Just started on 100mcg levothyroxine.... - Thyroid UK

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Just started on 100mcg levothyroxine....

jojojowilts43 profile image
14 Replies

Hi, so I was told on Feb 22 that I'm now under active. Prior to this a test revealed borderline so began me on the 25mcg. Turns out it did nothing for me and now I'm proper under and been shoved into 100mcg. I hadn't been well recently prior to beginning this 100mcg levothyroxine ,had a virus /cold and then left me with a cough.well since beginning this med I cud sleep like crazy. I already have been. And I wasn't feeling like this before the meds(100).. Woke up this morning feeling chesty and like I can't take a proper breath in or out, and I feel sweaty.. I'm still coughing and mucus.. But can this levo make u feel worse, and has anyone else had chest problems?.. I expected to be gradually moved up to the 100mcg but I'm guessing my doctor had a reason for putting me straight into the 100? ..must've been to do with my blood results!?

I'm hearing that usually u are moved up a dose after fee weeks. So why have I gone from the 25-100? My doc told me to take 2x25 for few days, then 3x25 for few days, then begin the 100mcg.. I felt fine on the 50mcg but I don't like the 100mcg.....

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14 Replies

Perhaps you have a chest infection It is the time of year for rubbish chests.

I do know that since being hypo - bouncing back from being ill has taken longer.

vwyness profile image
vwyness

Hi. I have always aud problems with levo. Anything higher than 25mcg causes me problems. I had to be hospitalised once because the dose was too high. Sorry I can't be more positive but I would always listen to your body.

jojojowilts43 profile image
jojojowilts43 in reply tovwyness

Hi, sorry to hear that. So what are u taking?.

As soon as I started taking levothyroxine 25mcg became wheezy (ie an hour after taking) . Other than previous panic attacks I have never suffered from this kind of breathlessness and have certainly never suffered from asthma. It has settled slightly with use but not left.. My dose was 25mcg for two weeks, 50mcg for 6 weeks and now on 100mcg for another 6 weeks before more bloods. I wondered if it was an allergic reaction to the fillers used in the pill and have been meaning to ask GP. I believe there are many brands out there so it maybe just as simple as changing brands.

Good luck 🙂

jojojowilts43 profile image
jojojowilts43 in reply to

Hi, thanks for reply. Oh dear.poor u. I know how u feel about panic attacks as I was having them not too long back. They seem to if eased off now .. Can I ask u.do you take ur meds morning or evening? I am supposed to take mine in morning before breakfast, but I don't feel too fab. I read some take it at night instead and have felt better for it.?.. Also I see u gradually upped your doses so I'm wondering why my doc made me up mine so quickly?

I was told by my GP it was not good to up too quickly.. Maybe strip back to 50mcg and stay for a few weeks before trying 100mcg. I have tried taking both morning and night and seem to sit better with morning. My husband gets up first in morning so when his alarm goes off I take my tablet on an empty stomach with a full glass of water as advised to do so on this site and do t then eat or drink for an hour after. I've gone gluten free .. Trying to cut out dairy too but cheats sneak in as I believe the both interfere with the absorption through gut. I'm a complicated case as was given the label of Cfs/me and fibromyalgia as although thyroid levels low for years I was always in range. Moved house and changed surgery/GP who said to trial me on levo and combined with meds recommended by dr Sarah myhill drmyhill.co.uk I have started to see improvements. Couldn't raise my head off pillow some days before Christmas and now I am up all day. Hallelujah that one GP has treated the patients symptoms and not just looked at numbers. Good luck with your quest for better health 💕

jojojowilts43 profile image
jojojowilts43 in reply to

Sorry to hear that. But that means me going against what my doc told me to do.. It's hard to know what to do as I'm new to all this. I'm now confused as to twhy my doc given me this 100mcg ? :(

in reply tojojojowilts43

Of course discuss it with your doctor. You may find though that doing your own research, and feeding off the knowledgable people on this forum that you may become more informed than your GP. Just try and word your questions in a way that doesn't make him/her feel ill informed or inadequate. There is very little training for doctors in this area of business unless they go on to specialise and even at that I am sceptical than all endocrinologists keep themselves abreast in changes in medicine. Things change. "If we always do what we've always done we will always get what we have always got"!! Learning and continuous development, in whatever field you work in, is so important. I just hope all doctors are given the time and opportunity to keep abreast of changes in medicine, especially in biomedical science.

J💕

PS I've also joined Thyroid UK and my GP is happy to accept my harmony magazine once I've finished with it! She is an absolute star in my eyes. A doctor who is open minded and who listens to their patient.

Some people I think are ok jumping straight in with 100mcgs of levo. Others need to go much slower. It has taken me a year to get to 100mcgs but I'm very sensitive to dose changed.

jojojowilts43 profile image
jojojowilts43 in reply to

Hi,it's hard as im reading so much about it all and its just confusing me. Obviously tho cos I'm new to all this I'm looking for Info.. Argh.. But the doc has only given me 28 tablets (100mcg) then I got to have blood tested again in 6-8weeks time she said...

I guess he started me on the 100 for a reason maybe?.. I hope I heard my doc right when they said to go from taking 1 x 25, to 2x25 to 3x 25... All within space of a week... I read that u normally take a certain dose for few weeks...

How are u feeling on the 100?

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply tojojojowilts43

JojojoWilts, I explained why I think your GP raised your dose in your previous post. Make sure you order a repeat prescription a week before you run out of Levothyroxine tablets.

Well I'm not quite up to my final dosage yet and you'll find people here on a lot more.

I think your doctor is just trying to get you sorted quickly and to be honest you're lucky because many people here have a problem getting there GPs to raise the dosage.

You will know automatically if your body can handle the 100's straight off.

I would climb a bit slower if I were you. Try 50 mcgs for a week and see how you feel. If no adverse reactions then raise to 75mcgs and see how you do. If you start to feel very over stimulated then drop back again. Really it's about what you can tolerate and we are all different.

The most important thing is that you need to have been on the SAME dosage for 4-6 weeks before getting your bloods done.

You may feel worse before feeling better. that's very usual.

jojojowilts43 profile image
jojojowilts43 in reply to

Hi, I don't have very many left of my 25mcg tablets. Otherwise I'd maybe take 2x25mcg. I only took that dose for 3 days and was fine. But soon as I took the 3x25(75mcg) I didn't feel too great.. But I haven't been very well anyway with a virus of some sort. Cold/ cough etc..

It's so hard to know what to do. Obviously he wanted me to take this 100. But now im worried about carrying on taking it, I mite speak to doc about it again just to make sure it's ok for me to take it.instead of maybe building up to that dose.. What a polava eh lol

in reply tojojojowilts43

Don't be worries about taking it. It's just that most of us have to build up to that dose, maybe raising 25mcgs every 4-6 weeks. It's really just to give the body tine to adjust to the hormone. If you tries 75mcgs and didn't feel good, then stick with 50mcgs for a couple of weeks and then have another go at raising it. Once happy on 50 mcgs you could always try alternating 50/75 for another couple of weeks before going up to 75 mcgs every day.

Speak to your GP and let him know your concerns. I'm sure he will be reassuring. Explain to him that you might need to go a bit slower judging from your reaction to the 75mcgs.

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