Finaly got my results to show you

[susanclark]

Hi can you help me understand why my dr put me down from 150mg levo to125mg here are my results thank you

[Clutter]

Susan, I tried to reply to your earlier post but it disappeared among the site glitches.

I suspect your GP has reduced dose because TSH 0.3 is slightly below range. It's a pity, and unnecessary, in my opinion, because FT4 20 is nowhere near the top of range, so you aren't overmedicated.

[susanclark in reply to Clutter]

Thank you, do you think I should go and see another doctor in the practise,I'm so over weight and surely if they give me less thyroxine then my metabolism will slow even more and I will become even bigger ,I'm at my wits end with it all why didn't they just leave well alone I've been on the same amount or meds since I had my thyroid removed almost three years ago ,I'm so maticulas,with my tabs I've taken them at the same time ,without eating ,the same mgs I've been obsessed with trying to survive without becoming ill oh me what shall I do ,thank you so much for your help x

[elvisxxl]

If I have read your reply correctly then I really don't think you should be encouraging someone to lie to their doctor ....

[Clutter in reply to elvisxxl]

Elvisxxl, upon reflection it's not a good idea so I've deleted my post.

[rosetrees]

For me, two things stand out.

One is - how do you actually feel? It is possible that you might be ok on 125mcg. Why not try it for a couple of weekss and see how you are? A friend of mine did just that and it turned out her doctor was right. She didn't feel worse on the reduced dose, but her restless legs went away.

The second is that your FT3 hasn't been measured. If you still have symptoms on 150mcg then it's possible that you have a conversion problem (from T4 to T3). Your FT3 could be lower in range than your FT4.

Have you had your iron, ferritin, folate, Vit D and Vit B12 levels measured? They should all be well in range for you to feel as well as possible, not just bottom.

[susanclark in reply to rosetrees]

Thank you i will try what you have sugested as ive never suffered so bad with restless legs although ive always had that problem its much worse ,and also im up a lot earlier today ,could easy be coincidance but im not complaining ,i dont suppose dropping 25mg is going to do a masive amount of harm thank you x

[Muffy]

What time of day did you have your blood drawn? It really needs to be 8 - 8.30am if possible, otherwise your TSH will be lower.

[Jmg513]

Well I am a nurse so I can tell you that your Dr decreased your dose based upon your TSH. He thinks you are overmedicated but you are not. The vast majority of doctors treat thyroid based solely upon the TSH and that is a faulty system. The TSH test was first developed in 1973 and prior to that time, doctors treated thyroid by the symptoms. Now they only look at the TSH (the majority of doctors). If you want more information about this check out stopthethyroidmadness.com

[Hidden]

You are very slightly under the 'normal' range for your TSH. Other labs might use a lower bottom end of the range - my doc's lab for example uses 0.2 as the bottom end of that range - and you would be within it. At my last blood tests, both showed me at 0.05 TSH. I guess they repeated it to be sure. And then they took no action. To reduce your Levo so much for such a tiny (and debateable) slip below 'normal' (which, as we all know, is almost completely arbitrary) is bonkers. You can tell 'em I said so.

Did you take your meds before your blood test? Never do that. And the 'early morning blood draw' advice is spot on too.

[Eddie83]

Those results aren't sufficient. Without FT3, we can't tell if you are doing sufficient T4->T3 conversion.

However, TSH=0.3 is NOT a reason to drop dosage. The American AACE has been suggesting for years that the TSH range should be 0.3-3.0, replacing the old 0.5-5.0 range, but their suggestion has not been honored by The System, which moves at slug speed. I've even seen an article by a functional medicine practitioner that said letting TSH drift down to 0.1 is OK.

Obviously your doctor made the decision to drop dosage purely on TSH. He/she is a stickler for numbers, since you were at 0.3 and the TSH bottom of range from your lab is 0.35. He/she should be asking how you feel, not making a change on the basis of a piddling 0.05 difference in TSH.

[susanclark]

I did take my med before I had my bloods done ,I was never told not to ,could you please tell me what I should look out for if I'm under medicated now ,at first I stayed on my original dose but now for the last few days I've cut down the 25 mgs,as I think my doc thinks ,maybe my medication is causing a lot of anxiety ,I do suffer from a few things that maybe would be put down to being slightly over medicated,that horrible whoosh that goes all through you and you just can't explain what it is ,restless legs sometimes unbearable,but I'm also going through the change so I guess some of it is that ,oh me ,I'm sure I don't know what to do ,😔

[Hidden in reply to susanclark]

Ah yes, thyroidism is a b*gg*r for mimicing menopause. It did that to me. The thyroidism-caused biggies to look out for are weight gain, constant exhaustion and brain fog. The doc will probably tell you that they are the menopause - but they are more likely to be under-medication for your thyroid. Insomnia can be a symptom of over OR under medication for thyroid - which is so not helpful if you have a wonky thryoid and insomnia! Anxiety is also more likely to be connected to wonky thyroids then menopause. It will be worth seeing if the anxiety diminishes - as you suspect it might - on the lower dose.

Keep a diary of milestones in how you're feeling, for use with the doc at your next review.

You know so much more now than you did when you had that last blood test, you'll be much more able to stay in control of your treatment now.

[susanclark in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your advice I'm absolutely obsessed with this disease and I don't know why ,ever since I had an emergency thyroid removal ,it's all I seem to think about ,I have always been a pill phobic so the doc messing with my levo is making me a bit anxious as I've been told by a few people it seems unnecessary,this is the same doctor that thought I was sufercating with anxiety and not a thyroid that was strangling the breath out me oh me think I better try and forget about it ,think everyone will be fed up of me rattling on thanks to you all for caring enough to try and help x

[Hidden in reply to susanclark]

this is always a haven for advice and support, Susan. And if you need a rant, you can have it here! One's nearest and dearest (and doctor) very often don't understand about invisible illnesses like thyroidism.

[Hidden]

I guess having gone through being over-medicated I would rather have a Dr drop the dose than ever go through that again.

[susanclark]

Can someone please explain to me what brain fog is ,I go to say something and I can't get it out I'm a bit confused sometimes as to what I'm trying to say is that the kind of thing thanks

[tamhen in reply to susanclark]

Yes, that's exactly the kind of thing, forgetting words, walking into a room and not remembering why you're there, getting things muddled and mixed up etc.

[susanclark in reply to tamhen]

Oh thank you I get that quite a lot thank you For replying now I have an excuse for the way I am ha ha x

[tamhen in reply to susanclark]

Me too! I'm hoping mine will improve soon! I feel like I've lost most of my common sense.