I have changed my GP and she is arranging more blood tests including B12 etc ..
She also advised me to take Magnesium Citrate 200mg every day to help with some if my symptoms.
So pleased to report that the 3 evenings I have taken them I have not woken up in the middle of the night, which I normally do and then can’t get back to sleep for ages.
She also couldn’t understand why my last GP had increased my Levothryroxine when my blood tests she had looked at had been stable. She also prescribed me Folic Acid ...
must say I’m feeling a little better after this ... Does anyone else take Magnesium
😊
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Ladybex
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The point of thyroid hormone replacement, is not to stabilise your levels - you can be stable with and FT3 at the top of the range and you can be stable with it at the bottom - but I know which one would feel best. The point of thyroid hormone replacement is to get the levels up to a place where you feel well, wherever that may be. I wonder if she understands that.
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
NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.
For most people: 50–100 micrograms once daily, preferably taken at least 30 minutes before breakfast, caffeine-containing liquids (such as coffee or tea), or other drugs.
This should be adjusted in increments of 25–50 micrograms every 3–4 weeks according to response. The usual maintenance dose is 100–200 micrograms once daily.
What do you mean by 'flares'? Do you have Hashi's?
25 mcg is much too low a dose. No wonder your doctor increased it? Did your present doctor put it down again, then? Your blood levels don't seem ok to me, I agree with SlowDragon, you're under-medicated.
Appreciate your message grey goose and slow dragon but I have borderline under active thyroid .. that’s what I have been told - all new to me.. suffered for 2 years before diagnosis ... given 25mcg and have questioned GP many times re increase... they said NO .. hence changed my GP who has given me folate and advised me to take magnesium Citrate... now getting another blood test done next week... will post results but please let it be known ... I do not understand any of this .. I go by what GP Says and after not getting anywhere with him I have now changed 😊
The thing is, when people talk about flares, they're talking about Hashi's flares, when levels of thyroid hormones suddenly rise sharply, and the TSH drops - also known as a Hashi's 'hyper' swing.
What you're describing sound more like hypo symptoms - or even nothing to do with thyroid. So, I don't really think we can say you're having flares. Symptoms come and go, that's all.
As I said ... I’m new to all this and I don’t understand.. I have been passed from pillow to post by my old GP .. feeling very anxious and worried .. when I get a sudden fever or the like - I call it a flare... if the word is used for something else I didn’t know ... after 2 years I’m somewhat baffled by everyone I have seen 😔
I’m sure I’ve read on here that 50mcg if T4 is a starting dose. 25mcg is enough to stop your own thyroid hormone production so you may end up feeling worse. 😖 Good that they’re looking at nutrition levels though!
Yes, I take about half a level teaspoon (the powder!) in my breakfast orange juice it helps keeps the bowel moving. Constipation is a symptom of hypothyroidism.
Has your levo dose been increased? A brief look at your profile suggests you are undermedicated, 25mcg is only a starter dose.
Please add reference ranges when posting results, they vary from lab to lab... without them members members find advising difficult.
Your TSH was far too high, ideally it should be around 1, it should drop as dose increases. However FT3 is the important result.....medics don't understand this and wrongly stay wedded to TSH for diagnosis/monitoring.
We are all different and have different dose requirements ...the aim is to feel well not to follow a textbook dose!
I've found magnesium citrate a well absorbed form of magnesium. Low magnesium can cause blood vessels to contract leading to shallow sleep. As noted by other patients you are undermedicated, your levothyroxine should be increased.
Did your doctor tell you not to take the folate supplements until you've had the test for B12 deficiency? Or have you already had full tests for anaemias? Folate supplements can mask B12 deficiency. Does your doctor know that?
You can check out best tests for the Bs on the Healthunlocked Pernicious Anaemia website.
What were your last blood test results? You won't know whether you are undermedicated without the results. Symptoms could be due to nutrient deficiencies.
You have been advised several times to have all vitamin levels tested and then post here on the forum. You will then get good advice rather than doing vitamins tests piecemeal and supplementing in the wrong order.
You have not yet posted your thyroid test results as far as I can see. On what evidence have you been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder?
I am not starting the folate supplements until after my next blood test... will post results for all your help after .. so thankful to you all .. I am border line under active thyroid and told that 25mcg was ok for me... when I increased dosage I was quite ill so Dr said stay on 25mcg
Now on magnesium Citrate that has helped my sleep ...
If your B12 - Folate - Ferritin and VitD results are low in range then it could explain why your 25mcg of Levo is troublesome. So what tests is your GP doing next ? As your FT4 result is VERY low in the range then it is possible the FT3 will also be LOW - it is the low T3 that causes the symptoms. No test result ...
When you take a small dose of T4 the Pituitary Gland can sometimes slow down the production of TSH which is usually telling the Thyroid to produce T4 - so all in all not enough T4 either from the gland itself or from your dose - hence the low result. As everyone keeps saying you are under-medicated.
What do you mean by borderline underactive thyroid? What was the actual result that diagnosed borderline underactive thyroid? You need to post FT4, FT3 and TSH and thyroid antibodies. It's possible you do not have a thyroid condition if nutrients were low. You really don't want to take levothyroxine unless essential.
I don't know why people are saying you are undermedicated as I can't see your results posted anywhere on your previous posts.
Your high thyroid antibodies confirm you have autoimmune thyroid disease
The aim of Levothyroxine is START on 50mcg dose and 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 is in top third of range and FT3 at least half way through range
NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.
For most people: 50–100 micrograms once daily, preferably taken at least 30 minutes before breakfast, caffeine-containing liquids (such as coffee or tea), or other drugs.
This should be adjusted in increments of 25–50 micrograms every 3–4 weeks according to response. The usual maintenance dose is 100–200 micrograms once daily.
Recommend you get thyroid retest now
Make sure to get blood test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Magnesium citrate should help with constipation, but probably not much else. Most people need magnesium but not necessarily that version. Epsom salts in the bath is an easy way to get extra magnesium as it is absorbed through the skin - you can get it quite cheaply from soap making sites.
I find Magnesium flakes diluted with hot water in a spray bottle works better than Epsom salts. Look online for instructions. Cheaper than ready made spray.
Yes I do. I take the same dose of magnesium citrate as you do and for the same reason. I do still wake up every night but I get back to sleep much more easily.
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