Haven't had improvement on Levo

[Superjuice]

Hi I am a new member in Canada on the frigid prairies. I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism for over 15 years. I was becoming hyperthyroid almost three years ago on 88 mcg of levothyroxine and was having palpitations/tachycardia with TSH 0.3 so I immediately stopped medication. I have been off and on taking 50- 75 mcg in the last couple years but had halted in the last several months because of jitteriness, insomnia and feeling very tired and unwell.

Recent complete blood work showed all my labs are normal but my TSH 3.25 and my doctor told me to resume 75 mcg Levothyroxine. I did for one week and felt very tired, anxious, and intolerant to cold and low mood. I did not think my TSH seems high and wasn't keen about taking more medication. I am stable healthy weight for my height and take supplements and eat healthy. I have trouble finding a doctor who doesn't overmedicate in this province and hope to find information on this site.

[Clutter]

Superjuice,

Most people have trouble finding doctors to adequately dose them. You don't have to take 75mcg if you feel it is too much. Try 50mcg and if that's not enough try 50mcg/75mcg alternate days.

You weren't biochemically overmedicated with TSH 0.3. Palpitations, tachycardia and fatigue are as likely to be under medication as over medication.

TSH alone is not sufficient to tell whether you are optimally dosed so try and persuade your GP to at least check FT4 in addition to FT3.

[Superjuice in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for the reply. My labs did include FT4 and FT3 and was normal, I don't recall the numbers or reference ranges. I did ask him for a lower dose and he said my TSH was too high but I will just ask for 50 mcg tabs next visit. It is a walk in clinic so I never get the same doctor.

Correction, to my post earlier, when I asked the doctor if my T3 was normal he replied yes, but i asked for a copy and T3 was never even checked. He won't check and told me only the TSH is what to worry about. He would not reduce my dosage either.

[Clutter in reply to Superjuice]

Superjuice,

You could just take 75mcg x 5 days instead of 7 and that will average 375mcg a week which is 53.57mcg daily.

[Superjuice]

yes I am suspicious that might be a reason. I had ft3 and ft4 blood work done that were interpreted as normal but I will look at the results. I have taken the synthroid for years but have never felt any better, just saw better tsh labs.

Correction, when I asked my GP ft3 and ft4 levels i found out later he hadnt even checked them on my labs so I still need them done. I am waiting for different doctor which is difficult in this city. Waiting times are 3 hrs to see a GP

[Superjuice]

I found out they do treat the water with alum because it is very hard water here so I don't drink tap water and won't even cook with it anymore. It also tests very high for chlorine. I use stainless steel pots. My B12 is 468 (ref 175-880 pmol/L), ferritin 56 (ref 10-200 ug/L). I do take folate and d3. I have been gluten free for 3 years now and since I did this my tsh has been lower even with decrease in Levo.