Memory worsening

[Mst27]

I have recently increased my dose from 25/50 alternate days to 50 every day. My memory is worsening. I completely forgot my husband’s birthday today although I know I remembered it a few days back. I was writing my Dads birthday card last week and wrote To and then couldn’t remember what I was doing. I can’t recognise words some times and am looking them up in a dictionary to check that I have spelt them right as they often look wrong. I’m a teaching assistant at a primary school so this does not look good in a classroom!Grocery shopping is laughable as I walk down one isle only to forget what I want and that goes on throughout the shop.I write reminders on my phone they ping and I forget them two minutes later. I don’t feel engaged fully with anything , I feel like I’m doing half a job or less of everything. I feel this is getting worse daily. I have just started on a gluten-free diet and have been taking B12, Vit D and magnesium supplements. I had the coeliac test which was negative but thought I would try gluten-free to see if it helps. Should I be worried about this being something other than my thyroid ? I’m sure I’m just being impatient but the brain fog is getting to me at the moment.

[fuchsia-pink]

You are probably horribly under-medicated. A "standard" starter dose is 50 mcg a day unless you are very elderly or in very poor health, neither of which seems to fit - so do you know why your starter dose was so low? And then a blood test every 6 - 8 weeks is usual, with 25 mcg a day increase normal - whereas you have only been given half of that. So you are still not on a usual minimum "starter" level of levo

When you take levo it replaces your natural hormone rather than topping it up, so it's pretty well inevitable that you will feel so much worse if you are being replaced with seriously inadequate levels ...

Do you have your latest blood results? You need continued testing every 6 - 8 weeks - always an early morning fasting blood test, before 9 am (when TSH is highest) and a gap of 24 hours from your last levo (take the next dose straight afterwards) until TSH is always less than 2, probably less than 1 AND free T4 is a good 2/3 or more through the lab range

[Mst27 in reply to fuchsia-pink]

I have attached a copy of my latest blood tests which were from 28th February. I had tried to go from 25 to 50 but felt awful so was advised to take 25/50 alternate days which I did for 6 weeks and then had these test results. The doctor would be happy to leave me on this dose and not re test but I have booked an appointment to ask for bloods to be rechecked as I am now on 50 a day. I haven’t had any vitamin checks done this last time but will try to ask for that to be added to the next test. Thank you for your reply. I had a cry last night about my memory problem and I think I start questioning what I already know which is that I am under medicated and have to just keep going until I get it right. I sometimes worry that if I put everything down to my thyroid I might miss something else if that makes any sense. Thank you again for your time.

Copy of my results

[TaraJR in reply to Mst27]

You look very under medicated to me. I think most patients who are on thyroid meds feel best when their TSH is under 2, preferably under 1. And their T4 and T3 in the top third or quarter.

SlowDragon I think you have more info then me on this?NICE recommends you are dosed by bodyweight, so I'm sure you should be taking more

"Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.

Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 25 to 50 micrograms per day with titration for adults aged 65 and over and adults with a history of cardiovascular disease."

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mst27]

Your very under medicated

It’s often difficult to increase dose in standard 25mcg steps if been very hypothyroid a long time

Make an appointment with GP for next increase in dose levothyroxine up to 75mcg

Initially you may need to increase only by 12.5mcg

Cutting 25mcg tablet in half

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

[Mst27]

Hi thanks for your replies. I am taking Almus tablets. I guess I already knew that it was because I am under medicated but when I struggle with symptoms I look to see if there is a quicker way to fix them. Strange really as I’m looking for another illness which is the last thing I want ! I will get an appointment booked and bloods re-tested at the six week stage. Thanks again for all the support provided here it has helped me greatly.