What causes thyroid levels to go crazy?

[paches22]

What causes Tyroid levels to get to low when you have been on the same tyroid dose for along time? I just got switched from150mcg to 300mcg of levothyroxine is this going to be to much?

[paches22]

Thanks so much yes thats what I ment.

[Barb135]

Do you mean peripheral neuropathy?  You might ask to get your vitamin B12 tested.  Deficiency in B12 can cause peripheral neuropathy, tingling, numbness of hands and feet.  It can also cause extreme fatigue.  I was prescribed neuronton at one time also, but once started on B12 shots, most of the neuropathy went away; the remainder is permanent damage from being deficient for so long.

[paches22]

  question for all of you have any of you come down with pariperrial nuropathey this prob is not how you spell it but its how it sounds? Shortly after I had my thyroid radiated i started having problrms with touch  i cant touch paper, cardboard, carpet etc with my hand or my feet  without the effects of nails down a chalk board I was perscribed a medicine that was called neurotten that made me tired.

[paches22]

I am going to check this out I never heard of it before. Thanks

[paches22]

Its just sad it wont stay straight

[paches22]

So I started out with graves diease hypertyroidism I had radioactive treatment which made me hypo but they told me the graves diease will never go away thats what caused my hyperthyroidism.  But when I called the doctors today to see what my levels were I asked for my t3 and t4 results they told me they only did a tsh level which i thought was odd I am going to ask them to send me to a specialist my grandma who is a nurse and also has hypo even said that dose was to much even the pharmacy I get my percriptions from said the same thing. And now everyone who is going through hypo like me is saying the same thing. I am so sick of feeling awfull all the time.  Thanks for all your perspectives without all of you i would feel so alone atleast you all no what im going through.

[flyingfool]

Are you sure you have Graves?  Sounds to me more like Hashi's than graves. Althought it is possible for a person to have both from what I understand.

Graves is an OVER active thyroid.  Or HyPER thyroid.  Too much Thyroid. The symptoms you list are primarily associated with HyPO or LOW thyroid.

The fact that they are giving you a T4 medication (more thyroid to convert) would also indicate that you likely do not have graves.

Anyhow.  Did the Dr. suggest at what rate to increase.  Since a T4 medication takes 6 weeks to stabilize, how long did the Dr. suggest you wait between each 25 Mcg increase.  And exactly how were you supposed to get these 25 mcg increases?  That is how are you to split the pills or is he going to prescribe you different sets of pills in varying dosages so you know how to split them?

If you do not have your lab results ask for them from you Dr. If you only have TSH then it is CRITICAL that you get tested for MORE than just TSH.  TSH is really only a screening tool and can not reliably be used in any way to adjust dosage levels of medicine.  You really need to have you Free T4 and Free T3 hormones tested.  Most people do not find symptom relief until their Free T4 (FT4) is in the MIDDLE of the range AND (that means in addition to) their Free T3 (FT3) in the UPPER 1/3 of the range.  Simply being somewhere in their respective ranges is NOT sufficient.  The results of the FT4 & FT3 along with your symptoms is what needs to be used to adjust medication dosages.  Using TSH alone will most likely have you on a roller coaster ride from hell.

[Totie]

Funny, I am going through the same thing you are with whacky TSH levels. I have been on Levothyroxine for 18yrs due to TT. I started out at 200mcg back then stayed on that dose for 10yrs, then slowly decreased in the years to 125mcg for the last 4yrs.

However just recently I had two increased to which now I am on 175mcg, BUT it is synthroid, NOT Levothyroxine. My Endo does not like Levo.

My TSH in Oct when it was ran twice was 10.3 &  13.8, They increased it from 125mcg to 150 mcg & just last week to 175mcg.

I guess maybe being female & 41 my hormones are changing so who knows. I did find it weird that it jumped so quickly within a year when it was 2.47.

[paches22]

  I called the doctors and told them i was not comfortable taking the 300mcg all at once and that they needed to chat with the doctor again and make sure this is what she wants me to do. The nurse called me back and said the doctor wants me to slowly increase 25mcg at a time to get to 300mcg.  
I also asked what my levels were my TSH was 5.28 she said normal was 4.5
My symptoms are weekness, fatigue, cold intolorance, constipation, weight gain, depression, muscle pain, brittle finger nails, paleness, slow speech, puffy face,hands and feet, Muscle spasms, uncoordinated movement. Which i guess happy i looked on the symptoms list because most of the time I just associate half this stuff as I just dont feel good when really its my Graves diease.

[Barb135]

I agree that jumping from 150 to 300 mcg/day is way too much.  There could very likely be a dosage between there that would be good for you.

If you have recent labs, please post them, along with reference ranges, since these vary from lab to lab and must come from your own report.

[laura1967]

In answer to your question- One reason is that maybe you have Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroid disease. In this disease, your body develops antibodies which attack your thyroid gland. As the antibodies continually attack your thyroid, you will lose thyroid function over time, in which would cause you to need an increase in meds. It would be most helpful to see your most recent lab results. That is quite a jump in dosage for your Dr. to throw you on without doing it gradually.

[gimel]

There's no way that you should switch from 150 to 300 mcg of Levothyroxine all at once.  That your doctor would suggest such a change all makes me question your  doctor's knowledge about hypothyroidism.  Would you please post your thyroid test results and their reference ranges so that members can assess the adequacy of your testing and treatment.

Also, please have a look at this list of 26 typical hypothyroid symptoms and tell us which ones you have.

http://endocrine-system.emedtv.com/hypothyroidism/hypothyroidism-symptoms-and-signs.html