Hypothyroidism, advice please.

I have recently been diagnosed although I suspect have had it for some time as can put a tick against every symptom. For a while thought it might be long Covid as symptoms similar. Started very low dose of 25mcg Levo (also one hour before tea and BP meds), and there is some improvement with sore muscles and fatigue. I follow stuffthatworks.health and they have hypothyroidism board. The AIP diet keeps being mentioned as a successful way to lose and maintain weight. I want to do it but oh dear it requires massive self-discipline. Also, I'm going to book in to see a naturopath.

mcg, not g, sorry!?

I had overactive thyroid in my early 50s, all mixed up with menopause symptoms so not diagnosed until it was at a dangerous level. I was referred to endocrinology, put on carbimazole for a few years but then advised to have ' block and replace' treatment, radioactive iodine to destroy the thyroid, then 'wait and see ' if I needed thyroxine.... unfortunately I became profoundly underactive, quite ill before they prescribed thyroxine which took a wee while to start working...
Now I am on 100 g , reduced from 125g last year. I'm the heaviest I've ever been, my weight has been an issue since I had the radioactive iodine treatment. I also have to invent my eyebrows every morning. I often have a wee nap in the afternoon, more so since I've had Covid. My GP checks my blood annually.
I keep the thyroxine in my bedside cabinet and take it with plenty of water on waking, well before breakfast.

Aged 34 , I weighed less than 8 stone and was a size 10 in a dress . If careful I could be an 8 with hardly any effort. And then came a bout of glandular fever , which my Dr now thinks wiped out my thyroid gland .

This can happen .

I know someone who is an insulin dependent diabetic after flu .

As the year progressed so did my weight :
I went from a ten to a 14 and struggled to maintain it .
.
Unfortunately , a change of Doctor ensued .
Pleasant enough guy , but he intimidated me when I complained of weight gain .
And the weight crept on .
I exercised .
I dieted .

My skin - particularly on my legs was so dry like parchment . I couldn't use soap on them instead I'd have to massage oil into them every day .
I felt cold on a hot day . I felt stupid at a picnic - every woman was wearing a summer dress and peeled it off to dip in the river .I had a thick cardigan on and was shivering on the bank .

I felt so tired . I can recall feeling tearful as suppertime approached .

Then -
I injured my back and blood tests showed that my thyroid was underactive and I realise that it had been for a long time .

I now take 150mcg levothyroxine , but unless I'm super careful with my diet I gain weight very easily .
Exercise is difficult these days .

No one has this condition the family except my daughter .
But maybe years ago the condition went undiagnosed so who knows what my ancestors had !

Several of my friends have an underactive thyroid and we all say the same thing - that we aren't as we were before !

I'm going to look the thyroid charity and have a rethink about my underactive thyroid /diet /exercise .

Good luck !

Grapefruit isn't an issue with levothyroxine, though if you are taking statins, you are warned not to take grapefruit. I have been on 100mcg levothyroxine for at least 15 years and thyroid function is included with all my other blood tests annually.

Grapefruit is fine with levothyroxine. Leave at least half an hour between taking your tablet and eating or drinking anything though.
Grapefruit is contra indicated with some drugs though. Always read the leaflet or ask the pharmacist.

And what about grapefruit? Anybody know if its OK to eat grapefruit if a person is on levothyrozine?

dogsmother

toscalily has a good point about the timing of taking your thyroxine.
I take mine ( don’t laugh) in the middle of the night when I wake up for a drink of water. I’m a greedy person who nibbles a lot during the day and this suits me best for keeping it to an empty stomach.

This is what I do. I wake up about 4am for the loo, take the levo, then I'm ready for a cup of tea at 6am.

skunkhair63

I was diagnosed with UAT 7 years ago, and also initially put on 50mcg of Levo. Whilst it helped with a few of my symptoms, I was still far from well, and I had to educate myself on how to regain my health. My GP refused to raise my dose of Levothyroxine (I later learned 50mcg is considered a starter dose) and finally referred me to an Endocrinologist. Things improved for me when I opted to take a different form of medication, although most people do well enough on Levo, apparently, if given the right dose. There are excellent online resources , I found the Thyroid UK charity invaluable for help and advice. Take heart, there is much you can do to help yourself e.g. get private blood tests and learn to interpret them, take appropriate vitamins and minerals etc. I have had to do all this as, frankly, my GP has been quite clueless and I’ve had to fight my corner - not easy when I’ve felt ill and vulnerable at times. Pleased to say I am well now, thankfully, with a much improved quality of life. I wish you all the very best on your journey back to good health.

Skunkhair, could you give us some advice re vitamins or any other tips (such as best time to take them. etc) You sound really clued up)
Currently on 100mgs Levothyrozine.

Even on 100mgs I've never really got my eyebrows back, but have managed to keep the weight off.

Go back to your GP.

I'm technically hypothyroid as have no thyroid- total thyroidectomy in 2007. Since then I've been on 100 mcg Eltroxin, with blood tests once or twice a year.

Having used various sites, like Thyroid UK, I was worried that I would have the symptoms many report with hypothyroid, but thankfully not.

However, for some whose thyroid stops working properly, it's due to an autoimmune issue, which can cause lots of other symptoms, and just replacing the missing thyroid hormone won't fix the problem. Unfortunately, doctors tend not to look at the whole picture and just prescribe thyroxine based on blood test results. Increasing dose may help in some cases, but need monitoring as overdosing can cause serious harm and doctors tend to be cautious!

