Thyroid levels : So got my thyroid bloods done a... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid levels

Jojomcc profile image
10 Replies

So got my thyroid bloods done a few days ago doctors phones me to say they want to reduce my levothyroxine from 150 one day and 175 next to 125mcg became my tsh is out of range....these were the results TSH 0.01 ( 0.27 - 4.2 )

T4 18.5 ( 10 - 22 )

T3 5.8 ( 3.1 - 6.8 )

Was I right to refuse and ask to go back to just 150 per day, ?

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Jojomcc profile image
Jojomcc
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10 Replies
tattybogle profile image
tattybogle

yes i would agree with your decision... try 150mcg , as your fT4 and fT3 aren't high ,

unless you have any symptoms of overmedication ?

but if not and you feel well enough on current dose , i'd recommend you keep any dose adjustments as small and gradual as possible.

it's possible you won't feel well on lower dose and may have to put it back up .... but it is worth trying lower doses occasionally because it's better to keep TSH over 0.04 if possible to do so and still feel well .

do give it several weeks to settle in before making your mind up about how 150mcg feels .. from my experiences of reducing dose , the first 5 wks can feel very undermedicated , but things can then settle and start to improve.. i've twice ended up realising i feel better than i did on original dose after about 4-6mths , even though the first 5 wks were lousy and at that point i was certain it would need to be put back up.

Jojomcc profile image
Jojomcc in reply to tattybogle

That's what I thought.... I don't have any symptoms of hyper, they are going to retest in 3 months time

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

3 months ago post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

your ferritin was deficient

you need vitamin levels including vitamin D retested

Essential to improve Low vitamin levels

Which brand of levothyroxine are 150mcg and 175mcg doses

Approx how much do you weigh in kilo?

Jojomcc profile image
Jojomcc in reply to SlowDragon

I'm taking iron and folate with vit c .... And I got took off my vit d because my doctors only prescribe it for 1 year, I take accord brand for both doses because it's the only one I can tolerate, and I wouldn't know what I weigh in kilo but I'm 12 stone 5...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Jojomcc

Well you will almost certainly need ongoing self supplemented vitamin D daily and continuously

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £31 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly when supplementing

Can test via NHS private testing service

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.

There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.

One spray = 1000iu

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease

newscientist.com/article/23...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Recipe ideas

bbc.co.uk/food/articles/mag...

Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Jojomcc

Ferritin can take many, many months to improve

12stone 5lb = 78.5 kg

So guidelines suggest likely daily dose 125mcg

As you’re taking more than this….suggests perhaps poor nutrient absorption and/or low stomach acid and/or low vitamin levels

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Free T4 (fT4) 18.5 pmol/L (10 - 22) 70.8%

Free T3 (fT3) 5.8 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 73.0%

Was test done as recommended…..early morning, ideally before 9am, and only drinking water between waking and test, with last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Personally I wouldn’t reduce dose at all

I would retest vitamin levels BEFORE considered any changes

Aiming for

Vitamin D at least over 80nmol minimum

Serum B12 over 500

Active B12 over 70

Folate at top of range

Ferritin minimum 70 and nearer 100 likely better

Jojomcc profile image
Jojomcc in reply to SlowDragon

Yes I'm taking 150mcg, and I also think I have low stomach acid which is causing deficiencies but my doctors aren't listening, and won't send for testing, do you know how i can increase the acid naturally ? 🙄 and yes I took meds 26hrs prior to testing at 8.40am and fasting from before midnight night before,

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Jojomcc

Low stomach acid can be a common hypothyroid issue

Thousands of posts on here about low stomach acid

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Web links re low stomach acid and reflux and hypothyroidism

nutritionjersey.com/high-or...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

How to test your stomach acid levels

healthygut.com/articles/3-t...

meraki-nutrition.co.uk/indi...

huffingtonpost.co.uk/laura-...

lispine.com/blog/10-telling...

Useful post and recipe book

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

never just assume you have low stomach acid

healthygut.com/4-common-bet...

Brightness14 profile image
Brightness14

Yes you were right to refuse, good for you.

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