Increase in thyroxine

[Lordy40]

Hi all,

After some advice please.

With the approval of my doctor, I have just upped my thyroxine from 150 mcg a day to 175mcg, due to really heavy periods, currently on day 40, to see if an increase in medication will help as nothing else has so far. ( I’m on waiting list for a hysterectomy, but this could be a long way off due to the affects of the pandemic)

The doctor wants to do blood tests and I have been booked in for bloods 23rd august, I would only have been on the increase 3 weeks, would this be enough time to show any changes on blood results.

Also, so far nearly two weeks in, it hasn’t helped with the bleeding yet, am I being impatient or would it have helped by now if it was going to?

My latest blood results which are from January are -

T4- 16.1 (12-22)

TSH - 1.55 (0.27-4.2)

I’m feeling tired all the time, no energy, no motivation, and have gained some weight but this could be due to a leg injury and not being able to exercise properly, and have started feeling more emotional and tearful since increase but not sure if it’s that or other hormones! And also breathless particularly on stairs but again that could be due to blood loss, even though I take 2 ferritin tablets a day.

Thanks for reading, sorry for long message, this is the only place I can turn to for advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Thyroid hormones MUST have good vitamin levels to work well

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

Long heavy periods will inevitably lead to low iron and ferritin

Do you have Hashimoto’s?

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand at each prescription

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

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 .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

[Lordy40 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your reply, I take Vitamin D, Vitamin B complex, vitamin C with the ferritin, folic acid at lunch time , in the evening I take magnesium and zinc and Vitamin b6 .

The brand I take Almus Levothyroxine, though looking in the cupboard I have one box of Teva thyroxine which I haven’t used yet.

The blood tests for vit d and b12 and full blood count showed as normal in January which I know can mean in range but not optimal. The doctor is retesting those again along side the thyroid ones.

I will change the date of blood test so it’s 6 weeks after increase.

I do have hasimotos I think from medicheck results I did about 3 years ago I think someone said the readings showed it.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Lordy40]

Iron supplements should only be taken with vitamin c and well away from any other supplements and minimum 4 hours away from levothyroxine

Vitamin D and magnesium, four hours away from levothyroxine too

Remember to stop taking vitamin B complex a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results

If testing iron and ferritin levels, stop iron supplements a week before test. Iron testing should be done fasting in morning

Teva brand levothyroxine upsets many people, best avoided

[Lordy40 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your guidance. I make sure all my supplements are taken at least 4 hours after thyroxine. I’ll stop taking the vitamin b complex a week before the blood tests. I don’t take any iron supplements apart from the ferritin. I will avoid the Teva brand.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Almus is boxed by Boots and is Accord brand levothyroxine

Accord is also boxed as Northstar via Lloyds

Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets

To get 25mcg dose, cut 50mcg tablets in half

[Lordy40 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you, I have been cutting my 50’s in half.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Lordy40

T4- 16.1 (12-22)

TSH - 1.55 (0.27-4.2)

What dose were you on when that test was done in January? You were undermedicated then and needed an increase.

The aim of a treated Hypo patient on Levo only, generally, is for TSH to be 1 or below with FT4 and F3 in the upper part of their reference ranges if that is where you feel well. Your FT4 was only 41% through range (75% or around 19.5 would probably be better) with a TSH below 1.

[Lordy40 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for your reply. I was in 150mcg. It’ll be interesting to see what the next blood test results show.