Advice needed please

[Pippy361]

Hi all, I have just been told my thyroid has totally stopped working. The doctor has prescribed levothyroxine 50mg. I take 1 a day.

HoweverI am concerned that because of my other medication amitriptyline 50mg for anxiety & depression. As well as painkillers codeine for slipped disc's and back painpai am unsure about clashes etc i tried to ask the pharmacist for advice but they are to busy to help.

[mistydog]

You are on a starting dose. You will need to get tested every 4-6 weeks until you are on the correct dose.

Always get printouts of results and post them here with ranges for comments.

[Treepie]

Your lack of thyroid hormones can cause depression and anxiety .50mcg is a starter dose .It may be that when you are on sufficient you can stop the amitrytiline. I do not know if there are interactions but the most likely would be to interfere with the take up of the thyroxine so take that first thing at least an hour before food with a glass of water and take the others late in the day.

[Pippy361 in reply to Treepie]

Hello

Thank you for your reply. I forgot to mention I have to simvastatin for cholesterol. I take the levothyroxine first thing on a morning and the simvastatin at 6pm and the amitriptyline about 11pm just before bed. The codeine very sparingly.

[Treepie in reply to Pippy361]

I think that Levo will reduce your cholesterol and you may then be able to stop the simvastatin which if you follow Dr Kendrick " The Great Cholesterol Con" is probably a good thing.

"

[greygoose in reply to Pippy361]

As you are hypo, you should not be taking statins - nobody should be taking statins, actually! High cholesterol is not a problem, it does not cause heart attacks. And yours is high because your T3 is low. As one goes up, the other will come down. I think you ought to have a word with your doctor on that subject.

[radd]

Pippy,

Welcome to our forum and sorry to hear you are feeling well.

It is important to take your Levothyroxine pill on an empty stomach with a glass of water, 1 hour before food, 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before calcium, iron or vit D supplements.

I don't medicate amitriptyline but have read it must be used with caution in people with hypo//hyperthyroidism but do not know why. If this were me I would seek further clarification that these meds can be taken together.

Levothyroxine takes up to 6 weeks to initially saturate the body which will only tolerate small increases at any one time and your doctor should retest your thyroid hormone levels after 6 weeks and adjust the dose according to results.

Leave 24 hours between last dose and blood draw and try to have the blood draw early in the morning when TSH is highest.

Anxiety and depression are classic low thyroid symptoms and you may find improvements once you are optimally medicated. These symptoms are also classic of adrenal problems so eating well and looking after yourself will help. I supplement Vitamin C to aid adrenal health but there are many other helpful supplements.

Ask your GP to test Vit B12, folate, ferritin, Vit D as these are commonly deficient in people with low thyroid hormone and optimal levels are required for good thyroid hormone synthesis. Low levels could also account indirectly for anxiety and depression.

.

Supplements Known To Aid Thyroid Function

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/treatm...

[Pippy361 in reply to radd]

I will go back to the doctor's and ask him to review my meds see if I can come off them especially the amitriptyline hate taking them anyway.

[humanbean in reply to Pippy361]

I've been on low-dose amitriptyline before for chronic pain. When I came off them I found my pain was worse for a few days. It didn't last long, but it was unpleasant (to put it mildly) while it lasted.

[Glynisrose]

Any anti-depressant will negate your thyroxine.

[loueldhen]

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