Eltroxin

[Asjas123]

I am 67 years old and was diagnosed with underactive thyroid about 10 years ago and prescribed Eltroxin. The dose has ranged between 125 and 200 currently 150. There have been a couple of occasions when I've stopped taking it for weeks and I felt no different. So I don't think it's helping me and I want to stop it now. Are there any serious dangers attached to this? Last year I got shingles and lost 28kg. I quit smoking about 6 weeks ago and use a vaper and I'm giving up gluten today.

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum Asjas123.

Once diagnosed as hypothyroidism we cannot stop taking thyroid hormone replacements - of which one is levothyroxine and the most common one prescribed by doctors.

Unfortunately doctors in these 'modern' times know no clinical symptoms and only look at the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) result and if it is somewhere in the range (ranges are figures in brackets after the results) and make the assumption that we are on sufficient.

If we stop taking levothyroxine or any other thyroid hormones we can cause danger to ourselves as our body cannot function when hypothyroid.

There are two important hormones i.e. T4 (levothyroxine) which is inactive and this converts to T3 and it is T3 which is needed in our millions of T3 receptor cells and brain and heart need the most.

First of all I would recommend you get a Full Thyroid Function Test - GP or lab wont do all that is requested but we have three private labs who do home pin-prick tests. If you decide to use a lab, make sure you ae well hydrated a couple of days before blood draw.

Or maybe surgery might draw blood for you.

Blood draw has to be at the very earliest, fasting and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards. This helps keep the TSH at its highest as it drops throughout the day and doctors often only look at the TSH alone and will adjust your dose willy/nilly and say your symptoms are nothing to do with hypothyroidism.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Because hypothyroidism is a very serious condition if unmedicated, we do not pay for any other prescriptions for any other diseases no matter what age a person is.

You need TSH, T4, T3 Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.

GP should test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate and these have to be at optimum - not just somewhere in range.

Post your results, with the ranges, on a new post for comments. The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower with a FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the ranges. I doubt yours is.

Levothyroxine is usually taken when we get up with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating. Food interferes with the uptake of hormones as does coffee.

Some prefer a bedtime dose, in that case miss this dose, take after test and night dose as usual the same day.

[greygoose]

Are there any serious dangers attached to this?

Well, just a little thing called 'a slow, miserable death'. You are taking Eltroxin because your thyroid can no-longer produce enough hormone to keep you alive. Eltroxin isn't a drug that either works or doesn't work, it's a thyroid hormone, T4. And the fact that you are still alive proves that it is 'working'.

You may not feel any better taking Eltroxin, but that's another matter entirely. That can be down to all sorts of other factors, like not taking enough Eltroxin, or not being able to convert it very well, having nutritional deficiencies, or cortisol problems. But, I can assure you that without the Eltroxin you would eventually feel a whole lot worse.

The key to all this is your blood test results. When did you last have a blood test? Do you know the results? Do you even know what was tested? It's time to learn about your disease, I think, and take an active interest in how your doctor is managing it. Most doctors know very little about thyroid, and tend to get it wrong. So, we hypos have to be constantly vigilent. If you haven't got copies of your blood test results, then ask at the surgery. If you live in the UK, you have a legal right to copies. Post the results on here, with the ranges, and someone will explain them to you. And, hopefully, we will find out why you don't feel better.

[Asjas123 in reply to greygoose]

I disagree. There are many documented cases where Eltroxin does not work and indeed where the side effects are worse than the benefits. I see no point in taking a drug which is clearly having little or no effect on my well being. I do believe that how I feel is a reliable indicator of how a drug is affecting me.

I should have made my post clearer i.e. that I was looking for replies from people who had experienced the same thing and looked at other, more effective ways to manage their hormone imbalances.

As it is I have been off Eltroxin for 9 days now, I've cut out gluten, sugar and caffeine, substantially increased my intake of vegetables and salads and started taking Vitamin B6 and Evening primrose oil. Ive also implemented an exercise and meditation regime. I'm feeling great and there are no signs of an impending slow, miserable death 😁.

As you rightly say, doctors often get it wrong and thus I shall be getting my cortisol levels tested shortly as I have always believed that stress induced high cortisol was the cause of my initial thyroid problem.

[greygoose in reply to Asjas123]

Well, if Eltroxin were a drug, I might agree with you. But, it isn't, it's a hormone.

It's a well-known phenomena that people will feel great when they stop taking their thyroid hormone. But the great feelings do not last, and soon the hypo symptoms come creeping back. I have experienced this myself, so I know what I'm talking about.

I think where we disagree is on the definition of 'working'. But, never mind. All I can say is that you cannot replace hormones with vegetables, and too much exercise will just make you worse. And, I'm sorry to have wasted both our times by replying to you. Promise I won't do it again!