Hi just joined, I have been on 25mcg levothyroxine and diagnosed 4 years ago do I need a dose increase. I am catching more infections, periods becoming clotty, getting more tired and gaining more weight and feet are getting cold again. Thank you
TSH - 6.10 (0.2 - 4.2)
Free T4 - 12.9 (12 - 22)
Free T3 - 3.0 (3.1 - 6.8)
Welcome to our forum and what you need more than anything is a new doctor who knows how to treat hypothyroid patients.
25mcg is an incremental dose. We start on 50mcg and have a blood test every six weeks or thereabouts with a 25mcg incremental dose until TSH is 1 or lower and we feel well.
Phone and ask your doctor for a 25mcg increase at present and make an appointment for the earliest in six weeks time. The test should be the earliest possible, fasting and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards. Also ask for B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be checked. I assume you've had your above results done privately? If so tell GP and he may redo them, but lab may not.
Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records and post if you have a query. Your doctor is probably another who thinks a TSH anywhere in the range (up to 10) is fine. No it isn't. 1 or below or suppressed is preferred.
I will be taking this advice too. It's like we're the forgotten children! Do some doctors just not understand the hell thyroid problems can cause or do they just not care? I'm beginning to wonder. I've got a sore throat all the time too and my gp has confirmed a goitre starting. Im only on 50 mg levo and I feel rubbish.
Request a new blood test and follow procedure and for thousands it is hell as no-one understands, particularly it would seem medical personnel.
Before blood tests were introduced usual doses of NDT were between 200 an 400mcg.
Thank you no results were doen by endo, she wrote a letter to me saying "you should be taking 25mcg levothyroxine."
She knows little. Too low a dose can backfire and ask GP for a blood test before the six weeks are up to have new blood test, i.e. TSH, T4, T3. Ask also for Free t4 and Free T3 (these two may not be one if others are 'in range') Also request, B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as everything has to be optimal not just somewhere in the range.
Remember it should be at the earliest, fasting and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose and the test and take it afterwards.
Put your results on a new post for comments.
I too have recently been diagnosed with Hashimotos 6 mths ago. 4 mths on 25 mcgs of Lev but feeling no improvement in symptoms. June results showed 30 percent drop in one antibody and within normal range for another following a strict Paleo gluten free diet. GP said this was due to the destruction of my thyroid gland rather than diet????? Although the results showed my tsh was dropping it started to rise again. Ft3 now 4.83, Ft4 17.08. 2 mths ago my GP raised meds to 50mcgs and now still no better, some symptoms worse and my FT3 reading has actually dropped slightly. Tsh back up to 6. I have just about every symptom of underactive thyroid. I live and work in Saudi Arabia long term and am now feeling desperate for appropriate help. Any one know of a worthwhile Endocrinologist in Riyadh?
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