Thyroid

[lara556]

Advise please, taking 50mcg levothyroxine since diagnosis in January this year and feeling awful, shouldn't dose have been increased by now?

Thank you

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

lara556 When diagnosed hypothyroid and prescribed Levo, the protocol is to retest after 6-8 weeks and increase dose by 25mcg, another retest 6-8 weeks later and another increase, and so on until you feel well and symptoms abate. Read about diagnosis and treatment on ThyroidUK's main website thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

When having thyroid tests, always book the very first appointment of the morning, fast overnight (water allowed) and leave off Levo for 24 hours (take after blood draw). This is a patient to patient tip and will give the highest possible TSH which is needed when looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction. TSH is highest early morning and lowest in the afternoon and after eating.

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges, if that is where you feel well, when on Levo only.

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested?

It would be a good idea to have vitamins and minerals tested too, they need to be at optimal levels (not just in range) for thyroid hormone to work -

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

[tinkerbell22]

I second what SeasideSusie says and from my personal experience this year, you can't rely on your GP to follow up and say "hey, come in for blood tests and a dosage check!". I was diagnosed in Januray too. And initially was booked in for a check after 8 weeks and raised up by 25mcg. But after that I wasn't contacted further. So now I know to call them when I know I need retesting and rechecking. Good luck!