Reducing Levothyroxine - freezing cold, sore throat and periods....

[Sarahlouise1980]

I reduced my Levothyroxine down from 125mcg to 100mcg as per my doctors advice starting on Saturday. It’s now Wednesday and I have a really sore throat, I’m freezing cold and have started bleeding even though I’m on the pill. Is this a sign the reduction is too much? Even after 5 days on the lower dose? xx

[shaws Administrator]

I am assuming your doctor has reduced your dose due to your TSH lowering (which it is supposed to do). The advice to us is for TSH to be 1 or lower but the doctors work to a different ?. i.e. if TSH is below the 'range' they seem to assume we've become hyPERthyroid and reduce our present dose to try to 'fit' the TSH into the higher part of the range.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/thyroi...

Read the second part of the following (by a Hormone Specialist):-

hormonerestoration.com/

[Sarahlouise1980 in reply to shaws]

Hi shaws, several doctors at the practice have said I am over replaced. My TSH has been suppressed on all blood tests for the last 3/4 years at <0.005 (0.38-5.00), free T4 17 (7.00-16.00) and Free T3 5.1 (3.8-6.00). I honestly would have no problem reducing my dose if I didn’t end up feeling worse everytime I try doing it wether I try reducing by 12.5mcg or 25mcg. I am experiencing hairloss and have been for the last 6 months or more. The hairloss just gets worse when I reduce my dose below 125mcg and it all started when I reduced my dose from 150mcg down to 125mcg. I have thought of experimenting and increasing my dose to 150mcg to see if the hairloss stops.

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"Is this a sign the reduction is too much? Even after 5 days on the lower dose? "

In a word, yes.

Every time you reduce the symptoms come back. To anyone with half a brain the law of cause and effect should tell them (the doctor that is) you need more, whatever the blood levels say!

TSH brainwashing seems to affect some of the most clever people the worst!

[dtate2016]

Yes - as Shaw’s and others experience points out, mine included - this is what undermedicated symptoms look like. Unfortunately you had to find the symptoms on your own but you will know if you have to go through this again. I once had a doctor tell me, and he was honestly confessing his own in adequacy - but he said “you do the best you can and if you don’t hear from the patient you know you’re right!” Ha! It would be funny if it wasn’t so painful to the patient. But he also said “ ...the patient will tell you if things don’t go well they’ll be back.” And yes unfortunately that’s what we have to do - we have to complain loudly.

I do hope you feel better again soon.