New to underactive thyroid

hi its normal to feel the way you do i was overactive for 17 years now it is underactive im suprised the doctor didnt advise that it takes longer than three months for your body to adjust to the tablet , it take 6 months normally or how ever your body needs to adjust but you will get or start to feel better , im on this dose also and hope it helps you ..

Thanks for the reassurance, the doctor hasn't said anything about what to expect, how long for, what you will feel or anything. The doctor did not even explain underactive thyroid to me she just printed a leaflet off from the NHS website. The symptoms I'm suffering she hasn't even said are connected to my thyroid or the medication so just keeps treating me. I'm being treated for acid reflux - too much acid so antacids are prescribed but on another thyroid forum a number of users replied to me and said that is the worst thing to have, in thyroid condition it is more likely to be too little acid not too much and therefore makes my symptoms much worse.

Hi , did your doctor let you know that if your thyroid is underactive you sign a form to get free prescriptions an d you are probly on this medication for life because it replaces the thyroid your lacking ,unless you are under a consultant who specialise in this field the gp at the surgery are not up to speed with this illness ,trust me i have had this for 23 years it took 17 yrs to get it sorted now the 50 mg thyroxine seems to be ok but i do have 75mg sometimes ,you do get mood swings very irratable ,can give you anxiety ,but remember the thyroid your lacking the tablet is replacing to bring your levels back to normal , as for the acid reflux my dad has that ,hiatis hernia he take a tablet called buscopan 10mg he chokes a lot and has to have small meals and cannot sleep i dont know if your symtoms are the same but surely your doctor would say if the treatment your on would bother your thyroid they are totally differant symtoms to the thyroid , i hope you can talk to another doctor or phone nhs direct they may be able to advise you more hopefully you will get this sorted ,

contact me anytime happy to help if i can

I've got the prescription exemption form and she seemed to suggest I'd probably be on them for life the GP hasn't been helpful at all just gave me a leaflet from the NHS website printed off. My mood swings have been terrible I frighten myself with the way I can fly into a rage, nearly punched my car window through the other day because I left my mobile phone behind and how I haven't lashed out and hurt someone is a wonder to me. I don't think I have a hernia but I do have a little lump above my belly button from straining but it doesn't hurt. Buscopan was one of the things the doctor gave me for muscle spasms and cramps but it didn't help. Propping my pillow up seems to work. I am going to try my luck at one of the other doctors in the practice, although they are scraping the barrel, this new one seemed best of a bad lot, alternatively I'm going to ask to be referred to the Endo wotsit specialist to pick his brains at least.

Thanks for the offer of contact, it really is reassuring to know there are people out there to listen and help and I'm not all alone

hi ,im glad you have an exemption i have too , your surgery sounds like mine lol , my dad finds it easier with the pillow propt up his scared to go asleep with that problem i know he eats little and often .... he had an endescopy thing also hope it helps you the mood swings are the thyroid its normail to get like that and your not alone do you get palpitations ?

Good job I have an exemption with the prescriptions the doctor keeps giving me but I've stopped them all now for two reasons 1) they did not do anything and 2) it seems from the forums to be nothing unusual and all part of the "process". To be honest with my pillows up and the last few nights of sleep that alone has made a world of difference to not be so tired. The comfort of knowing what is happening is to be expected has also just helped to calm me down too, I would wake in the night with sweats, chest beating and in a bit of a state but thankfully at the moment they have eased.

so you not on the tablets now the night sweats is the thyrod and the chest beating is the palpitations ,this does go back and forth ,you may need beta blockers propranolol like what im on, but you do what you need too and how you feel better ,i dont sleep well either so i know how u feel ,its not a good symtom to have i know .

hope you feel better soon

if its any help to you ,i was told to take 75mg thyroxine because my thyroid went off the scale i didnt take 75mg and stuck to 50mg when i had another blood test 4 months later they said it was controlled ,so i think your body can regulate itself and if you get stressed it can change dramatically .

Got a print out of my latest blood tests. Blimey you'd think I was trying to get into secret government files or something..........what do you want, how many results, why , who are they for

Here's my information

29/8/12 - T4 was 9.3 TSH level was 51

18/09/12 - T4 was 17.5 TSH level was 9.6

31/10/12 - T4 was 20.8 TSH level was 3.3

I don't know if there are any other results / tests I should have had?

Hi there yes they are like the secret service; im not sure what the levels should read only option is to check it on internet if they should normal reading or see a different doctor ,i hoe ur feeling better helen

Hi Lil Sam

found this web site hope it can help you thyroid.about.com/od/gettestedanddiagnosed/ss/normaltsh_7.htmbest regards Helen

hope you feel better