Hi
You may struggle to get Levothyroxine under the NHS if your TSH is below 10. Unless your GP will treat by symptoms not blood results.
If that is the case, don’t let him start you on 25mcg, it is too low. Go for 50mcg, hold at that dosage for 6-8 weeks then test your thyroid again TSH, T3 & T4, but don’t take your thyroid tablet 24 hours before the test, and test as early in the morning before 9am.
Then keep increasing your levo by 25mcg each time, again testing every 6-8 weeks at a time.
This was my experience and many on thyroid forums have the same issue with the NHS even endocrinologist.
They don’t look at the full thyroid picture being TSH, T3 & T4.
This is why many people resort to self medicating.
The problem you may have is, your TSH is within the acceptable ranges within the NHS guidelines, and they are obsessed with TSH only which is wrong.
Your GP may not agree to this thyroid medication despite your symptoms.
They will probably not take into account your own private bloods either.
However, it is important to get those tests done so you yourself can see what is happening.
My own thyroid story, very briefly is I felt very unwell for a long period of time. Told thyroid blood tests “normal” accepted this and thought nothing of it, told to go on anti depressants, refused.
Asked for blood results my TSH was 8, told had to wait until it got to 10 before help.
By the time my TSH was 10 I was a zombie, hubby had to help me dress and functioning normally was a struggle.
By this time I was sick of being fobbed off. I researched, joined thyroid forums desperate for help.
Eventually I was put on levo by the NHS, hoping this was the miracle I needed. It didn’t help, so cut a very long story short, and with the support from thyroid forums, I am now on levo and NDT.
NDT I self medicate, many thyroid patients do
NDT use to be given to thyroid patients, before levo was manufactured, but patients don’t always get on with this as it is synthetic.
NDT is natural desiccated thyroid tablet that contains both T4 and T4.
Levo only contains T4. Many patients cannot convert T4 to T3 and that is why they don’t do well on Levo.
Another thing to add, when GP’s see your TSH go to 0 (suppressed) they get nervous and lower your dosage, again focusing on TSH results only to up your TSH.
This makes the patients feel even worse.
I cannot express how important vitamins play in the support of your thyroid too, don’t over look those. Make sure you take vitamins and don’t go for multi vitamins.
You have been given lots of good knowledgeable advice already, just research, research, research.
Good luck & take care.
