Thyroid test.

[Slosh]

I have Hashimotos - currently on 100mcg Levo. I think I'm over medicated. Heart racing a bit. Very anxious - racy feeling - esp in my solar plexus / chest area and a bit weepy. Don't usually suffer from anxiety but have had this before and was over medicated. I'm having a test on Thursday. To get a true reading should I take my meds as usual in the morning or wait till after blood test?

Thanks

[Aurealis]

If you do the same thing you did for your last test then you will be able to see if anything has changed. However, even if nothing has changed, if you feel overmedicated, you could reduce slightly. You may be more sensitive to changing levels than the test!

The problem with agreeing a dose reduction with your GP is that you may have difficulty persuading him/ her to increase your prescription later, if a dose reduction turns out to be the wrong thing. The signs and symptoms of over treatment can be surprisingly similar to under treatment. Good luck.

[Slosh in reply to Aurealis]

Thank you. I actually can't remember what I did last time.

[Aurealis]

It’s usually best to delay medication on the day of the test until after the test is taken, so that you have a stable thyroid level for the test, not too affected by timing of your most recent dose. If you have the test early in the day, you can then take your dose and continue as usual.

[Slosh in reply to Aurealis]

Thank you. Will do that.

[greygoose]

If you take your meds in the morning, all you will be testing is the dose you just took. You won't get a true reading of normal circulating hormone, which would determine if you are over-medicated or not. You should leave a 24 hour gap for T4 and 12 hours for T3.

I agree that if you took your meds before other tests, you won't be able to compare them, but what you really need in this case is a true reading, not a comparison.

[Slosh in reply to greygoose]

Thank you.

[greygoose in reply to Slosh]

You're welcome.

[Jazzw]

Be aware that sometimes the feeling you’re describing isn’t anything to do with your thyroid meds - it might be that you’re deficient in iron, folate, B12, Vit D (or all 4!).

[Slosh]

Yes - thank you. It may well be as I havnt been supplementing lately and I usually do need to with B12.