GP reduced dose

[Clayre1]

Was taking 175mcg before now just 50mcg do results indicate poor conversion diagnosed 2011 thank you

TSH 5.02 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 14.9 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.2 (3.1 - 6.8)

[Clutter]

Clayre1,

No, results indicate undermedication. Impossible to determine whether conversion is good or poor unless you are adequately dosed.

Why did your GP make such a large reduction? Dose adjustments are supposed to be in 25mcg increments, certainly not more than 50mcg at a time.

The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.2 - 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 [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

[Clayre1 in reply to Clutter]

Well results on 175 showed poor conversion and endo called me a hypochondriac hence dose reduction

[Clutter in reply to Clayre1]

Clayre1,

What were your thyroid results and ranges on 175mcg? Poor conversion is no reason to reduce dose or insult a patient. Why did endo call you a hypochondriac?

[Clayre1 in reply to Clutter]

TSH 1.21 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 19.3 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.4 (3.1 - 6.8)

Endo called me a hypochondriac because my symptoms of feeling cold, tired, constipation, losing hair, gaining weight are not thyroid related

Thankyou

[Clutter in reply to Clayre1]

Clayre1,

It looks suspiciously like your endo has reduced dose to punish you. There was certainly no clinical reason to reduce dose so aggressively because you weren't overmedicated on 175mcg.

Instead of insulting you s/he should have increased dose to 200mcg to see whether symptoms improved. If not, endo should have followed BTA guidance in Box 1. Some possible causes of persistent symptoms in euthyroid patients on L-T4 in onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

You might consider complaining to the head of endocrinology or the hospital PALS and ask to be assigned a different endocrinologist.

[Saggyuk in reply to Clayre1]

WHAT! sadistic and nasty - get away from endo asap and make a complaint - there's no reason to have reduced your meds on those results other than through pure maliciousness!

No justification what so ever!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Clayre1]

These results clearly show poor conversion. Endo should have checked vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

You needed small dose of T3 adding

Not Levo dose slashed

Your endocrinologist is obviously clueless and probably a Diabetes specialist

[Saggyuk]

Unfortunately, it indicates you're very undermedicated.

You need to sack your GP and find one that actually knows how to treat thyroid disease as this one clearly doesn't. You should only change meds slowly increasing and decreasing 25mcg each time and restesting after 6-8 weeks and then repeating until bloods are normalised.

You need to get an increase in your meds asap and then retest after six weeks and increase again if necessary. You should also get your Vit B12, Vit D, Folate and ferritin/iron tested as likely deficient in these too and come back and post the results of these too.

There have been soooo many people coming on here who's GPs and endos have been doing this same thing recently - I'm beginning to think they may be doing a nationwide experiment to work out what happens if you quickly take people of their meds - you know for risk management planning and procedures in times of disaster or something lol

Sorry that was a joke so please don't think there's any truth in that lol!

[Clayre1 in reply to Saggyuk]

Thankyou vitamin and minerals tested

[Saggyuk in reply to Clayre1]

If the doc told you they were normal and in range, like your thyroid results, then you might want to post them anyway as docs often pants with these too

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You are extremely under medicated

Contact Thyroid UK for list of recommended thyroid specialists

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

Have you had T3 started and then stopped?

Got vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 test results and ranges? If so add them here

See this similar post just this afternoon - one below yours in fact

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Clayre1 in reply to SlowDragon]

TPO antibody 889 (<34)

TG antibody 374 (<115)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Clayre1]

Yes very definitely autoimmune thyroid disease

TPO way above 34

TG way above 115

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ask GP for coeliac blood test first

Persistent low vitamins with supplements suggests coeliac disease or gluten intolerance

gluten.org/resources/health...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...