Sorry, I know I need to update my profile, just haven’t got round to it yet.
I had a quick question before I go back to my doctor for a second opinion.
Hashimotos and been on Levo since March. Started on 75 now all the way down to 25 Teva and still my TSH is untraceable, so I and the Dr presume still somehow over medicated. Been referred to Endo but 18 week + wait.
feeling rubbish, heart palpitations, racing heart, unable to fall asleep, irritable and emotional to name a few.
AHP (Allies Health Professional) today thinks I should stop taking Levo and do bloods in 6 weeks to see what happens, as I am feeling so rubbish.
Not sure if this is a good idea and was wondering if anyone had any opinions? I was thinking of asking for a second opinion as obviously worried I will fall back into symptoms of Under-active.
Thanks
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Runnergirl2023
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Best thing would be to get a full thyroid test to see where your fT3/4 are, as just looking at TSH isn't going to help with adjusting the dose, you need to see how much active hormone you have in your system 🤗
If you stop taking when actually you need more you are going to feel really crappy for a few months 😕 and vice versa.... levo is annoyingly slow to adjust
Thank you for replying. Do I need to ask for a T4 test every time, not just Thyroid bloods? I did get a copy of my bloods and couldn’t see T4 on there but AHP said they seemed ok on screen. Now wondering if she looked at an old test.
That’s my thinking, I’m going to feel rubbish either way 😔
To have any real idea of what is going on you need fT3 & 4 every time, you could be suffering from a flare where the thyroid has a little burst of output as it is under attack.... If you have never had them tested you won't know if you are able to make good use of T4 which is sometimes the case...
Perhaps they have the other results but haven't given them to you?
SD has filled you in on the importance of adequate vits and mins
It's strange that you feel over-medicated on such a low dose. Have you definitely got hypothyroidism? Alternatively, you might be having a bad reaction to Teva levothyroxine which is quite common. Some people react to the fillers, have you ever tried another brand? Your symptoms do sound like over medication though. You should definitely get your T4 and preferably T3 tested if possible as TSH isn't a reliable indicator of thyroid function.
This is unbelievable! Have any of your doctors got brains? They keep reducing the dose but the TSH remains low, yet no-one thinks about testing T4 and T3 to find out why? Then, on top of it, you say you feel over-medicated, and that you have Hashi's, but nobody suspects a Hashi's 'hyper' swing? Where did they get their medical degrees? In a packet of Corn Flakes?
Just stop the levo completely until you feel hypo again. BUT do it on your own, don't involve a doctor because they just don't understand Hashi's, and if they reduce your dose, you could have trouble getting it raised again when you go back to being hypo.
Also ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12, especially with Hashimoto’s
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
Just testing TSH is totally inadequate
Recommend you get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing yourself privately
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test 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
sorry to jump in here but quick question. I’ve been told (elsewhere) that medichecks isn’t a reliable company and I shouldn’t use it. I’ve always used medichecks and am not aware of any issues. Any thoughts?
Country Health stopped using them because Medichecks had moved providers of lab results once again (must be the third time in as many years) and Country Health said they had proof they were unreliable so moved to another provider (worse in som respects, because they only do pricktests!).
I remember hearing about Country Health telling people not to use them and I don;t think the details of why were clear so I wouldn;t see a reason not to use them myself.
Yes, I was told this too by a very knowledgeable haematologist, particularly if you are autoimmune hypothyroid. Studies of long covid are also picking up on this. If Runnergirl2023 has recently had covid it might help explain the recent symptoms if the thyroid has been affected too. Close monitoring of thyroid levels was advised and dose adjustment as needed over the next few months was advised in such cases.
I am not sure I like the idea of self pricking finger tests. Are there private sites where you can go in person and get your blood tests done without doctor’s order?
Private hospitals. SuperDrug do this too (if there are still any in your area). Get your kit from one of the companies (e.g. Medichecks) take it with you to see the phlebotomist. They pack it, hand it back to you and you put it in the post.
What was you antibody test results when your doctor decided to put you on levothyroxine. Do you have Hashimotos or Graves’ disease. 25mcg is extremely low dose to feel over medicated on. I’d get another test for a full thyroid result TSH, T4 and T3. Also get your antibodies checked at the same time.
It would seem that your initial dose of 75mcg maybe too much for you looking at your TSH that low. I’d be careful reducing down to 25mcg as that’s very low. Try doing it gradually. Start by taking 50mcg every other day and 75mcg the other. I can’t tolerate 75mcg a day. I take 68mcg of liquid a day which I split into two doses 34 then another 34 a few hours later. Another thing to try is splitting your dose. I can’t tolerate one dose as it’s too much for me in one hit. Our bodies don’t make T4 in one batch instead it releases it as it’s needed. If the small reduction doesn’t have an effect after a few days then take 50mcg every day and try and split 25 when you get up and the other 25 say mid afternoon. It’s all trial and error I found until I found my optimal dose and dosing. Now I never alter it unless I feel I may be going over medicated and if that happens I just leave out half a dose for a day that usually helps me. I know it’s small margins but sometimes that’s all that is needed. I had to do that this week. Since I had my covid and flu jabs recently I’ve felt wired and not sleeping so good. It might not be the jabs but it’s the only thing I can think of. Maybe cortisol going high fighting what it thinks is covid or flu from jab stimulation . And the same thing happened to me last year. I’m getting my bloods done this Friday. I’m interested to know if the levels are ok. I get mine done every 3 months without fail. Thyroid, cortisol, lipids, all vitamins and FBC. My GP does it.
McPammy I was wondering the same. I think the doctor should be outright asked if Graves is a possibility and therefore needs testing. There are a number of reasons (many already highlighted) this could be happening to Runnergirl2023 but this should definitely be established and ruled out before anything else (in my view). This can only be established by her highlighting this possibility herself - the patient - since the doctor seems to be doing such a rubbish job!
For good health almost every cell in the body needs to be flooded with T3 which becomes active once it reaches the nuclei of the cells where it attaches to the T3 receptors and gets to work throughout the body. The T3 needs to be availablein aconstant and adequate supply
Low cellular T3 = poor health
However with Hashi's you can suffer a swing between feeling over and under active
We cannot be both hypo and hyperthyroid BUT it is possible to experience both hypo and hyper symptoms
I have found that you could be low in Magnesium and get those same symptoms. Try taking a magnesium tablet tonight. Just 250mg helps me sleep and reduces and racing heart issues. Hope that helps in the meantime
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