Impact reduced dosage: hello 4 months ago I... - Thyroid UK

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Impact reduced dosage

Jump1 profile image
16 Replies

hello

4 months ago I reduced my dosage I was self medicating. Gp only gave me 50mg, I reduced it back to 50mg. I got it increased to 75mg two weeks ago now. But the devasting thyroid symptom of hair loss that made me go the the dr at the start of all this. Has seriously ramped up again for me. Kind of sits perfect with the timeline of reducing dosage.

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Jump1 profile image
Jump1
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16 Replies
PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator

Your last post said - tsh.4.84 (higher than ideal) & ft4 - 14.4. (Lower than ideal?) range not added but most feel well with TSH in lower part of range & FT4 in top 3rd of range.  

The 50mcg looks insufficient & increase to 75mcg next step. 

Are you saying you didn’t get on with increase & went back to 50mcg? I think it might be a little too soon to tell.  If a 25mcg step seem too much perhaps split a tablet. Once you taken an unchanged dose for 6 weeks retest to see how levels are. 

Jump1 profile image
Jump1

No I'm saying I've noticed the impact of reducing the dosage down to 50 4 months ago with the hair streaming out of my head now. I was self Medicating higher than that 4 months ago

FancyPants54 profile image
FancyPants54 in reply to Jump1

Yes, hair fall usually happens a few weeks after the reduction in dose if it's not right for you. It will grow back if 75 is right, but keep on top of 6-8 week testing for now, to make sure you don't need more at some point.

PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator in reply to Jump1

Ahh I see.  Hair does have a cycle & growth now is affected by what was going on a few months before.  

Have you tested nutrients? Folate, ferritin B12 & vitamin D? Low ferritin can affect hair.

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply to PurpleNails

no nutrient issues

PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator in reply to Jump1

hopefully the right thyroid replacement will resolve the issue.

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply to PurpleNails

if only hair will regrow as quick as its shedding and thinning

Jump1 profile image
Jump1

I prob had nutrient issues yyears ago when hair was perfect. This is all thyroid

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

when were vitamin D, folate B12 and ferritin levels last tested

Low iron and ferritin strongly linked to hairloss loss

Vitamin levels frequently crash when dose levothyroxine is reduced

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking for 50mcg

Which brand have you got for 75mcg

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

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

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply to SlowDragon

3 months ago. brand same for levom I take iron folate and b12 and vit / k2 regular/ daily

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Jump1

so what were last test results and ranges?

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply to SlowDragon

I've posted in previous posts im nearly sure. I take the vit d and k sprays every day. Iron tablets every other day. And inject with b12 every week. Plus take a high strength folate tablet every week.

I know vitamins drop never mind when levo is low which is why I constant supplement. I am more careful with the iron not to overtake it. Vitamins are 100 percent not the issue. It's thyroid. I spent 5 years before thyroid medication learning about vitamins monitoring them religiously and sourcing all the meds. I'm on top of them.

Before this all started for me I've no doubt my nutirients were bad. Ferritn I think was as low as 15 back then. For years I was under belief the vitamins were the issue. Spent 5 years working on them and still work on them. No improvement not even the increase of the ferritn m during that period stopped the hairloss. I am pretty confident for me and my experience nutirients aren't the issue. The only thing Ive not had steady throughout this period of within my sole control has been the thyroid which has been out of the optimal ranges consistently. But fine according to gps

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Jump1

unless extremely petite likely to need further increase in levothyroxine in a few months

Which brand of levothyroxine do you have

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply to SlowDragon

im 8 and half stone. 5 ft 6

Jump1 profile image
Jump1 in reply to Jump1

mecurypharma

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Jump1

so you might not need much more of an increase

Guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight is approx 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight per day

Some people need a bit more ….some not so much

8st 7lb is approx 54kilo

54 x 1.6mcg = 86mcg as possible eventual dose levothyroxine per day

approx 600mcg per wee

that would be 4 x 75mcg per week and 3 x 100mcg per week approx

Common to need to fine tune dose

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