How not to look like a self diagnosing hypocondriac?

If you have a vitamin D deficiency then over the counter vitamins are next to useless. You could take them for a year and your levels will never recover.

It is important to take the supplements prescribed by the docs as these are a much much higher strength.

A vitamin D deficiency can render you useless and can pretty much make you feel as though you are dying....your hair falls out, you sleep forever, skin is bad, memory is bad...so many symptoms and it can cause so much pain too. Without blood tests it can be confused for so many other illnesses.....underactive thyroid being one of them.....although it is possible to have both.

Try to get outside with your head and arms un-covered for at least 15 minutes in the middle of each day as well as taking the supplements.
You can also boost your levels with a good diet. Free range eggs for brekkie is a good choice.
Concentrate on doing what you need to do to get your levels up and staying up and you will start to feel better (providing there is no other illness there).

Vitamin D deficiency is becoming widespread, especially in children because of the overuse of sunscreens and it can cause behavioural problems, compromised immune systems, lethargy, inability to concentrate, memory problems etc.

We need sunshine to have happy, healthy lives. Sunscreen is not necessary every time the sun comes out although we have been 'scaremongered' into thinking it is.

As for the thyroid issues. You need to find out your free T3 levels as T4 doesnt tell you much on its own but a lot of labs dont test for that so its not that easy. You might be better off getting the test done yourself.

TSH levels on their own dont mean much either and a good endocrinologist will consider a patients symptoms as well as the TSH score. Someone who feels great on 3.2 probably wont need any treatment even though the levels may be classed as high whereas someone who presents with severe symptoms with levels at 2.2 may very well benefit from treatment.

However, most doctors are "number bound" and will always go by the score regardless of a patients symptoms and often insist that if the numbers are as they should be, then everything is ok.
Finding a doctor who really knows the ins and outs of thyroid issues is like finding gold.

It sounds like you could also be low on iron and that would give you the symptoms of fatigue and dizziness. hopefully the vits he has include iron tablet. Vitamin d comes from exposure to the sun so get plenty of fresh air.

Vitamin D tests are easily available to the public at £25 - I must get round to getting one.
http://www.vitamindtest.org.uk/

Just reread and think you are asking about thyroid tests- sorry.

I have been tested (negatively) for thyroid, coeliac, anaemia, B12 deficiency, liver, kidneys and general inflamation in case that gives you any ideas. I gathered these, except the B12 and perhaps coeliac are the standard blood tests for tracking down fatigue. I am cautiously optimistic after three weeks that going gluten free (despite the blood test for coeliac showing nothing) is doing something.

I had to have 3 days of very strong vit D (any longer is dangerous) to improve my calcium levels. Low calcium levels linked to me having strong gluten intolerance, I've been 99% gluten free for years, but now I have towatch for even tiny, tiny amounts of gluten in a product.