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Thyroid levels

Engineer88

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,130
Location
Wales
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hey guys I would like a bit of advice on my current thyroid levels.

TSH: 3.4 (0.4-4.5 from thyroid UK TSH rises when the thyroid is struggling.)
and
T4: 13.4 (10-24 also thyroid UK FT4 lowers when the thyroid is struggling.)

Im already on 50mg of thyroxine a day should I bee asking for an increase?
 
I had very similar readings on my test last week. I take 75mcg of thyroxine at the moment.

TSH 3.56 mUI/l (range 0.46-4.68) that's up from 2.43 last time
T4(free) 13.6pmol/l (range 9.9-28.2) that's identical to last time

Theoretically they are both within range and I kept on the same dose last time.
It will be interesting to compare responses from our doctors (may be a while though since mine is off sick)
 
I am aware , but I may be wrong of course, that certain levels of thyriod medication is given based on age etc ....
A bit of a difficult one , because to much of a dose can cause other health complications ...

Hope you get yours sorted ...I take 50 mic that is the max dose allowed for me ...
25 mic did not do anything ....

Awful problem this thyroid ....take care. .......
 
Well I'm hoping my dr is going to start increasing my dose. I say that because I doubled my tabs this morning (2x 50 tabs) and intend to continue like that for a few days. Ive been boarderline depressed for a few weeks (6-8?) so hoping this might be the cuplrit along with weight gain etc.
 
Up to 75 no question. Blood test in 6-8 weeks to review. Thanks @Dibbles1 and @phoenix!

@Kat100 No its not linked to age at all its upto the dr. Some prescribe on how you 'feel' others on your levels alone. I'm reasonably lucky in that my dr is fairly reasonable.
 
Ugh... I feel like an old lady now... Everyone's on such tiny doses...
I'm on 150, because I had iodine therapy for hyper thyroid...
 
PaulinaB said:
Ugh... I feel like an old lady now... Everyone's on such tiny doses...
I'm on 150, because I had iodine therapy for hyper thyroid...
Click to expand...
Sounds like you are on your right dose ...Pauline ...
There is some data about age and dosage ....
My gp won't increase mine at the moment ..even though I am so tired most of the time ...
Just been reading more about the drug ...lots of things to,consider ...even being a diabetic can be a problem....I have sort of taken it for granted ...
My gp has issues increasing it as it can I am told increase the risk of strokes ....but I have read much more than this now ...
We will keep taking our meds ...
Your 150. Lol. . Ooo errr that is not your age x
 
PaulinaB said:
Ugh... I feel like an old lady now... Everyone's on such tiny doses...
I'm on 150, because I had iodine therapy for hyper thyroid...
Click to expand...
You're not alone @PaulinaB I am on 125, was 150 until a year ago when I suddenly started to lose weight so they lowered it and I've stabilised again. I am not old (not that old anyway )
 
Hello to all fellow thyroid suffers, I have read your posts and it seems that I am on the highest dose for my hypo thyroid condition. It statred as anything does on 100mg per day, then tests showed still low, than up to 200mg, which is what I was on for a few years, then the hospital dibetic specialist said the levo-thyroxine needs to come down to 175mg per day, and that is were it has been for about a year-ish.
But I am now feeling very down, cold, and my weight is up to and yo yo-ing which is not helping, I am surpossed to loose weight for knee replacements. The knee docs may well say keep trying and come back in another 6/9 months, the victoza is making my system slowly work which is not good for me, I am going to have another blood test for the thyroid on Monday, so lets see what comes of that.
I think I am going to have to do more research to find any major connection between the two, has the victoza had any effects on the thyroid, and does my medication need adjusting, more questions and then waiting for answers, but now, ttfn
 
Hi all
Just a thought, but I saw my endo a few weeks ago and he increased my levothyroxine from 100 to 125mcg a day.
When I saw my GP he was very dismissive until he read the letter from the endo which included blood test results. According to the specialist, T4 was 12.6. My GP then said that he used a different lab and that lab had scored my T4 as 16.7.
He went on to say that different labs use different scales when testing blood - now is it me, or is that ridiculous? How can we expect to manage our medical conditions if no one sings from the same hymn sheet!

The only suggestion I have, is to do what your body tells you and nag until you get what you need. When I told the endo that my skin is so dry, my husband calls me lizard legs he laughed and said we'd better get that sorted out.
 
No answer to all our dose problems but I was discussing this thread with a friend who has had her thyroid removed.
She has no thyroid (surgically removed) but has just had her dose lowered from 112.5mc to 100mcg. Her TSH and libre (free) T4 levels have changed but that suggests more players than just the thyroid gland.
 
