Down I go....

[Sam75]

Visit to my lovely doc today, I glimpsed my TSH numbers on her computer screen, and noticed the first was 0 something, she did not think I would understand a printout soI didn't push it.

My thyroxine is being reduced to 125mg every day, instead of 150/125 alternate days.

She feels Im "TO HIGH" wish I was,,,,havnt been that since the 70s......

Hope she is doing the right thing for me.... I have been very edgy lately, with achy joints,

although I guess I have to expect some of those now..

will be interesting to see if I feel better or worse in a week or two.I live in hope and trust.

[shaws]

You are entitled to a copy of your blood tests. Ask the Receptionist for a copy saying you need it for your records and if the GP says anything tell her the same.

GP's have very little knowledge of metabolism or how best to treat problems of thyroid gland patients. First we have to have meds at the optimum level in order to get better/improve our health.

GP's should NOT reduce your meds according to your TSH level unless you display symptom of overactive.

You can buy from Amazon a booklet by Dr Toft who was President of the British Thyroid Association and show the appropriate part to your GP. We should have a TSH 1 or below or even suppressed if it makes us feel better.

amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=...

These are two extracts and cursor to the date January 25, 2002

Dr Lowe: Your observations don’t suggest to me that your pituitary gland isn’t functioning properly. In fact, your observations are consistent with what science tells us about a patient's T4 dose, her TSH level, and her metabolic health or lack of it. If the goal of a doctor is metabolic health for his patient, he has no scientific basis for adjusting her thyroid hormone dose by her TSH level. If the doctor is going to make the imprudent choice of treating the patient with T4 (rather than T3 or a T3/T4 combination), he should be aware of the relevant physiology and treat her on the basis of it. Otherwise, he's likely to ruin her health, as your doctor appears to be doing to

The TSH level is not well synchronized with the tissue metabolic rate. (Probably most doctors falsely assume that studies have shown that the TSH and metabolic rate are synchronized. But despite my diligently searching for years for such studies, I’ve yet to find them.) Adjusting the T4 dose by the TSH level is like adjusting the speed of your car by a speedometer that's out of synchrony with the actual speed of the car. Adjusting the speed of a car by an out-of-sync speedometer, of course, will get the driver into trouble—either with other drivers who'll object to the car traveling too slowly, or with a police officer who'll object to the car going too fast. And adjusting the thyroid hormone dose by the TSH level gets most patients in trouble—almost always because their tissue metabolism is so slow that they are sick.

web.archive.org/web/2010112...

Cursor to July 15, 2006 and there are lots of info in the topics at the top of the pages which may interest you.

web.archive.org/web/2010112...

[Glynisrose]

NEVER let your doctor reduce your meds!! Always remember that you have to AGREE to what the doctor says and that means saying nothing!!

[rosetrees]

Sometimes reduction is what's needed. I have a friend on thyroxine. She recently developed restless leg syndrome. When her TSH was tested it was 0.02. Her doctor reduced her thyroxine and she actually improved.

[Sam75 in reply to rosetrees]

Strangly enough I complained that I was having "jumping legs" at night, and was offered yet another pill, I declined this offer as as yet it isn't of great importance in the scheme of things.....I must admit I am feeling calmer already on the reduced dose.....

I think its possible she may know what shes doing X

[fennel in reply to Sam75]

jumpy legs could be a sign of a magnesium deficiency

[Issy]

I never use the TSH results - but the T3 and T4 results. They mirror how I feel, whereas the TSH seems totally irrelevant.

[Issy]

My TSH has been 0.02 with a well-below range T4 and T3.

[Sam75]

Im afraid I get confused by all the ts & and tsh s, I appreciate that some sufferers make more effort to understand the numbers, I know that if I don't feel any better my doc will take notice, and act accordingly....I guess I was brought up to trust doctors.

[Stourie in reply to Sam75]

Most of us were brought up to trust doctors BUT a lot of them really don't know how to treat thyroid problems and just guess what to do. A lot of them don't take symptoms into consideration and just go by the bloods which do not tell the whole picture. I hope that your doctor is one of the good ones.

Jo xx

[Sam75]

Yes Joanna, I realy think she is , her own mother is hypo for many years, so I feel I can trust her.X

[Heloise]

This is unusual, unless you were just put up to the 125/150, to lower the dose. Watch out for low symptoms, more muscle aches, brain fog or dark moods and heart rhythm problems and insist on going back to your previous dose if you show signs.

[Sam75]

Yes I certainly will, and thank you fot that advice x

[Bassetmum]

I've just joined the group. Was hypo for years then suddenly last year went hyper since when not yet found stable dose. My meds have been reduced regularly since. Was on 175 now down to 100 as yet again a few weeks ago it shot back up on 125? Been 175 for probably

12 yrs. my GP seems to take notice of the T4

[Sam75]

Ithink Im pretty lucky in that my doctor only ever gently suggests a lower or higher dose,

She realy seems to care.... but after reading so many posts for more than a year now,

It would appear to me that this vital gland needs a lot of understanding, as well as controling

Excuse my bad spelling (thyroid fault) X