Breathless symptoms - hypo? Help please..

[Jcrome]

Hi all. I've been on Levothyroxine for 18 months due to high TSH (6.8) and antibodies (Hashimotos) discovered when I was in hosp with meningitis (yup - not fun!!)

Anyway, my dose started at 25mcg and is now up to 150mcg (went up to this at end of November from 125). Every time I go up, it seems to go well for a month or two and then I need more as T4 drops and TSH increases each time. Why is this?

Anyway, lately I've been feeling quite weak and breathless which is unusual for me. My latest blood test results were

TSH - 0.39 (0.35-5.0)

T4 - 16.1

My iron/ferritin levels are good. My folate has dropped from 12 to 5 (range is 3-20) in a year which is the only thing I can see that isn't quite right. My b12 is over 1000 although not currently supplementing.

This breathless/nervous feeling comes on in the afternoons I find and I'm trying to figure out if my dosage needs to go up, or down, or if it's thyroid related at all. I'm not anxious and nothing is on my mind so I am sure it's not something my mind is prompting.

Any help or clues would be helpful. thank you!

[bantam12]

You need to get checked in case it's heart related.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to bantam12]

Yes, can also be a blood clot. Unlikely to be so serious, and we know that breathlessness can be thyroid related. But other things are possible.

I seem to remember feeling breathless before introducing t3, when I was on levo alone. Jcrome, have you got the range for your t4 result? I suppose they didn't do t3?

[Jcrome in reply to puncturedbicycle]

Thanks - sorry yes T4 range is 11-22. I had T3 tested in September and it was good, 5.1 (not sure about range but max is 5.5 I think so seemed good).

[Hidden]

how's your blood pressure .. is it showing the same pattern?

[eeng]

The reason you need increasing doses of Thyroxine is almost certainly because the antibodies are progressively destroying your thyroid. Once they finish the job you will reach a stable dose, hopefully high enough to make you feel well. I have found the same thing over the last 3 years and am now on 175mcg a day. I don't know whether I will need to increase again or not. What the 'full replacement dose is varies a lot between individuals, but is usually somewhere between 150-250mcg a day.

[Jcrome]

Thanks all for the advice. I will see the doc just to check not a heart issue. Always seems to come in the afternoons for whatever reason.