Anyone on Levothyroxine 25mg.As I think these tabs are causing me some symptoms like: putting weight on, headaches,backache although I have a bit of osteo in my lower back.slight indigestion,I do take omeprazole,only if I have too.bloated,belly ache.although I am going through some other health issues at the moment.I find these make me feel awful I get muscles pain & cramp, energy,always tired,even after a lot of sleep very emotional & weepy & angry,itchy scalp,no energy blurry eyes, I had my eyes test last May,that were fine,my diet is fine,I feel worse on these than when I was on the 25mg,I have spoken to doctors,they don't thinks its the pills,my consultant says the same & my levels since I have been on are pretty normal.I am thinking of going off them I have only been on them since August 2022.I tried taking them in the morning before brekkies & a cuppa,but now take them before bedtime.I fel worse on these more than when I was on the 25mg,my docs won't alter them yet either.
Anyone else with any advice.Thanks in advance😀
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Unless over 65 years old, the standard STARTER dose levothyroxine is 50mcg
Starting, and staying on too low a dose levothyroxine will exacerbate hypothyroid symptoms
Levothyroxine doesn’t top up failing thyroid, it replaces it
Unless extremely petite, most people will eventually be on at least 100mcg per day
It’s highly likely you are under medicated and in desperate need of dose increase in levothyroxine
What were most recent thyroid and vitamin results and ranges
ALWAYS Book early morning blood test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year
Low vitamin levels are EXTREMELY common when hypothyroid
Being hypothyroid frequently results in LOW stomach acid, this leads to bloating, acid reflux and poor nutrient absorption and low vitamin levels as direct result
Omeprazole is a PPI used to treat high stomach acid and long term use of PPI also results in low vitamin levels, especially B12, iron and magnesium
Hi thank you for replying so fast,I am 59,I am 5ft 3 lol,don't think I will grow any taller now well I spoke too my consultant & my GP only a couple of days ago. both were happy but won't do anything yet. my levels are tsh 2.03,thats all I know got told that it was normal,I am waiting for a letter of confirmation,so it may take a while.not having any more blod test as I recently had one in January.,also I forgot to mention on my post,I get & feel extremely cold since I have been on these tabs.use to get to hot before.I have been on Omeprazole for a long time,that is why I only take them occasionally now.all my results for blood tests come back normal.I also have to keep an eye on my blood pressure as that goes up & down like a yoyo,but only when I go into stress mode.I got started on 10mg,so have been on the 25mg only since Dec 2022
On levothyroxine most people when adequately treated will have TSH under 1.5
Most important results are always Ft3, followed by Ft4
When adequately treated most thyroid patients will have Ft3 at least 50-60% through range and Ft4 (levothyroxine) at least 60% through range…..often higher at 70-80% through range
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 tested
Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once
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)
20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis
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
If tests were done at hospital it can take a while to get results onto your records…..or you may need to email endocrinologist secretary for results
But looking forward…it’s more important to be getting NEXT blood testing including vitamin levels ……..and thyroid antibodies if not tested
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.
The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
I will look into that,I used to be able to access it on my patient access,but now they have put a limit on what you can see,but it is so hard at the moment to even get access or to even see or book an appointment ,here in the uk,I have already made one complaint about my gp service,I had an appointment I was sat in my gp surgery for over an hr,waiting.hence the complaint.our receptionist,haven't got a clue,it takes them almost an to answer the phone,you get left on hold for an age!
Honestly, you sound to me like one very hypo person. Do you have a copy of your latest blood results? Ask GP reception for a printed copy and post the results here with ranges - numbers in brackets. In England there is the NHS app and you can ask for access to blood results on that via GP reception. Not all practices can do this yet.
Hi, I think I have got Hypo with age lol! I prefer natural products or non at all,don't really taking medication that much only if necessary & also sick of going to hospital & gp now,also going to & fro to hospital as I am having issues with my digestive system also,unrelated I think,but that is ongoing,thats another story.hospital told tsh 2.03,also waiting confirmation letter.which they say is on a normal level, but its the way I have been feeling,I usually look at my patients access online,but they have not updated my records for a while.I book my blood tests via an app also,but it doesn't give you the results.
So have you previously had an overactive thyroid? Whats the history there?
First thing to understand is that Levo is not a medication or 'drug' as such. Its a replacement hormone for what your body can no longer produce, for whatever reason. Without it you will get fat, tired, no energy and a multitude of miserable symptoms that will get in the way of leading any kind of normal life. Every cell in your body depends on thyroid hormone and its essential for life.
