After trying many combinations, for the past year I have been on liquid levothyroxine. on the mental health side I have found it fantastic. No anxiety issues or OCD where as I used to be a gibberish wreck. The thing that I am finding however is that I am expanding in size, quite rapidly! Have a constant cough, eyes constantly stream and vision is split. (I have previously had TED in the left eye,) and the pain behind the eyes is massive. Also pain in what seems to be the kidney area. I have been taking the TEVA brand but they have now stopped this down here, and have now gone over to Zentiva. The worst part is the eyes , the streaming that constantly then drys on my face, and also the vision. It may be coincidental but it seems to have got worse since I started the liquid, yet as I say don’t want to change from the liquid due to the progress on the mental health side. Does anyone else find this?
liquid Levothyroxine side effects, eyesight pro... - Thyroid UK
liquid Levothyroxine side effects, eyesight problems?
Hello Maelanro :
My TED was triggered by having had RAI thyroid ablation for Graves Disease back in 2005.
There are various OTC products you can use but please ensure anything and everything you use, whether it be a lotion, potion, drop, spray or the gunky o/night grease that they are all marked on the packaging and product as Preservative Free.,
You have a build up product on your lash base - it may help to lay down with a wet warm clean flannel pad over your closed eyes and gently massage the eye lash base in a circular motion allowing the warmth and wetness to seep in a little.
A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you on a daily basis with trace elements of T1. T2 ad calcitonin + a measure of T3 at around 10 mcg + a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg.
T4 is a storage hormone and needs to be converted by your body into T3 the active hormone which runs the body and is said to be around 4 x more powerful than T4 with the average person needing to find around 50 T3 daily just to function.
Your ability to convert the T4 into T3 can be compromised by non optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D, inflammation, any physiological stress ( emotional or physical ) dieting, depression and ageing.
RAI is known to trash vitamins and minerals.
RAI is also known to trigger symptoms similar to those of Sjogren's Syndrome and fibromyalgia.
It is essential that you are dosed and monitored on your T3 and T4 blood test results and not a TSH reading, looked at in isolation, which generally all that is offered in primary care.
We generally feel at our best when our T4 is towards the top of the range as this should, in theory, convert to a decent level of T3 at around a 1/4 ratio T3/T4.
By not replacing that little measure of T3 that your own thyroid supported you with you have in effect been down regulated by around 20% of your overall wellbeing and, overtime, this will pull you down as your body tries to compensate with this shortfall in thyroid hormones.
Some people can get by on T4 only :
Some people find they need to add back in a little T3 - making a T3/T4 combo :
Some people can't tolerate T4 and need to take T3 - Liothyronine - only.
Some people find their health restored better by taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the same known hormones as that of the human gland and derived from pig thyroid, dried an ground down into tablets referred to as grains, which has been used successfully for over 100 years to treat hypothyroidism.
Up until around 20 years ago all these thyroid hormone replacement options were available for your doctor to prescribe but currently if you wish to be considered for any other option you will need to be referred to an endocrinologist and it's very much a post code lottery which is cost driven rather than on medical need.
If your original diagnosis was Graves Disease - this is an auto immune disease for which there is no cure and so all this treatment option does is switch you from hyperthyroid and needing hospital management to hypothyroid and primary care management.
Hi Pennyannie, yes my original diagnosis was Graves, which I had RAI approximately 18 years ago. I’ve tried T3 , which sent me off my rocker, the TED was in my left eye five years ago……..I had two OD ops to have my eye put back into my head so to speak. I went onto the liquid levo as I was no longer able to tolerate lactose and a lot of the tablets contain lactose.I have to admit the time I felt the best was when I lobbed all meds in the bin and refused to take them…….but my readings went ridiculously high and the dr told me to stop being ridiculous, hence how I obtained the liquid.
But as I say nearly four stone weight gain in a year, high levels of body pain. The eyesight and headaches…….and it’s just a pain in the backside isn’t it? You read one thing, and then read another and don’t quite know what to do.
Drs seem clueless as well.
Graves is a poorly understood and badly treated auto immune disease and you will need to become your own best advocate - hence the link to Elaine Moore.
There are also a couple of books - Barbara S Lougheed - Tired Thyroid - from Hyper to Hypo to Healing :
and my always goto - Your Thyroid and How To Keep It Healthy - written by a doctor - Barry Durrant-Peatfield - who wrote the book for patients and a relatively easy read.
