Medication review. ..how often

[Shenka]

Hi there. I started levo 6 weeks ago 50mg after bloods showed tsh 107. Dr told me it would be retested after 5/6 weeks. Went to nurse last Tuesday and she seemed bemused I was there. Said bloods are only done every 3 months and GP had wri something on notes about it being too soon. Other practice nurse happened to come in at that point and said 3 months was right. I felt so stupid and embarrassed but said I was sure Dr had told me 6 weeks. Also said she would tell nurse to retest. Anyway she took the bloods but I came out feeling upset and confused. Now I'm worried I may not get my levo increased when I see GP. With the brain fog/muddled thinking I doubt myself so much and feel easily demoralised.

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum,

The nurse is wrong. Newly diagnosed patients with hypothyroidism are tested every six weeks until they feel well and are symptom-free and are on a stable dose. Thereafter your test will be every year, or until symptoms return.

You can go back to the nurse and say you are now a member of Healthunlocked Thyroid UK.org.uk who are the NHS Choices for advice etc on dysfunctions of the thyroid gland and you have been told every 6 weeks with an increase in dose.

Your doctor was right - every 6 weeks until your TSH comes down to 1 or lower.

The blood tests should be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levo and the test and take afterwards.

This helps keep your TSH at its highest as doctors are apt to adjust dose according to the TSH alone.

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges. If you haven't had thyroid antibodies checked, ask for these next time.

[Shenka in reply to shaws]

Thanks for your reply. I had antibodies tested 2 weeks ago and have autoimmune thyroiditis. Will be ringing for blood results today and making appointment to see Dr and find out why she didn't instruct nurse to take bloods as promised.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Six weeks is a perfectly sensible time from start of treatment. It is neither you nor your GP who is being less than sensible.

What looks truly ridiculous is the nurse(s) saying three months. Most of us are on annual tests. (Though I suspect all too many get missed and only have a test if we remember to ask.) And for those having doses changed, it should be six weeks or so.

[Shenka in reply to helvella]

What really confused me was the Dr telling me a couple of weeks back, when she confirmed I had autoimmune thyroiditis, that she would instruct nurse to take bloods at end of September. Then the nurse read out Dr had written too soon to retest. How to make an anxious patient feel good!

[Clutter]

Shenka,

My endo requests blood tests 6 weeks after any dose adjustment. Now I'm stable I'm checked once a year. Once your thyroid level is stable you should be tested at 3 months, 6 months and finally annually.

[Shenka in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter. Will be ringing today for results and hopefully get appointment for later this week.

[Shenka]

Well gave up posting after banging my head against Dr's brick wall. I think dr's must have a little confab within the practice and knock each other into group submission. From increasing dose after 6 weeks my newly into Practice GP says wait for 12 weeks. Who am to express an opinion about my own health? My feelings of improvement have levelled out, in fact started to slide back. But hey.....the magic figure of 12 beckons regardless of patient response. Sooo frustrating.