Hypothyroidism- please share what has helped you.

[NormasArse]

Hi, I’ve just been diagnosed with an under active thyroid, but I’m wavering about taking thyroxine because it’s a lifelong thing.

I do feel crappy all of the time. I sleep more than I’m awake, and after a day at work, I’m often too tired to drive straight away, and need a nap in the car first.

My neck feels constricted and I have all over body pain. I’m also concerned about the rise in my cholesterol.

When I’m not working, I try to walk and swim every day (some days are a write off though).

Alcohol is a complete no now- it makes me really tired, and often sick. That’s not a problem though- I can live without it easily- it’s just showing that something has shifted within me.

My concern is- what if it were suddenly become unavailable, or we moved away from the NHS?

Is there a natural way to get my thyroid to work properly again? Or at least something that means my dose would be minimal?

TIA.

I really have no idea. I don’t think the usual thyroid ones were hugely over/under, but the autoimmune thyroid one was way over, if that makes sense? I’ve screenshot the results. I tried to work out what it all meant, but it’s quite confusing.

Images are under review!

Armour Thyroid, you can only buy it privately but levothyroxine is absolute shite and the only thing the NHS prescribes. You can develop cancer and organ failure if you avoid any medication so get a grip and take something. You're ridiculous to hesitate

Agree with others that you should take it. But just to add a different perspective - I've been taking it for two and a half years and am still not up to normal levels and don't yet feel any better (dose has been put up twice, GP reviewing regularly). So it may not always be the speedy improvement others have experienced.

TSH is the hormone your body produces to stimulate the thyroid to produce T4. If your TSH is above range, that indicates hypothyroidism. T4 is essentially an inactive form of the thyroid hormone which floats about until it's needed at which point it's converted at cellular level to T3. Levothyroxine just replaces the T4 that you're not making enough of. Some people make enough T4, but their body struggles to convert it to T3. At that point you need Liothyronine (which the NHS is increasingly reluctant to prescribe which is why people end up going private). Each time you get tests you should make sure they're checking both T4 and T3. Also worth getting a full vitamin and iron panel as it's common for people with thyroid issues to be deficient. I was pretty severely deficient in Vit D and B so had to sort those out as part of feeling better. It took me about 7 months to get onto the right dose of Levothyroxine and start feeling noticeably better but as others have said, it's super easy. Apparently sometimes when people don't react well to it, it's actually the fillers in the tablets - I find I do best on Vencamil and less well on Teva for example.

Was diagnosed over 27 years ago. Why on earth are you wavering?! Not taking Levo could cause long term damage. It’s a trial and error journey but if you’re being a lifeline via levo- take it!!!

Absolutely start on the levothyroxin, why would you not? I felt like a human being again after about 6 weeks. It doesn’t matter if you have to take a medicine for the rest of your life if it is replacing a vital hormone that your body is not producing.

I’m hesitating because the Dr is hesitating.

I suspect the hesitation is because your tpo levels indicate that you're in the throes of an autoimmune reaction which can indicate either Hashimoto's, in which case you will end up permanently hypothyroid, or Graves Disease, in which case you end up hyperthyroid and your GP isn't comfortable making a diagnosis. It's unusual but not unheard of to have periods of hypothyroidism in the early stages of Graves, but the odds are high that it's Hashimoto's, which is much more common.

It's good you've been referred to an endocrinologist as they're much more skilled at diagnosing than a GP, but you should be on levothyroxine in the meantime. If you are actually hypothyroid it's extremely dangerous not to supplement the levels and will eventually affect every aspect of your life.

@FullOfMomsense Armour literally changed my life. It's a terrible shame that it's almost impossible to get for people who can't afford it privately.

Thank you. She’s made an urgent referral, so hopefully I’ll get something soon. I feel really terrible!

Thank you for this thread, OP. Following blood tests last week, I've just been told I've had subclinical hypothyroidism for a long time and prescribed levothyroxine which I've not yet started, as I wanted to wait until I've got some time off work to see whether I manage the side-effects -I'm not great with nausea. Having read the thread, I'm eager to start right away, but am curious about the Armour Thyroid; thyroid issues run long and deep in my mother line and I'm wondering whether I should just get what the consensus on the thread seems to agree is the gold standard of thyroid therapy?

I've been on Levothyroxine for 24 years.
I was also borderline and the endocrinologist suggested we try it to see if it worked - so different to your situation.
It was actually a relief to be diagnosed and treated because I'd been so unwell and now I wasn't, plus one of the symptoms was infertility so I got my 2 DCs too.

