Need advice

[Inafunk63]

Wondering if someone could offer me some advice?

I have posted about my background in previous posts but in a nutshell:

Positive for graves antibodies

Usually HYPERTHYROID

Was med free for almost a year after becoming severely HYPO due to over medication of thyroid blocking hormone.

Was restarted on thyroid blocking hormone (75mg PTU) two months ago due to suppressed TSH and elevated T4

Latest bloods show elevated TSH 3.64 (Range 0.27-4.2) and low T4 12.00 (Range 12-22) while on 50mg PTU (thyroid blocking hormone)

So my query is, I finally got in contact with doctor regarding bloods which show I’m now basically HYPO (even though he’s arguing I’m in range 🙄) so instead of decreasing my dose he wants me to remain on 50mg of PTU (thyroid blocking hormone) and ad in 25 mg of thyroxine (thyroid replacement hormone). So obviously the block and replace method. To me it seems more logical to again reduce my thyroid blocking hormone instead of taking thyroid replacement hormone...I have never taken thyroxine and I’m not too keen on taking yet another medication unless absolutely necessary. I can’t get to see my endo for another 6 months. Can anyone offer any advice? Maybe someone that’s been down this road before?? Thanks!!

[asiatic]

B and B is a good way to treat people like us who go hypo on ATM.

You still get the immunomodulatory effect to help reduce antibodies but the added levo stops you going hypo and rests your thyroid.

Elaine Moore the American expert on all things thyroid recommends it and suggests when you finally come off meds you reduce the " block " first and stay on a small dose of levo for a while. It may take a little monitoring to find your lowest effective dose. I have been on it for about 4 years now and feel well. Hope it works for you too.

[Inafunk63 in reply to asiatic]

Thank you for responding! What sort of doses are you on?? I’m on 50mg Propylthiauracil and he’s given me 25mcg Levo. Is there anything I should know before taking? Which do I take first? The block or the replace?

[Inafunk63 in reply to Inafunk63]

On the package it just says take Levo 30 mins before food. I asked doctor about which to take first he said didn’t matter

[asiatic in reply to Inafunk63]

I am on 10mg carbimazole plus 50mcg levothyroxine which I take together when I get up. This works for me but we are all different so you will need to experiment to find the correct dose for you. Hopefully under your doctor's guidance. I had to get a second opinion as my first endo did not monitor me correctly. Pre B and B I was on 5mg. Carbimazole. His instructions to my GP were to take 20 mg. and 4 weeks later add in 100mcg. Levo.

The 20mg made me very very hyper again and when the levo was added it was too much and I became very hypo which worsened my TED.

So make changes very slowly and monitor with blood tests.

You want to be on the lowest dose that keep your fT3 and fT4 high in range.