Thyroid tests for those with an underactive thyroid on levothyroxine
Thank you for attending for your annual thyroid tests.
Your results suggest that you are not getting enough thyroxine with your current dose of medication.
Most people have no symptoms at all, but you may be suffering from symptoms of an underactive thyroid on your current dose of treatment:
Symptoms that commonly occur include: tiredness, weight gain, constipation, aches, feeling cold, dry skin, lifeless hair, fluid retention, mental slowing, and depression.
Less common symptoms include: a hoarse voice, irregular or heavy menstrual periods in women, infertility, loss of sex drive, carpal tunnel syndrome (which causes pains and numbness in the hand), and memory loss or confusion in the elderly.
If you think that your blood thyroxine levels may be low because you have not been taking your tablets every day or have forgotten to take some tablets before your blood tests please contact the surgery for further advice before changing your medication.
If you have taken your tablets every day and have not missed any pills then we should increase your medication dose.
Your current dose has been increased by 25micrograms and we have issued a prescription for this. If you are registered for electronic prescribing the prescription will automatically go to your nominated pharmacy. If you are not registered for electronic prescribing the prescription will be waiting for you to collect from your usual Ridge surgery. Please have your blood tests checked again in three