Increase in dose

[Honeybee47]

Hi Ive just had my Levothirxene increased from 25 to 50 but I'm very itchy skin and very achey joints could this be the reason

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and am sorry you have hypothyroidism.

When first beginning levothyroxine we can have more symptoms than we had before but it should ease off as the dose is increased.

Re itching - If you try taking an anti-histamine tablet an hour before you take levothyroxine to see if that helps - if it does you'll have to ask to change the make of levo to another. Sometimes we can be sensitive to fillers/binders.

[Honeybee47 in reply to shaws]

Thank you will try that see if it works

[shaws Administrator]

Some hints so that you get the best results when you have blood tests in future:-

Levothyroxine should be taken on an empty stomach first thing with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. Food interferes with the uptake of the hormones.

It can also be taken at bedtime as long as you've last eaten about 3 hours previously.

When you have blood tests for thyroid hormones, they should be the very earliest possible, and fasting although you can drink water. Leave about 24 hours between your last dose of levothyroxine and the test as this allows the TSH to be at its highest and that is mainly what the doctor uses to adjust hormones.

We have to read, ask questions if not improving, and educating ourselves as most doctors are unaware of how best to treat us as they mainly refer to the TSH rather than our clinical symptoms.

If you've not had B12, Vit D, iron, and folate tested ask for these at the same time you have your next thyroid hormone tests.

[Honeybee47 in reply to shaws]

Thank you so much for your advise when their doing blood tests they don't tell you that it should be on an empty stomach.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Honeybee47]

They don't think it makes a difference but it can mean a big difference to us if they lower our dose unnecessarily.