I reduced my Levothyroxine from 150mcg to 125mcg at the end of January after suffering daily painful headaches. Within a couple of weeks I felt much better, results on 125mcg were:
TSH <0.005 (0.38 - 5.33)
Free T4 16.4 (7.00 - 16.00)
Free T3 5.0 (3.8 - 6.00)
The doctor was happy with these results and I felt good. Fast forward to April and I started all of a sudden having a lot of hairloss that is still happening at the end of July!! Could this be a delayed reaction to being over medicated???? Please advise it’s starting to really worry me 😔.
Just to add I’ve tried reducing my Levothyroxine by to 112.5mcg for the last five weeks and feel worse, no appetite and I’ve lost nearly a stone!
Thank you!
Written by
Sarahlouise1980
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Looking through your previous posts couldn't see any vitamin or thyroid antibodies test results
You really need full Thyroid and vitamin testing
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised
Low ferritin can affect hair, and is extremely common when on Levothyroxine.
Ask GP to test vitamins and antibodies
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
Medichecks currently have an offer on
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.
Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
I have never reduced my thyroxine levels without advice from my doctor.But I would cetainly discuss my medication if I was experiencing adverse symptoms, though I would probably ring the (free) NHS helpline first. Of course I do have the advantage in the UK (due to having a 'long term ailment' of getting free medication (for ALL my ailments.
Those ailments are under active thyroid, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
As others have said it could be related to vitamin/mineral deficiency particularly Iron, vitamin D and vitamin B12, if you take vitamin D also need to take Vitamin K.
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Help with test results please!