I thnk both are now available through Thyroid UK the charity who support this amazing forum. thyroiduk.org
My ill health started around 8 years after ingesting this toxic substance.
Weight gain shows a slower than " normal for you " metabolism:
A slow metabolism will also compound your ability to extract your essential key nutrients through your food - no matter how well, and clean you eat.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/306...
Thanks for these PennyAnnie. I am a member of Thyroid UK recently joined. I come from a long line of maternal thyroid sufferers who basically ‘put up with things’. But in the previous few years after losing my job and everything due to not being able to maintain or cope with anything I decided to find out more. Still very much a work in progress but pleased to say have patched the life back together, I just never realised what an impact something so small (the thyroid gland) could have on the workings of a person so to speak. I shall hunt down your book recommendations and keep going. Yes the metabolism thing is a pain. (I was a professional dancer and expanded from size 6 with a six pack to size 16 looking as if I regularly drank a six pack! ) crazy isn’t it? It took me 16 years to get the doctor to understand the mental health issues seemed to be linked to the medication, and as I say now I am on the liquid, that side is superb……but the other side is unfortunately far from perfect. I used to love exercise etc. Now the mind is willing but the body is not. Thank you for your time in replying.
There are T3 receptors sites throughout your whole body - the brain and heart take the lion's share of your T3 production - but if there are not enough circulating in other areas you will be running on empty and unable to function properly.
I am dyslexic and live with that but my cognitive functions became severely compromised and I believed I was looking at dementia - amongst other things - details on my profile page :
In around 2016 all I knew was that my ferritin was at 22 and considered a conundrum by my doctor.
I had to force myself to understand what I was reading and several A4 exercise books later, only by writing and copying out paragraphs and reading out loud to myself did I start to understand anything.
I was refused anything other than T4 on the NHS and so started self medicating :
As soon as I took a little T3 it was " that light bulb moment " and my brain switched on again :
I now take NDT as I find it softer on my body.
I'm not 100% - but I'm am much improved and just try and give back, where i can, as I am extremely grateful for all that I have learnt from other forum members.
That is fantastic..as in what you do. I did try T3 but even the endo said he didnt know how it worked. I felt great on it initially , was unstoppable, but then it seemed to stop working. Endomsaid he didn't have a clue, then the place I got it from closed as was also obtaining it from wherever I could, with endo s knowledge but he just couldn't provide it. I now have no endo, so really want to get on top of this , and have come.a long way, but have further to go. Thank you so much for your help.
T3 doesn't start and then stop working - you likely needed more - it's like watering a parched ground - you go slowly as otherwise the water runs off - and once absorbed, further, more water is able to held onto.
Whatever dose of T3 you started on probably just needed titrating up with likely a corresponding adjustment to your T4 medication :
First and foremost it's essential to run a full thyroid blood panel as otherwise everything is just a guess - and like the endo's stab in the dark - non knowledge :
We need to see a TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 inflammation, antibodies and ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D - just start a new post with the results and ranges - and include your thyroid status, diagnosis and treatment.
There is a page on the Thyroid uk website detailing all the private companies - some offer a nurse home visit to draw the blood for you - it's certainly less stressful - I think I saw Medichecks has a discount currently running 21% off ???
Arrange an early as possible morning appointment for Monday-Wednesday - fast overnight, just taking in water and take your T4 for that day after the blood draw so you have left around 24 hours from last dose of T4.
I gave up weighing myself long before even diagnosed with Graves and I've now realised I been undiagnosed hypo all my life so now after being on NDT some 4 + years I seem to have dropped around 2 dress sizes and back where I was prior to 2000 .
I have posted my last medichecks blood test results below. At the bottom of the post. Any ideas?
I see SD has picked you up and beaten me to your blood test results - which is good as SD knows a lot more than me -
Interesting your ferritin is roughly where mine was when I found this forum some years ago - you may get a colonoscopy / endoscopy referral before supplementation - but as it is ' in the range ' you may need to build this up yourself - everywhere I read suggested that no thyroid hormone replacement works well UNTIL your ferritin is up and maintained at over 70 -
I now find i feel at my best with a ferritin at around 100 : folate around 20 : active B12 75 ++ ( serum 500++ ) and vitamin D at around 100 :
I saw research ages ago that concluded ferritin needed to be around 70-90 to be able to process levothyroxine
So call me thick but is ferritin iron? X
Ferritin is a protein which stores iron. Assessing iron is much more complex than checking ferritin alone. Ferritin can be out of step with other iron tests.
humanbean
This article is old but still useful for explaining what ferritin is :
web.archive.org/web/2013112...
