Overmedicated thyroid?

[Lyndylan]

I have been gradually increasing levothyroxine over the last year to treat hypothyroidism. After increasing to 100mg on 1/6 and 125mg in 1/7, I got a blood test on 3/8 which showed very low TSH and high T4. Unfortunately T3 was not tested. I took the test in the afternoon and had taken levo about 12 hours before. Above are the results over the last 14 months.

I have been experiencing less tiredness latel , but I have terrible aching legs and muscular aches in the glutes all the the time. I have not been able to lose any weight but it has stopped increasing.

Could you kindly comment on these results and what I should ask my doctor with whom I have an appointment on Thursday. Should I be paying for another medichecks test to measure T3 and vitamins? I also had kidney and liver function tested and this showed slightly raised potassium serum level at 5.1 mmol/L (range 3.50 - 5.00mmol/L)- not sure if this is relevant...

Many thanks in advance.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Lyndylan

You really need to leave 6-8 weeks between blood tests after a dose change, I tend to leave 8 weeks and even then at 10 weeks I feel better than I do at 8 weeks.

Taking your Levo 12 hours before the test isn't best, it's better to take last dose 24 hours before test, and to get the highest possible TSH we should test no later than 9am.

So really your latest results aren't particularly accurate. Your TSH is lower than it would be at 9am but that's not the most important test anyway. Your FT4 is high because you didn't leave enough time between last dose and test, and also you tested after five and a half weeks and 8 weeks would have given more time for levels to settle.

However, even taking all that into account your FT4 does seem to be too high and you might benefit from a lower dose of Levo to bring FT4 down and the addition of some T3 to bring your FT3 up, even though it wasn't tested I'm guessing that it will be quite low and not balanced with your FT4.

I think it would be a good idea to do the full thyroid/vitamin test with Medichecks, remembering to do the test no later than 9am, having nothing to eat or drink before the test other than water, and taking last dose of Levo 24 hours before the test. You will then have accurate results on which to base your next move.

You could ask your GP to test FT3 along with TSH and FT4 but it's quite likely the lab wont do it even if your GP agrees.

[Lyndylan in reply to SeasideSusie]

many thanks Susie I will follow your advice

[tattybogle]

TSH isn't a worry, but fT4 is too high. TSH would have been a little higher if tested in early AM (it's lowest around 1-3pm)

12hrs after dose should be fairly representative for fT4 ,( but it's maybe better to leave 24hrs)

You have increased too soon from 100 to 125mcg .. the effects of an increase in dose can take 6 weeks to show a true TSH level, and may take more like 8 -12 weeks to gradually improve how you feel.

GP will want to reduce dose based on these results, and in light of fT4 being so over range you probably should. If you don't want to reduce to 100 again you could suggest 100/125 alternate (ie 112.5mcg/day)

[tattybogle in reply to tattybogle]

Oh .. just noticed you were only on 75mcg for just over 3 weeks before you increased to 100mcg... again .. this was too soon . If you increase this fast you will miss the right dose for you as it take several weeks to really know what any dose will feel like.

[Lyndylan in reply to tattybogle]

Thanks for taking the time to reply