Resting heart rate.

[Lolalottie]

My resting heartrate was always 68 beats per minute according to my fitbit. This is now 58 bpm and has been for a while.

Is this related to being undermedicated?

Have telephone appointment with Doc next week.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

I would say that a lower resting heart rate is very likely due to under medication. Recently I reduced my levo by just 15mcgs and my resting HR dropped. I hope you can get a dose increase soon. What were your latest results?

[Lolalottie in reply to Jaydee1507]

My latest results showed undermedication just need to convince my GP! Just gathering evidence for my telephone appt next week. I am only on 50mg and feeling very poorly. I would guess its all linked.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Lolalottie]

50mcgs is a very low starter dose. I've seen a few people this week stuck on 25mcgs for years, it's just shockingly bad. Gather your evidence and be sure he/she is listening to your symptoms. All too often they ignore them and go off blood results alone. Stand your ground!

[shaws Administrator in reply to Jaydee1507]

Tell GP that the aim of a patient on who is hypothyroid is:

TSH of 1 or lower. Free T3 and Free T3 towards the upper part of the ranges

Few GPs are knowledgeable about how to diagnose/treat patients who're hypo whilst our 'old-fashioned doctors' helped recover our health by concentrating upon release of clinical symptoms.

NDTs (natural dessicated thyroid hormones) were the original replacement to patients from 1892 onwards but for some unknown reason to many who were prescribed this and whose health was restored - it was withdrawn in the UK despite it proving it helped many people to restsore their health.

Also request B12, Vit.C, iron, ferritin and folate to be checked.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Lolalottie]

what were your most recent thyroid results?

INSIST on 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine

How long have you been left on just 50mcg levothyroxine

which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Request GP test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 if not tested at recent blood test

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested for autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s at any blood tests since diagnosis?

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Aim is to slowly increase dose levothyroxine upwards until Ft3 is at least 50-60% through range and (usually) Ft4 is slightly higher at 60-80% through range

All four vitamins need to be optimal

[Charlie-Farley]

Hi Lolalottie 😊

please if you get chance read my profile. I specifically made it as an explanation of how I argued for dose increases 4 x whilst in range.

Can not tell you how helpful reading others lived experience is. Those who benefit and learn the most in this forum and become empowered are those who read other’s stories, issues etc. not just get answers to their own problems- this is a prime example of good advice - see link below - quite a read but worth it.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Recent Medichecks results here

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

shows very low Ft4 and Ft3

But low TSH as well ….which is all most medics look at

Likely to need to see thyroid specialist endocrinologist to get correct treatment

Roughly where in U.K. are you

Email Thyroid U.K. for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologist and doctors 

[e-mail]

Levothyroxine doesn’t “top up” failing thyroid, it replaces it

Unless extremely petite likely to need to be on at least 100mcg levothyroxine per day eventually

If been left on just 50mcg levothyroxine for long time it can be difficult to increase dose even by 25mcg

You may need to cut 25mcg tablet in half initially for first few weeks to increase to 62.5mcg …..before increasing to 75mcg levothyroxine daily

Retesting 2-3 months after getting to 75mcg daily

Likely to need further increase in levothyroxine after next test

pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...

Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine: 

In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months. 

The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).

The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range. 

……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.

The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.

Approx how much do you weigh in kilo

Do you wear a Fitbit or equivalent. Can be helpful to print out weekly summary of resting heart rate to demonstrate to GP that heart rate is low

[Otto11]

Hi

Like you my pulse rate has been around 55-60 for a Very long time. Years in fact. I’ve recently after a long struggle & feet stamping managed to get referred to Endocrine who said I had been under medicated for years & has increased my dose of Thyroxine twice since May. I’ve noticed my resting pulse rate is now about 70-74. I definitely think it’s connected x