I want to stop taking levothryoxin as I am feeling so awful should I wait to see endo before doing this, is it safe to stop ?

[Amandajl]

or is there other reasons for it? I get my blood result back on monday but am feeling so bad in my self with head aches generaly run down all round can only function about 4 hours a day then had enough !!

[Heloise]

Amanda, it probably depends on how long you have been taking levo. This is the process involved. You may be better off gradually lowering your dose so your body can adjust.

The thyroid hormone process begins when the pituitary gland in the brain produces thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH then acts upon the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones. The two main thyroid hormones produced are thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Although the thyroid gland produces more T4 (80 percent) compared with T3 (20 percent), T3 is 300 percent more active than T4 and is the thyroid hormone responsible for increasing metabolism. In fact, much of the T4 is converted into the more active T3 inside the cells of the body. Once the brain senses the thyroid gland has produced enough thyroid hormone, it will decrease TSH production. Through this negative feedback loop, the production of the thyroid hormones is slowed [Source: Brownstein].

[Moggie]

I would not recommend that anyone stops their medication unless they have medical input with this.

Can you please give us more info, i.e. how long you have been on levo, how much you are on, what other symptoms are you getting and when is your endo appt.

Moggie x

[Amandajl in reply to Moggie]

Moggie

I've been on levo for 3 years at 75mg my vit d is currently at 43, b 6 is low and low iron .. I take vit d iron and B6 at he moment .

My symptoms are headaches, muscle pain no energy, constantly tired feel right this moment if I close my eyes I will fall asleep . And weight gain . I've not got a date as yet as my GP waiting for blood results to send off with a referral

Amanda x

[Moggie]

How long have you been supplementing and did you supplement before you found out you were low in the above or after?

Is the GP prescribing these supplememnts or are you buying your own and what are you taking and how much. Have you had your B12 tested?

Sorry for all the questions but the more info you can provide the more accurate the answers will be.

When do you take your levo - morning or evening - and do you have any recent tests results you can share?

Moggie x

[Amandajl]

Moggie

I take levo in the morning.

GP gives me vit D 500 and iron 210mg once a day folic acid in vitamin b complete.

Vit D And folic acid after diagnoses. Iron deficiency since 2005 dr prescribes iron and Vit D Over the counter folic acid .. I don't know my blood results till Monday I also take omega 3 and primrose oil as have PCOS

Amanda x

[Moggie in reply to Amandajl]

Right so do you leave, at least, two hours before eating and drinking before and after taking your levo in the morning? Have you ever tried night time dosing, which would mean you would need to stop eating two hours before taking levo.

Are you really only on 500iu of Vitd or is that a typo - should it have been 5,000iu? What about the B12 question - has it ever been tested?

Are you saying you have been iron deficient for 9 years? if so then surely you should have been referred to a gastro for investigation by now.

Have you ever been tested for coeliac or wheat intolerance as you certainly seem to have gut issues which will be causing havoc with your levo.

Just a tip when using this site - if you use the "reply to this" button under my (or anyone elses) name I will get an email to say you have answered me - it saves me, and other who have answered your question, missing your replies.

Moggie x

[Amandajl in reply to Moggie]

Oh thank you learning every day yes that was a typo with the Vitamin D .

I had B12 done a year ago and it was ok just had it done again don't know results yet.

I take levo in the morning but only ever left 20 mins before eating and drinking! How can I change to nit time?

I have been tested for coeliac and that came back normal.

Yes I been on replacement iron for 9 years and not seen a gastro

Amanda x

[shaws Administrator in reply to Amandajl]

Just take your dose at bedtime, not having eaten 2 hours beforehand. When you have a blood test for the thyroid gland Do Not take medication that night and have it after blood test.

[Moggie]

Right so you took your levo this moring and then almost immediately ate and drank something so it could well have been compromised.

Take another dose tonight, having not eaten or drank anything (except water) for at least two hours - milk, iron tablets, vitd and calcium are some if the worse offenders for interferring with levo and should be kept four hours away from levo, coffee is another and a two hour gap is needed. Any other meds you are taking should also be taken nowhere near levo - which is why lots on here like night time dosing as they can then eat and drink what they want as soon as they get up in the morning. You can then carry on nightime doing from tonight onwards.

