Increase in aches and pains

[activelazy]

From 25 MCG, I moved to 50 MCG in June 2017. Things seemed to improve. I had less nervousness than before. My blood tests on 3rd Aug were:

Tsh 1.4 (0.3-4.5)

FT3 5.4 (3.1-6.8)

FT4 20.1 (11-22)

After staying on 50 MCG for 16 weeks, I increased my dose to 75 MCG. I have been on it for 4 weeks and a bit now. My aches and pains have increased for last 3-4 days quite a lot. They are like the 'muscle pull' kind of pains in my arms, legs, back and neck.

Could it be that I am starting to overdose? Or am I healing? I wanted to increase because my strength had not improved as much as I had hoped and I waited 16 weeks at 50 MCG. I wonder if I will regain my normal strength back. I have started to doubt now, which I know is not good.

Please advise. Should I hang in there for 2 more weeks when I get tested or try and reduce it now. Am I even over? Or still under. It's so confusing.

Thank you

[MarthaF]

Hi

I am in process of increasing thyroxine and had bad aches after my second increase. It is scarey because I felt I was getting worse and had same fears as you re am I poisoning myself. They did get better after a week. Mine had flu like feeling.

My feeling is you should hang on in there and get your blood test results and post on here. That was the advice I got when I posted. If you start reducing before knowing what's going on it will mess up the results and you won't know where you are. I've realised through this experience that I have to go with the bad symptoms for some days and see if they improve. My main worry is getting hyper symptoms in case I am overdosing but apart from some headaches I haven't had any and they have gone.

I'm four weeks into my increase and there are some glimmers of light. I'm not sure yet whether I need a third increase or not but will be getting a private blood test to get the full picture as well as nhs.

Good luck

[activelazy in reply to MarthaF]

Thank you. That's reassuring. I will continue with current dose and see how it goes.

[soppysokes]

Personally I would stick on the current dose if at all possible then as said you would have a better true picture of where your bloods are, but how you feel on any given dose is the best to go by. It could be you feel better somewhere in between those doses? But if you fiddle with the dose now it will be difficult to know where you are. Can you arrange to bring your blood test forward by a week or so?

[activelazy in reply to soppysokes]

Thank you. Yeah I will post the results in about 2 weeks when I have them.

[activelazy in reply to soppysokes]

I am getting tested tomorrow, 6 days earlier than 6 weeks on the dose 75 MCG. It should still be a fair picture I think. Pains still up!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Definitely stick on it and get bloods tested. It's more likely low vitamin levels anyway.

Ask GP to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin D linked to aches and pains

If you can't get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw or

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results

[activelazy in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. Vit d, folate, ferritin and b12 are all good now for some time. All checked recently. I will carry on with current dose for now as you all suggest.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to activelazy]

Vitamin D around 100nmol

Ferritin at least half way in range

B12. Towards top of range

Do you have Hashimoto's? Autoimmune thyroid disease, diagnosed by high antibodies

[activelazy]

Vit d 94, Ferritin around 90 I guess, b12 >1500.

I don't have Hashis.

Both antibodies very low. Negative.