Lowering Tyroid Medication

[Cindy316]

My mom is 76 years old and in the last 3 weeks her doctor lowered her thyroid medication (levoxyl 0.075 micrograms).  She did not ask why he was doing this. She went for a regular checkup, she had no problems with any of her medications, everything was in work order.  Since the lowering of Levoxyl she has had problems with depression, which she has never had before.  She went back to the doctor and he gave her Zanex (spelling?)(for depression) and a note to see a phyciatrist.  I am wondering if the lowering of her tyroid medication can be related to the depression?    

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Too much thyroid medication can cause heart irregularities and bone loss -- her age increases the risk of both of these.  You did not mention the labs, but likely the TSH was low and this was the reason for the dose decrease (low TSH means she is getting too much thyroid medication).  Sometimes it takes a few weeks to months to adjust to a lower dose as the body may have become accustomed to extra thyroid hormone, however in the long-run it is safer.  Talk to her doctor to make sure this was his/her rationale for the dose decrease.

[peggy64]

Can't he see the correlation here? That is what I would be telling him. There was no problem until YOU changed her thyroid medicine.

I started to say  "That dr is a joke" but figured I would get some kind of comment, so I won't say it.