Finally started treatment but on low dose

Hi

I started on 50mcg so can't really comment. When will you be retested and dose reveived?

That's great news about work.

It's rather doubtful that 25 mcg will make you feel better, it might even make you feel worse. The normal starter dose is 50 mcg. 25 is enough to stop your thyroid producing what little it does produce, but not enough to replace it, so your Frees could drop in range. If your doctor agrees to test them, that is!

Hi

25 mcg is a really small dose and normally for elderly patients.

My GP was going to start me on 25 mcg (I’m 40 years old) but I printed off Levothyroxine guidance that stated normal patients to start on 50mcg so he gave me 50mcg.

I’m definitely not on the right dosage and I’m back to see my GP. I think you dosage is too small to make a difference.

Could you go back earlier than 6 weeks for an increase? Say 4 weeks?.

Best wishes

Peanut31

I was started on this because I had very bad heart pains and it did stop me from dying (u was very very poorly) I was kept in it for a long time before getting up to 50mcg but I think it was far too cautious. It took9 months to be optimised and that was at 125mcg Levo. It was unlikely I had any thyroid function whatsoever (very small and shrivelled endo said it was unlikely to be doing anything). 25mcg is a very low starter dose and ought to be upped to 50mcg after your first blood test after 6 weeks of taking it. You should get a blood test after 6 weeks with each increase until your TSH is below 1 and free T4 and free T3 are in the upper third of their range. But NHS never test free T3 (unless you are under the care of a decent endocrinologist) it is £29 for a private free T3 test and it is the most helpful indicator. A full replacement dose (for when thyroid is not functioning or has very low function) is anything from 125mcg levothyroxine upwards. You many not need a full dose as yet.

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