Is it common to have to change your thyroid medication during summer?

[Peanut31]

Hi

I’m just wondering if it’s common to have to change your thyroid dosage during summer?

I only ask, as I’ve noticed that a few of my symptoms are coming back despite feeling great for a while now on my current dosage of NDT 2 grains, with Levo 12.5mcg 5 days, then 25mcg for 2 days.

This has taken some time to tweak, as I can’t up NDT as it sends my T3 over range.

Over the last two weeks I’ve noticed,

dry skin all over, not just my hands as I know this is from frequent washing.

Hair loss

Feeling wired and spaced out,

Weight gain, I stick to freshly prepared food, no fizzy drinks and try low carbs as too many carbs make me feel awful

Headaches and sometimes forgetting things.

I put this all down to my Hashimotos and stress as I had a close family member pass away suddenly in April, and only last week attended the funeral, which as you can appreciate was stressful enough along with having to follow the Government guidelines on distancing etc.

I’ve got a thyroid test kit and I’m going to take this on Monday, to see what’s going on, but I’m wondering if anyone has to change the dosage.

Best wishes

Peanut31

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Remember it’s bank holiday Monday....suggest you delay testing until Tuesday

[Peanut31 in reply to SlowDragon]

Oh yes, thank you.

Best wishes

Peanut31

[SilverAvocado]

A handful of regulars on the forum reduce their dose over the Summer, then increase it again when the weather gets colder.

This is probably because the body uses energy to warm you up. I know I suffer terribly from the cold, and at one point in my recovery I found I was able to reduce my central heating in the colder months.

But I tend to think any change in lifestyle that uses up more energy is almost the equivalent of a dose decrease. This means if you're working harder, doing more exercise, going through more stress, socialising more, coping with cold temperatures, different or less nutritious food etc, etc, etc, you may need a dose increase to keep you on an even keel.

On the other hand if you're resting more, have made a beneficial change like going gluten free or optimising vitamins, etc, etc, you might need a dose decrease to keep you the same as where you were.

During the lock down myself and one of my thyroid friends have benefited a lot from enforced reduction in exercise, but another one has been having a very stressful time of it so is having worse thyroid health.

[Peanut31 in reply to SilverAvocado]

Thank you for your reply

Best wishes

Peanut31

[Peanut31]

Thanks for the information

Best wishes

Peanut31

[posthinking01]

Hi there - yes I do all the time - sometimes daily - but I am on liquid which makes it far easier to do. Because I am an adrenal insufficient patient (diagnosed) then my adrenals also govern what I do daily. In hot weather - the thyroid does not need to work so hard to keep us warm so I take less - and then I have to reduce the steroid I take. When the weather is cold I have to perhaps up the dose and then the steroids needs adjusting up to compensate for the uptake from the adrenals - they work in complete synergy. Stress will also affect your thyroid function Unfortunately a bit like flowers - the leaves are wilting - experts say - too much water - the leaves are wilting - experts say - not enough water. The same with thyroid issues - not enough will cause hair loss - exhaustion dry skin etc. etc. and so will too much - it is a minefield to know which one it is.

Sounds like stress has thrown out your adrenal/thyroid axis - you could try taking some Vitamin C to feed the adrenals which were working overtime when you were stressed - no more than 1,000 mg. - and buying Better You magnesium oil spray which will help with the stress levels - don't take at night until you know what your thyroid levels are. Use in the day not later than 4.00 p.m. Anything that stimulates the adrenals should not be taken later than 4.00 p.m. otherwise it will make you feel wired.

Even when I was on tablets I would take a tiny nibble of a tablet to up my levels to see which one it was - too much or too little.

Sorry I forgot to add - that the fact you can't take carbs without feeling rotten - means your adrenals are low - the adrenal glands are implicated in carbohydrate metabolism.

Hope this helps and you feel better soon.