I'm currently on 100mcg Levothyroxine. I was started on this dose straight away on 18th July.
I still have brain fog, no energy, hair still falling out, dry skin/scalp e.t.c. but I've started having heart palpitations, sleeping less and feeling a bit light headed.
I'm also taking vitamin d3 & k2, vitamin complex, magnesium glycinate, selenium, zinc and copper, cod liver oil, turmeric, vitamin c and take Spa tone iron when on my period. (Previous blood tests show that my iron levels are good and my vitamin b as well so I don't think I have any vitamin/mineral deficiencies) I also make sure I don't take any vitamins/supplements until about four hours after taking Levothyroxine.
My next doctors appointment isn't until 5th September and I've started taking half a tablet instead, so reducing my dose to 50mcg (tablets are hard to split so unable to drop to 75mcg) is this ok to do while waiting for my appointment?
I've requested for a free T3 test as I don't think my T4 is being converted well, but not sure if my doctor will agree. I may end up getting this test done elsewhere, is it very expensive?
Also is it worth asking to get my adrenals checked, assuming I can ask for this test on the NHS? I get 'aches' in what feels like my right kidney especially when I'm stressed.
I'm also considering going gluten free plus I'm reducing processed foods and I don't consume soy. I'm trying to remember to take probiotics as well but I haven't been too consistent with this thanks to my brain fog.
Any advice would be very much appreciated, thank you in advance, xxx
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TooManyTablets
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So, you have Hashi's. And you've been on 100 mcg levo for...? At least 4 months, with no change. So, one has to conclude that the reason your FT4 has doubled in that time has nothing to do with your dose, and must therefore be due to a Hashi's 'hyper' swing.
These swing are only temporary. Eventually the levels will go down by themselves. So, you don't want a reduction in your prescription, because you're eventually going to need the whole dose again - if not more. More than likely more because you were very undermedicated in May and July which would account for your symptoms. So, if you feel over-medicated, reduce your dose yourself until you feel hypo again, but don't get your doctor involved, because once a doctor has reduced a dose, he doesn't like putting it up again!
And they have no understand of how Hashi's 'works'.
I'm also taking vitamin d3 & k2, vitamin complex, magnesium glycinate, selenium, zinc and copper,
Do you mean a B complex? Or a multi-vit?
Did you get your zinc and copper tested before supplementing? Because hypos are usually high in one and low in the other. And taking more of the one you're high in is not a good idea.
I've requested for a free T3 test as I don't think my T4 is being converted well,
Doubtful you'll get that. Even if the doctor does agree, the lab can over-ride him and refuse to do it. Most people have to get private testing to get their FT3 done. I can't tell you about prices but you'll find details of private testing companies here:
It's worth asking about adrenals - well, better to ask for an early morning serum cortisol test. Because in my experience using the word 'adrenals' to a GP just gets you a series of blank looks, as if they know they ought to know what it means but can for the life of them remember what they are...
I did mean vitamin b complex and no I haven't had my zinc and copper tested yet.
That's interesting to know about the Hashimoto 'hyper' swings and I will adjust my medication without involving my doctor. My doctor never mentioned that I've got Hashimoto's, I guessed that I had it for myself, he was more bothered about telling me I'm now able to have free prescriptions! 🙄
Doctors are only vaguely aware that Hashi's exists. They don't know what it is or what it does and very rarely consider it worth mentioning. They think that antibodies mean that there's a possibility you might go hypo one day, instead of realising that you have an autoimmune disease that is slowly destroying your thyroid.
I didn't see the date. Hence the question mark. Well, the info on Hashi's is still valid. Considering that 100 mcg is not a huge dose - even if it is too much to start on - the FT4 went up out of all proportion.
it's possible that 100mcg may be a little bit too much from looking at your symptoms and the fT4 level of 22 which looks highish ( but we do need to see the lab rage that came with that test to be sure how high fT4 is .....it might be [12-22] but could be something different, can you find it ?) ,
Also we need to know how many hours before the blood test you took the last dose of levo ?
If you decide to lower dose before seeing GP, 50mcg/ day is likely to be too big a drop.
it is generally better to make smaller adjustments if possible , eg to 87.5mcg , or 75mcg , but as you only have 100mcg tablets at the moment , you could achieve something close to that by eg :
alternating dose of 100mcg / 50mcg on alternate days... this gives an equivalent daily dose of 75mcg ( levo lasts a long time in the blood , so level evens itself out)
or 5 days 100mcg / 2 days 50mcg ... gives daily dose of 85mcg
(it's better to space the 50mcg days evenly apart over the week , not together,)
Starting patients on 100mcg is often a bit too heavy handed, they do it to save time rather than increasing from 50 to 75 etc and waiting in between to see the results , but several members here found that 100mcg was bit too much for them to start with .
I had my blood test 24 hours after taking my levothyroxine tablet and blood was taken at the same time as my previous tests and I only had water beforehand. I also didn't take any vitamins/supplements the day before either as I wasn't sure if any interfere with results like biotin.
I will try alternating the doses as well thank you I appreciate this as I didn't want to drop the dose down too much or too quickly.
ok , so fT4 level is still 22.8 [12-22] 24 hrs after last dose , meaning it will be a bit higher than that for much of the day .... so yes that does look like 100mcg is a tad too much for you .
do also bear in mind .... things may still be changing as your body adjusts/ and re-adjusts everything to the new level of fT4...... you may have tested a bit too soon to see what your tSh and fT4 levels/ symptoms would really settle down to on 100mcg .... it takes a good 6 weeks to allow TSh to settle ... (eg . it may initially go low then slowly start to rise again if dose is not enough) .... and it does takes at least a couple of wks for the level of fT4 to build up to stable levels , (because it has a long half life of 7 days) ... so don't be surprised if you do eventually end up needing to go back to 100mcg .
i personally think it's daft to start people on 100mcg ... it's a big shock to the body / heart / everything to suddenly have a big change in thyroid hormone levels.. and it doesn't really speed the process up if people then have to go back down because either a) it was the right dose , but their body finds it too much to handle initially and have to go back down first and the go up more slowly .. or b) it really is too much and they only needed 87.5
it's slower , but i think usually better, to start at 50mcg for a few wks/ test then 75mcg for a few wks/ test the depending on results 100mcg , or adjust by smaller amounts of 12.5mcg .. gives the whole body chance to get it's act together as levels slowly increase
Strongly recommend you stay on 100mcg daily and retest after 3 months
Very common to initially feel a bit hyper weeks 4-8 before your body gets use to increased metabolism
Far too soon to test after just a month
And you should stop vitamin B complex 5-7 days before any blood test as it contains biotin
I'm also taking vitamin d3 & k2, vitamin complex, magnesium glycinate, selenium, zinc and copper, cod liver oil, turmeric, vitamin c and take Spa tone iron when on my period. (Previous blood tests show that my iron levels are good and my vitamin b as well so I don't think I have any vitamin/mineral deficiencies)
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin levels BEFORE starting supplements and only add one supplement at a time …..then wait at least 2 weeks before adding another
Never supplement iron without getting full iron panel test
Suggest you drop all supplements apart from Vitamin D
Wait at least 7 days and retest
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
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How about a goose on the triangle? 
New Blood Results after changing from Levothyroxine to Armour
Test results am I overmedicated?
Resent Test Results 
Reducing levothyroxine and taking HRT