If you started on 25mcgs in December then you are due new blood tests now. Book for 9am and fast before the test that day. Take you Levo that day AFTER the blood test.
Get GP to test ferritin, folate, B12 & D3, get copy of results and post them here for comments.
Gut issues can be from FODMAPs in foods. Have a look at the low FODMAP diet which will likely help you a lot. monashfodmap.com/ibs-centra...
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested? Another thing to ask GP. Ask at GP reception for a copy of your results if you cant access them online. Post results here.
My blood test came back normal for the ferritin, folate, B12 & D3,I also made a booboo, I started off on 25mg,then they upped it 50mg in Dec.not due for another blood test until I get a letter from the consultant as I only just had one in January,My digestive issue is another concern & is still be investigated, as they are not 100% what is causing my ab pain.lt is also it is hard to even get an appointment for anything at present,due to long waiting list for patients.I have made a lot food/drink changes.
Again, can I ask you to post your results for the vitamins? Normal range is not good enough, we need OPTIMAL that means upper part of the reference range. This is very important to be able to use your thyroid hormone properly.
Why are you seeing a consultant? I assume this is an Endocrinologist?
Finding out whats causing gastro issues via food can be very fruitfull and give much releif of symptoms.
50mcgs is still really only a starting dose. You might be better off trying a lactose free Levo. There are 2 brands; Aristo, only available in 100mcgs so you would have to cut the tablets or take every other day. Teva which is a marmite brand, love it or hate it.
Had a look at my patients access,no information, for vitamins visible,as they have not updated my health records.I am booked to see a Colorectal surgeon in June,no other appointment available until then,had lots of scans etc but no actual confirmation of what is causing my pain or problem.I will mention the lactose,one in a couple of weeks as I will have to re order my next lot,they won't prescribe out them until you have only got 7 tabs left.never heard of Teva is that in the Uk?
Are you aware that being hypo will cause an awful lot of gut/stomach/digestion problems? It's more than likely that you were hypo for a long time before being diagnosed, and those were your symptoms. Doctors are notoriously bad at joining up the dots, so unlikely they would have made the connection.
Do you have your blood test results for when you were diagnosed? That can often give us a lot of interesting information.
I was never hypo until I started going to gps & hospital,believe me I have had numerous scans etc & no proper diagnosis.been fobbed off with IBS,so I changed my diet careful with what I consumed(kept a diary),but the pain is still there constantly 24/7 same spot,hence why I am going to see the colerectal surgeon.I also have a friend who I a gp. also I am waiting for an appointment with a different hospital fresh eyes & all that.
Well, without a lot more information, I can't comment. But it's doubtful that going to see doctors would make you hypo. And very doubtful that you would get diagnosed as hypo if you weren't. People can be hypo for a very long time without realising it because the adrenals take over the strain.
I hope the colerectal surgeon manages to shed some light on the situation.
lol,my blood pressure goes right up,when I see white coats & comes down as soon as I don't see them & yes I have a monitor so I can check daily.I hope the colerectal surgeon find it & cures it,I will let you know,but it won't be until after June.🙃😊
Yes, I think a lot of people have White-Coat Syndrome. And they don't help by coming at you with the cuff as soon as you get through the door! You need time to sit and relax before they take your blood pressure.
Not really,mind you saying that sometimes they can be more thorough & more gentle & some are as nervous as us,I know they have to learn.my local hospital seems to be the place for them & it's too far for me to travel anywhere else.
It will take many months before you feel much better. Yo need to be careful about how you take your Levo on an empty stomach and an hour away from food or caffeine containing drinks asnd get your vitamins OPTIMAL. Retest in 6-8 weeks after dose change.
I feel like a pin cushion now,I know what your saying but the majority of the time,you rarely get a face to face appointment,they usually do phone ones.which you can't diagnose properly that way.it's hard to even get an appointment in my area.
Never mention an internet forum (red rag to a bull)
Always find official NHS or NICE guidelines and print out as evidence
Eg
guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight
Even if we frequently don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or near full replacement dose
Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.
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.
TSH should be under 2 as an absolute maximum when on levothyroxine
I do research online,hence why i don't take many omeprazole,so much now,but they do help.I did stop taking them for good while but since I have been on the levo,I get indigestion,thats why I watch what I eat etc.
