New member

[Kes87]

Hi

Here are results with me taking levothyroxine 50 from 150mcg and endo wants me to increase to 175mcg

TSH 9.2 (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 13.1 (12 - 22)

Free T3 3.5 (3.1 - 6.8)

Diagnosed 2012 (bloods taken at 5.10pm, fasting, not taking levothyroxine for 24 hours)

Symptoms - tiredness, hair loss, depression, legs feeling heavier, breathlessness, dizziness, anxiety.

Feedback welcome

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome

So these results are after 6 weeks on 150mcgs?

Your results show you need increase of 25mcgs and retest again in 6-8 weeks

Have you had vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested? Always get actual results and ranges

Do you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease, diagnosed by high antibodies

[Kes87 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes results were after reduction from 150mcg, will post vitamin and mineral results, I have iron anaemia and vit D deficiency. TPO antibodies are 475 (<34) and TG antibodies 572.3 (<115)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Am I reading this correctly Kes87

You were on 150mcg, you were reduced to 50mcg - a reduction of 100mcg.

And now you are on 50mcg and have been told to increase to 175mcg - an increase of 125mcg?

Please clarify

If I am correct, run a mile from this endo, please!

Dose changes should be done in increments of 25mcg.

[Kes87 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes that is correct

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Kes87]

Please excuse me for a moment Kes - Oh FFS!!!!!!!

SlowDragon look at this! Reduced by 100mcg down to 50mcg, and now proposes to increase by 125mcg up to 175mcg.

Kes87 Seriously - this endo doesn't have a clue, he will be a diabetes specialist (most of them are, rarely is there a thyroid specialist) and he's playing at pretending to know how to treat hypothyroidism. As I said - run a mile.

Please do not increase your Levo lby 125mcg in one go. You will be rather unwell to put it mildly.

Increase by all means, but in 25mcg increments every 6 weeks but you will need testing at the time. Make sure you book the earliest appointment of the morning for your tests, fast overnight (water allowed) and leave off Levo for 24 hours. (Patient to patient tip, gives the highest possible TSH which is needed when looking for an increase or to avoid a reduction.)

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo.

**

TPO antibodies are 475 (<34) and TG antibodies 572.3 (<115)

These confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's, which is where antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. The antibody attacks cause fluctuations in symptoms and test results. When the antibodies attack, the dying cells dump a load of thyroid hormone into the blood and this can cause TSH to become suppressed and Free T4 and Free T3 to be very high or over range. You may get symptoms of being overmedicated (hyper type symptoms) to go along with these results that look as though you are overmedicated. Unless a GP knows about Hashi's and these Hashi's flares/swings, then they panic and reduce or stop your thyroid meds.

The hyper-type swings are temporary, and eventually things go back to normal. Test results settle back down and hypo symptoms may return. Thyroid meds should then be adjusted again, increased until you are stable again.

You can help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet which has helped many members here. Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks. You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help.

Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.

Gluten/thyroid connection: chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

**

When I see your vitamin and mineral results I'll comment on them.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SeasideSusie]

You got there before me!

I endorse absolutely everything SeasideSusie says

Any endo who thinks you can chop and change dose like that obviously doesn't have a clue

Kes87 How long have you been on reduced dose?

Do you have results from when on 150mcgs

Highly likely your vitamins are now very low as result of such drastic cut. Dose should never be reduced at more than 25mcgs in one go

Similarly increasing also needs to be in 25mcg steps

Gluten free diet can give more stability and reduce Hashimoto's swings

Many of us find it essential

[Kes87 in reply to SlowDragon]

Been on reduced dose since August this year, result on 150mcg was

TSH 0.02 (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 20.5 (12 - 22)

Free T3 4.1 (3.1 - 6.8)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Kes87]

I guess endo freaked at low TSH

This was fine, FT4 within range but T3 was on low side

Often is with Hashimoto's

Improving vitamins essential to maximise conversion

Going strictly gluten free may help a lot

Selenium supplements can also improve conversion

Or if after all these improvements T3 still remains low you may also need addition of small dose of T3

Email Louise at Thyroid Uk for list of recommendedthyroid specialists

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