Repeat Bloods After Beginning Treatment

[gracer1]

Hi everyone, me again (sorry!!).

As I said in my last post, I started on a 50mcg trial of levo on 3rd June and would like to find out the best time to get repeat bloods to check levels/tweak dosage?

My doctor said 3 months but after reading this forum have quickly learned that I need to take this into my own hands 😳

[Lalatoot]

8 weeks is recommended. This gives the body time to adjust. Personally I would be happy with the 12 weeks the doctor has suggested. This is keeping the gp on side - save your battles.

[Hay2016]

If he gave you a form or did electronic order I’d go in next few weeks. 6-8 is usual. If you need increase you are just staying under medicated longer. X

[Gingernut44]

I think 6/8 weeks is long enough but of course, if your symptoms are much improved, then stick with 12. As Lalatoot says, save your battles for later as you’re sure to get some

[Shenow]

I think I had my first after 3 months but obviously if you are having side effects then ask for a test earlier. It does take a while for the meds to settle down. Definitely be pro-active, I tell my Dr when I want a blood test, and a thyroid scan otherwise they’d never happen

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Make sure to get blood test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking any thing apart from water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

6-8-10 weeks ideally after each dose increase in levothyroxine

[Bob00752]

I started on 50 mcg and they were supposed to check with my next blood tests after 6 months and forgot, so it was 12 months before they did a retest. By that time I had lost 2 stone (for blood sugar reasons not thyroid!) and they took me off all diabetes medicine but increased the Levo to 75 mcg! I’m suspicious that the Levo helped the diabetes but a samole size of 1 isn’t a proper trial (but we still think that way don’t we...).

So take the 3 months as I’ve seen 8 - 12 weeks as recommended for adjusting at the start and in the current Covid lockdown and slow release you don’t want to be putting yourself and the GP/Nurse at increased risk either.

[Batty1]

Its 6-8 weeks