That’s because you’re only on starter dose levothyroxine
Taking levothyroxine, your own thyroid output will significantly diminish and you then rely on just the replacement thyroid hormone (levothyroxine) ….so until on (or near) full replacement dose it’s common for hypothyroid symptoms to increase
IBS, bloating, acid reflux etc all extremely common hypothyroid symptoms
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing with autoimmune Thyroid disease (hashimoto’s)
Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential
A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and may slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% Hashimoto’s find dairy free beneficial
I know what you are going through. I've had so called ibs for 30 years. 2 years ago I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Started on 50mcg of levothyroxine and my symptoms disappeared. Then it was upped to 75mcg . This gave me the jitters for a few weeks but eased then was ok. Then all symptoms came back. Had the worst constipation just after Christmas. I had been telling my doctors that I think I need an increase but they just laughed and said I was probably over medicated. Had blood tests and was very under medicated. Now on 100mcg and ok for now until body adjusts. May need one or more increase. I would push doctors, keep going in with your symptoms otherwise they will fob you off. I was a bit soft tbh but the good people of this site kept urging me to keep at em. My advice for digestive issues is fybogel in a morning. Plenty of water and magnesium on an evening. Keeps you flowing when the bowels start shutting down. Hope you get on your right side soon and keep at the doctor's. By the way I was on omeprazole and it made me worse. The doctor's after I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism said that I had low stomach acid caused by hypothyroidism and the omeprazole makes it worse. Low acid sometimes gives symptoms similar to high acid.
wow,you are very similar to me,the first 25mg i never noticed a difference at all,I started feeling like for a couple of wks now,it feels as though it dips,I feel exausted in the day but seem to feel a little better in the evenings.I get constipated as well,but I have laxative on prescription, but they don't really help,I take them as a last resort,I am not keen on fybogel,I do take magnesium tabs they do help a little,I also take sunflower capsules not everyday as the can give you the runs & i find them better to take after a meal,they help with the constipation.I do have kiwi fruit,that helps & I have flaxeed granules with my brekkies. one of my scans show 3 tiny gallstones,but they are not blocking my bile ducts,my consultant says that is not the cause & will probably never be a problem.I had a ct tomography that came back clear,my other consultant wanted to do an exploratory op to check on gallbladder & to see if i had a hernia(they told me I had one then they changed their mind),I refused,on the fact if nothing is showing on my scans,I am not letting them do any exploring( ithink he got a bit miffed,but it's my body),hence got another appointment in June,as i want them to do a colonoscopy(I have had one before,a few yrs back)I think I have a slight blockage or polyp,or maybe something else entirely.If the results come back clear,then I will probably opt for the op.they have checked all my organs lol! also been tested for H.pylori.as my symptoms are similar,I had that a few yrs back got put on antibiotics & was fine after that.omeparazole has got bad reviews,but it does work,well it does for me but I very rarely take them,the pain in my lower right ab is constant, 24/7 it is always in the same place,thats is why I think it is a polyp,but until I get the colonoscopy I won't know.
You might just be a bit sensitive to dose changes (I am as well) and the symptoms will hopefully get better once you get on the correct dose in the future. It's a bit of a journey to learn what dose sets you right. GP's are not specialists, and are unfortunately (generally) quite clueless on how to read blood results and take thyroid patients seriously even though they still have symptoms... This is why it would be quite useful to see your test results, so people can advise you better.
In regards to your stomach:
My stomach calmed down quite a lot after I started taking a prebiotic/probiotic supplement, might be worth looking into!
Turns out my stomach didn't really have enough healthy bacteria on its own, my mother had the same thing and started feeling lots better when she started eating some gut-healthy yoghurt each morning.
hey I was on 125 mcg levothyroxin because I was in hospital for strep throat infection so my tsh went up so they put me on 125 then my doctor Lowered it to 100 mcg I use to take this before the hospital and I took it my heart was beating fast so I went to the hospital nth was wrong so my doctor was like don’t take the levothyroxin for two days and start 100 mcg Saturday my tch is low ….. but at first the other doctor lowered it to 112 but I never was on that so my primary care doctor said just take 100 …… what y’all think
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well I spoke too my consultant & my GP only a couple of days ago. both were happy but won't do anything yet. my levels are tsh 2.03,thats all I know got told that it was normal,I am waiting for a letter of confirmation,so it may take a while.not having any more blod test as I recently had one in January.,also I forgot to mention on my post,I get & feel extremely cold since I have been on these tabs.use to get to hot before.I have been on Omeprazole for a long time,that is why I only take them occasionally now.all my results for blood tests come back normal.I also have to keep an eye on my blood pressure as that goes up & down like a yoyo,but only when I go into stress mode.I got started on 10mg,so have been on the 25mg only since Dec 2022
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