what to do ?

[Prosecco1997]

I have had my dose of 75 mg levo reduced to 50 for the past 6 weeks as I’d gone over , iam now feeling the most awful symptoms returning, very painful right throat chest , crying down , light headed weak , can’t get to speak to my doctor till the 6th September, should I increase back up , feeling so ill and realy uncomfortable , palpitations aswell , I do have a heart rythym problem

[Regenallotment]

I’d get a full thyroid panel blood test done privately while on 50. And use that combined with your symptoms to make a decision.

Another thing you can check is your resting pulse. Do you have a Fitbit or Apple Watch? If not you can count your wrist pulse beats watching a clock for 15 seconds and times by 4. For true resting pulse sit and relax for a good 20-30 mins before taking it and do it a few times, as it can quicken just thinking about it 🫣

I know that my normal is ‘55-58’ and over replaced for me is ‘70+’. Hypo for me was 46. Hubby’s normal is 48 and GP has run ECGs blood tests etc and just says that’s normal for him.

Try and remain calm about it all as the stress and scary factor can make us feel so much worse.

Going over range gave me a loud heartbeat at night that returns if I eat dark chocolate too late in the evening. It also gave me an upset tummy, sweaty face.

Low B12 gives me awful anxiety and mental health symptoms (catastrophising, rehearsing daydream traumas) and aches.

Maybe something like alternate days 50/75 would help to start with if you need to increase? If that’s too much try 50/50/50/75 etc or you may not yet have come down enough… 🤷🏽‍♀️

Good luck let us know how you get on 🌱

[Prosecco1997 in reply to Regenallotment]

Thankyou , my tsh is 3 it was 0.13 ? Antibodies are85 , now are 259 I do have hashimotos

[TiggerMe]

Previously your fT4 was only just above range so your GP has reduced you by too much when really just dropping perhaps 2 days a week to 50mg and 5 days 75mcg would likely have been enough to bring you back into range.

GP's do seem to like changing in 25mcg but it is too heavy handed when you are very close to your sweet spot

Yes I would increase the dose as it is only you that will suffer if you don't and you can explain that to the GP when you hopefully will be feeling much better 🤗

[Prosecco1997 in reply to TiggerMe]

Shall I increase to 75 from tomorrow mon to fri then 50 weekends ? Or alternate the days

[TiggerMe in reply to Prosecco1997]

That might be a good idea to get things moving in the right direction... personally I have to add an extra 100mcg over the week and tend to add 50mcg Wednesday and another Saturday but it really is a personal thing as some people will notice the 'lower' days, you can always tweak later 🤗

[Prosecco1997 in reply to TiggerMe]

I’m only worried as don’t want to make heart palpitations worse , but I’ll give it a go thankyou

[TiggerMe in reply to Prosecco1997]

Were your heart palpitations worse on 75mcg or now?

[Prosecco1997 in reply to TiggerMe]

About the same realy , but now getting a few more

[Prosecco1997 in reply to TiggerMe]

Doctor said they would reduce if I cut down to 50 ? I have realy bad anxiety, just want to feel better

[TiggerMe in reply to Prosecco1997]

Anxiety and palpitations are symptoms of low thyroid hormones

With your TSH already up to 3 you are hypo

[Prosecco1997 in reply to TiggerMe]

So it’s best to increase again , Thankyou for your help

[TiggerMe in reply to Prosecco1997]

Absolutely 🤗

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your post a month ago with results that caused GP to reduce your dose

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You were asked (but didn’t answer) ……

was last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Ft4 23.3 (12-22)

FT4 very slightly over range

If you took last dose 24 hours before test …..then perhaps dose needed reduction ……reducing by just 50mcg PER WEEK would perhaps have been sufficient

Not by 25mcg per day …..which is a massive 175mcg PER WEEK

[Prosecco1997 in reply to SlowDragon]

No I took my levo the morning of test as doctor told me not change anything? So what would you advise I take now , my throat is so painful even on breathing in , Thankyou for your help

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Prosecco1997]

Then test was incorrect

Ft4 result was false high

ALWAYS test early morning, ideally before 9am, only drinking water between waking and test and last dose Levo 24 hours before test

Likely you now have low vitamin levels after huge dose reduction

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

As you have Hashimoto’s, have you had coeliac blood test

Get tested BEFORE trial on gluten free diet

approx how much do you weigh in kilo

Guidelines on dose levothyroxine suggests many people eventually need around 1.6mcg Levo per kilo per day. Unless extremely petite that’s likely to mean eventually on more than 75mcg daily

[SlowDragon Administrator]

suggest you increase dose to 75mcg 5 days a week and 50mcg 2 days a week

ALWAYS get same brand Levo at each prescription

Then after 6-8 weeks minimum get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing

ESSENTIAL you test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together

suggest you reread all advice given 4 months ago in this previous post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Irregular heart rate can be LOW ft3

[Prosecco1997 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thankyou I’m 66.678 kilograms , I’ve not been tested for coeliac , but I will ask along with all vitamins , do you think by reducing has caused me to feel unwell and caused my throat to become so painful effects chest aswell

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Prosecco1997]

do you think by reducing has caused me to feel unwell and caused my throat to become so painful effects chest aswell

Yes. Thyroid is swollen and struggling to make thyroid hormones

With Hashimoto’s we frequently ONLY feel well with GOOD Ft3 and Ft4

Essential to test both Ft4 and Ft3 with correct timings of test …..and to ALWAYS maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels

Many of us find irregular heart rate improves as increase dose Levo and/or improving conversion rate by maintaining OPTIMAL vitamin levels

Strictly gluten free diet often improves absorption

about 86% of Hashimoto’s patients find gluten free helps or is essential…..but only 5% test positive for coeliac

Similarly about 50% hashimoto’s patients find dairy free is necessary as well

Hashimoto’s is often very poorly understood by GP

It’s as much a disease of the gut as the thyroid

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Prosecco1997]

66kg suggests you may eventually need to be on around 100mcg daily levo

[Prosecco1997 in reply to SlowDragon]

I was on 100 felt well on that , but to many palpitations so had to cut to 75