Buying thyroxine on line

[petal02]

I currently take 100mcg thyroxine per day, and my blood results are always bang in the middle of the normal range. However I always felt better when taking 125mcg per day (which put my blood tests at the top end of the normal range). I plan to continue getting 100mcg from my surgery and will try to buy 25mcg tablets off the internet. It seems that plenty of uk online pharmacies stock them, but I don’t want to get tripped up the questionnaire you need to complete. They always ask you what dose you’re currently taking, so if I state that I’m presently on 100mcg will they query why I’m wanting the extra 25mcg per day? If I state that extra makes me feel better, are they likely to decline the order?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

petal02

I have no ideas about those online pharmacies where you fill in a questionnaire but have you asked your GP about giving you an increase?

What are your actual results (with reference ranges).

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine (the magazine for doctors):

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l. In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l. This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l).*"

*He recently confirmed, during a public meeting, that this applies to Free T3 as well as Total T3.

You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing Dionne at

[e-mail]

print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor. If you feel better on the higher dose and your FT4 and FT3 are in range, then use that article to support your request for an increase.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Have you had folate, vitamin D and ferritin tested?

Can see you already have low B12

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

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

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

The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 in top third of range and FT3 at least half way in range

All four vitamins need to be regularly tested and frequently need supplementing to maintain optimal levels

[GKeith]

Stick with the truth; that way you don't have to remember anything. Peace be with you.

[QandA]

Hi Petal02, did you try the online pharmacy? I was thinking of doing the same, but also wondered about the questionnaire.

[petal02 in reply to QandA]

Hi, I haven't tried a UK pharmacy yet, but someone suggested this site:

< source removed >

petal02 We cannot name sources on the forum, please refer to posting guidelines:

25. Do not post advertisements, links or information of any sort whatsoever, on where or how to obtain UK prescription only medications without prescription. This includes online pharmacies who issue 'prescriptions' on the basis of the completion of a simple health questionnaire.

[QandA in reply to petal02]

Thanks