Re: LEVOTHYROXINE ALLERGY

[Guest guest]

Hi there . I seem to have a very similar situation as you. I've realised

that my Levo. has been giving me trouble for about 10 years and it's all been

put down to other things. I fianlly got my GP to prescribe the Levo. Solution

and unfortunately have to say I reacted even more quickly to that than the tabs.

I gather it is known to be more potent. It's called Evotrox. After that I

procured some Nature-throid from Canada and again unfortunately had the

reactions all over again. Naturally now, I'm very concerned to know how I'll

manage to get any thyroxine inside me without these horrible side effects, which

include the ones you are having, but also severe palpitations and chronic

diahrrea now! Keep me posted on and advancements you make, as I will with you

too. Thanks. Lynda

>

> But now I am reacting again and need to re-assess.

>

> What I would really like to know is:-

>

> 1. How does levothyroxine affect you adversely

> 2. How do you manage it each day

> 3. Has anyone any knowledge or experience of liquid thyroxine

>

> Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

HI PATRICIA

I am glad that I am not the only one to have problems with Thyroxine.

I have also been on EVOTROX which was of no benefit.

My hair started falling out a lot on a dose of 75mg of Thyroxine and it has also

caused muscle pains in the past as well. At one time I had pain in the bladder

and on stopping Thyroxine that pain stopped.

It can also

I have in the past improved on stopping Thyroxine, but it does not last.

I am also confused as my present GP has said that I do not need Thyroxine, but

agreed to start me back on a small dose of 25mg. I have also made sure that I am

precribed the same brand to rule out if its due to a messing about with

different brands.

I was also put on Prednisolone as I was in so much pain unable to go out which I

was told was POLYMYAGIA as my CRP and ESR were raised.

I was OK when I saw my GP last week who informed me that my CRP and ESR were OK

so he reduced my Prednisolone. Two days later I am in much pain again.

I was also told that Crystals appeared in my urine which my GP felt was Calcium,

but the NHS do not test for Calcium.

I attended a GP yesterday as the pain was bad, but to be honest it was a waste

of time struggling there.

I have further blood tests next week.

I have also emailed the makers of the Prednisolone to see if this has caused the

calcium problem and the pain.

I have also enquired if the pain could be due to an infection as I appear to go

downhill after seeing a JEHOVAH witness. I am going to have to stop these Bible

lessons to see if I improve.

You are lucky that your GP tried you out on dales, as my GP refused.

Kathleen

>

> I have been struggling with Levothyroxine for eight years. It controls my

hypothyroidism but it makes my joints and muscles stiff and painful, aching,

chest tight and I feel very unwell.

> But now I am reacting again and need to re-assess.

>

> What I would really like to know is:-

>

> 1. How does levothyroxine affect you adversely

> 2. How do you manage it each day

> 3. Has anyone any knowledge or experience of liquid thyroxine

>

> Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I guess you will

never know unless you give it a try , but you would need to start with

a very small dose. The usual starting dose is 20mcgs, but you could give 10mcgs

a go, taking 5mcgs in the morning when you wake, and 5mcgs in the afternoon, as

T3 has a very short half life. If your adrenals are supported, apart from the

fillers, I can see no reason for this not to help.

Luv - Sheila

I read on the internet the script of a radio phone-in programme (2003)

featuring Prof Lazarus, the then President of BTA, who in answer to a

question on thyroxine allergy said " it MIGHT be worthwhile trying T3 "

Personally I feel I would react to it a I do to T4. What are your thoughts on

this?

[Guest guest]

Hi - is this the

Radio Phone-in Programme you mentioned http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/chat_thyroid.shtml

Luv - Sheila

I read on the internet the script of a radio phone-in programme (2003) featuring

Prof Lazarus, the then President of BTA, who in answer to a question on

thyroxine allergy said " it MIGHT be worthwhile trying T3 "

Personally I feel I would react to it a I do to T4. What are your thoughts on

this?

[Guest guest]

This is the one Sheila.

>

>

>

> Hi - is this the Radio Phone-in Programme you mentioned

> http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/chat_thyroid.shtml

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

> I read on the internet the script of a radio phone-in programme (2003)

> featuring Prof Lazarus, the then President of BTA, who in answer to a

> question on thyroxine allergy said " it MIGHT be worthwhile trying T3 "

>

> Personally I feel I would react to it a I do to T4. What are your thoughts

> on this?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sheila - you are so right.

I have to admit to not paying a lot of attention to T3 previously but now I need

to be fully informed before I put it to my GP.

