Prescribed higher dose but son not been taking ... - Thyroid UK

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Prescribed higher dose but son not been taking regularly the lower dose :/

19 Replies

Hi, I'm a newbie here. My 17 then 18 now son was diagnosed in March with an underactive thyroid. He started on 25mg of Levothyroxine. His next blood test in June was normal. He stayed on 25mg and had another blood test a couple of weeks ago and this time his levels were low and he was prescribed 100mg. My son told the doctor that he hadn't been taking it as regularly as he should and had missed a few in the run up to his blood test, but the doctor said don't worry take the 100mg. I feel worried that he should instead stay with his 25mg again as he missed some so surely this would cause his levels to be down and 100mg seems too high a jump. I wondered what you thought and would appreciate any advice. My son is 18 and feels he should just take his doctors advice and won't ask questions and the doctor won't discuss with me direct. Thank you in advance !

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19 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Hidden A jump from 25mcg to 100mcg is too much. Increases are usually in 25mcg increments with repeat tests a few weeks after each increase. Considering your son had missed a few doses in the run up to the test, this will have given a skewed result anyway.

If he insists he should take the doctor's advice then he needs reminding that the doctors advise taking thyroid hormone regularly and that is every day, and that if he is non-compliant then his doctor can't possibly get an accurate picture of his thyroid status regardless of the doctor saying not to worry - doctors rarely know much about hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism isn't to be taken lightly and your son should take his condition more seriously if he wants to be well, but convincing an 18 year old of that probably isn't the easiest task - been there, done that and now seeing it all over again with grandchildren!

in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank you I agree with all you say. The doctor said "it seems like a big jump but it's quite a normal amount for someone in your situation" words to that effect.

MidnightBlue profile image
MidnightBlue

If the doctor jumped from 25 mg to 100mg the blood tests must have been quite bad, does your son feel tired? Losing hair? You might be able to motivate him to take the levo more seriously if you can help him see it will alleviate his symptoms. It must be very frustrating for you.

in reply to MidnightBlue

Thank you MidnightBlue yes it is frustrating he does feel tired and not much better than before he was diagnosed despite his levels being normal since taking the 25mg I guess the levels can fluctuate if they thought he needed 25 at the beginning and now it's 100 needed. Thinking about it because he doesn't feel much better on the 25 is probably why he hasn't been thinking he needs to take it so hopefully the 100 will be ok it's just very scary reading all the people's stories about bad symptoms when increasing.

TupennyRush profile image
TupennyRush

I started on 25 and went up in 25 increases to 100. Can he consider taking 50 or 75 for 4 to 6 weeks and then jumping to 100? It's a lot gentler on the body!

Levo does stay in the body for several weeks so if he missed a couple of doses in the couple of weeks before his bloods then he probably does merit the increase as his bloods were probably quite bad for him to warrant the increase. So, I wouldn't worry about this so much but I would be concerned about the high step change in dose and do it a bit more slowly

in reply to TupennyRush

Thank you for your reply that is a good point about the weeks before his blood test, thanks. I wish he would do that, he just says he is going to do as the doctor says and if he feels any untoward symptoms he will act straight away. Annoying because in many respects 18-20 years olds need parents permission for education things college and uni stuff but health you can't interfere !! Not all 18 year olds are mature. He has another blood test in 2 months I will be sitting in on the doctors findings after.

Thank you Sandy12 I am feeling much better reading all your replies you are all really helpful.

faith63 profile image
faith63

I would find out why he is low thyroid and address that. I would take him to a functional medicine doctor and see if this can be reversed naturally..doing this with myself and son.

in reply to faith63

That interests me a lot I am going to look into this more, thank you so much faith63

faith63 profile image
faith63 in reply to

i am so glad that it does! Google Dr. Mark Hyman and Isabella Wentz on reversing low thyroid and autoimmune diseases..address diet etc..if it works it is so worth it. You would be surprised how few people are interested in trying alternatives and healing .

Oh, and Peter Osbourne on what nutrients the thyroid needs to function correctly...

My son and i are on a grain, dairy, nut, egg and seed free diet, trying to heal our immune systems.

in reply to faith63

Many thanks! I do feel my sons lifestyle (extremeley late nights, not eating properly when left to his own devices etc) doesn't help at all his body clock is upside down. Good luck to you and your son I think we are so quick to just accept modern medicine and it's great looking at natural methods where this medicine originates from !

faith63 profile image
faith63 in reply to

good luck to you too. He is the perfect candidate for fixing, because he is still functional, not homebound and ill, like us.

in reply to faith63

thank you so much xx

whispers60 profile image
whispers60

do you have his actual test results with ranges? was he tested for anything else?

in reply to whispers60

Hi, no I don't. We are new to this despite me googling like crazy as soon as he was diagnosed 6 months ago it wasn't until yesterday a friend also suggested getting his test results I even thought to tell him to ask. He wasn't tested for anything else as far as I know. I asked him to call and get his levels/results he said he will wait until his next blood test and then we can go and ask all we want. A stubborn teenager ! A frustrated mum.

Rhiansmama profile image
Rhiansmama

That is a big jump! I remember going through the same at the beginning (5yrs ago I think) and after a telling off from my dr about the risks of not taking it he put me on the 50 to just be on the safe side which for me was lucky, as the drop in my bloods was big so I would have needed more. I'm now on 125 and remember almost all the time but I do have so much more going on anyway, my sis however had a jump in medication from 50 to 200 I went mad because she doesn't take her pills and didn't tell the dr this either. I get annoyed at her because she moans she has the symptoms yet still can't be bothered she's 36 so old enough to know better. My thyroid is packed up kaput (Drs words) but I've never been given more than a 25 mcg extra at a time.

in reply to Rhiansmama

Thank you very much for your reply I am keeping my beady eye on him and asking him each day how he feels on this new higher dose. I am so worried ! I wish they would have done the higher dose in increments but seems I can't do much about it with a stubborn son who says he will just go to see them if he feels strange on the 100mg. One thing that baffles me too is that it takes weeks apparantly for the Levo to make you feel better but the bad effects from the wrong dosage can happen within days. I wish there was a better way for them to check levels hey ho. Your sisters jump from 50 to 200 wow that is a big hike. Thanks again for sharing with me.

Palioly profile image
Palioly

If you can manage it you could have him see a Consultant privately.

As I understand it you/he is always entitled to a second opinion, and if it is privately at your own expense, I don't see why a GP should block this.

in reply to Palioly

Another great idea thank you. I was only thinking before of asking another doctor at the practise where we are but they all just back each other up probably. I will definitely consider that thank you.

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