Liquid Levothyroxine : Hi , I'm wondering what... - Thyroid UK

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Liquid Levothyroxine

8 Replies

Hi , I'm wondering what people's experience is on liquid levothyroxine and the difficulty in getting the doctors to prescribed it .I first started taking levothyroxine ( tablet form ) about 5/6 years ago after having some tests done and have never felt truly right or comfortable when on it and experience numerous side effects.

I've tried different brands initially started on teva then eltroxin , currently taking wochardt ( think that's the name ) also been give Mercury pharma which I believe is the same as eltroxin but have not taken

I was under an nhs endocrinologist who basically has struck me off his department because i queried what he was saying to me ..... like I told him my symptoms I was experiencing he said I was classic over medicated and in his next sentence said my bloods told him I needed an increase and I should take more.

Anyway when picking up my prescription from boots the lady serving( not pharmacist ) me was also on thyroid medication and asked how I was finding being on it when I told her about my experience she mentioned have a tried liquid form hence the post .

Thanks J

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8 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAmbassador

Liquid Levothyroxine is approx £150 per bottle and lasts about a month

It’s also been difficult to source recently

Looking at your previous post you are only on 75mcg

Or have you had further dose increase

bloods need retesting 6-8 weeks after each dose increase or brand change in Levothyroxine

in reply toSlowDragon

Never going to get that of a gp then 😳Last blood test was mid Feb ..

Tsh= 2.4 ( 0.35-5.50)

T4 = 11.20 ( 7.86-14 41)

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAmbassador in reply to

Was test done early morning, ideally before 9am. Only drinking water between waking and test and last dose Levothyroxine 24 hours before test

TSH is too high indicating you are ready for next increase

Approx how much do you weigh in kilo

Guidelines on dose by weight is 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight per day

Essential to retest vitamin D twice year when supplementing

Test folate, B12 and ferritin at least annually

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAmbassador

pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...

Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:

In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.

The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).

The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.

……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.

The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.

TSH should be under 2 as an absolute maximum when on levothyroxine

gponline.com/endocrinology-...

Graph showing median TSH in healthy population is 1-1.5

web.archive.org/web/2004060...

Comprehensive list of references for needing LOW TSH on levothyroxine

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

If symptoms of hypothyroidism persist despite normalisation of TSH, the dose of levothyroxine can be titrated further to place the TSH in the lower part of the reference range or even slightly below (i.e., TSH: 0.1–2.0 mU/L), but avoiding TSH < 0.1 mU/L. Use of alternate day dosing of different levothyroxine strengths may be needed to achieve this (e.g., 100 mcg for 4 days; 125 mcg for 3 days weekly).

Bollieforme profile image
Bollieforme

I have liquid levo from Endo who requested to my Gp. I have difficulty swallowing. I find it the it’s the purest form.

Underactive777 profile image
Underactive777

I have only taken eltroxin which is now mercury farmer in tablet form but as long as you stay on the same brand I have found no problem whatsoever and also I take it in the morning every day. Problems only seem to arise when you change brands so it’s important to get your Doctor to write on your prescription, mercury pharma. Never tried liquid didn’t know you could, but I’m happy because it’s only a tiny pill.. I have been on it for 25 years.

Underactive777 profile image
Underactive777 in reply toUnderactive777

sorry I am dyslexic and speak and annoyingly despite changing it to pharma. It appears to have changed back.

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator

Aside from everything else, the levothyroxine oral solutions all contain glycerol.

Glycerol: 3,780mg per 5ml dose. Effectively 3ml of glycerol in every 5ml spoonful of the products.

While glycerol is generally a safe substance and is present naturally in many foods, taking this much in one go does appear to upset the digestions of some people. Others are just fine!

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