Ellylanes1 Until recently I too was on BP tablets but due to erratic BP readings have been taken off of them for the moment, may have to start again. Of course you must be guided by your own GP but my understanding is that it is better not to take BP tablets (and most other medication) at the same time as Levothyroxine. NHS website & thyroid UK are worth looking at then you will be better prepared when speaking to the nurse or Dr.

Sorry I meant change taking meds in the mornings instead!

Toscalily, I take meds at night as I find it easier to remember.
I take BP meds at the same time,but I will try setting an alarm in the mornings and take the levothyroxine half an hour before the others. I will ask the doctor about that too.
I retired early five years ago as my stamina wasn't what it was, I put it down to stress, but maybe it was thyroid back then.
Once again thanks all.

Not sure how old you are- but for me it all started in my early 50s, and the symptoms all got mixed up with the menopause. My GP tried to get bllod twice and failed, and asked me to get 'vampire nurse' ( phlebotomist) to try next time. And I didn't return for quite some time as too busy with a full time jom looking after my elderly parents who lived afar, and teenage daughters going through 'a phase'. Next time I saw the doc, he was a Locum we knew and said 'oh some of us are not meant to be skinny' when I mentionned weight gain.

Anyhow, it was picked up too late, but as soon as I started on Thyroxine, things improved. But still have not lost the weight- but feeling fine. I am 71.

toscalily has a good point about the timing of taking your thyroxine.
I take mine ( don’t laugh) in the middle of the night when I wake up for a drink of water. I’m a greedy person who nibbles a lot during the day and this suits me best for keeping it to an empty stomach.

I have been on Levothyroxine for 10 years and have a yearly blood test, usually get notified by text message now to arrange an appointment. Do take your medication first thing in the morning with a large glass of water, no food or drinks for a least half an hour, if you take any vitamin/mineral supplements wait at least 4 hours as some interfere with the Levothyroxine. I am on 50mg and it does seem they are reluctant to give a higher dose, unless really necessary for older patients. I also had some thining of the hair and eyebrows, always had very weak flaky nails, except when pregnant. After quite a lot of trial an error over the past years have found Boots Skin, Hair, Nails combination plus Vitamin D seem to give me reasonable nails and does seem to have helped with hair.

Thankyou, you've all given me a lot to think about, very interesting.
I will call my doctors and ask for a review and blood test.
Thanks again.

Also UAT and have been on 75mg for a number of years ,
also because of unavailability of GP and blood test appointments I hadn’t had a blood test since before Covid.

However recently went to practice nurse for flu jab couple of weeks ago and she picked up I hadn’t had a blood test for thyroid levels. Used to go yearly before Covid.
Anyway went for my blood test and made appointment to see GP for results following week.
Day after blood test arrived home to find thyroxine tablets had been delivered from pharmacy where I get my medicine from
100mg
It turned out GP checked blood test and I wasn’t on right dosage so my levels were pretty low. At my GP appointment I will have to have another blood test in January to check I am on right dosage and after that make sure I arrange yearly blood test.
You do need to have a blood test and see your GP

I'm another hypothyroid person and am now taking 75 mcg Levothyroxine, but a previous doctor back in 2009-2010 kept suggesting an increase in dose until I was eventually taking 200 mcg. I still didn't feel much better but blamed all my other illnesses.

Then suddenly my heart went crazy and my blood pressure shot up and I collapsed. It turned out that I'd gone from Hypo to Hyper and blood tests showed I was very very Hyperthyroid. It was terrifying. I thought I was having a heart attack.

My Thyroxine dose was immediately reduced to 75 mcg and I was prescribed beta blockers for 3 months to stabilise my heart, which fortunately did the trick, but it took me a year to physically recover from the shock to my system.

My flaking nails have improved tremendously due to taking collagen powder and now they are long and rock hard. Sadly the collagen didn't save my hair and I now have to wear a wig, and my eyebrows are still pretty non-existent.

Go back to the doctor. I guess two years is plenty long enough for the tablets to work if they are going to work.

I’ve got underactive thyroid been on 50micrograms for 18 years have thyroid checked every year, despite having thin fine hair, flaking nails, dry skin my drs refuse to increase the dose, saying they are satisfied that I’m on the correct dose

Thanks DaisyAnne that’s interesting. I do have diverticulitis and I find that IBS tablets help me. I will I’m investigate going down the food line.

I avoid my doctors as they ignore what I say and keep trying to reduce the tablets and I know the result of that !! However my endocrinologist is very caring. When I see him in a few months time I will ask him to refer me to someone who deal with food/diet. I could go privately but that could cost mega bucks but it may be worth it.

Okay I’ve been taking this for 40 years. The dose does vary, generally as you age you will have to have less because of the negatives. My nails continue to be weak and flaky so I take particular care of them, strangely my toenails are ok.
My hair thinner than in my youth but still ok. I know when I need more as I get fierce fatigue attacks. But as I get older I know the dose is unlikely to be raised much more .
I’m currently on 100 a day

I was diagnosed through blood tests 20yrs ago. I’ve been on 125mg of thyroxine since then. I have my blood checked once a year. Feel fine. Weight could be better but I have a sweet tooth.