Thyroid Saga - Thyroxine dose?

klpants · #1 (**permalink**) 07-02-2007, 03:00 AM

Hi All

Just curious what kind of dose of Thyroxine people are on where they feel pretty "normal"? I'm on 100 micrograms and weigh 140-145 lbs but sometimes wonder if I'm on a low dose?

Was diagnosed with Hypothyroid last year and first was on 50 micrograms and felt lousy for a year. Thne self prescribed to 100mcg, but with the autoimmunity process of the type one just wonder how much I will eventually be on when my thyroid has also "died" like my pancreas?

duck · #2 (**permalink**) 07-02-2007, 08:13 AM

If you want to read me complaining about how difficult sorting out Thyroid meds are, you can do a search on posts by duck using the words "thyroid" or "synthroid" or "Cytomel".

IN any case, it will take a while to sort out, unfortunately, especially if your thryroid is still semi-functional. Synthetic thyroid hormone is finicky, it does not like to compete with anything, including food, minerals, vitamins, herbs, etc. Your body will respond better if you take your thyroid meds at the same time every day (I take mine first thing before my shower with water), and if you can avoid eating for about half an hour after. DO NOT TAKE with coffee or milk, you may as well flush the meds down the toilet for all the good it will do you.

Once you can achieve that level of consistency for about a month, you should have your doc measure your TSH, Free T4, T4 Uptake, Free T3 and T3 Uptake, and adjust your meds from there. Like I said, it's a bit frustrating and takes some back-and-forth...the good news is, you won't die from being a bit too low or a bit too high, but as you have noted, you won't feel perfect until it is close to normal.

(edit: Kathy, sorry. I just realized it was you I was responding to...the new avatar threw me. Sorry if I have repeated myself or sound preachy at ya...)

klpants · #3 (**permalink**) 07-02-2007, 08:28 AM

Hey Duck

No probs on the reply I've changed my avatar as I've now turned into a golden retreiver to seek out a quiet life, simple probelm free life!

I thought you may reply!

Yes, agree, getting this sorted takes ages and docs aern't interetsed. Although, and you may be intersted in this info, I sought the advice of an Endo I met while at a Type 1 diabetes triaining camp in PA last year. This Endo treats athletes with type 1 and has more epxerience of hypothyroid in Type 1s.

He thought to start feeling more normal to target a TSH reading in the low end of normal, ie 0.3-1.0. I thought this was interesting as my docs were leaving me on a TSH of 4.7 and not modifiying my thyroxine, hence why I had to start self prescribing!

BTW, why does coffee and or milk have a negative effect on the Thyroxine dose?

duck · #4 (**permalink**) 07-02-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klpants

Hey Duck

No probs on the reply I've changed my avatar as I've now turned into a golden retreiver to seek out a quiet life, simple probelm free life!

I thought you may reply!

Yes, agree, getting this sorted takes ages and docs aern't interetsed. Although, and you may be intersted in this info, I sought the advice of an Endo I met while at a Type 1 diabetes triaining camp in PA last year. This Endo treats athletes with type 1 and has more epxerience of hypothyroid in Type 1s.

He thought to start feeling more normal to target a TSH reading in the low end of normal, ie 0.3-1.0. I thought this was interesting as my docs were leaving me on a TSH of 4.7 and not modifiying my thyroxine, hence why I had to start self prescribing!

BTW, why does coffee and or milk have a negative effect on the Thyroxine dose?

For whatever reason, oral thryoid hormones don't compete well in the stomach and gut with minerals and macronutrients (proteins and fats)...carbs to a lesser extent. Milk obviously comes fortified with Vitamin D, calcium, protein and varying levels of fat, a cocktail that makes sure you won't get your dose of Thyroxine. There is a line of thought that says, you can have your meds with milk/coffee/breakfast, but if you do, you ALWAYS have to have the same combination...that way, when you test, the variables are always the same, and your doc can dose properly for the way you are in the morning. In my thinking, that may make sense, but it is simpler for me to control my intake with regular water--less variables.

I agree with your endo about getting your TSH toward the lower end. However, be sure to schedule an annual bone density scan, just in case, as high thyroid levels can potentially create brittle bones. If you are still weight training, that obviously helps keep bone density--but even so, an annual check up makes sense.

