Does anyone here have an underactive thyroid?

noonesperfect

Does the likelihood increase as you age?

cantcope

No idea. I was 25 when i was diagnosed. but had been having symptoms for years before that. Had always felt cold and i have vitiligo (white patches that have got worse over time) over my body which specialist said is a symptom of underactive thyroid. I've had that since i was about 15.

lifecatalyst

juno wrote: »

I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid about 6 months ago, and I'm on levothyroxine. Initially I started to feel better, but now I feel as bad as before. I had blood tests recently though, and they said they were fine.

Juno, i always ask for the actual results, as i've previously been told the same....results fine; but I didn't feel OK! When I asked for the actual figures my TSH was at the high end of the normal range. Now my TSH is below 1 i feel normal again (& my brain fog has improved greatly!).

My mum had the same thing happen last week, one doctor said she was fine (TSH at 4) & he wanted to wait 3 months before testing again. When she saw another GP in the practice her Thyroxine was put up by 25 to 75 daily. She's been feeling bad for a few months, freezing cold, tired & unwell.
Lx

ps I also highly recommend the Dr.Barry book.... & would have sought a consultation with him had my thryoid not been sorted. With all the info I was able to ask for the extra blood tests & understand what the results meant!

I_love_Airedales

Hello, I am retaining water and feeling very uncomfortable. Is this a common side effect? Will it go when my meds are sorted? I have put on a stone and a half!!!!
I am finding this thread very helpful it is good to know I am not alone, thank you everyone for the reassurance offered.
Take care all, ILA

poppy_f1

I_love_Airedales wrote: »

Hello, I am retaining water and feeling very uncomfortable. Is this a common side effect? Will it go when my meds are sorted? I have put on a stone and a half!!!!
I am finding this thread very helpful it is good to know I am not alone, thank you everyone for the reassurance offered.
Take care all, ILA

i have to say im the opposite, i always needed to go to the loo a lot as it was but now its even more
been on my meds for nearly 3 weeks now and not noticed any difference in my weight, but im going back soon for my repeat bloods so hopefully once all my meds is sorted things will be a bit better

TomsMom

poppy_f1 wrote: »

been on my meds for nearly 3 weeks now and not noticed any difference in my weight, but im going back soon for my repeat bloods so hopefully once all my meds is sorted things will be a bit better

Be patient Poppy. It takes a while. You should have been started on a low dose of thyroxine and depending on blood test results your GP will increase your dose gradually - you can't go on a whopping big dose straight away, it will cause problems. Once your test results have stabilised and you feel better (and make sure you tell your GP how you feel. If he says your results are now "normal" and you don't feel right then let him know so that he can tweak your meds until you do feel right) things will start to fall back into place - your weight should start to reduce, your energy should start to come back, hair and skin should start to get back to normal. But it all takes time, you're looking at months rather than weeks.

melbury

TomsMom wrote: »

Be patient Poppy. It takes a while. You should have been started on a low dose of thyroxine and depending on blood test results your GP will increase your dose gradually - you can't go on a whopping big dose straight away, it will cause problems. Once your test results have stabilised and you feel better (and make sure you tell your GP how you feel. If he says your results are now "normal" and you don't feel right then let him know so that he can tweak your meds until you do feel right) things will start to fall back into place - your weight should start to reduce, your energy should start to come back, hair and skin should start to get back to normal. But it all takes time, you're looking at months rather than weeks.

Thanks for sounding so calm and reassuring - it makes me feel much more confident that the thyroxine will start working properly and I will feel normal again.

tweetyshells

Melbury when i originally made this post i was feeling crap but i am feeling MUCH better than i was now so you will in time too.
I got my blood test monday to see where we are with it.

gemold

I was diagnosed with hashimoto’s 4yrs ago ad have felt up and down but generally rotten for 3.5yrs. I was diagnosed from bloods and an fna on an egg sized lump that appeared early in my 2nd pregnancy. I was permanently tired, sleeping whenever I could failed to lose much of my baby weight once my baby was born had very dry skin and felt flat but it was put down to my pregnancy/2 young children – my eldest was only just 2 when the second was born – and my job – pe teacher
To cut a long story short – After my son was born I was monitored and told my levels were normal. Quickly the feelings became my norm because that was what the docs were telling me and I accepted their reasons. I was pregnant with my 3rd before my 2nd was 12mths but things went further downhill for me then.
I was told my levels were still ‘ok’ and it was the 3 quick successive pregnancies, my hormones and my job that were the problem. They told me to get more support from my family, consider a career change and manage my time better. I have an incredible family and support, and the other two notions were ridiculous.
When my daughter was born I was physically drained and never recovered from the pregnancy and birth. I never lost the baby weight, developed excema, had painful stiff joints, lacked motivation and interest in anything, palpitations, sadness, irritable… oh those days. I spent weekends recovering from work there were days that even getting dressed was a chore and I’d watch my children play from the couch – I loved my children dearly but had no ‘will’ or energy to play with them. I was diagnosed with pnd, prescribed anti-d’s and cbt.
Something clicked and made me angry enough to dare to challenge this diagnosis and went for an appointment with my endocrinologist. They scanned and did a 3rd biopsy and the results were an increase in size and some suspicious acting cells.
Within 2mths the lump and half my thyroid were removed and bloods 3mths later had me put on 50mgs. I felt no change. 3mths later after bloods I was upped to 100mgs.
It’s as simple as this – I remember who I used to be and I enjoy my children, my job and my life – I have energy to give to things not just to keep me on my feet.

Recent reading shows me that my ‘ok’ results were obviously not ok for me – we’re all different and one person’s norm is another’s high or another’s low. It’s known to be appropriate to treat the person and deal with their wellbeing and have blood levels as support – not the other way around
I feel very let down by my gp and consultant. But tough – get on with it.
My learning curve and my resolve is to always trust my body and my instincts and to never allow a result to be ‘ok’ if I feel the slightest bit uneasy and unwell. If I feel unwell I will seek help and if it’s not forthcoming I will ask for another opinion.
Good luck to any thyroid newbees and feel well again soon – you will with the right treatment and care.

I’ve just read this back – sorry. It’s probably the first time I’ve said a little of how I felt. Thanks for all the positive statements, reassurance and the chance to share.
:T

pattycake

I was diagnosed as hypothyroid three years ago and my dose of Thyroxine has slowly increased from the initial 50mcg to 112.5mcg per day now. I take 100 on one day and 125 the next. This is because the results stated I was "overmedicated" when I took 125mcg each day.

I got my blood tested last October because I knew my levels were wrong. Sure enough, the tests came back that I needed a higher dose. That was when I was increased to 125. After 2 months, I was tested again and reduced to my present level. However, in myself I do not feel too great. I am ALWAYS cold except when I get hot sweats and the horrible palpitations.

My initial diagnosis was made after I went to the doctor's complaining of palpitations. The doctor suspected I was HYPERthyroid and that was why I was tested but obviously that was not the case. I wore a heart monitor for 24 hours and have been told I have ectopic heart beats. It can be very disconcerting when your heart seems to jump and then race.