Should I be on a higher dose?

[MaryMax]

Am currently taking 100 mcg levothyroxine. Will ring doc this week to ask what result of recent blood test was. She thinks if it is in normal range, there is no reason to up it. Last test was at very low point in the range.

Meanwhile, I feel depressed, very tired, and have moderately high cholesterol despite 40 mg statin.

Am also starting to get problems with my knees, but haven't really explored that yet.

If you think Ishould be on a higher dose, are there any articles I can refer my GP to, please?

[greygoose]

Have you managed to get your FT3 tested yet? That is THE most important number, if doctors did but know it! And, if your colesterol is high, your FT3 is more than likely low. High cholesterol is not caused by statin deficiency, it's caused by low T3.

What's more, your doctor should know that statins are not recommended for hypos or women. If you are hypo, they can cause serious muscle damage. The are not the innocuous drugs doctors believe them to be. What's more, they will lower levels of sex hormones, causing more problems that they solve.

On the other had, the cholesterol will not do you any harm at all. It doesn't cause heart attacks or strokes, as doctors believe. It is a symptom, not a disease.

I don't think anyone will even attempt to advise you on how much levo you should be taking without seeing your latest blood test results. But, judging by your post of 5 years ago, you're probably a poor converter. But, to know that, you really need your FT3 tested at the same time as your FT4.

Doctors rarely know anything much about thyroid, I'm afraid.

[Regenallotment]

Hi MaryMax

Have you ever had your antibodies tested? I was looking at your previous post from 5 years ago where you were dropping your dose down from 125mcg to 100mcg.

It will help people to respond if you can put your latest blood test results here with the all important ranges. TSH, T4 and T3 (lots of GPs don't test T3, I have to get mine done privately).

Your symptoms definitely sound hypothyroid, but blood test results would confirm this.

How are your vitamin levels? Do you test D, B12, Ferritin and Folate?

Low in range or under range levels of these 4 can make you feel doubly awful (I hadn't realised how my low stomach acid from Hashi's and poor absorbtion due to leaky gut were contributing to my symptoms). Again GPs don't often test these, I have to get mine done privately.

Are you already gluten free? Dairy free? avoiding blood sugar imbalances? avoiding iodine and inappropriate multivits?

I hope this helps get a conversation started that gives you some ideas to work on getting back on top of it. Best wishes, 🦋💚🦋

[Regenallotment]

Oh and I forgot to add... MaryMax

Statins - High Cholesterol, people with too low T3 levels often seem to present with high cholesterol, someone will correct me if I'm wrong but from the reading I've been doing and listening to podcasts, my understanding is our bodies needs T3 to produce cortisol and keep our adrenal systems functioning. If you have a T3 result on your blood test, then its likely to be low or below range and statins are not helping you. GPs don't seem to understand this. Reducing cortisol via statins is potentially causing adrenal insufficiency. I'd read up on these and see if any of it rings true for you.

[greygoose in reply to Regenallotment]

I've never heard of statins reducing cortisol before. Where did you read that?

[Regenallotment in reply to greygoose]

nope you are right, I was thinking cholesterol and wrote cortisol, apologies I meant cholesterol.

[greygoose in reply to Regenallotment]

OK, so reducing cholesterol/taking statins does not cause adrenal insufficiency. I think we need to be quite clear on that point.

[Regenallotment in reply to greygoose]

oh ok I’ve got the wrong end of that stick then. Sorry. I’ll go back and read that again. I thought there was a link to having sufficient cholesterol to support adrenal response and produce cortisol. I’ll go read it again.

[greygoose in reply to Regenallotment]

I've never come across a connection between cortisol and cholesterol, but certainly the sex hormones are made of cholesterol. So, if cholesterol drops too low - as it is likely to do if taking statins - sex hormones will also be low. But, the OP is saying that her cholesterol is still high, even though she's taking statins.

[Regenallotment in reply to greygoose]

yup I’ve got it backwards. Bit foggy today. It’s the high stress leading to high cholesterol as a result of high cortisol (caused by stress) over time that I’ve got backwards. This link helped me figure out what it was I’d seen. kripalu.org/resources/truth...

Apologies I’ll be sure to check my facts in future.

[greygoose in reply to Regenallotment]

Sorry, but I'm really not impressed by that article. I do not believe that stress causes high cholesterol. Sounds to me like he's talking about hypothyroidism without really mentioning it, but putting all the symptoms down to 'other things' - like so many doctors do. I really would not trust this man as a doctor. I wouldn't consult him!

[Aurealis]

if you’re confident that your dose is too low then try increasing it slightly and see how you feel. If improved, then this is useful info to share with GP when getting test results. The test results are not useful when deciding whether to increase dose, but are useful to check levels following an adjustment.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You need to get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done yourself privately if GP won’t test

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

If yes which brand

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

 

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)

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 just 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...

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

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery 

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...

high cholesterol levels strongly suggests you are either under medicated and/or low vitamins and/or poor conversion

Approx how much do you weigh in kilo