Ferritin is a store for iron which pathogens can't break into and steal. This is important because "free" iron i.e. iron not stored in ferritin can be used to help pathogens reproduce.
Serum iron (as it is called in iron panels) is "free" iron found in the bloodstream which pathogens can get access to so the levels are kept low by the body deliberately.
It is the fact that iron can be used to help pathogens reproduce that essentially makes iron very dangerous in high quantities. This is also why we always suggest that people should have an iron panel done when ferritin is low or high. It is also why we suggest not taking iron supplements unless regular testing is also done.
People can end up in any of the following situations :
High ferritin and high iron
High ferritin and low iron
Low ferritin and high iron
Low ferritin and low iron
Healthy levels of both ferritin and iron.
Each combination can give clues to different health problems.
Medichecks discount code THANKU21 valid until midnight 1/8/22 to get 21% off all tests.
If they won't prescribe Tirosint for me I am tempted to try NDT however I would not have a clue where to get it from and also how much it would cost me, as I am retired and on a fixed income.
Forgot to add ferritin in always low (between 22-32) and at present have really bad pain in thigh muscles causing me to limp.
I was around 67 when everything started to go ' pear shaped ' for me and thought I was looking at dementia as well as primary hypothyroidism through RAI thyroid ablation, and the only clue I had was a low ferritin and started ' looking " for answers myself.
I also have to manage on a fixed income that being that of a single person's pension.
Yes. I never managed to get things looked at properly before admit has always been just me and my daughter.....now 19! But I manage to get on top of things for a while but am determined now my focus can be a little more on myself to get it sorted as much as I can. Thank you for your help. X
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Suggest you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done after being 6-8 weeks minimum on same brand and dose of levothyroxine
Do you split your levothyroxine dose into 2 smaller doses waking and afternoon (or bedtime)
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
When were vitamin levels last tested
As you have Graves’ disease are you on strictly gluten free diet and/or dairy free diet
Frequently can improve symptoms
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am 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 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...
Thank you for that. I have been on 5ml but this week upped to 6ml. I take it in one dose. Would you recommend splitting? I take vitamin D currently. That is the only vitamin I take as some of the others made me feel queasy, but think that may have been down to the fillers (as usual) .
I have been on the liquid for a year now.
I follow gluten free and lactose free diet. Would you recommend dairy free as opposed to lactose free?
I will order a private blood test as the doctors only test certain things as you know. It just seems a never ending riddle doesn't it?
What were results on 5ml
Was test done early morning, last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
What strength is the liquid levothyroxine your on….what’s the actual dose in mcg equivalent
Yes many people find it better to split liquid levothyroxine into two smaller doses
It’s all experimenting…see what works for you
Only make one change at a time or you can’t tell what’s working
Dairy…..thyroid patients are often reacting to an enzyme in milk….not just the lactose.
Worth experimenting with dairy free rather than lactose free
We frequently need to supplement vitamin D, vitamin B complex continuously
Test folate, ferritin and B12 at least once a year
Test vitamin D twice year
How much vitamin D are you currently taking
Optimal vitamin levels are
Vitamin D at least around 80nmol minimum
Serum B12 over 500
Active B12 over 70
Folate and ferritin at least half way through range
So these are the results I received on the 23rd May from medichecks.Inflammation 0.85mg/l (0-5)
Ferritin 22.9ug/l (13-150)
Folate serum 4.15 (>3.89)
Vitamin B12 48.7pmol/L (37.5-150)
Vitamin D 54 no l/L (50-200)
TSH 3.51 mU/L (0.27-4.2)
Free T3 3.68Pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
Free thyroxine 14.2pmol/L (12-22)
thyroglobulin antibodies 15 IU/mL(<115)
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies <9 IU/ml (<34)
I have no idea what any mean other than they all had a green dot.
The liquid levothyroxine I take is 100ml dose.
The vitamin d I take is liquid 3000 IU.
Do you think the eye double vision is thyroid related again. I really want to get on top of all this but seem to keep going round in circles?
Good grief you are very under medicated and all vitamins are far too low
McPammy takes liquid levothyroxine…..she could tell us how much 6ml of 100ml dose is
How long have you been taking 3000iu vitamin D
Is it tablets or mouth spray
See GP for iron panel test for anaemia
B12 is so low ideally GP should test for Pernicious Anaemia before starting on B vitamins
Hi I have been taking the vitamin D spray for about six months. I am not vegetarian or vegan. I have not had any periods for 9 years. I am 46 but the dr says perhaps you are menopausal? But I haven’t had periods for 9 years. Would being menopausal a bit odd?