Is it comparative to T4 in any way, can you equate the dosage of T3 to T4, if

not how do you work out how much to take. Does the TFT come out the same.

When you say the usual dose is 20mcgs is it the same for everyone?

What is the range of dosage that people take?

How much do you take for example?

I am in a panic now because my GP expects me to know and T3 I know nuffin!

Luv -

>

> I guess you will never know unless you give it a try , but you would

> need to start with a very small dose. The usual starting dose is 20mcgs, but

> you could give 10mcgs a go, taking 5mcgs in the morning when you wake, and

> 5mcgs in the afternoon, as T3 has a very short half life. If your adrenals

> are supported, apart from the fillers, I can see no reason for this not to

> help.

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

>

[Guest guest]

I have to admit to not paying a lot of

attention to T3 previously but now I need to be fully informed before I put it

to my GP.

Is it comparative to T4 in any way, can you equate the dosage of T3 to T4, if

not how do you work out how much to take. Does the TFT come out the same.

Hi , thyroxine (T4) is a prohormone. It does nothing on

it's own. The amount of hormone secreted by the thyroid gland is approximately

90% T4 and about 10% T3. T4 has to convert through the liver, kidneys, skin,

brain and other thyroid hormone receptors throughout the body into the ACTIVE

thyroid hormone T3. It is T3 that every cell in the body and brain needs to

make them function - NOT T4.

For many of us, we are unable to convert this mainly inactive T4

into T3 for many and various reasons, so we need some form of T3, either

synthetic or the T3 that is found in natural desiccated porcine thyroid

extract.

When you say the usual dose is 20mcgs is it the

same for everyone?

20mcgs of Cytomel T3 (you can buy this from Internet Pharmacies)

or 25mcgs Liothyronine (T3) available by prescription by the NHS is the usual STARTING

dose for everybody. You can increase T3 by 10mcgs every 3 to 4 weeks until you

reach the dose where your symptoms are mitigated or gone away completely. You

then need no more increases and stay on that dose, probably for the rest of

your life.

You should split the dose of T3 you are taking and take half in

the morning and the other half about 8 hours after. This is because T3 has a

very short half life - 2 days in humans, but the actual effect T3 has in your

body starts to leave you after approximately 6 to 8 hours, so you need to keep

your engine 'topped up'. Taking T3 this way stops you having a 'slump' in the

middle of the afternoon and should keep you nice and perky. Some people even

take to splitting their T3 three times daily.

However, the tablets of 25mcgs Liothyronine are very tiny, so

difficult to split, but I know of somebody who would scrape the tablet of T3

with a razor blade, wet her finger, and take the powder on her tongue and

swallow it down with water. She did this quite a few times during the day, and

found it worked well for her. This might be something that could help you if

you can't take it in 2 split doses.

What is the range of dosage that people take?

How much do you take for example?

It matters how hypothyroid you are. Some people add T3 to their

T4, some take T3 all on it's own. For 'normal' therapy, you may be happy with

20mcgs T3 or need to take as much as 60mcgs or even more. If you have Reverse

T3 (but this is another discussion) then you need very high doses of T3-only to

sort out that problem, but that is usually on a temporary basis until you have

got rid of the rT3, then you lower your dose.

The beauty of taking either synthetic or natural T3 is that if

you take too much, a couple or so hours later, you get feelings of sweating,

perhaps dizziness, palpitations and generally, symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

When that happens, you don't take your second dose and the following day, you

go back on to the dose you were on before that latest increase. It is so easy

to tell whether you need more T3 or less T3 by how you feel. You do not have to

rely on thyroid function tests to tell you whether or not the dose needs

titrating. This is the same with Armour/Erfa/Nature Throid or Westhroid.

Read the paper written by Dr Peatfield here http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/mgt_of_thyroiddef2.php

about the treatment of hypothyroidism.

I am in a panic now because my GP expects me to know and T3 I know nuffin!

Well, now you can tell your GP all about it *grin*.

Luv - Sheila

Luv -

--- In

[Guest guest]

HI SHEILA AND ALL

I too have a question to ask here, as when I was prescribed T3 on its own with

no advice on splitting the dose plus not knowing anything about the difference

between what I was being prescribed, but it caused an upset stomache, so how can

you avoid that, and can it be bought in the UK,as to buy from abroad can involve

high import and tax costs.

Kathleen

>

> Well, now you can tell your GP all about it *grin*.

>

> Luv - Sheila

>

>

>