Levothyroxine dose change: Hi all, After several... - Thyroid UK

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Levothyroxine dose change

bajmon profile image
8 Replies

Hi all,

After several months of being in 50 / 75mcg on alternate days of Levothyroxine my THS changed to 2.94 which I could feel the difference. I was very lethargic, tired, achy, emotional. I saw Endo who put my dose to 75 daily + 100 on Sundays. I feel quite jumpy, i can feel my heart on my chest. Though my BP is normal I thinks of too high for me. I don't feel. I can feel pressure in my neck also which I had when subacute Thyroiditis started . So I'm wondering if this was too big change. What are your thoughts? I started the new dose on 12/01/22 and have another test booked for 15/02

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tattybogle profile image
tattybogle

was 62.5mcg /day .

now 78.5 mcg/day.

It would be hard to increase much more slowly than you have really .....

and If you lower your dose now, then you'll then have to wait another 6 weeks before a blood test.

As you've only been on 78.5mcg for 3 of weeks , I think i would give it another 3 weeks to see if things settle down as you get used to it , and then test .

I suppose you could lower it a little bit , ie 6 days 75mcg 1 day 50mcg =71mcg day,

but if you do you that , a blood test on 15th wont be much use .

P.s .. that blood test is a bit too soon anyway , should really be on a dose for at least 6 weeks before testing. That's only 5 weeks from 12/01

bajmon profile image
bajmon in reply totattybogle

I know it's soon but that's what the Endo has requested 😐

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Are all your levothyroxine tablets always the same brand at each prescription

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

You could cut the 100mcg tablet in half and take 50mcg waking and 50mcg at bedtime …..might make the days you take 100mcg more manageable

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

Important to maintain optimal vitamin levels

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

bajmon profile image
bajmon in reply toSlowDragon

Hi, we spoke already about my vitamins recently and I had them tested on 31/12. All good except of vit D which I'm now supplementing 4000iu daily as prescribed. I spoke to the chemist yesterday about the branding suggestion and she said that there's no problem in taking different brands, it doesn't matter in Levothyroxine. I have two different brands now. Can't really argue with the chemist 🙄

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tobajmon

Which is absolute B*****t

And is EXACTLY why Government published guidelines that for many, many people different brands of levothyroxine are NOT Interchangeable

Doctors and pharmacists have been gaslighting patients about this for decades

Which brands have you got?

Which brand of levothyroxine do you prefer

Request GP put the brand name on all future prescriptions

Here’s the guidelines for GP if you find it difficult/impossible to change brands

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...

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.

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

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).

tattybogle profile image
tattybogle in reply tobajmon

Can't really argue with the chemist 🙄

:) Don't lower yourself to that ... but , thanks to the new Gov.uk drug safety update which came out last year, we don't have to put up with being gaslighted/ talked to like idiots on that subject anymore .

You can politely show them this gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l... drug safety update ... (the one that they presumably should already have read if they are keeping their prescribing knowledge up to date )

If there is really 'no difference' and 'no problem' ... there wouldn't be a Gov.uk drug safety update advising keeping to the same brand for patients who experience problems.

If they aren't interested in being more helpful or keeping themselves up to date , then tell them you'll have all your prescriptions sent to a chemist who is prepared to be more helpful, and who is professional enough to read drug safety updates.

preferably ..... have this calm polite conversation in a loud clear voice when the chemist is very full of customers.

See how they like being made to feel silly....

This rubbish attitude from chemists, (and their total disrespect towards perfectly intelligent thyroid patients who quite reasonably wish to stay on a consistent brand to Levo ) has been going on long enough, and it needs calling out when they continue to try it on.

Sparklingsunshine profile image
Sparklingsunshine in reply tobajmon

Hi

You absolutely can, in my experience the only person who is an expert on how you feel is you. The expertise of the medical profession is greatly exaggerated in my experience.

They are only people at the end of the day, with the same fallabilities as the rest of us, the same prejudices and you get good and bad ones, the same as any profession. We shouldn't take their word as gospel.

And as many people find Levo brands are not interchangeable, often due to the different fillers different manufacturers use in the tablet formation, these don't suit everyone.

Hence NICE guidelines state that doctors should consider prescribing one brand only in the event of persistent unresolved hypo symptoms or in cases of intolerance. I have Accord as a named brand due to problems with itching due to other brands.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

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 only make 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

beware 25mcg Northstar is Teva

List of different brands available in U.K.

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

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