Sorry not sure what I did then! I have a underactive thyroid but since being on Levothyroxine I have got worse, I started on 25mg and now 75mg my recent test tsh is 2.5 so im In range my symptoms are endless, could anybody help with what i should do next... may be go private?
Any advise would be great,
Regards
Clare x
Welcome to the forum, Cmoor.
You are undermedicated to have TSH 2.5 while taking 75mcg Levothyroxine. Ask your GP to increase dose.
The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.3 - 1.0 with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.
Hypothyroid patients are often low or deficient in ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate which can present symptoms similar to hypothyroid symptoms. Ask your GP to do blood tests.
For full evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested
If you have high antibodies (autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's) then low vitamin levels are especially common
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.
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
Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime
verywell.com/should-i-take-...
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.
Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.
In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.
Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.
This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."
You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor.
Hi slowdragon and thanks to replying back to me, just a thought I take my levo in Morning on waking but I have a cup of tea and breakfast about 40 mins later is this ok or do you/ can you take at bedtime without any complications?
Many thanks
Clare
You can take at bedtime. Lots of us find its better and recent research backs this up too
Have to not eat 2 hours before (3 hours if huge meal)
If eating late on night out can take in middle of night (quite a few do that on normal night too anyway )
verywell.com/should-i-take-...
My endo advised me to try it about 5 years ago, I found it noticeable improvement and more convenient
Poll on here a year ago
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