Effects of Levothyroxine : hi everyone, Thanks... - Thyroid UK

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Effects of Levothyroxine

KRex profile image
KRex
8 Replies

hi everyone,

Thanks to some wonderful advice here I have navigated various GPs who initially suggested my symptoms could all be “psychological”

The last GP I spoke to looked back at my TSH from my last pregnancy and found it had been elevated, and had continued to climb over last 4 years. Still “subclinical” at 5.6 and my T4 has continued to decrease and is now 10. The GP felt it was clear my thyroid was not going to just get better and prescribed levothyroxine 50mg.

I am really wanted to see if anyone has experience of it starting to have effects quickly? After 2 weeks I have noticed I don’t have a sore throat, and my neck doesn’t look swollen or feel hard anymore! I’m not sure if this is coincidence or it is the medication? In hindsight my neck was so swollen!!

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KRex
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8 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Brilliant news

Yes symptoms can improve pretty quickly after starting on Levo

Common as you get nearer 6-8 retest for some symptoms to start reappearing…..this is your body getting ready for next increase in dose of Levo

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)

50mcg is only standard STARTER dose

Likely to need further increases in dose over coming months

Meanwhile are you working on improving low B12, folate with supplements and ferritin by increasing iron rich foods in your diet

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Have you tested vitamin D yet

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £31 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

KRex profile image
KRex in reply toSlowDragon

I have deficiency in vitD and folate which I am taking supplements for. B12 I am about 5 units off being deficient so they won’t agree to treatment yet. I have a family history of PA and I have symptoms so the advice was to take my folate for a few months and retest as my b12 will likely be “deficient” now. If they doctors refuse injections I am just going to do my own - my beauty therapist friend said can help as she sells the injections.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toKRex

Actually it’s recommended to start B12 BEFORE folate

Low B12 symptoms

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

methyl-life.com/blogs/defic...

With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement

Worth trying daily B12 supplement FIRST

Is your Folic acid prescribed by GP ?

Once you finish folic acid ….Look at starting a separate vitamin B Complex 

Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week

Highly effective B12 drops

natureprovides.com/products...

Or

B12 sublingual lozenges

uk.iherb.com/pr/jarrow-form...

cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...

B12 range in U.K. is too wide

Interesting that in this research B12 below 400 is considered inadequate

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low folate

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus B complex popular option too. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose

Post discussing different B complex

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) Thorne can be difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12

Post discussing how biotin can affect test results

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Note that improving folate when B12 is very low is not a good idea. Taking folate before B12 is good enough can lead to neurological problems.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subac...

If need to supplement both B12 and folate then B12 should be started a week before the folate.

Sparklingsunshine profile image
Sparklingsunshine

I've had some fun recently reading old posts from the forum, several years old in some cases. I always felt it was odd that GP's are so keen to dismiss many symptoms we have as psychological, aka depression, stress anxiety.

Especially as these are all symptoms and no one has yet devised a blood test for depression haha.

Several posters made the point that there are apparently financial incentives for prescribing and more importantly reviewing antidepressants, put simply the practice gets points for prescribing them, which translate into extra cash for the practice. Whereas the diagnosis of thyroid issues gets them little or nothing.

And as we know GP surgeries are run as businesses nowadays, and the partner GP's have a vested financial interest in making as much money as they can, similarly health screenings like smear tests and vaccination uptake targets, if achieved, also get them extra cash.

If true I must admit I found it deeply concerning. However the mystery of why GP's are so dismissive of symptoms, especially women's symptoms, has perhaps become more clear and might go some way to explaining why so many antidepressant medications are prescribed. I certainly think we need to be aware of this.

KRex profile image
KRex in reply toSparklingsunshine

Interesting my husband has never had “it’s all in your head” suggested to him….

It makes me sad - I’m 37 and feel now the battle is going to be everything down to pre-menopause.

Sparklingsunshine profile image
Sparklingsunshine in reply toKRex

Unfortunately we've had a myriad of members over the years fobbed off with anxiety/ depression/stress/hormones. In fact I'm guessing nearly every woman you ask has probably heard it at some point.

Or you get labelled with Chronic Fatigue or Fibro. As you say its much more common for men to be taken seriously. We are patronised, belittled or gaslight. No wonder people have a hard time trusting doctors.

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame

A GP clued up on thyroid disease...so pleased for you!

Your body is now reacting to the treatment it badly needed....it's not coincidence!

Test again after 6/8 weeks, you will need at least another increase of 25mcg...most likely more than that.

Follow testing proocol as SlowDragon has explained and optimise vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin

You are travelling towards the light at the end of the tunnel!!

We're all here to help....just ask!

HealthStarDust profile image
HealthStarDust

Yes. Almost immediately for some symptoms. However, after that initial burst of some wellness albeit not complete, I became unwell.

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