I started thyroxine 5 months ago, firstly 25mcg for 3 months then 50mcg borderline levels that ain't changed much with high antibodies but since being on 50mcg I'm noticeably stressed, anxious and feeling like I'm sped up generally in a very unnatural way! Any advice please?
Thank you
Hi Richard
I am sorry you're feeling bad but I suggest it is due to your low dose of thyroid hormones i.e. 50mcg of levo.
I realise you have hashimotos as you have high antibodies, so I think your GP should increase your dose - first so that you feel a bit better and second that it might help to reduce antibodies.
Others who have hashimotos will also respond. Quite a few have gone gluten-free and said they feel much better.
Go to the date November 28, 2003 on the following link:
web.archive.org/web/2010103...
Always get a print-out of your blood test results.
You should have sufficient thyroid hormones to bring your TSH to around 1 or below.
Make an appointment for a new blood test as follows:-
Have the earliest possible appointment . Leave 24 hours since last dose of levo and test as it may skew results and fast (you can drink water). Take levo after test.
Take thyroid hormones on wakening and wait approx 1 hour before eating. Some foods interfere with medication. Leave 4 hours between hormones and supplements. Some prefer bedtime dosing, in that case you must leave 2 hours after eating before taking hormones. If you've had a fatty meal it should be longer. Food can interfere with the uptake.
Ask for Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be tested if you've not already had them.. They should be towards the upper range.
Always get a print-out of your blood test results with the ranges, for your own records and so you can post them if you have a query. We are entitled to them.
Richard123, you should have a follow up blood test 6-8 weeks after any dose adjustment to check you are on the right dose. It's possible you are slightly overmedicated but equally possible the anxiety and stress is due to undermedication.
The way I feel on 50mcg I'd be nervous to increase any further as the higher its gone the worse I've felt
Richard, ask your GP to test ferritin. Low iron is often why people find it difficult to tolerate the dose they need, or to increase dose, without feeling hyper.
I don't know if this helps but I have been using Mercurypharm brand of levothyroxine and just feeling no better at all. My chemist was closed and I had to use the supermarket pharmacy. All they had was the Actavis. brand and I have noticed a definite increase in anxiety levels. Constant replaying of things in my head and the shakes/jitters.
I too am in same position started on 25 upped to 50 and feel jittery, palpatations and struggle sleeping - i have just had another blood test my tsh has gone from 4.3 to 4.9 so dr wants to up to 75 but like you feel that this may make symptoms worse but as someone above said it may be due to the low dose. I too have antibody level above 1500.
Could you push for a FT3 test to see if conversion is OK....or have it done privately....
When you have sleep issues - it can sometimes be related to the Adrenals.
Richard, you may be one of these people who needs to increase very slowly. Some people are just very, very sensitive to thyroxine.
You could be slightly over medicated OR you could be not over medicated but struggling to convert the meds OR you could be very undermedicated.
As you said these symptoms increased with increase in meds I would suggest that you are just incredibly sensitive to dose increases and should be doing it much more slowly. I.e 37.5 mcgs.........for 6 weeks then blood test.
I have had to raise painfully slowly because of all sorts of complications due to sensitivity. I was advised here to raise very slowly. Even as slow as 12.5 mcgs every other day for 6 weeks ........then 12.5 mcgs every day for 6 weeks!! Painfully slow!!!! BUT this way I tolerated it which was brilliant.
I've had so much guidance and help here that I don't know what I would have done with out the support. I am a painfully slow converter. True non conversion is exceptionally rare but painfully slow conversion is more common than you think
I would try lowering your dose to 25/ 37.5 on alternate days and when you feel that your body is coping with that then try 37.5 every day.
Slowly is often better for very sensitive people and much, much less stressful emotional and physically.
I forgot to say. As you said your levels were borderline. You may not need a lot of thyroxine. When people say X amount is only a starting dose.....for you it may be all you need. The amount of thyroxine we take does not correlate with how hypo we are. It's about how are bodies utilise it. I would certainly lower that dose. No harm in trying.
I have a very old fashioned GP who predates thyroid blood tests. He allows his patients to take as much thyroxine as makes them feel well!! What a god!!!!
He says he has many patients who do wonderfully well on just 25mcgs.
Thank you, I will do the blds then drop back to 25mcg I have a box left then go for review as planned in 3 weeks, if I don't drop down I'm more likely to give up with taking it. Thanks again
Thank you, I've missed a couple of doses as can't stand how it makes me feel, I was fine on 25 but did not improve levels at all. I do note that the brand changed with increasing dose and I do have low ferritin so will try to push that up a bit. I have tried 50mcg for 2 months and felt worse and worse. I will get bloods this week and see results. It seems too much for me..... I'm slim and have lost weight as I never really feel hungry since starting in 50mcg.......thank you all for advice I'm sure I'll get there slowly 😎
Interesting that you changed brands. Most of so here have learnt that brands of Levo are not like for like. Some are more potent, some less. It seems to be to do with the fillers and binders and how easily our bodies absorb different brands. The moral of the story is.......stick to one brand. If Mercury pharmacy suits or workhardt or actavis......stick with it. You said you felt fine on 25mcgs of your first brand.
I would get another prescription for that brand as soon as possible and then alter your dose accordingly. Phone a few pharmacists until you find one that stocks the one you're after.
I always ask the pharmacist if they stock Mercury pharma ( my brand) if they say no.....I take my prescription elsewhere.
It's hard to say what is really going on without blood tests. But if you're feeling constantly anxious, speedy and irritable...I would still maintain that you're on too much or too slow converting it.
Please keep us all posted.
We really do learn from each other and it's very helpful to other members who may be suffering similar symptoms.x
Thank you, my 25mcg was wockhardt and the 50 is actavis,
I have a box of the 25 so will try taking 2 of those a day for the next couple of weeks and see.
Keeping fingers crossed it's as simple as that. Thank you for your advice, I will keep posting to let you know how it goes. Many thanks
TSH Dropping on 50mcg Levothyroxine
Blood results on 50mcg, increase dose to 75mcg
levo below 50mcg