My mum has pernicious anaemia but my dr won’t test for it?
See different GP and insist on testing for Pernicious Anaemia
And full iron panel test for anaemia
Highly likely to need iron supplements, possibly and iron infusion
I don’t understand the liquid levothyroxine dose …hopefully McPammy can explain it
But you’re clearly extremely under medicated
Thank you for your help. I am desperately trying to keep on top of everything. I am trying to keep working and have had my brother in hospital for the past year and also help care for my dad. Feels like I’m slowly fading away so to speak, and try and change things here and there but just can’t seem to get the drs to listen. They tend to pat you on the head and send you on your merry way, and I need to be well to sort the rest of the family out.
Vitamin levels will be low as direct result of being left inappropriately treated
When hypothyroid we frequently develop low stomach acid, this leads to poor nutrient absorption and low vitamin levels as direct result
Approx how much do you weigh in kilo
Guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight is approx 1.6mcg levothyroxine per kilo of your weight per day
But some people need more, especially if have poor gut function and malabsorption
Roughly where in U.K. are you
You need an endo really
Email Thyroid U.K. for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologist and doctors
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
I have gone up to 94 kg from 73 kg a couple of years ago. Before that I was always about 65 kg . I am not taking any other supplements other than the vitamin D. The last ending I went to told me to stop taking the meds as I seemed to have problems with all the levo I had tried. So I did. Felt great symptom wise but my TSH went up to 69.8 and have had problems ever since. I am back on meds now and have been for two years but just never seem to get any consistency. All of a sudden I seemed to stop being able to eat a lot of certain foods etc, but don’t seem to be able to get any sense from anywhere. GP wise it is always a phone call which means they don’t actually see my eyes etc, which never stop streaming or hurting, and always double vision again. The joint pain. The lethargy, I’m sure you hear this all the time.
Suggest you increase vitamin D spray to 5000iu or 6000iu for 2-3 months then retest vitamin D
Are you taking any magnesium supplements
Are you taking vitamin D with vitamin K2 MK7
Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing
There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.
One spray = 1000iu
amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...
Another member recommended this one recently
Vitamin D with k2
amazon.co.uk/Strength-Subli...
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average
Vitamin D and thyroid disease
grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...
Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease
newscientist.com/article/23...
Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7
Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Great article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium
drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...
Vitamin K2 mk7
I think the fact that you need to take liquid T4 is, in itself - telling :
Liquid T4 is so much more expensive to prescribe and your doctor would probably have had to justify the cost :
I read the test for pernicious anaemia is not 100% and seeing as your Mum suffers with this - and we're looking at another AI disease that likely has a genetic predisposition, it would seem logical that you too have similar issues.
I did try explaining this to the doctor but they looked at me as if I was mad, and said there didn’t seem to be any need to test for this just because mum has it, and to go away and try and find some enjoyment in life, pretty much the same as the endo said. I pointed out I did enjoy life, but energy wise, etc was just finding it a bit hard going.
I know, I've been there - you don't need to defend yourself - we are on your side but I just get upset and cross as I'd be sacked for not doing my job properly and my job never involved anything as such a serious matter as someone's health.
I know. I’m having the same battle fighting the corner for another ill family member. ( brother in hospital for a year, not thyroid related, doctors doing buggar all, other family members can’t help out as stroke has left the impaired…..so just me, and I can feel health wise everything starting to slide again, but trying to keep on top of it.
It is so difficult as Graves is stress and anxiety driven and you need to cut yourself some slack ??
I just don’t know how to solve the family situation etc, which Obs isn’t what this post is about. But the whole family is imploding as such. The phone never stops going etc as the spokesperson for my brothers situation, and as I say trying to work as well. Just feel like chasing my tail all the time, though as I say the mental health side is very good……..surprisingly. 😀 when I was on tablets there is no way I could do what I’m doing now sorting out the family stuff as would have crumbled. Now physically crumbling but not mentally which is a positive.
Yes, but one without the other is not sustainable - and you know this - you have put yourself on the back burner - typical Graves attitude - and you know you need help .
Yes I know, it's just for some reason everyone family wise thinks I have the answers....yet I know buggar all. 🤣
6mL is 120 micrograms.
