Reducing dose

[Danielj1]

I am starting to think 100mcg dose is now too high and wonder what experiences others have had with GPs in moving to a lower dose in my case 75mcg

What criteria do gp s use and does a private blood test influence them at the surgery with broad spread of testing.

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Always get full thyroid and vitamin testing before considering reducing dose levothyroxine

How long have you been on 100mcg

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Have you considered splitting levothyroxine into two smaller doses, taking half daily dose waking up and half dose at bedtime

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

What were most recent thyroid results

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

What are your most recent vitamin results

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Danielj1

If you want to try a lower dose just do it, don't ask GP to reduce your prescription dose, if you do and find the lower dose isn't right and want to increase again it may be very difficult to get the higher dose back. Just continue to accept your current prescription and experiment with a lower dose without discussion with your GP. You can work out how to achieve whatever dose you want by working out your weekly dose and adjusting what you take daily either by alternating dose or Xmcg for so many days a week and Ymcg for the rest of the week. For example, I want 107mcg daily and have 100mcg and 50mcg tablets. I cut a 50mcg tablet in half and take 100mcg 5 days a week and 125mcg 2 days a week which gives me 750mcg a week and averages 107mcg daily.

[myfanwy1945 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I think you give very good advice.

[Danielj1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Wow that is helpful - would

Never have thought of that so gives me an approach to work with thank you !

[Sleepyachy]

Hi , can I ask why you feel 100 too high . What symptoms you having ?

[helvella Administrator]

If I were feeling 100 micrograms provided too much, I'd be unlikely to jump to 75.

That is a 25% reduction. Dropping by a quarter. (I know that is obvious. But sometimes it needs to be expressed in a different way.)

I suggest that 12.5 micrograms would be a far more sensible change. Or even 6.25.

SeasideSusie has replied with various options. I'm just reinforcing the idea of making small changes and seeing how they go.

(It would be different if you were feeling terribly over-dosed with lots of symptoms. Sometimes bigger adjustments are needed. Even then, sometimes you need to make a short-term larger change, but end up in the long-term needing only having needed a small change.)

[Canu]

Yes, as others recommended, I would definitely make small changes. Something along the lines of 100 5x/week and 75 2x/week. Even just a reduction of 25 one day a week can make a difference. I was super sensitive to levo, used to cut it into tiny pieces and add one tiny piece a week and really felt the difference! 😅 A hypo friend who was on over 200 mcg and had depression, felt cold and tired, increased her dose by 25 once a week and felt great just from that.