Maximum Levoxyl Dosage

[flyinv]

I have a question that has probably been asked a 100 times. I recently had a total thyroidectomy (sp?) in January. Ive been taking levoxyl since mid february. My last check up my TSH levels were 29.0  I am taking 200mcg daily. I was wodering how much higher can I go on the levoxyl before I start to see side effects, or will I not see any until my TSH levels finally are low enough?

[AR-10]

Your question really can't be answered because it is too much of an individual thing that varies from person to person.

You may not notice any side effects. Some people report bad effects on 50mcg. Who knows? Don't spend time worrying about it.

What was your TSH in mid-Feruary?
You may need a dosage increase. (Mr. Obvious)

[flyinv]

Well my TSH was pretty high because I went without a thyroid or medicine for about 4 weeks to prep for the radioactive idodine. Does being active effect your levoxyl?

[AR-10]

Right. So your TSH was maybe 70 or 80 before you started taking Levoxyl. Were you started on a high dose? How long have you been taking 200mcg?

I have been there. I have had my TSH drop 40 points in a week after getting on the right dose of meds. But I went from post RAI no meds straight to 100mcg, which is what my body wanted.

Within six weeks my TSH was between 1.0 and 2.0. That's why I said you may need a dosage increase. You've been on meds long enough that your TSH should not be that high.

Lots of things affect your dosage needs and absorbtion rates. Activty would be one of them, I suppose. Speeding up your matabolism and burning up a lot of energy probably affects your thyroid hormones. Stress on all the muscles and organs would call for more hormones. It depends on the degree of activity you are talking about.

It's not that unusual for someone to be on 225mcg or 250mcg. If you have been on 200mcg for a while, you might consider going to the next dosage level up.