Decreased Levothyroxine efficiency

[sunsetalley]

Since diagnosis of hypothyroidism and starting T4 therapy I have never felt better for a long time despite taking Levothyroxine regulary...I feel really great first few weeks after every dose increase but this relief has always been temporary, all hypo symptoms come back after a few weeks no matter what my lab results are, I always have symptoms of hypothyroidism.

I'm really confused, Can a person develope resistance to synthetic thyroid hormones?

I really need to know why this happens to me >.<

Any help is appriciated...

[Marz]

Do you have any results with rangrs to share ? Perhaps you are undermedicated ? How are your levels of vitamins and minerals - all need to be optimal for thyroid hormones to work well. B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD ate the main ones.

Do you have Hashimotos ?

EDIT: Have now read your previous posts and see you struggle with Ferritin levels.

[sunsetalley in reply to Marz]

Thank you Marz for replying...

I have hashimoto's and take 100 micrograms levothyroxine everyday...

This is my latest result

TSH= 0.8 (0.4-4.2)

Free T4=1.2 (9.0-23)

Free T3=4.2 (1.2-4.3)

I haven't tested vitamins or minerals lately...

Isn't my free t4 too low?

[Marz in reply to sunsetalley]

Your FT4 result seems strange ! Way below range - are you sure it is the Free T4 or the Total T4 - which would of course need a different range !

[sunsetalley in reply to Marz]

It's Free T4... I think my TSH and Free T3 results are more strange than it because I feel so hypo...

[Marz in reply to sunsetalley]

Are you sure there has not been a mistake - see posts below from greygoose and myself !

[sunsetalley in reply to Marz]

Yes, I saw them...I haven't made any mistake at reading the results but I'm not sure if they haven't made any mistake at laboratory or not...

[sunsetalley]

I forgot to mention I have started taking ferrous fumarate 350 mg since 3 months ago...

[Marz in reply to sunsetalley]

Ok - so if your Ferritin was low then your thyroid hormones will not work well - either your own or the ones you take. What was your result ? - did you have a FULL Iron Profile done ?

Are you taking VitC to help iron absorption ?

[sunsetalley in reply to Marz]

I haven't done any test after supplementing, I just know my iron stores were depleted...

Each cap of ferrous fumarate I'm taking contains 150 mg Vitamin C. Is it enough for absorption of Iron?

[Marz in reply to sunsetalley]

I am not an expert on iron but it sounds good - at least it is some ! You could type Iron treatments - into the Search Thyroid UK - box and read what comes up. there are many people who are well informed about iron. I believe regular testing is advisable as too much iron can be unpleasant too.

[Marz in reply to Marz]

healthunlocked.com/search/i...

Have done it for you ! - over 10,000 posts !

[sunsetalley in reply to Marz]

Thank you so much😊

[Marz in reply to sunsetalley]

Your post of 3 months ago is one of them in the above link !

[sunsetalley in reply to Marz]

I used to check my thyroid hormones and iron levels several times a year before but in recent months prices of blood tests and etc are increasing day by day in iran so I have to limit number of check ups...

[Marz in reply to sunsetalley]

Was only suggesting re-testing for Iron as you are supplementing.

[greygoose]

That is perfectly normal. Just means you need another increase in dose.

[sunsetalley in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for replying...

I've been thinking about the same thing but on the other hand I'm worried about side effects of levothyroxine...

[greygoose in reply to sunsetalley]

Such as? Do you have side-effects from levo? I should think that if you were going to have them, you would have had them by now. Increasing the dose won't increase the risk of side-effects.

[sunsetalley in reply to greygoose]

Like osteoporosis...I've heard too much levothyroxine causes osteoporosis but don't know how much of levothyroxine means too much...but with my current dose I don't have any side effects of it...

[greygoose in reply to sunsetalley]

That's not a side-effect of levo. And I don't even think it has much to do with T4. It's long-term, very high FT3, caused by Grave's, that increases the risk of osteoporosis. That's a totally different thing to your case. I imagine your doctors been putting the wind up you, to avoid increasing your dose? And hardly likely to apply to something like 150 mcg levo.

[sunsetalley in reply to greygoose]

My doctors even didn't want me to be on 100 mcg levothyroxine. Last summer I visited two doctors with a TSH of 3.2 and first one told me your hypothyroid is well controlled and your symptoms are caused by depression. The socond one added 50 mcg levothyroxine to my weekly schedule and left me untreated with a TSH of 2.9 so I started self medicating and increased dose of levothyroxine gradually until I reached these results.

I don't visit any of them now. I get better tips from members of this site than those doctors.

[greygoose in reply to sunsetalley]

Understandable! With a TSH of 3.2, you are out-right hypo! And the other doctor should only have added 25 mcg at a time. 50 is too much.

[Marz in reply to greygoose]

What are your thoughts of the FT4 being 1.2 ? It baffles me !

[greygoose in reply to Marz]

My first thought would be that there's an error somewhere. And that would probably be my last thought, too. I just don't see how an FT4 is that low with someone on 100 mcg, and with the TSH and FT3 that she has. It just doesn't add up. Somebody, somewhere has made a mistake.

[Marz in reply to greygoose]

I agree - it must be a mistake ! Thanks.

[sunsetalley]

Thank you both for replying...

I didn't take levothyroxine for 1-2 days before the blood test, is it caused for that?

[Marz in reply to sunsetalley]

Sorry but no I do not think so ...