Missing medication for thyroid

[Love101cats]

I am new to this forum. I have been using heart and kidney forums. Im heart levels and kidney stage 4. Like many I suppose I suffered decades of weight gain with no change in diet. I was 40 before tests were done to diagnose underactive thyroid. I was on a 3 month trial in Oxford but funding stopped and no doctor following took any interest. So I have only been on medication for a couple of years. Ive lost a little weight but not put an ounce on except when I have fluid retention. I am following a Renal diet. Sorry to take so long with my introduction but my current problem is that my g.p. didn't put my Levothyroxene on my last prescription. I have none at all and its weekend! The surgery acknowledge its their mistake and have faxed the chemist but I have been 2 days without and it will likely be 2 days before I get any. For my information is it serious just to stop these tablets then restart? I am clinically vunerable and living alone making it more difficult. I look forward to learning a lot from you.

[Nanaedake]

I really don't know how it will affect you because of your coexisting conditions. Usually, people can miss a few days, if unavoidable, and then take a little extra for a couple of days to make up the full amount for that week because levothyroxine has a long half life. I think you should ask your doctor what is best for you though.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Love101cats

If your GP has faxed the pharmacy then they will be able to dispense your levothyroxine straight away, it is a common medication which they will keep in stock. You should be able to pick some up tomorrow.

[Love100cats in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you. I can't pick up as I'm advised not to go out at all but I will try to find someone who can. Ive just had a blood test so I think they may be adjusting dose which has been 50mg but my readings recently have not been stable. It will get sorted. They are a good chemist. I just needed to know how I might be affected without meds.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Love100cats]

Love100cats

Levo is a storage hormone so theoretically it's not critical to take the same dose every day, some people even take a week's dose altogether under medical supervision. So if you miss a couple of days you could, theoretically, take those missed doses when you get your new prescription, or take a bit extra over the next few days to catch up. If concerned due to your other conditions, maybe check with the pharmacist.

It might be worth you ringing the pharmacy first thing tomorrow morning asking if they have received the fax and that you will send someone along to pick your medication up for you.

I am in the vulnerable group and don't go anywhere but if I can't get anyone to take my prescription or pick it up then I know that the pharmacy is very quiet in the last quarter to half hour before closing so I don my mask and make my way there at that time, it's always empty then and the streets very quiet, I'm in/out/back home all within 10 minutes.

[smilingjane in reply to SeasideSusie]

Often pharmacies will loan you the tablets you need until the script comes through. Unless it is controlled drugs which yours aren't 😊

[Love101cats in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you. This is a good start to my joining the thyroid group. Im impressed by the knowledgeable responses.

[tattybogle]

In the past . when i''ve messed up with getting repeat prescription in time, i have been able to persuade my usual chemist to let me have a few day's worth of Levo until prescription sorted, just by looking at their records.

I've never missed more than 2 days worth , and it did make me feel a bit slow for the next week until i'd been back on the right dose for a few days, but nothing awful happened.

Perhaps take a slight increase to compensate for the missed days when you get some.

What dose do you usually take ?

I can't advise about impact on your other conditions, but it's probably nothing to worry about Levo has a half life of about 7 days in the blood, so you won't have run out completely, just might make you feel a bit rubbish for a week, till levels have got back to usual.