How long for Thyroid medication to leave the system?

[knackersyard]

Morning

I’ve been taking Thyroid-s for 10+ years. I’m thinking of stopping and Testing my levels to see where I’m at.

How long would it take to completely clear my system, so I can accurately test my natural levels?

Thanks

[helvella Administrator]

This is not a good plan.

It will take many weeks. During which time you will become progressively more hypothyroid. Even if your own thyroid managed to recover its ability to produce as much thyroid hormone as before you started taking Thyroid S. And if its ability to produce thyroid hormone was impaired before you started, you cannot expect it to produce sufficient for all your needs.

Remember that you posted how your TSH was elevated for years before you started treatment.

If you cannot produce enough thyroid hormone, you will need to take some other source - whether Thyroid S or something else. And the amount you need will not depend on some natural level - which I am reading to mean "the levels when your thyroid is producing as much thyroid hormone as it can produce when taking none". Your dosing depends on you, your body, and the amount your thyroid produces when you are taking whatever you need.

[Tina_Maria]

The half-life of levothyroxine is 6-7 days, if you have T3 in the mix, that has a half-life of 12-18 hours and will leave the system earlier. So, if you stop taking your medicine completely, it will take around 33-36 days to completely clear your system.

However, as you are taking thyroxine hormones in the first place, you have a clinical need for it, as your thyroid was not able to produce thyroid hormone on its own. If your deficit is due to an autoimmune disease (and the majority of cases are), you will not have the capacity to produce thyroid hormones yourself again. Therefore, you will be left with a severe lack of thyroid hormones, which will dangerously slow down your metabolism and affect your heart. Stopping thyroid medication completely can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as myxedema coma, where the body's functions become dangerously slow.

Sadly, once your thyroid can no longer produce hormones, you will have to be on replacement treatment for life.

You should never stop taking thyroid medication without consulting with your healthcare provider. If you're concerned about taking thyroid medication, you should discuss your concerns with your doctor. They may be able to adjust your dose or prescribe a different medication.

[greygoose in reply to Tina_Maria]

I think you meant T3 has a half-life of 12-18 hours, didn't you? Not days. Although I would have said 24 hours. And, of course, it depends how much you're taking how long it takes to clear the system - the more you take, the longer it takes.

[Tina_Maria in reply to greygoose]

Ops yes! Sorry early morning brain... Thanks!

[greygoose in reply to Tina_Maria]

You're welcome.

[DippyDame]

Listen to helvella!

Your plan is worrying!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Stopping replacement thyroid hormone is really bad idea

TSH takes a LONG time to respond…..and if been on NDT or T3 with suppressed TSH…..it may never respond

Why TSH is sluggish - mechanism called 'Hysteresis'.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

starts at the end of the first reply from Tattybogle : " To understand why TSH stays suppressed for a long time after an episode of hyperthyroidism/ overmedication, (or ANY T3 use) has finished... "

and is continued in detail much further down in another reply from me : " CONTINUED HYSTERESIS ~ Why TSH remains lower for quite along while following episodes of hyperthyroidism / overmedication .... (or any T3 use) , it is due (at least partly) to a mechanism called 'Hysteresis'.

Some people just slowly grind to halt if they stop their thyroid hormone replacement

Others can “fall off the cliff “ after 10-14 days

Over 30 years ago…..I stopped Levo on 3 separate occasions …..long story short…..I was left on very inadequate 75mcg dose levothyroxine so was feeling dreadful ….

1st time …..I just slowly ground to a halt. Very cold, constipation, foggy brain and feeling down. Took 3-4 months to improve slowly

2nd time ….roughly a year later ….much more unwell. Unable to function, panic attacks, loss of appetite, raynauds returned, pins and needles, etc etc

Took 4-6 months to regain any sense of normality

3rd time again about another year later ……stopped Levo….after 10 days……became extremely unwell, struggling to breathe, couldn’t eat, lost stone in weight over 2 weeks. Couldn’t get out of bed or walk for weeks…..even after restarting Levo

(Definitely last time I ever tried that!)

Was tested for Pituitary tumour, MS, motor neurone disease, pheochromocytoma, Addison’s etc etc ….all negative

Took a year to recover enough to walk 500 yards unaided

…and only at my insistence did I get referral to NHS thyroid specialist…..who SLOWLY and significantly increased my levo dose to 125mcg over next 2-3 years …..and eventually T3 added

More on my profile

[knackersyard]

Thank you for all the replies & sorry for the delay.

Allow me to explain… I’m “a bloke” & lucky to say I’m fit & never sick.

Back in 2009 I had a random blood test by the GP, which revealed a TSH of I think 3. I’d never heard of Thyroid, so I started looking into it. Came up with Iodine & immediately ordered tablets & lugols, which I was taking by the gallon. I didn’t feel any effect, but I wonder if it affected subsequent Thyroid tests, because I did have one TSH result of 11…

As my T4 & T3 were in range (lower end), the GP was reluctant to give me medication, but eventually gave me a trial of Levo. Can’t remember exact dose, but I know I did private testing alongside the GP tests & remember that my fT3 didn’t increase at all during 2 or 3 increases, so it appeared clear that I didn’t convert.

So I started self medicating, initially with T3 & then Thyroid-s. I’ve been taking that for maybe 10 years.

Thing is, I’m not sure it makes me feel any different. I was on 3 tablets, dropped to 2, felt no change. I dropped to one tab 12 days ago, feel no difference.

I’m just interested to see what my natural levels are.

[knackersyard]

To add to the above, I was ready to re-order Thyroid-s & saw that it’s getting harder to get due to restrictions. The way the world is rapidly becoming authoritarian, I’d like to know if I can cope without NDT & if not, maybe even give Levo another try, see if I can convert it.

Does that make sense?