Can my levo be making me ill

[nettiboo1982]

I have constant tummy issues and a GP today suggested my levo maybe too high and reduce dose. My tsh at last blood test was 1.51 so not too bad. But I've looked at ingredients on meds and both contain lactose could this be causing my constant upset tummy? I've tried teva before and didn't get on with it so what else can I try the liquid meds are not available to me

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

There are a few things that might be causing these issues.

What time of day was your test?

Firstly your dose may have been too low and an increase is indicated as your TSH was over 1. Taking less Levo may make this issue worse.

Teva doesnt suit everyone by any means. There is another option now - Vencamil - a brand of Levo thats now available in 25, 50 & 100mcg doses and no lactose or mannitol. It suits many people.

Have you ever had a full thyroid panel run - TSH, FT4 & FT3? This would show how well replaced you really are and if you are converting.

Have you also had key vitamins checked and now supplementing levels to optimal?

at bedtime works well for them.

When hypo we get low stomach acid which means we cannot absorb vitamins well from our food, regardless of a great diet. For thyroid hormone to work well we need OPTIMAL levels of vitamins.

Have you recently or could you ask your GP to test levels of ferritin, folate, B12 & D3? Private tests are available, see link for companies offering private blood tests & discount codes, some offer a blood draw service at an extra cost. thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...

There is also a new company offering walk in& mail order blood tests in London, Kent, Sussex & Surrey areas. Check to see if there is a blood test company near you. onedaytests.com/products/ul...

Only do private tests on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid postal delays.

It's ideal if you can always get the same brand of levo at every prescription. You can do this by getting GP to write the brand you prefer in the first line of the prescription. Many people find that different brands are not interchangeable.

Always take Levo on an empty stomach an hour away from food or caffeine containing drinks & other meds. Many people find taking it at bedtime works well for them.

Do you know if you had positive thyroid antibodies? Many with autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's benefit from a gluten free diet. A smaller percentage of those also need to remove dairy from their diet to feel well. These are intolerances and will not show up on any blood test.

Do you do tests as per the protocol recommended here?

Recommended blood test protocol: Test at 9am (or as close as possible), fasting, last levo dose 24hrs before the blood draw & no biotin containing supplements for 3-7 days (Biotin can interfere with thyroid blood results as it is used in the testing process).

Testing like this gives consistency in your results and will show stable blood levels of hormone and highest TSH which varies throughout the day. Taking Levo/T3 just prior to blood draw can show a falsely elevated result and your GP/Endo might change your dose incorrectly as a result.

[nettiboo1982 in reply to Jaydee1507]

Um I've not had T3 tested recently only tsh it would seem I've requested the T3 for next blood test in January.

I already follow a gluten free and dairy free diet.

I haven't had my vitamin levels tested in a while but take b vits d and c and zinc.

Sorry If Ive missed any of your questions x

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to nettiboo1982]

The NHS only rarely tests FT3 even if requested. The lab often vetoes it. better to buy your own test which isnt expensive for just thyroid levels, around £30. Take a look at Randox or Monitor My Health.

Exactly which B vits do you take and how much D3?

[nettiboo1982 in reply to Jaydee1507]

I take a immune vit that is c zinc and d I assume the suggested daily levels. And a b complex

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to nettiboo1982]

Which B complex?

Some have low amounts of inactive vitamins despite being advertised as 'strong' or high dose.

How much vit D is in your supplement?

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £31 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[helvella Administrator]

You could try another lactose-free tablet formulation! There is Aristo Vencamil. And, though it seems not currently to be available, Glenmark.

The liquids are far from ideal - we've had a number who do not get one with them. Aside from their incredibly high cost.

helvella's medicines documents (UK) can be found here:

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines

helvella has created, and tries to maintain, documents containing details of all thyroid hormone medicines licensed in the UK and, in less detail, many others around the world. There is now a specific world desiccated thyroid document.

I highly recommend viewing on a computer screen, or a decent sized tablet, rather than a phone. Even I find it less than satisfactory trying to view them on my phone.

helvella - Thyroid Hormone Medicines - UK

The UK document contains up-to-date versions of the Summary Matrixes for levothyroxine tablets, oral solutions and liothyronine available in the UK. Includes injectables and descriptions of tablet markings which allow identification. Latest updates include all declared ingredients for all UK-licensed products and links to Patient Information Leaflets, Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d), British National Formulary, NHS Drug Tariff, etc. PLUS how to write prescriptions in Appendix F.

Also includes links for anti-thyroid medicines (but not product details).

📄 dropbox.com/s/bo2jzxucgp9hl...

helvella - Excipients

Details of excipients are in my Excipients document. This includes all excipients identified in UK-licensed thyroid hormone medicines.

📄 dropbox.com/scl/fi/tud6r8f5...

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

If the last updated date of a copy your have downloaded isn’t very recent, please download a new copy!

Blog last updated 11/11/2024 - documents are regularly updated

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[nettiboo1982 in reply to helvella]

Thanks for this info I've contacted GP and asked for a trial of vencamil

[helvella Administrator in reply to nettiboo1982]

You might find your pharmacist will do that just for the asking. But, as it is usually more expensive, the pharmacy can lose out so it is best to be expressly prescribed as you have requested.

[SAFSUK]

Not exactly the same as you as I was on 100mg of levothyroxine (Accord) as part of block and replace for Graves disease. I was only on it for 2 and a half weeks but tummy issues (bloating, burping and feeling of trapped burp) started within 48 hours of taking it. I ended up in A and E after issues got so bad that I wasn't able to eat or drink. As a result of that I had an urgent referral to a gastro consultant. Appointment was earlier today and I am going to have a CT scan and gastroscopy to investigate but consultant did not rule out the issues being caused by either the thyroid condition or the medication. Thing is I had 2 blood tests quite close together. The first was just after I'd stopped taking the levothyroxine and showed my levels as slightly overactive but the second which was only 3 days later so showed the effect of just the blocking medication (carbimazole) showed I was back in normal range. 100mg was quite a hefty dose for me (I'm only 5ft and weighed about 6st 11 when I started taking it). I'm wondering either if it was too high a dose or if there was something in it that my body hated. Apparently it takes 4-6 weeks to leave the body. It's just coming up to 2 weeks since I stopped taking it and although the issues haven't gone I'm having a better day.......... watch this space lol