I buck the trend here I know. Since Covid19 I am working at 20% of my normal rate. I was aware I had been stressed in my job, but over the first couple of weeks, I could simply feel the stress lifting and my body changing. I feel so different. And so much better. However, I have read that stress affects how much thyroxine is needed. I have been on 125 T4 and 12.5 T3. I don’t have most recent results to hand, but in brief my TSH is almost zero, my T4 is right at top of range and my T3 is top of range. I added T3 a few years ago and have played with it since.
Clearly, I won’t get into the GP. And, anyway, I have always liked going on how I feel. I am thinking of reducing T4 to 100. Then, after a few weeks, T3 to 6.25 (but dependant on how T4 reduction goes).
My Vit D is over 100. My B12 is in range. I had a medi checks a few years ago and, once I put my Vit D right (which had been v low) I was all in line.
Thoughts/suggestions/reflections welcome, thank you in advance.
Jacqui 😀
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JacqS71
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People often think of stress as being a mental or psychological problem. Doctors blame the patient and their mental health problems for stress, and patients blame themselves.
But there are many causes of stress, not just psychological.
It can be physiological, for example, low nutrients and/or poor diet.
It can be physical, for example, having a broken bone.
If you are under stress from any cause it will probably raise your stress hormone levels (cortisol and adrenaline). Higher cortisol will lower your TSH.
Has your diet changed since you've been at home? Are you eating less or more? Has the proportion of your diet that is protein, fat and carbs changed?
Sleeping : Knowing that you aren't going to work could have changed your sleep and made you more relaxed so you get more benefit from your sleep.
If you can't think of anything that has caused the changes you are seeing and feeling then it may be a signal from your body that you need a new job.
You mentioned your vitamin D and your B12. But you need good levels of folate for your body to make use of your B12. Low iron and ferritin causes anxiety too.
If you feel well and not over medicated why change anything?
Recommend you consider FULL thyroid and vitamin testing privately BEFORE even considering changing dose
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
when also on T3, make sure to take last half or third of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
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
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
A mite puzzled why, if you feel so good, are you considering messing about with your doses? In the nicest meaning way 😊but I really can't fathom it... Mind my brain rarely fathoms anything much these days, way to foggy in there.😲
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Over reaction to stressful situations
Poor stress tolerance
hpa axis, stress response
GP says I have stress
