Managing an under active thyroid?

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So, I think I need help. I am 33 years old and I was diagnosed with an UAT when I was 11. Over the years I have put weight on, taken it off ect ect. This time round I have no idea what is happening. for about 5/6 years I was between 13 & 15 stone BUT since Oct 2019 I started to get bigger. nothing changed in my eating habits and now I am 17 and a half stone!!!! All month long I have been having wholemeal bread and lighter than light spread for breakfast with skimmed milk and spenda in any tea & coffee. Take green tea too and for dinner its chicken rice and veg 6 days a week, I allow myself one day off but even then I am not going overboard and eating everything in sight.

I am being tested for polycystic ovaries syndrome (I had one removed when I was 15) and my periods are all over the place. I bleed for weeks on end and its heavy every day and night. nothing works to ease it off, the docs have tried 3 diff meds and still nothing helps. I am also booked in for a hysteroscopy in the next 12 weeks but is this all linked and contributing to me not loosing weight but putting more on?

on average I do around 5 - 6 K a day and if I am not at work then I am never sat on the sofa, I always have something to do around the house with cleaning ect and we go for walks at the weekend

I am honestly at the end of my tether now and I am not sure what I can do. I feel so down all the time with the weight and periods!! Can anyone offer any advice?
 
Have you seen a good endocrinologist? I know of a good private one. He used to be at Kingston Hospital. Most GPS know very little about the thyroid but pretend that they do. I have discovered this to my cost.
 
Have you seen a good endocrinologist? I know of a good private one. He used to be at Kingston Hospital. Most GPS know very little about the thyroid but pretend that they do. I have discovered this to my cost.
no , sadly I haven't. I need t rely on the NHS these days too as I don't have private health care now.

I’m guessing the doctors have requested all the blood tests?
apart from the bloods at the hospital on Monday for the polycystic ovaries syndrome no other tests are being done just now. I have been on thyroxine since I was 11. for years I was 175 dose but before Christmas it was put up to 200 and 3 weeks ago its been put to 225
 
You must insist on seeing an endo. Have you ever been referred to one? Do you belong to any thyroid groups?
 
You must insist on seeing an endo. Have you ever been referred to one? Do you belong to any thyroid groups?
I am going to book an app with my GP, I will ask for one but if they question me what is best to say? no. not a part of any groups. I always just usually keep everything to myself. I don't know anyone with an UAT and feel that nobody really gets it so don't bother them with it x
 
Definitely need to see an endocrinologist! 225 is a large dose and with you having UAT since 11, I would have thought the gp would have referred you.
I’m not an expert but UAT can be complicated, you may have a rarer form. I would have expected the GP to request a full blood count, thyroid tests, maybe even test for diabetes?
Any other symptoms?
 
Definitely need to see an endocrinologist! 225 is a large dose and with you having UAT since 11, I would have thought the gp would have referred you.
I’m not an expert but UAT can be complicated, you may have a rarer form. I would have expected the GP to request a full blood count, thyroid tests, maybe even test for diabetes?
Any other symptoms?
she hasn't mentioned anything else to me, I moved house last year and this is a new doctors....my last one never done anything for me at all and basically said loose weight and live with the periods. I am a bit down in the dumps with it all the truth be told, the gyne I seen on Monday basically said to bring my BMI down, I started to tell her all the efforts I am putting in but she wasn't listening so I gave up. She done a smear on Monday too but said it will probs come back inconclusive as I started to bleed when she done it and haven't stopped since. she also said that my blood count is too high for someone to have periods as heavy and long as I am having...making me think she doesn't believe what I am saying x
 
You need to see an endo because the way they are treating you is not helping you. There is a thyroid group on the Health Unlocked website. Join there to ask questions. Also, ask your GP for copies of all your blood tests inc the thyroid ones going back as far as you can. You are legally entitled to copies of these without any charge. It will help to have these tests when you post on the thyroid group. You can be anonymous there.
 
