Can I quarter a 50mcg to get 12.5?
I currently take 75/100 but want to try 87.5 mcg each day. Is this possible? I have 50 mcg Eltroxin at present and don’t want to change brands.
I am not sure I am absorbing correctly and wondered if 75/100 was affecting me in some way than if taking 87.5 a day (i.e a better balance).
Thank you
Its possible. I've been quartering my 25mcg of t4 for several months now
yep I quarter my 100s to get 25. I have a £3 pill cutter from Amazon which is pretty good, sometimes they are a bit wonky but it evens out over the 4 days. I take the smallest quarter last and scoop out any dust with a wet finger 🌱
Thank you. This is useful. Especially making sure you take all of the tablet.
Hi there.
Because of the long half life of T4 it should not cause any problems cutting into quarters, even if it were not absolutely perfect because the half-life quoted in literature varies, but it is days not hours like T3. 😊👍
Thank you. That is helpful. I have a 50 mcg tablet so would have to take a 50 mcg + 25 mcg + 12.5 mcg (the last two halved and quartered). I am on 75/100 as stated and felt the 50 mcg was a better choice (although, my GP may agree to liquid).
Would I need two pill cutters for now to half and quarter the tablets?
I manage it with one cutter, I just spin the halved whole 90 degrees and go again. 🌱
Thank you. I am going to need to quarter a 50 mcg and then half a 50 mcg on the same day. I would then take 50 + 25 + 12.5 (87.5 mcg). How would I store these?
That is why I was thinking about two pill cutters maybe? And also to consider the dust particles as you described.
As Regenallotment said 😊👍
I cut my T3 into quarters and that works well. I’m lucky in some ways that I’m prescribed Liquid Levothyroxine, which can be easily tailored to your dose as you draw the liquid into a syringe and can measure exactly what you want. I say lucky as it’s quite expensive compared to tablet form. And on occasions there has been a supply issue when I had to return to tablets then I found I couldn’t absorb the tablets and my levels plummeted. As soon as back on liquid I was ok again. What I feel works well is splitting my levo dose. I take 34mcg then later on another 34mcg. Initially I was prescribed 75mcg a day which tipped my TSH into suppression. By reducing by 10% levo my TSH is just within range and more importantly I feel very well. Most would think it was the T3 making my TSH suppressed but it was too much levothyroxine in my case. It’s all a fine balancing act trying to find what is good for you. We are all different and trying to hit your target can be difficult but once you have life can be great because you feel great. I certainly do. It’s keeping the balance and being consistent and timely once you have the right amount. You’ll know that place when you get there.
Thank you for your helpful reply. Could I ask why you were put on liquid form and also T3?
I am a post radio iodine patient and at the moment, I do not feel I am absorbing the tablets properly. I have suffered a lot of stress for a while and digestive problems post covid last summer. My Endocrinologist has agreed to liquid but I need to see if GP will prescribe. I told him I do not feel well even though my T3 and T4 are in range. TSH slightly lower but he was okay with that at the moment. My nails are brittle and I have pains in hands and feet as well as the overall feeling unwell.
I changed from Accord thyroxine to Eltroxin and saw improvement but not enough to feel well.
Also, if I was on 75/100 would it better to ask for 50 mcg/5ml to make drawing the liquid easier (i.e 5ml and then 2.5 ml from the syringe for the 75mcg days).
Could you also confirm the liquid you take at the moment (although, I know we are all different), and does your GP fund liquid and T3?
Thank you again
My private only Endocrinologist suggested I go onto Liquid Levothyroxine. My GP didn’t hesitate to prescribe it even though it much more expensive @ £100 approx a bottle which lasts me 2 weeks. Whereas tablets are much, less even pennies I think? I usually use the brand Wockhardt for liquid but there’s been a National stock out of it and still is. I’m currently on a brand called Brillpharma. During the stock out I had to go back on tablet form. I quickly plummeted and my blood levels went under medicated. I was not absorbing the tablets hardly. When back on liquid I am much much better. I must have an absorption issue. I’m not coeliac after testing. I was put on liothyronine T3 eventually and privately as I was diagnosed as a very poor converter T4 to T3. I also did the DIO2 gene test privately and that came back positive. Oh boy what a game changer that was. Almost immediately I felt so much better introducing T3 liothyronine. I’m on Thybon Henning liothyronine. However, after some months and a successful private trial the NHS after much persuasion now prescribes my liothyronine T3. I keep a private stock of Thybon Henning as a safety net too. I need to feel assured I can get my medication always.
If you get the Liquid Levothyroxine I wouldn’t keep changing the daily dose I’d stick to one amount each time. I split my levothyroxine dose over the day. I take 34mcg then later a further 34mcg.if I take the full amount I feel awful. I don’t know why that is really. It’s dead easy to draw the exact amount. Initially I was on 75mcg a day. I lowered it slightly as I felt a bit over medicated to 68mcg a day (34+34). It was my own trial and it worked. I felt better and my TSH is now not suppressed, just. I don’t feel good when it’s suppressed. I’ve never altered my T3 from 5mcg twice a day 8hrs apart as it works well. My bloods are done through my GP every 3 months without fail. I get B12 injections 3 monthly and I take this opportunity to get my bloods checked in the same appointment. I say they are for my NHS Endo and private only Endo and no questions are ever asked. I post a copy of the results to each Endo and as my TSH is always in range and levels are good I get no complaints or question on renewing my T3 liothyronine prescription nor my Liquid Levothyroxine. Except lately when there has been a liquid National stock out my levels went abnormally low. Otherwise I’m good and more importantly feel very well indeed from a place where I could barley walk. Over and under meditation can make you feel awful. So my motto is to have adequate meditation, not too much and certainly not too little. I keep my levels midway. My last TSH was 0.89(0.35- 5.50) this is where I feel my best. We are all different as you say so it’s about focusing on your personal sweet spot and keeping it there. Once there don’t mess about with altering and doses. Hormones seem to like consistency and repetition. Changing things only leads to feeling bad once you’re in your sweet spot. I put most of my success down to my brilliant private only endocrinologist prescribing the correct medication and doses and the well informed people on this site.
Yes you would be able to. You can draw whatever dose you wish and quite accurately with a syringe. Also liquid form levothyroxine has been reported as absorbing much better than tablets. Try splitting your dose also. This way you get no highs. I take 34mcg at 12 noon and repeat at 4.30pm. I have tried taking it going to bed but that didn’t work for me. After all our bodies don’t make T4 nor T3 in one big dose daily. Our bodies graduate it throughout the day. We are trying to mimic our bodies naturally daily routine really with these very important hormones. I’ve had great success with splitting doses T4 levothyroxine and T3 liothyronine. I know we are not all the same but give it a go.
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