Over Medication?: My last NHS blood test results... - Thyroid UK

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Over Medication?

LizT10 profile image
9 Replies

My last NHS blood test results on 27th June were

TSH 0.4. T4. 23.2

My surgery won’t test for T3 or antibodies.

I have been on 100 mcg thyroxine since 1st May (increased from 75)

Now have the following symptoms:

Am feeling very anxious with palpitations, dizzy head, indigestion, diarrhoea and heat intolerance.

I wanted to have a blood test this week but because of the crisis with lack of blood sample tubes, only really critical tests are being taken.

Has anyone experienced a similar situation? Should I try reducing to 75 mcg and see what happens?

Any advice welcome…..

Many thanks

LizT10😊

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LizT10
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9 Replies
DippyDame profile image
DippyDame

Please can you add reference range (numbers in brackets) for FT4...they vary from lab to lab.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Hi LizT10

When we post results of test,s we also have to put the ranges. Ranges are usually in brackets after the results. The reason is that labs use different machines and the ranges may be different and ranges enable members to comment upon them.

If you are able to add the ranges, press the down arrow netx to More and you will be able to edit your post (if you have the information).

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Was test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Recommend getting FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done privately first before considering changing dose

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Which brand

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

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

Might be worth splitting levothyroxine dose, taking 50mcg waking and 25mcg at bedtime (or vice versa)

Can help reduce anxiety

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Previous posts show you have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Have you had coeliac blood test done yet

Or are you already on strictly gluten free diet

Technically it’s Hashimoto's (with goitre) or Ord’s thyroiditis (no goitre). Both variants are autoimmune and more commonly just called Hashimoto’s

Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function with Hashimoto’s can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal

Before considering trial on gluten free diet get coeliac blood test done FIRST just to rule it out

lloydspharmacy.com/products...

If you test positive for coeliac, will need to remain on gluten rich diet until endoscopy (officially 6 weeks wait)

If result is negative can consider trialing strictly gluten free diet for 3-6 months. Likely to see benefits. Can take many months for brain fog to lift.

If no obvious improvement, reintroduce gluten see if symptoms get worse.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.

hypothyroidmom.com/how-to-l...

Eliminate Gluten. Even if you don’t have Hashimoto’s. Even if you have “no adverse reactions”. Eliminate gluten. There are no universal rules except this one.

Why gluten intolerance can upset cortisol levels

kalishinstitute.com/blog/gl...

Cutting gluten can reduce anxiety too

Hey, I am having similar symptoms and I am overdosed, my ft3 is over range. Your ft4 seems over range if the range is 12-22. You don't need to reduce to 75, you can go with 88 as well as 25 mcg is a big drop (depends what your bloods were on 75 mcg).

How did you feel on 75 mcg?

SmallBlueThing profile image
SmallBlueThing

Yes, I've had similar symptoms during hyper flares, before diagnosis/treatment. With thyrotoxicosis when treating, the only symptom I experienced was painfully weak arms and shoulders. My TSH had dropped from 0.43 to 0.11, and then went up to 3.0 as a result of cutting my dose, leaving me feeling pretty awful. With a slow and gradual increase, my TSH eventually dropped to 0.06 with no symptoms of over-substitution. I was allowed an FT3 test, which showed FT4/FT3 > 4.5, so I decided to reduce my by then high dose of levothyroxine and add a source of T3. I assume the damage from the flare had reduced the capability of my thyroid to contribute to conversion from FT4 to FT3.

I would suggest dropping back to 75 mcg or alternating 100/75 mcg.

LizT10 profile image
LizT10 in reply to SmallBlueThing

thanks so much for your reply. I will try 75/100 as you suggest.

Blackapril80 profile image
Blackapril80

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you but this is the first time I've looked at my emails in days. It seems like people have already given you some great advice and covered everything. I Hope you start to feel better soon.

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