I’m looking for a bit of advice about whether I should increase my Levothyroxine dose now, or wait a little while. I currently take 125/137.5 alternate days. I took a test after 6 weeks and have attached a picture of the results. I also had an iron panel done at the same time and, as per the advice of some kind people on this forum, have just started taking Three Arrows Iron. I am also trying to up my Vit d and folate, because these have been low for quite some time. My question is then, should I go for it and up my Levo a bit now, or wait and see if working on my iron and vitamins helps before doing this? I am an annoying mix of impatient and anxious so keep going back and forth on the subject!
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BethBeezle
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thanks for reply - yup, tests done all as advised on the forum. I take whatever they give me at the pharmacy to be honest. Seems to be a mixture of Teva, Mercury, Hillcross and accord. Pretty sure different makes of levo don’t seem to make a difference to how I feel. I could be wrong though. I was diagnosed Hashimoto's about 15 years ago, with high thyroid peroxidase antibodies but I’m afraid I’m not gluten and dairy free. I am officially on a dose of 75mcg with the GP but source extra from an online pharmacy which I’ve been using to carefully up my dose over a few years, whilst referring to advice on this forum. Although I know dosing isn’t an exact science, I weigh 95kg.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing
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 as per NICE Guidelines
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% find dairy free beneficial
With loads of vegan dairy alternatives these days it’s not as difficult as in the past
I take Teva Levothyroxine but have always waited for GP to confirm if I need increase or decrease. It is important that your vitamins are at optimal level and at least half way through the various ranges. If not it can affect the absorption of the Levothyroxine. I have insisted on Teva brand as that what I was started on. Get your pharmacy to put a note on your a/c as to which brand you want.
Thanks very much for your reply - I have found that increasingly most of my prescriptions have been Teva in recent months, but I will ask my pharmacist to add a note to my account. I didn’t realise it could cause so many issues for patients until I read about it here. Better safe than sorry. Thanks again.
Hi I am no longer on Levothyroxine medication and do feel a lot better for it I could not tolerate the medication so my gp decided to take me off it and apparently my blood test levels was normal without medication on three occasions and I feel well so unfortunately I can’t really give you any advice but I wish you good health
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