overmedicated

[LVS1965]

For two years I have been taking 100 mcgs of Synthroid daily for my hypothyroidism. I also have an anxiety disorder (generalized anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and OCD).  Two weeks ago, I started having a resurgence of anxiety and panic attacks after losing about 20 lbs on Weight Watchers.  I suspected my dosage of Synthroid was too high given my new weight.  I went in for bloodwork and the results did show my TSH was below the healthy range so I am going to cut back to 100 mcgs six days a week instead of 7 days a week.  But in my desperation to get relief from the paralyzing anxiety, i skipped two doses of the Synthroid in a row and then took half a dose for a couple days.  Will this help bring my thyroxine levels down faster or should I have just done it more gradually?  The endocrinologist didn't seem overly concerned about my lab results when he got them and just told me to cut back to six day a week, but he said it would take two months before my body would register the new dosage and I don't know if I can take two months of this anxiety.  Just wondering if there are safe ways to get your levels down more quickly or if I need to live with the anxiety for two months.

[flyingfool]

In some studies, it was shown that "significant (what ever that means) weight loss can cause what some would call thyroid resistance.  In essence the body senses the weight loss and basically goes into survival mode.  One mechanism the body can resort to is slowing the metabolism and thus making it harder for thyroid to do it's job. Thereby slowing the metabolism in hopes to try to survive the "famine".

Check out this website and look both under dieting and weight loss and also under the abnormal thyroid transport tabs/buttons/likns along the left side of the website.

http://nahypothyroidism.org/

I have found this site to be one of the best and most documented websites on Thyroid issues.  

The abnormal transport area in particular explains to me why many people have found they need to be significantly well up in the reference ranges before they feel well.  The "additional" amount is needed to overcome this resistance for lack of a better word.  It actually has to do with the amount of energy required to transfer the hormone into the cell.

Many people have found out that when they obtain the PROPER tailored does for the individual which may mean being above 50% of the range, they no longer need anti-depressants/anti anxiety medication.

What other symptoms do you have?

[Barb135]

It will take several weeks for a dosage change to take effect, because of the long 1/2 life of the synthroid.

What was the exact level of your TSH?  Was that the only test that was done, or did you have Free T3 and Free T4, as well?  Please post whatever thyroid labs you have available, so we can better assess your situation. Be sure to include reference ranges, as those vary lab to lab and must come from your own report.