My Consultants opinion

[Medwaylass69]

Those who are following this is what the consultant has told my gp. I am ignorant on all this and need to be sure I am getting the right treatment.... fobbed off from nhs comes to mind

[jimh111]

This doctor is a specialist in nuclear medicine. Although she expresses an interest in endocrinology she is not an endocrinologist. She has very little understanding of hypothyroidism. Prescribing 25 mcg twice a week (=7 mcg a day) will have no effect whatsoever. An fT4 of 12.4 is too low for someone without a functioning thyroid, fT4 should be around 18. You will need 50 mcg levothyroxine daily at least to bring your fT4 level up and your TSH down to a satisfactory level for a hypothyroid person. It's absurd to leave you for a year before testing again. Feeling better in the neck area is fine, but you need to feel better everywhere. This doctor is a pain in the neck!

I would ask you GP to prescribe 50 mcg daily and review you in a month or so. If they are not willing to prescribe ask them to refer you to an endocrinologist, Dr Acosta is acting outside her sphere of knowledge which is against GMC rules.

[Hidden in reply to jimh111]

She absolutely would not be the doctor for me! jimh has a good plan. Hope you get the care you need soon. Unfortunately these scenarios are all too common. And frustrating and depressing. Sorry jimh, meant to send to Medwaylass69. My advanced computer skills showing again. Will alert her. irina

[Medwaylass69]

Thank you, she has told my gp that I am fine and hormones just a little low which will not cause memory problems or weight gain? It really is like walking in treacle

[humanbean in reply to Medwaylass69]

To reply to jimh111 you need to press the Reply button on his post for him to know that you have replied. I've tagged him in this post so that he will look again at this thread.

[jimh111 in reply to Medwaylass69]

She is out of her depth and should not be commenting. Ask your GP to help and to disregard this specialist other than her comments that relate to her field of expertise.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

NHS guidelines saying standard starter dose is 50mcgs daily, unless over 50, frail or heart condition, when dose is 25mcg daily. Even this is only for first few weeks before increasing to 50mcg

beta.nhs.uk/medicines/levot...

[Hidden]

Hi Medwaylass. I wrote you a reply and accidentally posted to jimh111. It should be further down on this thread. irina

[Judithdalston]

It explains your earlier post ...but not the weird dose, nor logic of the medic who put you on it. Get put on the 50 mcg starter dose of levothyroxin asap.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Judithdalston]

25mcg daily is the initial dose recommended for over 50's.

[Judithdalston in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, didn't know Medwaylass' s age, over 50? Strangely though Mercury Pharma and Teva give different advice on their 'information for user' notes that come in the packaging: Mercury states for patients over 50 ( without heart problems) 'the recommended dose will be no more than 50 mcg a day...increased by 50 mcg every 3-4 weeks'; Teva similarly has 'no more than 50 mcg a day' for patients over 50, increasing dose by '25 mcg every 4 weeks'. When I queried my surgery's pharmacist about why there was an inconsistency on their prescriptions for levothyroxin 25 mcg and 100 mcg doses re advice on taking morning dose 30 mins before breakfast and caffeine, or no advice at all...I was dismissed with 'you should read the information inside the packet!' But different brands have variations, and these obviously don't conform to NHS guidelines. (Teva gives the better advice re the taking tablets before breakfast)

[Nanaedake]

Has your GP prescribed vitamin D3 and calcium since your notes say you have osteopenia? Did you lose parathyroid glands with the thyroidectomy and have you increased dietary intake of calcium in foods? Even if taking calcium supplements, you will not absorb it all and you need a good calcium rich diet, especially if post menopausal. THe lastest advice from NHS is to take calcium rich foods (and presumably supplements) 4 hours apart from thyroid medicine. I've had to change to taking thyoid meds in the middle of the night.

[Medwaylass69 in reply to Nanaedake]

Hi, nothing from anyone regarding medication exxep the Levo. I did not have it remived it was shrunk with radio acrive iodone

[Nanaedake in reply to Medwaylass69]

Ahh. Ok, so you haven't lost parathyroid glands so calcium metabolism should be OK.

[Medwaylass69]

Thanks