(Using information posted later about the product being 100 micrograms per 5mL.)
6ml liquid levo is 120mcgs. 20mcgs per 1ml.
Your T4 is just 22% through the range and as previously written we generally feel better when out T4 is up in, or towards, the top quadrant and around 75% :
Your T3 is just around 16% :
Your TSH is too high and needs to be down at least under 2 and you'll probably feel even better if it was very low and towards the bottom of the range and under 1 :
The double vision could well be thyroid related - is this just the one eye you had surgery on - or both ?
I had surgery on the left eye twice. Though both constantly stream now the Mai problem now seems to be the right eye. How do I alter the ranges on the thyroid levels?
You are very undermedicated and need to be optimally medicated with thyroid hormone replacement as well as sort out your absorption issue and restore your vitamins and minerals to optimal levels to restore your core strength.
I think you should contact the Thyroid Eye Disease Charity tedct.org.uk ,
This charity can signpost you to specialist outpost clinics, generally attached to large teaching hospitals, where you may well be met with specialists in both endocrinology and in TED / Graves, - and I read where the endo and eye specialist work together as to your medication needs.
Where abouts are you ?
Do you have the list from Thyroid Uk ?
Can you afford to go private - if so, maybe start a new post asking for Private Messages ( PMs) they show up through the ' chat ' icon above - for an endocrinologist who has been helpful and offers all thyroid hormone treatment options ?
I am in West Sussex penny Annie. Near Brighton. I can’t afford to go private but I will afford to go private if that makes sense? You wouldn’t think it could have so much impact would you?
Yes - I was housebound for 2 years because of medical neglect/RAI long term consequences and no one in the NHS mainstream helped me :
My dentist started my ball rolling as I had no saliva and I tried to keep pushing it up the hill but I found no help nor understanding and all the futile appointments and comments simply exacerbated my symptoms so I decided to leave the system as it wasn't working for me, and against my ever getting any better.
You can't do that yet, you need medical help and the NHS owe you a duty of care and maybe another doctor within your area is the first option to be considered.
I just don't get why the medical teams don't 'get it' so to speak? I hope that you are well now? X
I'm much improved thanks to this forum and a few books.
I just so regret drinking this toxic substance - and think it should be banned as a health treatment therapy ????
Trade description act comes to mind - but let's leave it there :
I had no idea at the time. I had a nine month old baby and was basically told of you don't have this treatment you will die.....so you just go with it.....or should I say......at the time I just went with it! I am so pleased you are getting on better. This site is superb and I would think saves an awful lot of lives mentally and physically.
I think you are likely in information overload today :
Wait a day or two and read everything through again - and make a plan for yourself.
Absolutely. I will. You have all been so helpful. How do you all k ow all this? Incredible, Thank you again.
Well, we have had to read up for ourselves and as much as I'm not computer savvy - without this little gizmo I'd still be where I was in 2016 and getting nowhere within the NHS system and in an ever increasing circle of unwellness :
What starts off as a relatively simply question has turned into a mountain of further information and questions for you to have resolved and now most probably you are overwhelmed.
Take good care:
Keep reading and asking questions as we are all here to help each other :
Yes it has. Thank you. I have read a few different books, but sometimes you read one, and then another completely contradicts doesn't it? And then you tend to asninsaid before send yourself round in circles. X
I started trying to read Elaine Moore as I thought - I knew I had a Graves Disease diagnosis some years previously and thought maybe this had come back as my doctor had no answers.
I learnt Graves doesn't go away as it's an auto immune disease and that the treatment for primary hypothyroidism after RAI thyroid ablation is challenging.
Elaine has Graves and had RAI thyroid ablation in around 2000 and found herself also going ' in reverse ' so as a medical technologist in the States she started her own research into this poorly understood and badly treated AI disease, and is now well recognised and respected with a World wide following.
Barry Durrant-Peatfield is a doctor who has hypothyroidism - so I knew I had this - and wrote his book so patients could try and help themselves and resigned from his profession due to the ever increasing restrictive guidelines doctors seem to have to work to.
Barbara S Lougheed is just a woman, like you and me, who wrote of her experience after a diagnosis of Graves and post RAI thyroid ablation as she too found herself going around in circles.
There are many books and it is a minefield, but these are the most relevant I found and yes, I purchased some dead ducks as well.
You'll learn from here by just reading of other people's thyroid journeys -
It's a bit like a jigsaw puzzle and once you get some corner pieces out it all starts to build up and a picture emerges as all the pieces fit together.
