Alternate doses or brand change?

[Redrosegirlie]

Hi,

I now have a TSH of 26.3 and I have a GP appt tomorrow where I presume I will get a dose increase of levothyroxine from 50mcg to 75mcg.

I currently have 50mcg Northstar (Actavis) tablets.

Is it better to have 100mcg/50mcg alternate daily doses or to get a different brand of 25mcg tablets?

Thanks.

[MaisieGray]

I'd do neither of those. If it were me, I'd halve the 50 mcg Northstar and add the halves to the 50 mcg, to total a consistent daily dose of 75 mcg.

[Redrosegirlie in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks MaisieGray

Would you use a pill cutter? If so are there any recommendations for a good one?

The tablets are tiny.... won’t be easy to do I suspect.

[MaisieGray in reply to Redrosegirlie]

I have two very very cheap pill cutters, one from ASDA I think, and I've just cut my own 25 mcg and 50 mcg tiny tablets with one of them, which worked fine, although I've currently got Mercury Pharma so there may be a difference in friability. In the past I've cut ThyroidS and Naturethroid without a problem. If different brands are a problem for you, it's definitely worth considering as an option. In my case, I can swap between them without a problem.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Redrosegirlie]

I have bought several different ones, the following I found is good and not expensive either. It splits small tablets well.

amazon.co.uk/Safe-Sound-Pil...

you have to purchase another product to qualify for the small price.

[Redrosegirlie in reply to shaws]

I think they sell that one in Boots also 👍🏻

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Redrosegirlie]

Redrosegirlie

I have successfully cut 50mcg Actavis tablets in half with the pill cutter that Shaws has linked to.

[Redrosegirlie in reply to SeasideSusie]

That’s good to know!

[Helsan in reply to MaisieGray]

My end said as t4 has a long life alternate doses work just as well. I used to have 100/125 but am now on combination and have 75 a day which I take as 3 x 25

[MaisieGray in reply to Helsan]

Yes some people are fine alternating doses, but it's like all things thyroid, the theory can be one thing, and the individual patients' requirements quite another. Some may be fine, some less so, in doing it one way over another. My pharmacist recently told me that the only thing that matters is the active ingredient, the inactive excipients aren't a concern ..... thus proving that the professional isn't always right in all cases. But I wasn't saying the OP shouldn't go with either of her suggested options, only what I would do in that circumstance.

[Redrosegirlie in reply to Helsan]

Thanks Helsan. I might have to experiment

[shaws Administrator]

You were obviously on too low a dose of levothyroxine that your TSH has actually increased instead of a decrease. I think it would be best if your doctor gave you a prescription for 100mcg of levothyroxine. T4 has a long half-life and being an inactive thyroid hormone it has to convert to T3 (the Active thyroid hormone). It is T3 which is needed in our millions of T3 receptor cells, in order that we improve our health and remove clinical symptoms.

[Redrosegirlie in reply to shaws]

Thanks shaws. Would you say that whilst I am in the initial stages of diagnosis and titrating my levels I should go up by 50mcg instead of the usual 25?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Redrosegirlie]

It is tempting, I know, but seeing you are newly diagnosed I'd only increase by 25mcg every six weeks. Always take your clinical symptoms into account and as they are relieved you will reach your optimal dose. If either pulse/temp goes too high drop to previous dose. The following is by one of our deceased Advisers and you might find the info helpful too. It is not to advertise the product Thyrogold but he deliberately made the product so that it didn't need a prescription.

It is for the helpful information in the three chapters. Dr Lowe died through an accident and is a great loss to the population who have dysfunctions of their thyroid gland.

naturalthyroidsolutions.com...

[Redrosegirlie in reply to shaws]

Thanks for that link shaws. I’m going to have look at it tomorrow 😊