Many, many docs are horribly uneducated about thyroid issues...and my endo says he trained with the world's foremost thyroid authority (the name escapes me), who told him that thyroid issues alone keep his practice more than busy.

gettingby · #5 (**permalink**) 07-02-2007, 05:27 PM

I am on 2 different doses of Levothyroxine. I take 112mcgs and 125mcgs on alternating days. Seems to be working well for me. I've read on the leaflet I get with my med that you should take it 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

klpants · #6 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gettingby

I am on 2 different doses of Levothyroxine. I take 112mcgs and 125mcgs on alternating days. Seems to be working well for me. I've read on the leaflet I get with my med that you should take it 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

Thanks Cin, how long after initial diagnoses of hypothyroid, did it take before you were on this kind of doseage??

new pumper · #7 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 01:59 AM

Hey kplants,
im in the same situation you are as my thyroid also died, about 5yrs ago. im a type one aswell and i am currently on 150micograms but my doctor is thinking of incresing it to 175 or 200 micograms, depending on my next test results.
i think your dose is pretty normal and your doctors will make any adjustment they feel is neccessary.
Hope this helps.

gettingby · #8 (**permalink**) 07-03-2007, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klpants

Thanks Cin, how long after initial diagnoses of hypothyroid, did it take before you were on this kind of doseage??

I can't remember but it took a while. I actually feel better now than I ever have.

dgrilli · #9 (**permalink**) 07-15-2007, 10:21 PM

Why are so many saying that with even normal test results the Thyroid may still be the problem.

Case in point a Pittsburgh Doctor no less, suspected a Thyroid problem and had some tests run. She looked and saw that they were about normal and shrugged that theory off.

Later while still chasing after the elusive problem she went to another Doctor a Natural Path even.

She now enjoys a nice solution to the problem that plagued her.

A Medical Pharma Pusher going to Heaven Forbid a Natural Path? This perplexed me.

I bet a a Thyroid sufferer would be Pay Dirt for a MD hmmm let me see.

Statins for the elevated Cholesterol

Blood Pressure Meds

Paxil, Welbutrin, ect..

We could think of a few drugs to combat the side effects while were about it.

Can we think of any more for the Thyroid Sufferer? This is just three drugs that will treat symptoms and not the root cause.

Those poor ole Sods would never know that they had a Thyroid problem and the Medical Industry just wants money.

duck · #10 (**permalink**) 07-16-2007, 06:08 AM

dgrilli, there are a lot of conspiracy theories out there about thyroid meds. I don't exactly subscribe to any of them, but I find it VERY interesting that if you tell your doc you don't want Synthroid, they'll stand on their head if they have to in order to get you to take it.

foxl · #11 (**permalink**) 11-11-2009, 06:56 AM

I feel best when my dosage puts my TSH in the upper half of normal range. I am on generic Levothyroxine only and it has served me well.

liz · #12 (**permalink**) 11-11-2009, 07:20 AM

hey all just to say that at age 20 i had a partial thryoidectomy to correct an over active problem and now have the opposite, but until now i never knew that the two conditions were connected! I'm a type 2 now on insulin

foxl · #13 (**permalink**) 11-11-2009, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liz

hey all just to say that at age 20 i had a partial thryoidectomy to correct an over active problem and now have the opposite, but until now i never knew that the two conditions were connected! I'm a type 2 now on insulin

Liz -- get antibody testing!

Mich · #14 (**permalink**) 11-11-2009, 07:53 AM

As my endocrinologist explained it to me, thyroid autoimmune attacks are common, particularly in T1. The "killer T cells" that attack our beta cells are very similar to the ones that attack the thyroid. He believes autoimmune problems are related.

The T-4 made by the thyroid is the same as the generic levothyroxine I take. I started at 75 mcg and now take 100 mcg. My endo tested my TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) to determine that I needed to raise it. Your body produces more TSH if it needs more T4.

I take it every morning at the same time and avoid milk with it. If I forget to take it, I get very tired by noon.

I carry extra in my purse in case I forget in the morning--it's that important to my feeling of well-being.

Mich

cherokee_psh · #15 (**permalink**) 11-14-2009, 09:05 PM

I'm on the generic version and it seems to work ok for me. I take 125 mcg 8 times a week (one day is a double dose). I've been at this level for 4 years. I started out at 88 mcg in 1994. My numbers in October were a bit off so I think in April I might be going up.