Thank you so much. I shall hunt these out. X
They may well be on the Library page within the Thyroid uk website.
Suggest you start with Elaine's website rather than her now several books as it's broken down into manageable chunks - just use the search bar to read up what interests you - elaine-moore.com
Thank you. X
Health4all.co.uk have vitamin D and others supplements with very few fillers. Discount code SUMMER20 valid until midnight Sunday 31/7/22 to get 20% off.
To give you an idea of how much vitamin D to take, I take 1000ius (25mcg), daily and this keeps my levels at around 75. I have decided to take 2000ius daily to see if I can get my levels up to 100.
Ferritin is deficient cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...
In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency
Are you vegetarian or vegan
Pre or post menopause
Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
List of iron rich foods
Links about iron and ferritin
An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked
preventmiscarriage.com/iron...
irondisorders.org/too-littl...
davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...
Great in-depth article on low ferritin
oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...
drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...
Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
Medichecks iron panel test
medichecks.com/products/iro...
Iron and thyroid link
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Heme iron v non heme
hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...
Good explanations of iron
B12 ….you may need injections even if test for Pernicious Anaemia is negative
If you have B12 injections it’s recommended also to supplement a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.
This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels between injections too
If no injections, even more reasons to supplement
Difference between folate and folic acid
chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...
Many Hashimoto’s and Graves patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
B vitamins best taken after breakfast
Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...
endocrinenews.endocrine.org...
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement and continue separate B12 supplements if not on injections
Low B12 symptoms
b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
If no injections
With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex (to balance all the B vitamins) initially for first 2-4 months.
once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
B12 sublingual lozenges
amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...
cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
How other member saw how effective improving low B vitamins has been
Thyroid eye disease (TED) is worse when thyroid hormones are not OK. The good news is if you get your thyroid hormones optimal your TED should improve.
'In the active phase of TED, fluctuations in the levels of thyroid hormone (both underactive as well as overactive) can lead to progression of TED. In patients with Graves’ disease who undergo treatment with radioactive iodine therapy, it is important to closely monitor thyroid levels afterwards as untreated hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone levels) can worsen TED. '
endocrine.org/patient-engag...
I personally would follow slowdragons advice on getting vitamins & minerals at optimal levels, and increasing thyroid hormone levels.
When I was on liquid thyroxine, 5ml was eqivalent to 100mcg levothyroxine. There are different concentrations, so check on the bottle what yours is.
Do you follow the rules about avoiding food when taking levothyroxine? Food affects conversion to T3 and absorption. Need to take it on an empty stomach 4 hours after food, and don't eat for 1 hour. Avoid taking medication with iron, calcium and magnesium in within 4 hours of taking levothyroxine m
As you're on levothyroxine mono med(i. e. not taking any T3), you can calculate whether you are a poor converter of T4 to T3. Ft3÷ft4.
Hi it is the 100mcg levo I am on. Yes I take it away from food. In hindsight I wish I’d never gone done the RAI route but at the time was told it was the only option.
There are a few levothyroxine medications that don't contain lactose. Teva is one of them. See Hellvella's compendium of thyroid medications to find others.
Using these results you gave :
Free T3 3.68 pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
Free thyroxine 14.2 pmol/L (12-22)
To give an idea of your conversion rate fT3 ÷fT4 = 0.26. This suggests you're an intermediate converter of T4 to T3.
If you improve your vitamins and minerals, and ferritin in particular (ferritin to around 70), your body will be able to convert more T4 into T3.
Being an intermediate converter, you're likely to benefit from some T3 adding to your medication - but not yet. You need to get your levothyroxine dose increased first, and your vitamins and minerals optimal.
When treated for hypothyroidism TSH needs to be 0.5-2.0 and most patients feel better if TSH is 0.5-1.0.
See screen shot attached.
Your fT4 result needs to be around 75% of its range, currently it's 22% of range.
Your fT3 needs to be around 50% of range (this changes if you're taking levothyroxine and T3), yours is 15.68%
You are definitely under medicated and need to increase your levothyroxine dose.
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I had the same symptoms since I swapped on Tirosint. All symptoms look that you are overdose because the liquid form absorbs better than another.
Try increase in levothyroxine first
Many people on liquid levothyroxine split the dose ….
So taking 3ml waking and 3ml either mid afternoon or at bedtime
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase
Likely to need further increase in dose after next test
Thankyou. I will try that instead of the whole dose on waking. X
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