Underactive thyroid test results.

[Cmich]

Hello. Here's my story. Two to three years ago i went to the doctor with depression and was tested for an underactive thyroid. My results came back and he confirmed that i did have that. He started me on levothyroxine treatment but foolishly at one point i didn't take it for a week. I told the doctor and he got me to retake the test.. Apparently it came back normal and he took me off medication. Throughout the years i have struggled with numerous health complaints and had allways had this on my mind yet time and time again my thyroid came up normal. Then six months ago i was extremly low in energy and my new doctor sent me for another test. The results came back and she told me that my thyroid was extremley low and that she was surprised that i was doing as well as i had been considering. Anyway for 6 months they have gradually increased my dosage. I am now upto 100mg and they have told me my thyroid is now normal. However, i still feel extremley fatigued and have numerous problems still. I do also have endometrosis and a bicornuate uterus which i am aware causes problems with menstration but i am without explanation for other symptoms. It maybe is worth mentioning that during this treatment my hair had started to fall out and i had passed out, they said i was bordering aneamic but then got me to take another test testing my iron which was fine again. I feel as though something still isn't right. My doctor seems to be pushing towards blaming depression now, but i'm sure theres more. I have read in numerous places that levothyroxine is t4 and i need to ask for my t3 levels to be tested, is there any truth in this? I'm slightly nervous of doing this but i can't afford private healthcare.. Is this something the nhs do? Any help will be appreciated.

[Cmich]

Also, i can't eat without my stomach making loud noises for a long time afterwards. I go to the toilet only once or twice a week without laxatives. I have had problems with my bowels all my life but never with all this uncomfortableness. I wonder if that is the thyroid making me this way and if it isn't a great option to rely on laxatives. I am only 24 and i eat healthy foods and exercise as i put on over a stone last year. I also drink lots of water. I'm sorry to go on, i'm just so fed up with it all and don't really understand levels etc.

[Dr Petros Perros]

DEAR CMICH,

IF YOUR SYMPTOMS HAVE NOT GOT BETTER WITH THYROXINE, THE QUESTION THAT ARISES IS: IS THERE SOME OTHER CAUSE? THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER CONDITIONS THAT CAN CAUSE PEOPLE TO FEEL UNWELL APRT FROM AN UNDERACTIVE THYROID. YOUR DOCTOR AND THE NHS CAN HELP FIND OUT IF THAT IS SO AND TREAT IT. UNFORTUNATELY WE FIND THAT IN MANY PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATION AS YOU DO NOT HAVE AN IDENTIFIABLE CAUSE THAT CAN LEAD TO AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. T3 LEVELS CAN BE TESTED ON THE NHS, BUT IF YOUR T4 AND TSH LAVELS ARE NORMAL ON THYROXINE THE T3 LEVELS WILL BE PREDICATBLY IN THE NORMAL RANGE.