Drop in thyroid medication

[Gillybabe]

How long does it take for a drop in medication to be effective. I have dropped from 75mgs to 50mgs as my test results were TSH 0.03 T4 21 AND T3 5.1. Not sure I feel better after six weeks but had to drop due to racing pulse rate.

[Clutter]

Gillybabe,

The drop in dose should be effective in 2-3 weeks. Suppressed TSH doesn't mean you are over medicated as long as your FT4 and FT3 are within range.

[silverfox7]

A general comment first. If you post reseulrsxand thank you for doing that but it's helpful to post the ranges as well as they differe from lab to lab so in your case it's not easy or helpful to guess whether you are still in range.

So back to your pulse. Is it racing all the time or just when you see the doctor? You may have something like white coat syndrome where seeing a doctor throws you into a panic so your body produces more adrenaline so you can run away! I have the same problem but it's not easy convincing anyone that you are fine when at home! If that's not the case then a drop in medication may well be needed though I would have been tempted to drop on alternate days first.

I can't look at your thyroid history without loosing what I've written but if you were very recently diagnosed and may be started on 75 then that could be another reason that you didn't give your body chance to get used to the medication by starting on a lower dose and then been tested to see if you needed to increase 6 weeks later.

So if you have been on the lower dose for 6 weeks then your doctor should do another test to see where your levels are. Is your pulse still racing or has it stopped now you have reduced your meds?

[silverfox7]

Just read your previous post and your results where still in range so I feel dropping down 25 mcg is a lot to do as you aren't on a large dose in the first place. So think about suggesting alternate days and see if that helps.