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You need to see an endo because the way they are treating you is not helping you. There is a thyroid group on the Health Unlocked website. Join there to ask questions. Also, ask your GP for copies of all your blood tests inc the thyroid ones going back as far as you can. You are legally entitled to copies of these without any charge. It will help to have these tests when you post on the thyroid group. You can be anonymous there.
thank you so much!! honestly I really mean that xx
 
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Hello fellow thyroid sufferer! I'm also on 225mg of thyroxine. I was lucky that my old GP recognised the importance of keeping TSH levels low and made sure mine was under 1. Last blood test TSH has gone up to 2.5 but as it's "within range" my new GP doesn't think anything needs to be done. Am going back tomorrow to push for an endo referral as I've been steadily declining over the past few months and this week I've been off work for 2 days not being able to get out of bed (slept on and off for 18 hours yesterday).

Definitely get your GP to do some thyroid blood test - as a minimum they should do TSH and Free T4. This will at least give you a starting point to see where things are.
 
Hello fellow thyroid sufferer! I'm also on 225mg of thyroxine. I was lucky that my old GP recognised the importance of keeping TSH levels low and made sure mine was under 1. Last blood test TSH has gone up to 2.5 but as it's "within range" my new GP doesn't think anything needs to be done. Am going back tomorrow to push for an endo referral as I've been steadily declining over the past few months and this week I've been off work for 2 days not being able to get out of bed (slept on and off for 18 hours yesterday).

Definitely get your GP to do some thyroid blood test - as a minimum they should do TSH and Free T4. This will at least give you a starting point to see where things are.
I have a reminder that I have to call on Friday to make an app for more bloods. they are doing them every 6 weeks just now and I think that's how long it takes for the dosage changes to show? Do you think/know if this is why I am unable to loose weight just now?

a few years back I was eating the same thing and walking like I do now but lost 2.5 stone but I am putting on more weight just now and honestly don't understand how!! I am at the point now where I have said sod it, tonight I am having the same as my bf for dinner, chicken fajitas!! xx
 
Have you ever had an antibodies test? Ask the GP for that test too. I used to trust GPS in the past but don't anymore. Remember that that they are generalists, not specialists.
 
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Have you ever had an antibodies test? Ask the GP for that test too. I used to trust GPS in the past but don't anymore. Remember that that they are generalists, not specialists.
nope never, I am adding that to my list for when I go. I don't trust GPS at all, they see us an number in my eyes and they want us out the door as soon as possible!xx
 
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nope never, I am adding that to my list for when I go. I don't trust GPS at all, they see us an number in my eyes and they want us out the door as soon as possible!xx
Do you have any recent blood test copies? If not call the surgery and request the most recent ones, and then all the other ones. Don't let them fob you off. They used to be able to charge, but for the past 18 months or so, all medical records copies are free.
 
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I don't have any, never thought to ask for them. I am in Scotland so are they still free do you think? I am worried they will ask why I want copies and I hate any kind of confrontation so I tend to keep quiet xx
 
I don't have any, never thought to ask for them. I am in Scotland so are they still free do you think? I am worried they will ask why I want copies and I hate any kind of confrontation so I tend to keep quiet xx
I believe it's the same all over the UK but join the Health Unlocked group and ask them. You will need to steel yourself to become more assertive. On the group you can ask for recommendations for endocrinologists too.
 
I have joined and had a little read at some posts and seen some posting their test results, I am going to try and gather as mush as I can before posting so I am armed with whatever I am asked to provide...well as much as I can gather. I need to see a light at the end of the tunnel here. I really do
 
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I have joined and had a little read at some posts and seen some posting their test results, I am going to try and gather as mush as I can before posting so I am armed with whatever I am asked to provide...well as much as I can gather. I need to see a light at the end of the tunnel here. I really do
If you are worried about how to ask knit your test results and want to be armed with the correct info then make your first post about that, as well as giving your background. Make sure you make your post private too.
 
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