Is it time to decrease Levothroxine with a 0.01 TSH ?

[Joilakig]

For 6 months I have taken daily 137 Levothyroxine, 1 Thyro Gold, 1 Thyroid S . TSH has gone from 3.20 to 0.01. Total cholesterol has gone from 247 to 168. LDL down from 145 to 72. Should I halve levo?

[humanbean]

No.

In order to decide whether or not your dose is too low, okay, or too high you need more information.

High cholesterol is a common finding in people with too little thyroid hormone. But it shouldn't be the thing which determines your dose.

To get a full set of thyroid results and associated vitamins and minerals, the following are needed :

TSH

Free T4

Free T3

TPO antibodies

Tg Antibodies

Vitamin B12

Folate

Vitamin D

Ferritin

Iron if you can get it.

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

Thought I ought to say...

Based on the way you have given your cholesterol levels and your levo dosage I suspect you are from the US.

In the US many tests for thyroid hormone levels give the Total T4 and Total T3. These are not very helpful, you need the Free T4 and the Free T3. Before spending any money, try to ensure you are getting the tests you need, rather than the tests your doctor thinks you need or want - not always easy, I know.

[Joilakig in reply to humanbean]

Yes - I am from the US. I don't know if i can get Kaiser to test for free T4 and free T3. My primary care doc will not proscribe natural thyroid because it is not "standardized". May have to go get the T4 and T3 tests on my own. I am encouraged that the cholesterol numbers have come down since taking NDT along with the synthetic Levo.

[humanbean in reply to Joilakig]

If you look at this page :

stopthethyroidmadness.com/r...

Part way down the page are links to various labs in the US which will do testing for you without a request from a doctor. You can just deal with the lab yourself.

You might find them helpful.

[Joilakig in reply to humanbean]

Yes, I am familiar with the site STTM. I will check it out again for labs.

[shaws Administrator]

I think your TSH is fine I often have had the same numbers. The fact too that your cholesterol has dropped shows your hormones are working.

The main priority when taking thyroid hormones is 'how are you feeling'. If well with relief of clinical symptoms you are on the right dose .

Some doctors frighten us by saying we will get osteo etc if TSH too low but this isn't the case:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/thyroi...

[Joilakig in reply to shaws]

I feel terrific! I have good energy and less pain. I am in a better mood - and not so lethargic. Maybe a little uptight sometimes, but that was true before the hypothyroid diagnosis. Not seeing the weight come off, however.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Joilakig]

The fact that you feel well is great. You will be able to diet if you are on an optimum if weight doesn't reduce with the dose you're on now but it might if you wait a little longer. Your metabolism I should imagine is now raised when previously it would have been too low and there's no way a diet would have worked.

[Joilakig in reply to shaws]

Thanks for the advice. Before dieting, I will wait a little longer to see if weight starts to reduce on the current dose. When on lower dose, dieting did not work at all.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Joilakig]

When hypo our metabolism is so slow (low heartbeat and pulse, pain etc) it is nearly impossible to exercise/diet. With normal health they tell us to help lose weight (even doctors who should know better blame excess weight being the cause of us being unwell) we have to exercise etc but if we're low in the first place it's nearly impossible to raise metabolism until on optimum dose and we feel healthy/well.

[Juliatom]

I was on Levo 50mcg with tsh - 4.5 before adrenal support. With Nutri adrenal extra +levo 50mcg,tsh -0.01.i have reduced levo 25mcg .

[Ruthi]

You should be aware that because you are taking NDT which contains T3 TSH is likely to be suppressed. Its a normal response and not a cause for concern.

[Joilakig in reply to Ruthi]

I did not know that the TSH is suppressed when taking NDT. Good to know there is no reason for concern as it's normal. I will not worry about it.

[Stourie in reply to Joilakig]

If you feel good then don't change any meds unless it is to try a wee bit more to see how you are. xx

Jo xx

[faith63]

What are your free t4 and free t3? Can't tell much without these. Sometimes you have to lower levo and add t3. High doses of t4 can make a TSH low, but you are still hypothyroid. This would explain any high cholesterol or other hypo symptoms. How do you feel otherwise?

[Joilakig in reply to faith63]

My primary care doc will not test for free t4 or free t3. I will have to have it tested privately. I feel much better than when I was on levo alone, but I think there is still room for improvement. I also take statins, which could explain the lower cholesterol reading. I think I will stay on what I am doing now (137 mcg Levo, 1 Thyro Gold, and 1 Thyroid S tablet per day) and see about getting the free T3 and T4 tested before adjusting dosages.

[faith63 in reply to Joilakig]

drhyman.com/blog/2012/01/19...

read this. You should not need to lower cholesterol, if thyroid meds are proper, plus they are very unsafe and profoundly effect your health