Newbie

[CheffyB]

I'm new here and very overwhelmed as only I was diagnosed with underactive Thyroid 10 days ago. I am only on 25 of Levothyroxine. I know nothing except I have a box of pills in the drawer that I have to take but I am sure it will all work out in time. Certainly not feeling any better since taking the pills, in fact, I feel worse so I am hoping that normal.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

CheffyB

Welcome to the forum.

25mcg is a starter dose for children, the elderly and those with a heart condition. If you don't fall into those categories there is no reason why you couldn't have been started on 50mcg.

25mcg wont do much, if anything. It will switch off your own thyroid hormone production but wont be enough to replace that and give you the extra you need due to your hypothyroidism. So you may feel worse for a while.

It can take some time before you start to feel an improvement. It takes about 6 weeks to feel the full effects of Levo, and it can take a few months to reach your optimal dose.

Have you been told to go back for a retest in a few weeks? Normal protocol is to retest in 6 weeks then an increase in dose, this is repeated every 6-8 weeks until your levels are where they need to be for you to feel well. Please make sure that your GP is following this protocol. Increases in dose should be 25mcg, no more, and as you get nearer to your optimal dose maybe even 12.5mcg.

Always advised here, when having thyroid tests:

* Blood draw no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, an increase in dose of Levo or to avoid a reduction then we need the highest possible TSH

* Nothing to eat or drink except water before the blood draw. This is because eating can lower TSH and coffee can affect TSH.

* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw. Adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.

* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it can give false results (most labs use biotin).

These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with phlebotomists or doctors.

Also, take your Levo on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after food, with a glass of water only, no tea, coffee, milk, etc, and water only for an hour either side, as absorption will be affected. Take any other medication and supplements 2 hours away from Levo, some need 4 hours.

For thyroid hormone to work properly, we need optimal nutrient levels so it would be worth asking your GP to test

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

You are welcome to post your results, with reference ranges, plus units of measurement for Vit D and B12, for members to comment and suggest any supplements that may be necessary.

Do take a look around ThyroidUK's main website (this is their forum) which is full of lots of useful information:

thyroiduk.org/

Feel free to ask any questions, members are happy to respond.

[CheffyB in reply to SeasideSusie]

I'm 64 so not elderly! Crikey. Maybe I should talk to my doctor? I am not due to see her for 2 months.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to CheffyB]

CheffyB

I'm 64 so not elderly!

This is what the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary states for initiation of Levo:

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hypo...

Consider starting LT4 at a dosage of 25–50 micrograms per day with titration for adults aged 65 years and over, and adults with a history of cardiovascular disease.

[CheffyB in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ah, thank you SeasideSusie. I really like my doctor and she is very careful so I am will go with the flow and see if I continue to feel worse but more hoping it will level out.

[Ellie-Louise in reply to CheffyB]

I was diagnosed in 2008 when I was 61. The doctor started me on 25mcg levo too.

[CheffyB in reply to Ellie-Louise]

Thank you, Ellie, And how did it go? Did you start to feel better - I currently feel worse but wonder if it needs to settle. Did you increase the dose over time? Sorry, hope I am not being rude asking so many questions.

[Ellie-Louise in reply to CheffyB]

I can’t be of much help because apart from feeling cold, tired and hair problems I’ve never really felt any different to normal.I originally had a routine blood test for something or other (no idea what now, too long ago) and it was picked up that I was borderline hypo. Complete surprise to me, although my fathers sister was hypo which I later discovered when visiting her a few years ago, I hadn’t seen her since we moved to another part of the country when I was only 7yrs old.

Few years on after annual blood tests I was put on 50mcg and these days I’m on 75mcg.

Actually I’m due another blood test pretty soon so who knows what it will find. I still don’t feel any different in regards to thyroid symptoms, but I do feel such sympathy for those that are a lot worse.

Hope you feel better soon, it’s miserable feeling ill. I’m just getting over food poisoning and tummy is going through it good and proper.

Kate x

[CheffyB in reply to Ellie-Louise]

Thank you for taking the time to reply Kate, hope you feel better, food poisoning is awful!

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Welcome CheffyB, I think many of us felt overwhelmed when we were first diagnosed. I’ve had so much support from this forum & have learned so much. Believe me, you will feel so much better when you get your thyroid medication optimal. What I have learned from forum members (especially lSeasideSusie ) is that optimal levels of folate, ferritin and Vit D are equally important - so do check these. Best wishes to you.

[CheffyB in reply to Buddy195]

Thank you so much!!!