If I were you I would be asking for a gastro referral regarding your constant low iron and other low vitamins.

You really need to start asking for copies of all your blood test results as what the GP will tell your is "normal" or "in range" may be far from normal for thyroid suffereers, for example a "normal" B12 range is 190 - 900 so if you are at 250 then your GP will say all is good BUT a thyroid sufferer needs their B12 to be between 600 - 700, so always get a print out of your results so you can post them on here for advise and help.

Moggie x

[Amandajl in reply to Moggie]

I will do when I go to the Dr surgery Monday to get my results am going to ask for a print out . Thank you for helping me x

[Moggie]

Your very welcome - and dont take any nonsense from anyone at the surgery as it is your legal right to have a copy of your results.

I'll look out for your next question when you have your results.

Moggie x

[Amandajl in reply to Moggie]

I won't I've just about had enough of being fobbed off not only by my GP saying am in the normal range it's not normal to feel like this at all I feel 100 years old . But the private endo recommend a gastric band !!! I hardly eat as it is my son says I don't eat enough to burn calories . But I think I do x

[Amandajl]

Thank you I will start to take it at night

[Moggie in reply to Amandajl]

Good for you - take control and you'll soon start noticing the difference.

Moggie x

[Moggie]

So your vitd is on the way down again - exactly the same as me, plus I am probably on iron tablets for life so our situation is very similar which is why you need to push for a gastro appt.

When is your GP doing your referral to see an endo as it was my endo that suggested to my GP that I needed to see a gastro so maybe when you see your endo you might want to talk to him about this.

Post all your new results (with ranges or the results are useless) in a new questio on here when you get them on Thursday for people to comment.

Moggie x

[Amandajl in reply to Moggie]

Thank you Moggie, do,you have any problems with weight gain at all? I've got an appointment to see Dr Peatfield in march they rang today to offer an appointment. Why did you have to see a gasto ? Is that some thing else to worry about ? Regards amanda

[Moggie in reply to Amandajl]

Because of my low iron, low vitd and low ferritin - when you have quite a few of your vitamins out of range it can point to gut issues, like coeliac or gluten intolerance. My gastro diagnosed me, just before christmas, as having hypoferritinemia (which in english means low ferritin without anemia) and inflammation of the gut (which could be caused by gluten) so I am trying really hard to cut out all gluten.

Yes I have weight issue and going gluten free could really help.

Moggie x

[Amandajl in reply to Moggie]

Hi Moggie,

Here are my blood tests blood results at last !!

Vitamin D=41 nmol/L

alanine aminotransferase level =52IU/L Abnormal

free T4 level =14.1pmol/L

TSH level =3.01mIU/L

folate =6ug/L

vitamin B12 =681ng/L ( results say this is abnormal)

Ferritin =21ug/L

Red blood cell =4.20 10^12/L(4.32-5.6) abnormal

any thoughts or ides ?

[Moggie in reply to Amandajl]

So - you can have my thoughts but they would only be that, one opinion. If you do a new question with these results you will get lots of different opinions and to make an informed decision that is what you need.

You will get people asking you for the ranges - as without the ranges these results don't make much sense - so I will give you my opinion but please ask a new question with these results.

Your vitd is to low and needs supplementing with about 3,000iu vitd a day.

Your FT4 level is to low and your TSH level is to high so I would day you have an absorption issue - in others words something is stopping your levo from getting into your system - most probably all the low vitamins.

Your ferritin level is way to low which is why your red blood count is also to low.

Cant comment on your B12 as you have no ranges - my range is approx 190 - 900 so a result of 681 would be great but your range is obviously totally different so its anyone guess where this level sits in the range. Do you supplement B12?

If you had these printed out you should also have had the ranges with them - have you got them?

Moggie x

[Amandajl in reply to Moggie]

Hi Moggie yes I have the read output from the GP but there is nor range added to any of the results it just says abnormal by the ones that appear not to be in the GP range. Thank you for replying to me, its quiet a mind field in tying to sort this out.x

[Amandajl in reply to Amandajl]

= 4.20 ^10 12 (3.7-11.1) for the red blood cell

there is no range for Vit D or anything else x

[Amandajl]

Thank you I will try doing that as I am struggling to stay awake and feeling this bad all the time