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50 mcg drop of levothyroxine, dangerous?
how much can my doc safely lower my levothyroxine at one time? he lowered it because I became hyper because my dose was too high he dropped me from 225mcg to175 and I have been crippled with symptoms since (less than a month) is that safe? when will I feel better?
Not sure of the need to see all those doctors at this time. Just my opinion. Maybe after the Endo on Friday, and the additional test results, things will be clearer.
I forgot to mention that I am hashimoto diagnosed 4 yrs ago I also have an appointment on the 15th with a neurologist and the 20th with an internal medicine specialist I wasn't sure who to go to so I booked them all, would one be better than another? or unnecessary? this has been miserable and I have 3 children to raise and I just want answers
When you see the Endo Friday, you should write these tests down and take the copy with you to make sure none are overlooked. The tests you should request are Free T3, Free T4 (not the same as Total T3 and T4), TSH, Vitamin D, B12, ferritin, and a full iron test panel. If the doctor resists, just insist on these and don't take no for an answer. They are all important. One last thing here, if the cause for your being hypo was never determined, then you should ask to be tested for the thyroid antibodies associated with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, which is the most common cause for diagnosed hypothyroidism. Those tests are TPO ab and TG ab
Even though you are seeing an Endo, you should be aware that many of them specialize in diabetes, not thyroid. Second, many of them have the "Immaculate TSH Belief" by which they only want to use TSH to diagnose and treat a thyroid patient. That absolutely doesn't work. Others will go beyond TSH and test for Free T4, but then use 'Reference Range Endocrinology', by which they believe that a test that falls anywhere within its referencer rang is adequate. That also does not wok.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation. The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment. In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate
criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
So, it would be a good idea to ask the Endo if he is willing to treat clinically. Also ask if he is willing to prescribe T3 type meds when advisable. If either answer is no, then you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do both.
When test results are available, please get a copy and post results and their reference ranges, and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
Even though you are seeing an Endo, you should be aware that many of them specialize in diabetes, not thyroid. Second, many of them have the "Immaculate TSH Belief" by which they only want to use TSH to diagnose and treat a thyroid patient. That absolutely doesn't work. Others will go beyond TSH and test for Free T4, but then use 'Reference Range Endocrinology', by which they believe that a test that falls anywhere within its referencer rang is adequate. That also does not wok.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation. The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment. In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate
criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
So, it would be a good idea to ask the Endo if he is willing to treat clinically. Also ask if he is willing to prescribe T3 type meds when advisable. If either answer is no, then you will need to find a good thyroid doctor that will do both.
When test results are available, please get a copy and post results and their reference ranges, and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
I forgot to say that I had been on the high dose of levo for 6 months and got worse and worse
prior to the drop in meds I had bad tremor in my hands and sometimes feet felt like I was vibrating from the inside out ,my memory was minute to minute like an alzheimers patient, my fatigue was crushing, my body ached, I was dizzy, disoriented and felt outside myself, I lost the ability to write and spell and could not complete sentences without forgetting mid sentence or forgetting words, after they lowered the dosage the only thing that changed was the tremor subsided but comes and goes, the fog lifted some but my memory is shot, my body hurts like I have been in an accident im sore every day, and my right eye turns in slightly and the vision in that eye is weird now, my eyes are very sensitive to light now and have never been before, and im very sensitive to heat where it was just cold before. this doctor was a country family practice doc I am seeing an endo on Friday any advise on what to ask or say? the one smart thing I did was keep a diary of symptoms from the day they lowered the dose till now which has been almost a month. the tremor started back up today and freaked me out
Not to worry, I'm sure we can work this out. First, I expect that your doctor is one that only tests and medicates his hypo patients by their TSH level. That is totally wrong. TSH is a pituitary hormone that is affected by so many things that at best it is only an indicator, to be considered along with more important indicators such as symptoms, and also levels of the biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4. Of these Free T3 is the most important, because it largely regulates metabolism and many other body functions.Scientific studies have also shown that Free T3 correlated best with hypo symptoms, while Free T4 and TSH did not correlate at all.
So, if you were having symptoms when your dosage was 225, please tell us about them. Also, what symptoms are you having now?
So, if you were having symptoms when your dosage was 225, please tell us about them. Also, what symptoms are you having now?
im sorry if im not being very clear the brain fog and mental function is all messed up I hope im making sense
he finally looked at my chart and the nurse read the results wrong and said I was level "just where they want me to be" so many other tests were done without him ever looking at the results after they increased me to 225mcg and when he looked he said "oh my god your levels are so high you are almost at graves disease I want to drop your dose from 225 to 175 for the first 2 weeks I felt like I was dying and I am still a wreck
On what basis did the doctor decide you were hyper and drop your dosage? Was it based on TSH results? Was it based on symptoms?
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