am I on to much levothyroxine

[Prosecco1997]

hello my recent test level was Serum TSH level 0.61 mu/L [0.27 - 4.2], I’m taking 75 Levo , do you think I could reduce my dose or stay the same

[greygoose]

Just testing TSH is not going to tell you that. You need the FT4 and FT3 tested.

[Prosecco1997 in reply to greygoose]

That result was all I got , I had not taken Levi for 3 days , would that give a true reading ?

These are march’s results

Serum TSH level 1.1 mu/L [0.27 - 4.2]

Serum free T4 level 16.7 pmol/L [12.0 - 22.0]

[greygoose in reply to Prosecco1997]

Leaving off levo probably wouldn't have much effect on the TSH because it doesn't move that fast - and would have gone up, anyway.

Your March FT4 was only 47.00% through the range, so definitely not too high.

But what time of day was the blood draw? Was it at the same time as in March? There's only a slight difference in the TSH, so unlikely your FT4 has gone up enough to need reducing.

[Prosecco1997 in reply to greygoose]

I had it done at 1.30pm , last test was in the morning, I don’t know if I’m on to much as heart feels like it’s in throat and pounds sometimes, iam on beta blockers aswell

[greygoose in reply to Prosecco1997]

OK, so we can't compare the two TSH results.

TSH is highest before 9 am. Then drops sharply until it's at its lowest around 12 pm, then starts to rise again. So, this latest TSH was pretty much at its lowest, and therefore would have been higher than the last one had the blood been taken before 9am. Therefore it's rising, not dropping. But no way of guessing by how much. If you want to be able to compare TSH results the blood draw must always be done at the same time of day.

So, highly unlikely that you need to reduce your levo. In fact, you could probably do with an increase in dose.

[Prosecco1997 in reply to greygoose]

I’m just worried as getting my heart rate keeps going high , don’t want to make any worse

[greygoose in reply to Prosecco1997]

I think that might be due to low T3 rather than too much T4.

[Prosecco1997 in reply to greygoose]

Spoke to my doctor says not to reduce , but my levels are more at the low end of the scale he says and my othe level is normal , did not take Levi yesterday and felt better , also took 50 mg this morning instead of 75 , am I doing the right thing as worried

[greygoose in reply to Prosecco1997]

No, I don't think you are doing the right thing. The fact that you felt better not taking it doesn't mean you're taking too much, that is something that happens to everyone: no matter how well you feel on levo, if you stop it you're going to feel much, much better for a short while - nobody knows why, but that's just how it works. But, sooner or later you're going to feel much, much worse.

If your heart rate is high due to under-medication - which I believe it is - then lowering/stopping your dose is going to make things worse, not better. You need an increase in dose, not a reduction.

[Prosecco1997 in reply to greygoose]

Ok I’ll increase back up to 75 , but after taking 50 this morning I felt ill , also got very tearful , but was not like that yesterday? Without it , can I split doses ?

[greygoose in reply to Prosecco1997]

Well, I just explained why you felt the way you felt yesterday.

What brand of levo are you taking? Have you ever felt well on it?

[Prosecco1997 in reply to greygoose]

I’m on accord and another brand , I’m on other medication as well , so I’ve took Levi by itself on few occasions, and do not feel well on it , gold doctor they say it shouldn’t be that as it’s just a hormone

[greygoose in reply to Prosecco1997]

Well, in a way, he's right - except for two things:

- you have to take enough of it to feel well, and you're not taking enough - go up to 100 and you could feel a lot better. High heart rate does not automatically mean you're taking too much.

- it could be the fillers/excipients in the pill that don't agree with you. Have you tried other brands - what is the second brand you're taking? Is it Teva?

[Prosecco1997 in reply to greygoose]

No it’s another brand I can’t remember what though

[Noelnoel in reply to Prosecco1997]

My heart rate is all over the place when I’m both over and under replaced. However, when overmedicated, as well as an erratic heart, anxiety creeps in. At this point lowering my dose steadies things

[Prosecco1997 in reply to Noelnoel]

How much do you lower yours by please

[Forestgarden in reply to Prosecco1997]

There's a lot of overlap with symptoms when over and under medicated. Don't make adjustments without knowing your ft4 and ft3.

[Noelnoel]

You don’t know whether you’re over or undermedicated so lowering your dose isn’t necessarily the right thing to do

I don’t take levo, I’m on glandulars so I reduce by just a a small portion of a capsule every few days until I reach my sweet spot

[Prosecco1997 in reply to Noelnoel]

I feel like I’m going mad I wake up with a pounding heart , crying, very depressed, lost my appetite, and heart keeps going up in rate then back down again

[Jefner in reply to Prosecco1997]

that is where I currently am and have been for a while, I recently found I am overmedicated and the symptoms are both frightening and debilitating, especially the anxiety

[Prosecco1997 in reply to Jefner]

It’s absolutely awful isn’t it , I keep thinking it’s my heart medication, but I’ve stopped my thyroid medication before and felt better , but doctors say you must take it

[Prosecco1997 in reply to Jefner]

my results say normal

[DippyDame in reply to Prosecco1997]

It's difficult to judge whether you are over or undermedicated.....symptoms for both can overlap

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

But....I suspect you are either undermedicated or have impaired T4 to T3 conversion

The only solution is to start with accurate testing.

TSH,....pituitary hormone

FT4, FT3.....thyroid hormones

Vit D, vit B12, folate, ferritin....essential nutrients

Thyroid antibodies TPO and Tg...to test for thyroid autoimmune disease/ Hashimoto's

Test at 9am at least an hour away from food and drink and for levo, 24 hrs after last dose

You may have to do this privately....but try and persuade GP first!!

thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...

[Prosecco1997 in reply to DippyDame]

I have hashimotos

[DippyDame in reply to Prosecco1997]

So hypothyroidism....caused by Hashi's

Treatment is much the same tho' may need slight adjustment during a long flare

Gluten free diet should help

Thyroid levels may fluctuate....caused by Hashi flares

my results say normal,....

they usually say that if results sit within the ref range....it isn't helpful

so, no such thing as normal results.....

instead...results must be what best suits the individual......

that is, the exact point within the range where the individual feels well/ symptom free

As before, advise testing asap....

Noelnoel has helpfully pointed to Medichecks 20% discount....see link in my post above

It's your health, try and make it a priority....then everything else will feel that bit better

Take care.

[Noelnoel in reply to Prosecco1997]

That sounds difficult so you need to get it sorted soon. DippyDame’s suggestion makes sense

Medichecks have 20% off at the moment