Hello Dogbutler, well a month ago, I stupidly mixed up my meds, and when I should have been taking 2 Gliclazide before my tea, I was taking 2 levothyroxine?!?!, so when a thyroid test results came back things were all over the place, after discussion with new nurse going for another thyroid blood test, to see if things have reversed, but now I am so cold, it hurts my shoulders.
I agree about getting blood tests to have a uniform results, all doing the same method, would be good, also the 'normal' is an average from other tests, not surprised really, nothing has a good basis of reporting, as you have just found out. I may ask to go and see a thyroid specialist to see if there is anything else can be done. Also if things are out of kilter, between thyroid/diabetes which is effecting the other and to what extent, how stressful. Now my feet keep swelling up and are cold and my shoulder hurts, good fun this being ill is??? well lets keep posting and see were things go, ttfn
 
Hi Scouser,

Sorry to hear you're feeling so rough, these endocrine disorders are bloody great aren't they?!
Think you're right about one thing affecting another, my GP said the same thing, that's why it's so difficult to get the meds right.

In some ways that's what I meant about nagging. If we say yeah ok I'll have to put up with feeling like **** because you are finding it hard to get the balance right, the medical profession will nod sadly and do no more.

A few years ago I was diagnosed as having no growth hormone (I have a pituitary tumor which seems to be knocking off my hormones one by one). I was given growth hormone to inject, but if anything I started to feel worse.
Did some research and found out that the gh can lower thyroid levels. Asked for thyroid blood tests, but medics poo pood my request.

Eventually, I asked if I could stop the gh and was told that was fine, as it doesn't work for everybody. Bet it would work for a lot more people if they titrated with levothyroxine and got the balance right!

Sorry this has turned into a bit of a rant, but the lack of care from some of the medical profession makes my blood boil.
I'm a pain in the **** patient because I question and challenge, but how many poor people just accept what they're told?
 
have taken Thyroxine for many years and was at one time over dosing I actually thought i was going mental so went to the docs and told him so they took a blood test and it came back OVERDOSING in large red letters but since then have been tested regularly so yes takes a while to get the dosage right and I think you are right one illness plays against the other ...sighs
 
I'm on 175 mcg per day and, as is usual for me - well, until I found this forum, - I've just done what I'm told without asking or researching! More study ahead, then, starting with all these posts which I will read in detail.
 
Hi, Dogbutler, you are so right with what you have written, I do try to ask and find out, but gp is not on the same wavelength and does not like having questions to answer, so I don't go to see gp very often,only when I have too. What rant? this is the place to do just that, as we all have things that get us down, and we need to shout out and be heard, pity the nhs is not listening,

Hi PatsyB, I did take the wrong tablets for a week, 2 x levothyroxine, when it should have been 2 x gliclazide, so re-run of thyroid blood test today. So I did a bit of overdosing, even the nurse did not say that to me, miss the old nurse who left to go somewhere else. Big sighs all round.

Hi lizdeluz, yes I am on 175 mg per day and have been for over about a year, lowered by the diabetic specialist!. May be I should ask to see the endo's at the local hospital to be extra support or maybe some better treatment. Does anybody else get so fed up having to push, moan, nag, grumble, and have a session of stress, before anything is done for a person.

My rant, next may make sure we get rid of these blasted tories, who only like money in the bank and feel better when they are saving it and not spending it on essential services.
Rant over, thank you, ttfn
 
My GP has the same attitude Scouser (I wrote a post a while back about the lengths I had to go to to get a 2nd opinion).
But if we insist enough and get to know our assorted medical conditions well enough, then it's much harder for the medics to refuse any reasonable requests we make.

It also doesn't hurt to go on a charm offensive - my latest strategy is to let my GP think that I think he's the bees knees. Sneaky I know, but at least he's far more receptive to my requests for blood tests etc that he never would have agreed to before!

It's against my nature to manipulate people, but if it means my quality of life improves, then I'm prepared to do what I need to.

I once heard a doc refer to a woman who'd had a breast removed that day as 'the bloody nuisance mastectomy in bed 4'. If that's acceptable, I think using a bit of psychology to get what we need is pretty much ok.
 
HI Dogbutler, I must say I love your ears, they set off your eyes and nose so cutely!,
I will have the opportunity to try out the new nurse next week, when I go for blood test results, I will try to get my knowledge up to speed, and ask some awkward questions, she how she does, could be good, watch this space! Getting near pointy hat season, and I will get my broom stick serviced, and jet powered as well!!.

I noticed that one of the doctors names has gone from the letter head, not a good sign, do you think?
I have'nt seen the gp for some time, so expecting to end up there soon, they actually get on my nerves as they are so slow and not very forward thinking, which I find frustrating, as I like to discuss my conditions with the gp. Also I am supposed to be under supervision with some of my medications, but guess what? not happened, and don't think it will.

My neck, shoulders and back are starting to ache, so there could be something wrong with me, so what could it be? What should I ask for?, x-rays, mri scans, trip to the orthos, what do you think I should request??? Well for now ttfn
 
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