different,the exhaustion I mean.
Any advise would be greatly received.
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Yes it can, especially in the early days when your dosage may have to be tweaked a few times. That's why you have 6 monthly blood tests to start with then once it is stable yearly blood tests.
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Hi Smokey,
Yes, thyroid readings can change that's the reason drs have to check bloods to see if the dose needs to be adjusted.
9.2 sounds like a v low side of normal range and it may be a good idea to take a trip back to gp to ask for an increase or another blood test. Normally they would push an extra 25mcg without a blood test to see if symptoms improve.
Cassie, increase to double twice a week will give you a weekly average of approx 32mcg of thyroxine or o.o6 eltroxine. If your symptoms do not start improving within 2 weeks, personally I would take double dose for 3 days out of 7 to increase it a little more.
Hair shedding would be one of thyroids side effects but it will take a little while before that settles...once you get the dose right it will sort itself out.
Suz x
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Well I stopped taking my Eltroxin with my morning tea as I used to, now take it at night, def been attributing to me not feeling sleepy, I sleep but not well and feel like I have had too much caffeine, so I am going to revert to taking the tabs in the morning again, without my tea. Will see how the bloods look next test, I dont know that I could take too many, they def affect me and make me feel jumpy.
Thx lovely ladies, you are always so helpful!
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That's Cassie, i was about to start taking mine at night this very day as I didnt take it this morning as I had a blood test for tsh etc. I've only just got my sleep back to normal and I dont want to mess it up again.
I found taking mine without the tea in the morning and not mixing it with my citalopram made a difference to my energy levels.
Dont you have to take thyroxine on an empty stomach? I dont go to bed with an empty stomach!!
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Hi ladies thanks for your info ive not had my blood tested for 8 months so have booked appointment, but can't get it done til next Wednesday, hope I can get the results back by Friday as I'm off to Kos on Saterday so would like it sorted before I go.
Milliemoo are you meant to miss your thyroxin dose if your due a blood test then? Does that not give a false reading?
I've just had 3 good weeks of feeling really well,I thought it was too good to be true!
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Hi Smokey, i read it somewhere recently. It was either on here or on a Thyroid Forum. Apparently the levels in yr system peak 4 hrs after you take your dose so that would give a false reading too.
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That's interesting Milliemoo,
I take mine at 7am and my blood test is not until 2pm should I miss one altogether then or take it after? Do you think.
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Til this last time I have always taken my thyroxine as per usual. It's up to you but I wuold be tempted to skip it then take after the blood test to see how much, if any, difference it makes.
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I still feel horrible, but I have started taking my thyroxin earlier in the morning as if thyroid peakes after 4 hours it would mean I should feel more energetic at breakfast time rather than late morning, and it seems to have worked,as I felt much better this morning , however after getting showered and dressed was yuck again!
I found my last reading, on here actually back in September it was 1.8 that was after I started taking 50mg, I'm tempted to increase dose by 25mg, but I'm reluctant as maybe it could make me worse.
I have lots of aches and pains as well, which have come on suddenly.
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My last TSH reading was 5.14 and higher than
recomended level by TUK. GP after GP maintain that my results are in the normal range even though I keep tellling them how awful I feel. I'm depressed apparently and need to lose weight! I would if I only had the energy! There have been times when I have felt that I have woken from a coma I am so tired! 48 and meno (no period for 8 mths), lone parent for 10 with full time job....sometimes I just despair. How do I get my GP to take me seriously??? Can't afford private practitioner rec by TUk. Btw, a TSH of 9 would be high and would definitely point to hypothyroidism... xx
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Can you see a different GP at the practice? Or change to another practice?
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The idea is to get your TSH under 2, your GP needs a fat smack, surely someone else can take you seriously. Chances are you also have thyroid antibodies, they seldom test for those, but it is important to treat your problem with Eltroxin or whatever your Dr prescribes for thyroid. Sometimes ones body doesnt convert the T4 into T3 either, so whilst you may be on Eltroxin you may still feel blergh, then they often prescribe Diotroxin, but am sure that on Eltroxin alone you will feel so much better, could you not be referred to an Endo? The labs have such wide ranges for what is normal, you need to go by your symptoms and clearly you are not doing well and need treatment.
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I agree with Cassie, Shrimpette. I am an underactive thyroid too and you do need your TSH lower than yours to feel any better and your T4 in the top of the range. Also making sure that you are not vitamin D deficient (I was severely deficient in this) as a deficiency in that will give you all manner of aches and pains. Also iron levels need to be good and vitamin B12. A lot of GP's are like this, I know, in that they want to stick within a range of numbers regardless of how you are feeling. My TSH is low but my GP asked me how I felt and when I told her that I was feeling really well and no adverse effects she was quite happy for me to carry on with my dose of 125mcg. Some GP's would have lowered my dose.
