Levothyroxine

[sharonsandle]

I had radioiodine treatment in June for hyperthyroidism, my levels were 100, and am now on Levothyroxine and feeling dreadful. Is this normal?

[shaws Administrator]

I am sorry to say that 'yes' it can be usual to feel bad when first on levothyroxine.

You should have a blood test every six weeks - fasting and it should be the earliest possible appointment. Even if you have to make the appointment weeks ahead.

The procedure for tests is that it is a fasting one (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take afterwards. Levo should always be taken on an empty stomach with one full glass of water as tablet could stick in your throat. A gap of one hour should elapse between tablet and food as food interferes with the uptake of the hormones (levothyroxine).

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records and you can post them for comments.. We are entitled to by Law to get copies.

Ask GP to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate at the same time as everything has to be optimal.

Hopefully you will slowly but surely begin to improve.

[sharonsandle in reply to shaws]

I haven't been told any of that. My surgery has "invited" me for regular blood tests but didn't say how often or that it had to be fasting ones. My consultant doesn't want to see me again unless there's a problem but not sure my GP knows how to deal with it. My T4 levels are at 9 at the mo, that's from being a 100 when I was first diagnosed, I just want to feel well again

[shaws Administrator in reply to sharonsandle]

You haven't been told as the doctors seem to be completely unaware that the TSH is highest early a.m. So if we have a TSH at 9 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. they will be different and could mean you do not get the increase you need and deserve.

I think you mean your TSH levels (not T4) but don't worry we all have had more or less to read/learn/recover by assistance from our members.

I know of one doctor who would have disbanded the TSH altogether. It is from the pituitary gland and rises if patient is hypo but sometimes doesn't rise high enough to be diagnosed but the person has disabling symptoms and given prescription for the symptom rather than an increase in levothyroxine.

Make your appointments far in advance otherwise you may be given a later appointment rather than the first.

If doctors knew all of the clinical symptoms and attempted to alleviate them by proper doses then we wouldn't need to be searching the internet to find out why we aren't improving.

Many seem to believe that once the patient's TSH is anywhere in the range (usually up to 5) their job is done.

For you, having no thyroid gland at all I would ask for Free T4 and Free T3 to be included. I shall give you a link which explains why:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Both FT4 and FT3 should be towards the upper part of the range. If your surgery doesn't do them, you can have them privately and we have recommended labs.

T4 - levothyroxine - is a pro-hormone and has to convert to T3 - the only Active hormone required in all of our billions of T3 receptor cells. If we don't have sufficient we don't feel well. T3 drives our metabolism from head to toe.

Also all of our vitamins/minerals have to be optimum, if not symptoms can arise.

[Clutter]

Sharonsandle,

Your Endo or GP should have asked you to have a thyroid function test six-eight weeks after starting Levothyroxine to check 100mcg is adequate. You will feel dreadful if you are under medicated.