Levothyroxine and sudden loss of libido

[Steve5678]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism with a TSH of 5.5, I delayed taking Levothyroxine in case my TSH problem resolved, but six months later it had increased further so I decided to trial 25mg for two months as suggested by my doctor. I took the Levothyroxine for two months and returned for my TSH to be retested, it remained stubbornly unchanged, although the T4 level had increased slightly. I agreed that I should stop the treatment and see how things panned out. Around this time I had a sudden...like a light being turned off sudden...loss of libido. I didn't connect this to the medication but to an extremely stressful period in my life, this was 16 months ago and there has been no return of my libido. I have since studied thyroid dysfunction and have found that consumption of Soy products will raise the TSH. My thyroid "problems" only started after I replaced milk with Soy milk, I have since given this up (after a period of 2.5 years) and my TSH has dropped to 3.9 and T4 is higher than ever before.

Later research for another problem drew my attention to the co-incidence of my Levothyroxine use and loss of libido...unfortunately nothing has improved.

Anybody else have any ideas about this or seen it before?

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Recommend you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease

Ask GP to test vitamin levels and thyroid antibodies.....or get full testing privately.....GP won’t test Ft3 unless TSH is out of range

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 .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

Also vitamin D available as separate test via MMH

Or alternative Vitamin D NHS postal kit

vitamindtest.org.uk

Yes soya does affect thyroid function.....but it should have returned to normal now

When you trialled levothyroxine you were started on far too low a dose

Levothyroxine doesn’t “top up” failing thyroid, it replaces it

Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg and dose is increased upwards in 25mcg steps as fast as tolerated

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you had testosterone levels tested, often low when hypothyroid

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Steve5678

Loss of libido is a symptom of hypothyroidism, it's very likely that is the cause rather than the Levothyroxine. You were hypothyroid with a TSH of 5.5, you are still hypothyroid with a TSH of 3.9