levothyroxine dosing: Hi I started on 25mg... - Thyroid UK

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levothyroxine dosing

Colliedance profile image
5 Replies

Hi

I started on 25mg levothyroxine about weeks 3 ago but my GP asked me to only take it Monday to Friday anyone know why this would be? Had been having a lot of symptoms that I had put down to peri-menopause and age. T4 was normal both blood tests and SH was 7 and 7.8 .

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Colliedance
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helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

May I check - do you really mean FSH? (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) Rather than TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone).

Colliedance profile image
Colliedance in reply to helvella

Sorry yes TSH fat fingers and blurry eyes

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to Colliedance

Easily done!

That would definitely support treatment. But 25 micrograms a day is already a low dose. And missing at weekends appears crazy.

A standard starting dose would be 50 micrograms a day.

Do you have any other test results? Like Free T4.

Very often, people starting treatment actually feel worse if the dose they take is not enough to increase the amount of thyroid hormone.

The effect of any levothyroxine will be to reduce TSH. That reduction in TSH will mean your body makes less thyroid hormone. The amount you take must be more than that reduction - otherwise you can end up with a net reduction. Which might have happened to you.

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Colliedance profile image
Colliedance in reply to helvella

No other results as GP only told me those over the phone. The two results were both before I started on the Levothyroxine. Getting more bloods done in a week will make sure I get them all this time.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

How long have you been on this tiny dose?

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

Always test thyroid levels early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet

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 at least once year minimum

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

If not had vitamins or thyroid antibodies tested yet get them tested at next test

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am

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 and money off codes

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

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...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...

Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg everyday

Levothyroxine doesn’t top up failing thyroid,it replaces it. Important to be on high enough dose

Dose is increased slowly upwards in 25mcg steps over several months. Unless extremely petite likely to need eventually at least 100mcg levothyroxine per day

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