If you can see another GP or get a referral for an Endo then I think you would do better - whatever, don't give up as you have a right to feel well.
Hannah
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Thanks Hannah, it sounds like you have a good GP. I have known for some time that my TSH is too high but GPs (several) have been dismissive. Yesterday, a locum agreed to do all my bloods again including thyroid antibody test. Will this help or do they need to look a T3, T4? The anti body test is for hashimotos and that is different to underactive thyroid?? Having liver function, glucose, iron etc done too. I have been feeling dizzy recently and have had a lot of migraines in the last six months, BP is high too AND it turns out I have a urinary infection AND my brain fog is TREMENDOUS! Do you feel well on your medication now? Thanks for your support ladies. :)
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Hashimoto's is the name of a particular brand of underactive thyroid. I believe it is an auto-immune disease but not as alarming as that sounds!
I have underactive thyroid and have had since I was 39 (am 55 now). On 125mg thyroxine daily but still get brain fog :(
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Hi Milliemoo,
Thanks - I wasn't sure. I'm sorry you still have brain fog...does this mean you may need more than 125mg thyroxine? It's a complex subject, the biochemistry I mean, T4 converts to T3 and if there are problems with amino acids, conversion to T3 can be limited and no benefit felt. :( Just hope I can get a diagnosis.
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I think the brain fog is meno, or senile dementia :(. At work this morning I couldnt begin to think how to spell Melissa. Couldnt think where to start even.
English, spelling, grammar etc was my best subject. Now I find myself thinking "is that right?" about all of it. Scary ???
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and yes, it is complex. So complex in fact that I cant get my brain around it so if you fancy explaining it in a simple way I'd be grateful.
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You need Selinium in order to convert, so a brazil nut or 3 each day, is an excellent source, just do not overdo it as they are very high in Selenium and that can cause problems. Its like hormone balancing, a real science to get the levels right!
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Hi Milliemoo, sorry, I don't really understand it myself. I've been doing a lot of reading in desperation. I have spent the last week dizzy, and another migraine too. At work I can't focus very well at all and I feel like I am detached from the world and my eyes are in the back of my head! Oh and ringing in my ears for months.
Had some bloods done yesterday. GP doesn't think I have labrynthitis (?) so no referral to audiology but mentioned a possible referal to neurology depending on symptoms, BP and blood test results, which i should get back this week. I do have a lot of musle pain (some weakness too) and stiffness, epsecially the front of the top of my arms like I have pulled a muscle but they never gets better. GP was definitely checking for neuro problems, MS no doubt, so I am terrified! :( When I look at my symptoms, they fit perfectly with fybromalgia (sorry -can't spell). Could be thyroid, could be meno....I don't know, but very fed up and worried. Can't stop yawning too....
Anyone have the same symptoms linked to underactive thyroid?
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If you are lucky you will get a GP who looks at all your symptoms, not just the reading that comes back from your blood test. My old GP was all for giving me the dosage of thyroxine that I felt well on, not the one that my blood test showed me that I needed.
So if you really think it is your thyroid then be prepared to back and fight your corner, nicely of course.
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thanks ladies, I'm happy - perhaps the wrong word - to fight my corner, but what extra stress when we are not feeling our best and we are struggling with menopausal symptoms, hypothyroidism whilst holding down jobs and looking after our families. I am going to look around for another GP practice straight away - I've done as much as I can where I am currently registered.
Stellajane - isn't this the classic dilemna most menopausal women face - are my symptoms the result of the menopause or something else??
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I am going to see an endocrinologist in a couple of weeks time and I am going to ask him if I can try a combination of T4 and T3. Have been on just T4 for the past six years (125mg per day) and have never felt what I would call really well. Also I struggle to lose any weight - however little I eat the weight will just not shift and it really gets me down :'(
I have heard that some people feel a lot better having the combination of T4 and T3. Has anyone on here had any luck with a sympathetic caring endo or GP? I do wish they would concentrate a bit more on asking exactly how you feel rather than just saying that your results and within the reference range so you must be fine. :(
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Hi Melbury
my old GP was great at listening to how I felt and adjusting my dosage of thyroxine acccordingly rather than going by the blood tests results. However I was only ever offered thyroxine. How do you get T3 and T4?
Millie
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I think only an endocrinologist can prescribe both T4 and T3. As far as I am aware you have to take a very small amount of T3 twice a day because it doesn't stay in your body for that long. Also I think your T4 dosage is dropped back a bit as well. Not really sure, but I want to find out.
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Interesting. I think the only time I was referred to an edocrinologist was when I stopped taking my thyroxine as without it I no longer had mid-cycle pain. Also I think they tested me for Hashimoto's. Long time ago now :-\
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I know, they do seem a bit lax in referring you back to the endocrinologist. I haven't seen one for over six years when I was first diagnosed with underactive thyroid. Surely a follow up every 2-3 years wouldn't be expecting too much.