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Over medicated hypothyroidism

Posted , 4 users are following.

Trixie33
Trixie33

ive been hypo for 20 years but despite no significant weight change have had to alter my Levo dose almost every year as I go too hyper or hypo. In the last year my symptoms have been very hyper, confirmed by very low TSH  and high T4, and my dose had been reduced 3 times and in the last week my results are for the first time within normal ranges. The last reduction was about a month ago but I am still feeling dreadful. Anxiety and nausea have gone but the fatigue is awful along with a choking type sensation in my neck. Does anyone know how long this will take to rectify? And also, why my thyroid should not stabilise on one dose? 

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • Tutu123
    Tutu123 Trixie33

    Posted

    Hi trixie, I am going through reductions in levothyroxine myself and I can relate to the awful fatigue, mood swings, anxiety and weakness it brings.

    Each time I have dropped the medication it has taken about 6-7 weeks for the symptoms to get any better. I was dropping by 25mg but found this was too much for me and have started doing it more gradually (cutting tablets into half and quarters with a pill splitter). I found that I am still getting the symptoms but they aren't as severe and are just about manageable.

    I didn't used to take this long to adjust to an increase in meds, just a decrease. I am assuming this is because your own thyroid has to adjust when you reduce but it doesn't really do anything when you increase as the meds do the work on its behalf

    • Trixie33
      Trixie33 Tutu123

      Posted

      Oh no! I really thought I was on the mend last week but have had a dreadful couple of days. Have you any idea why your dose needed to be changed?
    • Tutu123
      Tutu123 Trixie33

      Posted

      Hi trixie, Yes I found it took me a while to start feeling better.

      I was put on medication eight years ago and now they are saying that I probably never needed it (and certainly not as much as I was on previously), so I face the next year coming off the stuff which terrifies me.

      They didn't carry out all of the relevant tests and never determined a cause of hypothyroidism on diagnosis and ignored the fact that I kept going back saying I felt worse. I was just told my results were "normal". It's not a condition that many doctors know much about (despite it being a very common condition)

    • Trixie33
      Trixie33 Tutu123

      Posted

      Thanks Caz. I seem to be really rubbish first thing and get better as the day goes on. Was that the same with you? I've changed taking my Levo until the evening but that hasn't made any difference at all. 
    • Tutu123
      Tutu123 Trixie33

      Posted

      Hi trixie, Yes when I'm going through a reduction I often struggle to wake up and feel like I need more sleep. When I have adjusted, I tend to feel at my best in the mornings. I tried taking meds at night too but made no difference to me either apart from it disturbed my sleep so I went back to taking it in the mornings.
  • shellyC19
    shellyC19 Trixie33

    Posted

    Hello Trixie:

    My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA.  I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease since 1987.

    When TSH goes low on the scale it does mean too much thyroid hormone is coming into your blood and T4 will build up.

    The liver is responsible for getting excess out of the body and dose upon dose it can't do that. Also too much T4 is dangerous to the heart.

    So when you reduce a dose down you need to go in small increments of 25% or so.  The body is so very slow, and it can take 6 to 12 weeks to stabilize up or down.  Our bodies don't change that quickly sadly.  Hormones can take a while to adjust. Sometimes weeks and in others months.

    If you currently are at a normal level but are experiencing the bad symptoms that you complain about like fatigue and chocking sensation, maybe you need an odd dose of LEVO you are on.

    Levo comes in 50mcg then 75mcg and 100mcg it does not come in say an odd dose of 80mcg and you may need to try that. 

    Another idea is you (EXAMPLE), say you take 75mcg 3 times a week and the other 4 days you do 50mcg.  This would give you a better blood level and help keep bad symptoms down.

    It all depends on your symptoms and what dose you find works well on you. We are all different so you should try to see if you can experiment until you find the correct dose.

    Any questions just ask,

    Shelly

  • shannon93482
    shannon93482 Trixie33

    Posted

    I thought I was the only one who was lucky enough to be able to reduce my thyroid meds!  Excellent!  Although it is a bit tricky getting them adjusted again, it's good that our thyroids seem to be working better.  I'm actually on 1/4 of 65 mg pill which would be 16.25 mg and that still seems to be too high.  I tried stopping the meds and that didn't work.  Still need them, for now.  But it seems that I'm moving in the right direction.  Good Luck to all of you!  I honestly think it's the food we are eating and the water we drink.  The more organic the better!  Spring water is the best!  Read your labels, ladies!  Blessings to all!
    • shannon93482
      shannon93482

      Posted

      Update - I have been on an all fruit and veggie diet for two months now and I'm feeling so wonderful that I went off my meds and I haven't been taking them for three weeks! And my fibroids are shrinking!  I can't feel them anymore!  Praise God!   If you are suffering, go organic vegan!  You will all feel so much better!  I didn't realize how much better I would feel.  I feel at  least ten years younger and my skin is amazing!  I think I lost half of my wrinkles.  Woo Hoo!  Life is good!
  • Trixie33
    Trixie33

    Posted

    Thank you to everyone who has replied. More blood test this week including Vitamin D. Anyone know if that could be the cause of the fluctuations or why I am being tested for it?
    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 Trixie33

      Posted

      Hello  Trixie:

      My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA.  I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease since 1987.  I also have low Vit . D.

