why does it say if your over 50 you should not take more than 50mg of levothyroxine?

[katay]

[helvella Administrator]

It does NOT say that. Not anywhere I have seen.

It might say that if you are over 50 you should not be started on more than 50micrograms of levothyroxine.

There is simply more likelihood of a higher starting does causing things to go wrong, causing heart issues, in those over 50.

Once you have established yourself on 50 micrograms, then there is no reason to restrict the dose on the basis of being aged over 50. There are plenty here on doses far, far higher than 50 micrograms who are over 50. I am one on a higher dose.

Note - the unit is micrograms (mcg) not milligrams (mg).

Rod

[shaws Administrator]

No, there is no such rule (except maybe at your GP's).

The dose of levothyroxine you should have is gradually increased from 50mcg (starting dose) up until your symptoms go, with a TSH of 1 or below. You should have a blood test taken about 4 to 6 weeks and an increase.

Many GP's diagnose by the thyroid gland blood tests and may try to keep you within a 'normal' range but many do not know how to treat hypo patients, unfortunately. That's why we have so many on our forum - thyroid gland problems, being treated, and still unwell.

[katay in reply to shaws]

Hi, thanks for the reply's it was what i read it on some site i clicked on to can't find it now and yes it is (mcg) not (mg) my mistake i have been taking levothyroxine for 20yrs never been below 100mcg on 150mcg been on that dose for over a year also have high cholesterol and take 60mg of simvastatin a day plus other medications don't know if they affect the levothyroxine working or not.

[helvella Administrator in reply to katay]

One thing, I hope you are taking your levothyroxine well away from food, drinks (other than water), supplements and other medicines.

Leave two hours (if possible) between taking levothyroxine and anything else - that is, a gap before and after taking levothyroxine. Extend that to four hours if you are taking iron supplements or things that have a lot of calcium.

So very many other things interfere with absorbing levothyroxine.

[katay in reply to helvella]

yes i do take first thing in morning and wait two hours till breakfast i used to take it before bed because i forget to take sometimes and could not remember if i had taken it but my gp told me off and said it is best to take it first thing in the morning and don't eat any thing for at least an hour i think i will have to buy one of them 7 day pill boxes so i don't forget

[Hidden in reply to katay]

It suits some people a lot better to take it in the evening. There are some interesting comments about this on this poll:

thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

Louise

xx

[capricorn]

I get my tablets ready the night before and take them normally about 5am (when I visit the loo), that way I easily have hours before breakfast which in anywhere between 8am and 9am and I also know that I've taken them as the pot is empty!

[Hidden]

Will that be the statin which is contra indicated in people with hypothyroidism? What......No one thought to tell you about the problems it can cause? Would that be because the doctor gets paid for each person he can get on to statins?

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I agree. Katay, you don't need statins! They can do you far more damage than the choleserol could ever do. Your body needs cholesterol. By destroying it with statins you can further damage the delicate hormonal balance in your body. The reason it is high is because you are hypo at the moment.

If you are taking 150 mcg levo and your cholesterol is still high, you doctor should be investigating why that is rather than just giving you statins. It's more than likely that you have a conversion problem and you need T3 added to your T4. That would bring the cholesterol down!

Hugs, Grey

[katay in reply to greygoose]

I know i have read bad things about statins but my doctor has said i must take them even though i have cut out all the bad things that affect it and doing exercise but it went up even higher it has gone from 5.3 up to 7.5 in three months so she said to take them for 3 months and then have another blood test to see if it has come down so will have to wait and see i also take antidepressants and pain killing medication so may be they affect things as well.

[greygoose in reply to katay]

You know, there is no law that says you have to do exactly what your doctor wants, and take what she prescribes - especially when you know it's doing you harm! The doctor is not God - you know that old joke : what's the difference between God and a doctor? God knows he's not a doctor! lol

Seriously, the antidepressants are probably harming you, too, when all you need to get rid of both high cholesterol and depression is to have your hypo correctly treated. I'm afraid a doctor like that would get very short shrift from me. Especially knowing that she's getting paid more for those poisons than she would for T3. She's more than likely killing you for the money!

Just say no. Remember that old anti-drug slogan? Goes for the doctors surgery, too.

Hugs, Grey

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

But statins ARE contra indicated with thyroid meds.... show inform her that if you get any of the problems it warns about you will hold her personally responsible..... In fact, put it in writing.

Grey Goose is right, about not having to do exactly what the doctor says, the idea is that the doctor works with you, you don't have to just obey.......

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Statins are contra-indicated for EVERYBODY. My friend has been taking them for years - against my advice. First of all, he became diabetic because of them, and now he has prostate cancer. Twice I managed to persuade him to come off them, but twice his doctor bullied him into taking them again, telling him there was absolutely no danger! And he, of course, thinks the doctor must know best!!!! I am very angry about this and, given the chance, would shout from the house tops that EVERYBODY should come off statins.

[brimstone]

Hi all in your packet of levo there should be a leaflet it does say on there that if you are over 50

you should not take more than 50 micrograms a day it also says on there about possible side effects from taking levo and other medicines so its worth having a read hope this of help

[greygoose in reply to brimstone]

Good lord! I'm 68 and if I only took 50 a day I'd be dead! Unfortunately, I don't have a PIL to look at... In any case, I'd rather not know! Where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise!

[katay in reply to brimstone]

Hi yes i have read the leaflet and possible side effects i have read that there are some foods that interfere with the thyroid hormone such as cabbage sprouts and broccoli cauliflower and soy and soybean products strawberries peaches walnuts and also some very high fibre foods like whole wheat bread there could be more other foods may be, trouble is they say you can't eat this and can't have that what do you do lol!

[Hidden in reply to brimstone]

Which brand of levo does the patient info say over 50's shouldn't take more than 50 mcg please.... We need to write to the manufacturers and correct what is obviously a mistake.

I just downloaded a PIL from medicines.org.uk/emc/medici...

and it covers the Actavis brand.

It states that the starting dose of levothyroxine is 50 to 100 mcg a day..... but says if you are over 50 then initially the dose should be 50 mcg a day.

The key word here, is 'initially' So if you are over 50 you should start at 50 and work up.

If you would be so kind as to let me know the brand of levo with the error, I will write to them.

Thank you.

[brimstone in reply to Hidden]

Hi morning all

It is the actavis brand which I am taking at the moment but I am pretty sure that all the brands are the same as I never have the same brand 2 months running so I think they all need looking into