Thyroid Levels

[MaryRobinson]

I have been taking levothyroxine/synthyroid 100 mg for many years and feel just fine. I am 55 years old. I exercise about 45 minutes every day (brisk walking, tennis, swimming or cycling).  My new internist wants to reduce my dosage to 75 mg after getting slighly high readings on my T4 levels.  What are the risks of just leaving me on the 100 mg level of the medication as I am not experienceing any symptoms of hyperthroidism? I don't want to make any changes unless there is a long term risk to my health by having a slightly high T4 levels. Can you tell me what the impact might be if I stay as is at 100 mgs?

[motheroffour]

Hi, I'm close in age and also many,many years stable on Synthroid.  My dose was just reduced last year for similar reasons although I was feeling alittle jittery and I lost a couple 2-3 pounds in the course of a month.  I was really interested in where my levels would be after 3 months at the reduced level and interestingly everything came back in normal and I didn't notice any difference in how I felt and the couple pounds didn't come back.  I kept waiting to feel "hypo"....never happened.I did loose a few hairs, but I remembered that happened every dose change when I was young.  It stopped after about 6 months.  I say this just to be supportive if you move to the lower dose.  Might have something to do with age/estrogen levels, etc. that we now need a slightly lower dose than in our younger years. Everyone is different but that is what happened to me at the dosage change.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Too much medication (even if you are not having symptoms) can cause heart rhythm problems and bone loss.
There is an 88mcg dose...