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Author Topic: Underactive thyroid  (Read 20167 times)

Dyan

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Underactive thyroid
« on: November 28, 2016, 03:42:26 PM »

Hi,
I haven't been on here for a while cos I've had a good run, so to speak and been busy with one thing and another.
I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid in May and was put on 25mcg levothyroxine.
After a couple of wks I started to feel better and I have been well now physically and mentally for 6 months. Recently I have been getting moments of losing my energy and for a few days now I have been so tired I could sleep anywhere and my mood has plummeted with anxiety. My body aches too and I don't seem to have much energy. I've seen my GP and had a blood test this morning.
Despite searching for  thread on this to see who has experience this I was so confused ( another symptom)
So all I'm asking is "who has an underactive thyroid and experiencing these symptoms?"

I would appreciate any advice please.  :thankyou: :) X
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babyjane

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2016, 05:15:36 PM »

25mcg is a really low dose Dyan.  Usually thyroxine is increased slowly and blood levels checked and a maintenance dose can be anything from 50mcg to 150mcg.

Have you noticed that you feel more cold than usual or your hair is falling out or your skin is very dry as these are all symptoms of underactive thyroid along with weight gain and constipation.  I had all of these symptoms on and off both before diagnosis and whilst stabilising.

Ideally blood levels need to be checked 3 - 6 monthly whilst stabilising and at least once a year once stable.
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countrybumpkin

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2016, 05:19:15 PM »

I used to an advisor for a thyroid info charity.   When you are first diagnosed with underactive thyroid you should have re tests done after 8 weeks then 12 weeks then 6 months and never ever go longer than 6 months between tests.  If this has been happening with you then great and it will be interesting to know your latest results but so many GP's nowadays just do not check often enough. some only do retests every 2 years!!! 
We always advised that everyone insists on a retest every 6 months an if there is any dosage change then retest again after 3 months.
Always ask for your results and what the ref range is because often if someone is borderline they will say you are in normal range.  If you feel you are close to one end or the other then you can go back to gp armed with a bit of knowledge and ask for dose increase or decrease.
I am always happy to answer questions.
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Katejo

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2016, 06:20:52 PM »

25mcg is a really low dose Dyan.  Usually thyroxine is increased slowly and blood levels checked and a maintenance dose can be anything from 50mcg to 150mcg.

Have you noticed that you feel more cold than usual or your hair is falling out or your skin is very dry as these are all symptoms of underactive thyroid along with weight gain and constipation.  I had all of these symptoms on and off both before diagnosis and whilst stabilising.

Ideally blood levels need to be checked 3 - 6 monthly whilst stabilising and at least once a year once stable.
  My maintenance dose is 200 mcg and has been for many years. It has just been checked by an endo and not changed.
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2016, 06:31:25 PM »

Thank you for all your replies ladies.

Babyjane - yes, I do feel the cold more than I ever have. Even wearing a thermal vest I'm still frozen.
I can't lose weight despite excercising and watching what I eat and I do have constipation. It was getting better once the thyroxine got in but it's not so good now again. I have had very dry nails but they seem to be ok at the moment after using nailtiques protein formula.

Countrybumpkin- I was put on levothyroxine 6 months ago with no mention of follow up blood tests.
Did you get depression and/ or anxiety with your symptoms?
I'm prone to getting both, but I know that they can be symptoms of underactive thyroid.
When I'm not feeling good it does also affect my mental health.
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babyjane

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2016, 06:48:24 PM »

This makes me cross and sad especially when I think of the care I have received for nearly 30 years now. The ignorance about thyroid issues sometimes seems to be on a par with the obvious ignorance about menopausal issues from what I am reading.

Dyan, 25mcg is clearly not enough, I doubt it is enough for anyone with UAT.  You are presenting with all the symptoms of a struggling thyroid, I would be surprised if countrybumpkin did not agree.  When I was diagnosed in 1987 I was started on 50mcg and increased to 100mcg after a month and 150mcg after 3 months after which I started to feel a bit better but it has to be done slowly.

I have been on a T4/T3 combination treatment now for some years but that is just me.  the equivalent thyroxine dose I have is around 1000mcg a week which averages out to around 143mcg a day, say the equivalent of 150mcg which is also the dose my mother took for years as she also had the same thyroid disorder.

Please look at the thyroid UK website and get more information about this common condition and go back to your GP as soon as you can and say how you feel, ask for an update blood test. I am not a medic but I would be very surprised if you did not need a dose increase or you could become quite ill.
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countrybumpkin

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2016, 07:03:12 PM »

As Babyjane says the level of care is appalling with thyroid disorders. The charity I worked for was all about getting the patient to manage their condition so we educated as much as anything.

I would imagine you need a dose increase as what usually happens when someone develops underactive thyroid is that it progresses. A starting dose of 25mcg is so tiny as to be almost insignificant and this dose is given to people who are only very borderline.  Usually you would have it tested again as i said at 6 or 8 weeks to see if your does needs increasing and then again at another 6 or 8 weeks until eventually the right dose is reached.  It is dangerous to give someone a big dose of thyroxine even if they are very underactive and its usual practise to slowly over many months increase the dose until required supplementation is reached.

So if your results show you need to increase the dose then insist on another test at 6-8 weeks. IF necessary tell them you have spoken to a thyroid advise charity and this is what they said is usual practise!
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2016, 09:10:17 AM »

Thank you everybody.
I should be getting the blood test result back,hopefully later today.
I will certainly talk to my GP about regular testing.
I can't believe that I was left like that. To carry on getting repeat prescriptions of the 25mcg thyroxine without seeing my GP.
I will keep you all posted. X
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countrybumpkin

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2016, 12:04:33 PM »

Knowledge is power are they say ;D

Please let us know your results.
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Katejo

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2016, 12:35:05 PM »

Thank you everybody.
I should be getting the blood test result back,hopefully later today.
I will certainly talk to my GP about regular testing.
I can't believe that I was left like that. To carry on getting repeat prescriptions of the 25mcg thyroxine without seeing my GP.
I will keep you all posted. X
Good luck!  I have had regular blood tests for thyroid since I was about 3 months.
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2016, 01:09:22 PM »

Will do  :thankyou: :)
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2016, 12:57:18 PM »

Not had blood test result yet. Will ring again this afternoon.
Managed to get out for a walk this morning but my legs ached so much.I have pains in my arms too and my fingers swell up and are painful. Are these all symptoms of UAT?
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2016, 01:27:38 PM »

Hi menomale,
Thank you for your reply.
I have mental health issues. OCD with accompanying depression & anxiety for which I take ADs.
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Dyan

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2016, 01:41:52 PM »

Yes they do help along with some CBT I had a few years ago.
I'm feeling depressed at the moment and wondering if it could be my thyroid.
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countrybumpkin

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Re: Underactive thyroid
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2016, 02:24:03 PM »

Have you been on AD's long term as these can impact on your thyroid medication so if you started them after you started thyroxine then this may alter your dosage requirements. 
Sadly so many conditions can cause your symptoms from meno to depression itself to UThyroid.  The most common symptoms are sudden weight gain with no increase in food, very dry skin, extreme tiredness but these are just the most common.
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