      Vit D can go low do to inability as we age to convert sunlight into Vit D.  After age 30 or so it becomes harder to get enough D from sunlight.

      Also someof us do not get enough via diet.  They now know we need  Vit D for strong bone health.  So it goes by age but I take 2000IU and I am 55.  Some of us may need more or less  You doctor can do a simple blood test that will show the level and then tell you what amount you need.

      It is common for thyroid patients to go low in Vit D and we need as women to avoid Osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) and that is why your are being tested.  It is a wise thing to do. Normal Vit D should be 30 to 100 and if under 30 or at the low end they may replace it via Vit D tablets or diet.

      Keep us posted,

      Shelly

  • Trixie33
    Trixie33

    Posted

    I'm gradually beginning to feel better but still struggling with fatigue after doing very little. My TSH is, at last, in the normal range at 1.35, but I've read on one of the forums that a difference in the ratio of T3 and T4 might give some clues as to what is wrong. Can anyone make sense of mine? T3 is 3.9 (range 4-8.3) and T4 is 18 (range 10-24). I have my first endo appointment soon and would like to go knowing all I can!
    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 Trixie33

      Posted

      Hello Trixie:

      Your T4 range is okay per the range you gave.  If T4 is way high then it would mean you are not converting it into (T3 the useable hormone), well enough.

      T3 is a bit low on your range just by a small amount, you are 3.9 and bottom is 4.0 on your ref. range. Of  course it would be better to be in the 5.0 range. So this should be watched to see if it happens again.

      If your thyroid is not converting enough T4 your T3 will be low. If your next blood draw is about the same you may need to go off Levo and onto a Natural Thyroid med.

      Make sure your Ferritin levels are good.  Ferritin is a component of Iron and ferritin lower than 70+ will effect how well Levo works in your body.

      So get a good multi vitamin with iron and take one a day to help as long as you can, and do not have any issues with vitamins.

      Any questions, just ask,

      Shelly

    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 Trixie33

      Posted

      The body converts T4 into T3 and in some people (including me) it doesn't do it as well as it should. From experience of having had hypothyroidism for 34 years

      (no medical traing) I've worked out that what to look for is T4 and T3 at different points in their respective ranges, e.g. T4 in middle of its range and T3 low in its range, or T4 near the top and T3 near the middle. Yours is demonstrating this. As your T3 is just below the range, one would expect T4 to be low too if you were converting T4 to T3 properly. You're TSH is normal because your body is getting enough T4, however you are getting hypothyroid symptoms due to your low T3.

      It is worth asking your GP if it would be appropriate to prescribe T3 (liothyronine) as well as T4. Another alternative is to switch to Natural Desiccated Thyroid - which is what I did. Unfortunately this isn't an option on the NHS in the UK. You would either have to see an endo privately and get a private prescription, or buy it yourself off the internet without a prescription and take the responsibility for dosing yourself. I've done the latter but with the full support of my GP. I hope my experience adds a bit more to your knowledge. If you're in the UK personally I would go down the T3 route first as it's free!

    • barbara98940
      barbara98940

      Posted

      I couldn't take T3 as I'm intolerant to maize starch which is in all the synthetic meds.
    • Trixie33
      Trixie33 shellyC19

      Posted

      Hi Shelly,

      My Vitamin D was low at 30 but on your advice I had started supplementing and by the next test it was at 59. Doctor has suggested I just use a multivitamin now rather than the strong Vit D.

      I'm also supplementing with Magnesium to try to lift the fatigue. On the forums advice I changed from Mag Oxide to Mag Bisglycinate. It could just be coincidence but I've slept really well at night since changing but seem to feel even sleepier during the day. 

      What do you think,

      Thank in advance,Trixie 

    • shellyC19
      shellyC19 Trixie33

      Posted

      Hello Trixie:

      B-12 plays a big role with energy.  Man of us, myself included need B-12 and they used to give B-12 injections but now have  B-12 tablets. It is not part of a multi-vitamin.  It is a separate one.  You should maybe try this to see if you get an energy boost.

      So glad to hear you are sleeping better at night and that your Vit D is good now.   Good job on that!

      Sometimes you can be low in multiple vitamins or minerals and Iron and Ferritin also play a role in sleepiness.  So they can check the levels on both Iron and Ferritin.  So many of us are low in these important minerals.

      How often are you taking the Magnesium Bisglycinate?  Maybe you should skip one day and see if energy levels increase?

      Keep me updated n how you do.

      Shelly

       

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