Test results

[Faith442024]

Hi lovely people

I've had my results back. I'm aware that l should be around 1-2 max.

My last results was around 4 and someone said l still have way to go to reach 1. At one point not long ago l was whopping 12 so l hope lm going in the right direction.

3 stone lve put on since l became hashimoto patient still hasn't shifted but lady said, as soon as l have all vitamins at optimal levels l should start loosing weight naturally. I batter will as l have quite a bit to loose.

I'm going for full panel next

THS, T4, T3

Thyroglobulin antibodies

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies

hs-CRP - inflammation

Ferritin

Folate serum

Vitamin B12 active

Vitamin D

Please kindly let me know what else l should test for?

Oh, and lve stopped taking all the vitamins and will wait a week till l do the new test.

Kind regards

Anna

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Are you still taking 100mcg Levo? As recommended, did you leave your daily dose until after the blood draw? What time was the test?

Based upon these results, I would push for an increase in Levothyroxine as a first step, as FT4 is low in the range and FT3 is barely in range, plus TSH should always be under 2. Highly likely your adverse symptoms (including weight gain) are linked to your thyroid levels being dire.

Do share your vitamin results with us when you have the results, as these are so important to thyroid health.

In a previous post, you said that you were initially treated as Graves, then Hashimotos. It would be useful to see your historic thyroid antibody tests. What treatment were you given for Graves?

I was misdiagnosed as Graves initially (largely based on ‘hyper’ symptoms plus Thyroid Eye Disease, more common with Graves). However, I was encouraged by forum members to check antibodies & actually found I’m underactive with Hashimotos.

Important information about antibody tests:

 Graves Disease (hyperthyroidism) needs to be confirmed via positive TRab or TSI:

TRab

TSH receptor antibodies

TSI

Thyroid-Stimulating Immunoglobulin

TPO & TG antibodies may be Graves or Hashimotos.

 TPOab

Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies

TGab

Thyroglobulin antibodies

[Faith442024 in reply to Buddy195]

Hi Buddy195

I'm currently taking 100mg every other day and 125mg on alternate days.

I've done the test 9am on an empty stomuch, 24h break from levothyroxine.

I'm thinking to increase, 125 mcg of daily for two days, then 100 mcg every third day and then test after 6 weeks.

What do you think?

Kind regards

Faith

[Buddy195 Administrator in reply to Faith442024]

That sounds sensible. I like to increase slowly, so I don’t miss the ‘sweet spot’ where I feel most well.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

you only need stop any supplements containing biotin eg vitamin B complex 5-7 days before blood test

All other supplements continue until day before test

What vitamins are you taking

you very clearly need next 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine

Which brand is your 100mcg

Ideally get same brand for 25mcg

[Faith442024 in reply to SlowDragon]

I'm takingCollagen

Vitamin D3&k2

Vitamin C

Magnesium

So l should be fine with those.

I'm taking

100mg from Accord

25mg from Hillcross

I many times have requested levo from the same brand but every so often my pharmacy is out of stock and they give me whatever they have. l keep reminding them but like this month they gave me mixed brands and l can't do anything about it, or can l???? .....

Thanks SlowDragon

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Faith442024]

I think 25mcg Hillcross is actually Teva brand in the box

helvella may be able to confirm that

You can get brand specified on all future prescriptions

Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.

Most easily available (and often most easily tolerated) are Mercury Pharma or Accord

Mercury Pharma make 25mcg, 50mcg and 100mcg tablets 

Mercury Pharma also boxed as Eltroxin. Both often listed by company name on pharmacy database - Advanz

Accord only make 50mcg and 100mcg tablets. Accord is also boxed as Almus via Boots, 

Wockhardt is very well tolerated, but only available in 25mcg tablets. Some people remain on Wockhardt, taking their daily dose as a number of tablets 

July 2024

Crescent levothyroxine. Dosages: 12.5, 25, 50, 75, 100

(Not yet known if all approved dosages are or will be available).

Excipients: lactose monohydrate, maize starch, croscarmellose sodium, gelatin and magnesium stearate.

Lactose free brands - currently Teva or Vencamil only

Teva makes 25mcg, 50mcg, 75mcg and 100mcg

Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine.

Teva is lactose free.But Teva contains mannitol as a filler instead of lactose, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Mannitol seems to upset many people, it changes gut biome 

Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet.

So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half

But for some people (usually if lactose intolerant, Teva is by far the best option)

Vencamil (currently 100mcg only) is lactose free and mannitol free. 25mcg and 50mcg tablets hopefully available from summer 2024

March 2023 - Aristo now called Vencamil

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Helpful post about different brands

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

List of different brands available in U.K.

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

Posts that mention Teva

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Teva poll

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.

Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.

Government guidelines for GP in support of patients if you find it difficult/impossible to change brands

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/l...

If a patient reports persistent symptoms when switching between different levothyroxine tablet formulations, consider consistently prescribing a specific product known to be well tolerated by the patient.

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).

And here

pharmacymagazine.co.uk/clin...

Discussed here too

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to SlowDragon]

Confirmed!

I think 25mcg Hillcross is actually Teva brand in the box

helvella may be able to confirm that

products.tevauk.com/hcp/lev...

Screenshot of tevauk

[Tinyowl99 in reply to helvella]

yes I can confirm I also had this problem when I was prescribed 25 mcg of Hillcross but was Teva inside the box I had to take it back to pharmacy because they didn't believe me

[Faith442024 in reply to SlowDragon]

A lot to take inTHANK YOU dear xxx

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Faith442024]

So Teva may be an issue

[Faith442024 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, Hillcross is Teva, I've just checked. I got a Teva prescription 3 days ago and was adding it to my Accord 100mg tablets.

Since yesterday, I'm not joking, I'm having severe headaches that don't go away with paracetamol. Today, I thought I was going to faint. I'm feeling weak with no energy, along with a huge headache and neck pain, and feeling like crying every 5 minutes. This isn't how I've been feeling lately, so I'm stopping Teva. For now, I'll be dividing Accord tablets into 4 pieces.

How can I do that without the tablet breaking into tiny pieces? And can I store the remaining pieces to use later on? Probably not, but I'm still asking.

Thank you!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Faith442024]

Just a note for anyone reading this:

While it is absolutely confirmed that 25 microgram Hillcross is Teva product, this is not so for other dosages.

50 and 100 microgram Hillcross are Accord product.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Faith442024]

Yes you can cut tablets into 1/4’s using pill cutter or (I prefer) sharp craft scalpel

Store remaining 1/4’s for following days in a weekly pill dispenser

It doesn’t matter if 1/4’s aren’t exactly equal as Levo is a storage hormone

You could take 150mcg one day and 100mcg next day …..averages out at 125mcg

But some people find that it’s best to take same, or almost same dose every day

Explain your severe reaction to Teva to GP Request GP give you a new prescription

Either a new 25mcg prescription and add note to future prescriptions “no Teva”

That means getting Mercury Pharma or Wockhardt

Soon, possibly also choice of Vencamil 25mcg available

Alternatively a prescription for 50mcg Accord and then cut in half to get 25mcg

[Faith442024]

A prescription for 50mg of Accord to match my 100mg sounds like a great idea to me. I'm just praying my GP egree, fingers crossed.

Thank you SlowDragon xx