After having my thyroid removed 3 years ago, I have spent the time since then trying to regulate my intake of levothyroxine to give me balance. I am either too high or too low, both of which cause sleep problems. I have regular 3 monthly blood tests, during which time I follow a constant intake plan of levo at whatever strength my doctor and I work out, but I am always either too hypo or too hyper at the end of that time each having there different side affects as we all know. Is there anyone who has managed found a way to adjust the dosage to keep them reasonably balanced?
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glennsi
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After having your thyroid removed three years ago and not yet on an optimum of thyroid hormones and with the doctor adjusting up/down according to the test I doubt you will ever feel better.
I have my thyroid gland and could not improve at all on levo so I believe and Research has also proven that T3 added to T4 can help relieve many clinical symptoms.
If you are in the UK the Association has put a blanket ban on prescribing T3 but some Endocrinologists will do so. You can source T3 on your own and slowly learn how you can improve your health and resolve any clinical symptoms.
The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower (not somewhere in the range as many doctors seem to have been told) and the FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the range. Any thyroid tests the GP wont do (of the lab) you can get these privately through one of our labs (there's two).
All blood tests for thyroid hormones have to always 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 the TSH at its highest. Don't eat until after the test as food reduces the TSH and may mean an adjustment which may not suit you.
Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records and post if you have query. Ranges are important as labs differ and members cannot respond unless ranges are included.
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