Itchy hands with Levothyroxine - normal?

[Amboseli]

Hi everyone

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in February and started on Levothyroxine 100.  

As I don’t suit lactose, I moved to Vencamil. I had a slightly throbbing heart and itchy hands so my GP suggested also reducing the dosage to 25, but in the end take 50ml by cutting the Vencamil 100 in half. 

I still have very itchy hands at night, and a slightly throbbing heart, and wondered if that was normal, or will it pass?

It makes it difficult to sleep, but have my 2nd blood test next Monday so am reluctant to reduce the dose. Or would the GP increase the dose with this type of side-effect? 

For the last 3 weeks I’ve been gluten and dairy free. Could this change also lead to itchy (and dry) hands?

I’m keeping a diary of changes.

Thanks very much for any experience you can share! 

First blood test:

Se thyroid peroxidase Ab conc 1140 (0.00 – 24.00iu/ml)

T4 11.9 (11.20 – 20.0pmol/L)

Serum TSH 10.37 (.27 – 4.20mlU/L)

Male, 58

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Definitely don’t change dose before blood test

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after being on constant unchanging dose and brand of levothyroxine

Book early morning test, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels too

Have you had these tested at all?

Approx how much do you weigh in kilo

[Amboseli in reply to SlowDragon]

thanks very helpful. The blood tests don’t include vit D etc but I can ask for those. 81kg is my weight.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Welcome to the group.

Itchy, dry even cracked hands is a hypo symptom for me. Your GP should be able to prescribe an emollient and if necessary a steroid cream or ointment. Wearing cotton gloves at night after using the creams can really help for the time being until your thyroid numbers are better.

You actually probably needed more Levo and not less.

When hypo we get low stomach acid which means we cannot absorb vitamins well from our food, regardless of a great diet. For thyroid hormone to work well we need OPTIMAL levels of vitamins. Have you recently or could you ask your GP to test levels of ferritin, folate, B12 & D3?

[Amboseli in reply to Jaydee1507]

thanks - have requested those tests.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

You do not need to actually cut the Vencamil tablets! The instructions for Aristo levothyroxine (and its branded versions) across many countries show you how to split them. I've attached a screenshot from the Irish version - because that is in English!

Now I have Aristo, I have done this to see if it works - and it does. But does really need a very flat hard surface.

(In general, the UK's MHRA seems very un-keen on tablet splitting in order to divide doses.)

Full document is here:

hpra.ie/img/uploaded/swedoc...

This is just for information - do whatever you wish!

Screenshot of tablet splitting instructions from Irish PIL for Aristo levothyroxine

[Amboseli in reply to helvella]

thanks, pharmacist got them in specially and could not return, so splitting now as per your instructions! Well designed tablets.

[Bob00752]

Hi Amboseli. I hope things go better for you in a little while. A month is a very short period to get used to a new diagnosis and I hope that things improve for you with time. I was first diagnosed over 10 years ago and was started on 50 mcg of levo. I have neither lactose nor gluten intolerance so can’t help on that front. I don’t keep a diary but I suspect you meant to say dairy! You should be able to edit your first post and correct this typo. My TSH was similar to yours when first diagnosed. I was 63 when diagnosed so only a bit older then. You are probably too young to get up in the middle of each night to pee - I take my levo during this habitual break from sleep so it is well away from anything else, however you may have less need if you don’t consume anything with lactose in it. The administrators have already given you some excellent advice - I’m very much an amateur compared with them!

[Amboseli in reply to Bob00752]

very helpful Bob, glad to hear your experience. Will work on my spelling!

[Poppy_the_cat]

Hi Amboseli,

Getting a T4 and T3 test is hard work without doubt. I have cultivated a very clever, switched-on and genuinely interested nurse practitioner. When selecting the tests available on the computer only TSH is nominally available... But if she searches one level further we discovered, when clicking on the next option for "Consultant", miraculously T4 and T3 appear. Therefore, the option is definitely there, but it's deliberately obfuscated. A false economy for people's health really!

It's the luck of the draw I'm sorry to say.

If you can see somebody who genuinely wants to help, you stand a better chance of getting the T4 and T3 specifically.

I've asked for a cortisol for the last 5 years, being constantly denied and positively scoffed at. On the off-chance I asked about if, after having been told that only a Consultant could authorise it, but she immediately said no problem! I almost fell off my seat! And now I've tested borderline Cushing's twice now!

Don't give up.

Good luck.

Poppy the 😺

[Amboseli in reply to Poppy_the_cat]

Yes, good suggestion. I will try to find a nurse practitioner who will help. Thanks very much.

[Poppy_the_cat]

Good luck.Positive vibes for you 🙏