Headaches nausea am I taking too much levothyroxine ?

[lila2]

Last bloods showed tsh 0.03 t4 20, having migraines , headaches and nausea, also tinnitus in my ear. I am on 150mgs levothyroxine feeling well in respect of my hypo but wondering if these are symptoms of over medication. can't see anything on web in respect of this, have appt with GP next week.

[Hidden]

Have looked back at your previous questions and notice that your B12 was on the floor a couple of years ago and you have been supplementing with sublinguals. Are you still taking them? I would make a couple of suggestions:

1) Taking one B vitamin on it's own can throw the other Bs out of balance, particularly folate, they work together. So if you are taking methylcobalamin sublinguals, try adding some methylfolate and a good B complex. There are 2 b-complexes I would normally recommend, Thorne Basic B and Pure Encapsulations B Complex plus. They both contain 400mcg methylfolate:

thorne.com/Products/Vitamin...

pureencapsulations.com/b-co...

Shop around online as prices vary greatly. I buy the Pure Encapsulations one from Breakspear Medical Group (easier to order over the phone than from their website):

breakspearmedical.com/

You can take up to 2 a day which would give you 800mcg methylfolate, but start on one initially and build up slowly.

2) Some people don't do well on the methyl form of B12 and/or folate, and instead do better on hydroxo or cyano B12 and/or ordinary folic acid. It's trial and error, and very individual.

3) The option that I think is most likely is that the sublinguals are not working and you actually need injections. B12 treatment success has nothing to do with what your blood serum level is - so many people on this forum have low B12 to start off with, start taking sublinguals, and think the problem is fixed because the next blood test looks fab. Any type of B12 supplementing will raise blood serum levels, but won't necessarily reach the cells. Most people with PA who are on injections only use the sublinguals to stretch out to their next jab, and pretty much the only people who recover properly are those who manage to get frequent injections.

So the thing I find most worrying is those people who have worsening damage from B12 deficiency which is never going to be picked up in any blood tests because the sublinguals have normalised blood parameters. You would need to be off the sublinguals probably about 4 months at least to get an accurate test result. The only tests you could have now to check for PA are the antibody tests - anti-intrinsic factor (which needs a couple of weeks off supplements) and anti-parietal cells (which can be done at any time). And if you have PA you definitely need injections IMHO.

Having said all that, try option 1 first, it might do the trick. But monitor yourself for any worsening of symptoms going forward. Some more info here:

b12deficiency.info

[lila2 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for all your info, you are right my b12 level was recently 1000 I have stopped all supplimenting just now, dr would not treat me said levels were within range. I will read up on your suggestions but give myself a rest from supplements just now. Do not feel hyper and worried dr will just reduce Levo.

[Hidden in reply to lila2]

OK so your symptoms could actually be because you have stopped supplementing, did they come on after you stopped, or were they there before?

So your decision is either 1) stay off the supplements so that you can have some proper testing, or 2) get back on them because they were actually working.

Whatever you decide, please don't use the serum B12 test as any sort of benchmark. Most people who are well on injections run with blood levels well over 2000. Treatment is about symptom relief, not blood tests.

H x

[shaws Administrator]

Could it be side effects of levo? Just a thought.

patient.co.uk/forums/discus...

[Hidden]

You might find this link helpful. headacheexpert.co.uk/Thyroi.... It talks about comorbidity of headaches/migraine and thyroid conditions. As hampster has said it could be to do with Vits B - which are also linked to migraines.

Tinnitus, headache and nausea (with vertigo) are also symptoms of Meniere's disease. Have you been checked for that?

[lila2]

The headaches started before I stopped the supplements so I do not think it is some sort of withdrawal. will stay off supplements and then have tested.

[Jackie]

hi possibly, sometimes symptoms etc of Hypo and hyper are the same. your symptoms sound like your FT3 could be too high. T4 if my ranges is also, T4should be in top third of range only.You need tests for TSH, T4 and FT3. if GP unable to , as mine. I have to use Blue Horizon for safety.

Jackie

[lila2]

Thanks Jackie. good idea I will get tests done with blue horizon.