Advice please

[christinamaria11]

Have been on thyroxine for 20 years plus,back last year my doctor reduced my dose from 150 to 100 + have had all sorts going on since, I was totally ignorant that thyroxine had to be taken with water until I joined this forum,no nurse or doctor or diabetic consultant ever mentioned it,

I started taking meds with water + felt awful had swelling in ankles + tightness in calf’s + + dizziness was worse

I tried taking meds before bed no change

Went back to dosing how I had previously which is with breakfast + hot drink

I have medi-check blood test to complete-do I go back to taking it with water for several days + then test or carry on eating with meds + test first thing in morning on empty stomach thanks

[MaisieGray]

if you temporarily swap to a different method of ingesting your levothyroxine for the blood test, it won't show your normal status - which is the point of testing (especially as you believe that when you did so previously, it apparently affected you to quite a degree).

If your Levo comes in a packet, it will always be accompanied by a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) which provides information about dosing, when to take it etc. If unusually your tablets come without a PIL, your pharmacy will provide a copy for you.

[Aurealis]

Hi Christina, yes those of us diagnosed some time ago were often given little information. The water is to move the tablets down from your gullet, rather than with food which could affect absorption. However, I’m a fan of doing what you usually do (except taking meds in the hours before a test, as you may get a test result than erroneously results in a reduced dose being prescribed). I understand that coffee is not the best thing to have with your tablets though.

A 50mcg reduction is a very big reduction. If all your problems started with the dose reduction then your body is telling you to increase back up. Isn’t your GP going to test it for you? Have you been back to GP to share symptoms arising from dose reduction?

[greygoose]

You need to stay on a constant dose - and method of dosing - for six weeks before testing, or the test will be of little value. So, if you want to go back to taking it with water - and waiting an hour before eating - then you must do so for six weeks. But, if you want to continue taking it with breakfast, then make sure you have been doing that for six weeks straight before you test.

[Sunsette1]

My doctors have just done the same to me a few weeks back, dropped me from 150mg to 100mg due to my T4 level sky-rocketing to disastrous levels.

Although I felt very unwell with too high a dose before dose was changed (was convinced I had diabetes because I felt so unwell), I now feel a zillion times worse. Went back to the doctors Friday who agreed to increase my dose back up to 125mg to combat the shock my body is now in from the huge drop in medication.

As of today I have been signed off work for 2 weeks with such awful fatigue I feel like I am dying slowly but surely. Funny how something so small as a pill of Thyroxine can have such devastating effects on the body when not stable.

Go back to your doctor and ask to be increased slightly. That drop is too big, I’m telling you from experience! I really hope you are not feeling as awful as I am!