Hi I have had Hashimotos for many years now and lately I've been feeling a bit off. Doc tested all bloods (glucose was low, second test said it was fine? However now she wants to reduce my thyroxine from 125 to 100 for six week. I'm really not convinced I should.. TSH is 0.02 and T4 is 20.9.
I couldn't get to speak to her this was receptionist. Any idea if this sounds right?
Why slash your dose by 20%?
I'd much prefer the gentlest possible reduction, if a reduction is even appropriate.
See Fine Dose Adjustment in my document. It suggests how a much smoother path of dose change can be achieved.
helvella - Vade Mecum for Thyroid
The term vade mecum means:
1. A referential book such as a handbook or manual.
2. A useful object, constantly carried on one’s person.
Currently has the following sections:
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Alerts Amino Acids Antibodies Elements
Famous People with Thyroid Disease
Fine Dose Adjustment
Hydration: Anhydrous vs. Pentahydrate
Human Hormones
Iodine Content of Thyroid Hormones
Medicine Classifications
Pathology Handbooks
Pharma Contacts
Pharmacy Locations
Prescription Latin
Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP)
Tests (Summary)
Tests – LabTestsOnline
Thyroid Binding Proteins
Thyroid Diseases, Disorders and Syndromes
Thyroid Hormones
Thyroid Hormone Ratios
Thyroid Medicines
Units – Grams, Milligrams and Micrograms
Vitamins X-codes
Yellow Card Reports
Not everything is in this one document - my major medicines document is still separate!
Newlou
Without knowing the reference ranges for your results we can't really say anything meaningful. Reference ranges vary from lab to lab so we always need the ranges that come with your results.
Also, just testing TSH and FT4 doesn't give full information about thyroid status. Testing FT3 is very important as T3 is the active hormone and it's the FT3 result that tells us if we are overmedicated, have poor conversion of T4 to T3, etc. Unfortunately this test is rarely done.
With a TSH of 0.02 this is classed as suppressed and doctors tend to just look at the TSH level, if it's low they tend to think you're overmedicated and they lower the dose of Levo. Unfortunately, that's not how it should work but most doctors are quite ignorant of how to treat hypothyroidism.
Welcome to the forum
Never ever agree to dose reduction based just on TSH and Ft4
Have you changed anything recently
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Low vitamin levels common as we get older too
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 and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
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...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease). Ord’s is autoimmune without goitre.
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto’s. Low vitamin levels are particularly common with Hashimoto’s. Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue too
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
List of hypothyroid symptoms
Thank you so much these responses are fabulous. I always feel they don't listen,even before I was diagnosed at 28 they told me nothing was wrong..until I begged for help. Great I will look into all of this ⭐
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