I have been taking 75mcgs / 100mcgs alternate days for around 8 months it was reduced from 100mcgs as my TSH was too low and actually I did feel a lot better when they had decreased it. I had a blood test in June and all was in the normal ranges and I felt fine and that was confirmed with GP also taking annual bloods 2 months ago. I haven’t got the exact results and ranges as did not feel the need to scrutinise as I felt good. T3 was no where near top of the range tho as I am a poor converter.
Last week out of the blue I very suddenly developed debilitating ectopic beats and irregular heartbeats. These are near constant. I’m awaiting a holter monitor (probably months) and I have asked a GP to ring me soon as I feel so awful all of a sudden but no call yet 😔! So since the irregular heart beat (but normal heart rate) has started I’ve got increasingly worsening fatigue, headaches, facial flushing, anxiety & no appetite. I just wondered if having been on Levo for 3 years, I could suddenly get such a dramatic hyperthyroidism? Like a hashi swing I have heard some talk about? I was thinking that this happened more at the beginning stages of thyroid disease rather than where I am now but wondered if this could be causing my symptoms and I should push for another blood test?
I really do feel awful and scared 😟
Thanks
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HashisKate
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Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
More likely under medicated/low Ft3
Can you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing
Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate
you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
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
All these were done in June and were fine /optimum. The only thing of concern was that my b12 had crept up significantly despite my not supplementing. I’ve never felt like this even before diagnosis - I feel awful 😥 hard to get the GP to take notice
I have only been supplementing with vitamin D. I’ve just recently added magnesium citrate, only a few days worth. I’ve tried gluten free before, and for me a good balance is very low gluten, which I do currently and have done for a while. I was tested 2 years ago and not caeliac.
I am taking Teva. Aside from one month with it was different about 6 months ago it’s always been Teva since I was first diagnosed.
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine.
Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half
But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)
Teva, or Aristo (100mcg only) are the only lactose free tablets
Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord
Mercury Pharma make 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets
Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, and Northstar 50mcg and 100mcg via Lloyds ....but Accord doesn’t make 25mcg tablets
If a patient reports persistent symptoms when switching between different levothyroxine tablet formulations, consider consistently prescribing a specific product known to be well tolerated by the patient. If symptoms or poor control of thyroid function persist (despite adhering to a specific product), consider prescribing levothyroxine in an oral solution formulation.
Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
Yes it had, but this dose has been for 8 months and felt much better for all of that time. I was worried about lowering my dose but actually felt much better for it. Is a hashi swing actually possible when you’re this far in?
Also don’t have the other symptoms I had back then. I had incredibly heavy periods, constipation etc whereas that’s not my experience at the moment. I guess it must be unrelated to thyroid 😔
Could be it's the reduction in your levo that is just kicking in, and your levels are now too low. Your symptoms are not specifically hyper/over-medicated, could easily be due to being hypo again.
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