TSH

[kimbo]

Hi all just asking a quick question to see if anyone can shed a light in what's going on, about eight weeks ago my tsh went from 0.9 to over three gp thought it was a change from mercury pharma to activis, had bloods done Wednesday results today are 0.25, I feel worse than every with anxiety panics and bp, does anyone have any suggestions please.

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Kimbo,

I cannot explain what's going on. I assume you have been on the same dose of levo over the past few blood tests. I wonder if you took your meds before your +3 test. I did that once and it skewed my results completely.

I have looked at your profile and see you have been ill for 10 years, so my assumption is that your GP is not doing his best to get you better. Even now with your TSH at 0.25 the GP would assume you should be well with no symptoms, that in itself says that your medication is not doing you good.

I would assume you are like me, more unwell on levothyroxine and struggling. Ask your GP to add 10mcg of T3 on trial, added to a reduced T4. I am on T3 alone and fine although I have read that some on T3 alone don't feel much better. Maybe they aren't on the right dose. It may also be that synthetic levo doesn't suit you as it is sometimes not synergystic to our human body as is NDT. After ten years of ill-health whilst on medication, I think you are entitled to an alternative thyroid gland hormone.

[kimbo in reply to shaws]

Hi thanks for replying I take my Levo at night so this wouldn't interfere with bloods, I have been to see a private endo who wrote to my gp and he added t3 this made me worse, they won't entertain NDT I have already asked, and you are right they have left me in this situation, but all they want me to take is anti ds, I'm on a small amount of beta blocker but this doesn't even seem to help with the symptoms, I have never been so ill since being hypo and on Levo x

[shaws Administrator in reply to kimbo]

You say you were worse when T3 was added but I wonder if it is really levo rather than T3. I say this as this is what I found. I take T3 only now I improved so much when I dropped levo.

[alangardner]

hi there kimbo , I presume that your meds havn't changed between the 2 tests ...... I as well as my excellent gp have been trying to argue this for some time ----- my theory is that as different manufacturers use totally different fillers within their own formula [ but only the active ingreadient is listed ] the fillers can sometimes prevent the active ingreadient from working , and sometimes prevent to a detrimental effect ==== as an example some use lactose as a filler and it will not be a listed ingredient ----- and would therefore have a major problem for yourself ......my gp as well as me have got rather large bruises on our foreheads from bouncing off the damn wall getting nowhere ======= but I feel strongly on this ....alan xx

[Clutter in reply to alangardner]

Alan,

Mercury Pharma, and Actavis contain Anhydrous Levothyroxine Sodium as the active ingredient and both contain fillers lactose, maize starch, magnesium stearate.

In addition, MP contains sodium citrate, acacia powder and purified water.

Actavis contains stearic acid and pregelatinised maize starch.

Wockhardt contains the active ingredient Levothyroxine sodium and fillers lactose, sucrose (fine powder), maize starch and magnesium stearate.

[alangardner in reply to Clutter]

that is my exact point ...... if for example you are ' gluten intolerant ' the maize starch will affect you -- therefor the meds may do more harm than good --- as in if you may be ' lactose intolerant ' ====== but these fillers do not have to be added to the list of ingredients on the pack , so you would not know how this is affecting you at the time ==== more people have allergies to the fillers than the active ingredient ....... this is just my own bug bear at the moment .......alan xxx

[Clutter in reply to alangardner]

Alan, those ingredients are on the PIL in each pack of Levothyroxine. Rod posted recently that all UK medication is gluten free so I presume gluten has been removed from the maize starch. It is scandalous that lactose is an ingredient though.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Clutter]

I believe that all ingredients have to be listed. But, as with food, there are things that may not be obvious. For example, cross contamination in the factory, or precise details of sources.

Rod

[crimple]

Maize starch should not contain gluten! Maize is sweet corn it is not a grain like wheat, oats and barley.

The lactose is concerning though as I am avoiding lactose as well as gluten. I will not have Mercury Pharma ever (I had to take 25mcg when my dose was 75 mcg) I am now on 100 mcg and take Actavis and have been better on that