If your antibodies are high it’s likely to be Hashimito’s. At first, you may have a few small side affects such as palpitations, however this will even out. I have Hashimito’s and it can be genetic- my gran had the same condition, about 5% of people have it. My quality of life after taking levothyroxin is 100% better, can get through a day without absolute exhaustion, infections or illnesses not dragging on forever etc.

Yes- the women on my mum’s side have been plagued by both that, and dementia. I wonder whether there’s a link? I’m pretty sure they weren’t on any drugs for thyroid- my great aunt had an huge goiter.

Apparently yes, it would seem. Just googled it, but it's a bit more complex than it looks at first and not quite so alarming. But worth noting.
My maternal granny had both.
I did take my first tablet this morning.

Try levothyroxine first (it's free) and if you don't feel better then look into your T3 levels and Armour / Erfa. The cost for the latter is about £280 for 300 tablets, ie approx a 3 month supply, so hopefully you won't need them, as it isn't cheap.

I was subclinical when first diagnosed so the doctor said we could wait and see but for me I wanted to start the meds before symptoms really kicked in. Hormone deficiency is a bitch - everything you’re feeling will be hormone related and it will get worse without medication. Over 12 months I’ve had to gradually up my dose as symptoms kicked in, got worse, new ones started. I take a supplement that’s meant to help my body convert it. I don’t know if it helps or whether the medication would be enough on its own but I’ve lost weight, IBS related symptoms gone away, migrations reduced. So I say take the medication start on a low dose and monitor your bloods so you know that you’ll end up on the optimal dose for you.

I agree with @Baninarama on trying Levothyroxine first. It's the first line treatment and it works for most people for at least quite a while. I was diagnosed right after my first pregnancy and did well on Levo for many years. It's good to keep the other treatments in reserve (lab made Liothyronine, which is T3, Armour and Erfa) for if the levo eventually stops being effective.

It's good to keep in mind that periods of hormonal transition, pregnancy, peri-menopause and menopause are times when things might fluctuate and change.

For those worried about side effects of levo, I can't remember having any at all, and surely if you have them, they're likely to be mild and transitory and better than feeling the way you're feeling right now?

Oh, also, there is evidence that levo works best on an empty stomach, so most people take it first thing. I actually take mine at night as there have been studies that seem to indicate it's better absorbed and converted overnight. So I take my Armour in the morning and levo at night.

just take it . I was just like you, very hesitant at the start , mostly because I had part of my thyroid removed and was actually overactive then I went to barely producing enough TSH, I’m very fit and active and eat really healthy but my doctor was very clear that I would still need to take some in the future , and I just kept avoiding , wish I started earlier. My cycle was the first thing that was messed up,
it’s just a tiny pill you take first thing in the morning and eat an hour or so later. But really makes all difference

You’ve got subclinical hypothyroidism if your TSH is less than 10. That’s why your GP is hesitating rather than prescribing thyroxine straight away. You’re definitely not hyperthyroid from those TFT results. The opposite.
No need to go pursuing the avenue of T3, armour etc. the latter is expensive and you’ll be self-medicating in the UK. The vast majority get better on thyroxine, so that’s always first line treatment.

The endocrinologist I saw 20 years ago after I was diagnosed said it is best to get onto levothyroxine as early as possible, because the longer you have hypothyroid symptoms the harder it is to get back to feeling normal. He put it very bluntly using weight gain as the example - if you gain 4 stone over 4 years instead of one stone over one year you'll have 4 stone to lose instead of 1. Same is true for all the other long term issues that happen in your body when you don't have enough thyroxine. Also worth bearing in mind that the NHS don't treat at the same TSH levels as other countries - in the USA the TSH level that triggers treatment is 3. In addition early treatment will suppress the antibodies, slowing down the progression of disease.

My DD has been on Levothyroxine since she was a toddler. She has her bloods checked every year. No side-effects have been noted in the 12 years she's been taking them.

Is the supplement in a dropper bottle? I’ve bought one which has zinc, selenium, iodine and some other stuff in.

Some really useful information about hypothyroidism. I find the only good thing is that I don't sweat and I'm almost hairless.

It's a chronic, long term condition and you really must take the medication. The only side effect I have is a runny nose.

No my supplement is green leaf smart protein blend - I think it’s amino acids meant to help convert the thyroxine into T3