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2121656 tn?1395674749

Changing dosage in Synthroid

So, I just received a phone call from my PCP whom I love so much, lol! and he wants to up my dosage of Synthroid from 25mgs. to 50 mgs. I said to his nurse. I'm a little confused, seeing that I've just started a hormone replacement on Sept. 4th and haven't yet went for my repeat labs, in which I'm going for tomorrow. So, I'm confused as to what labs he's making this determination to. Her reply was the labs from Aug. I then asked, well wasn't the reason for me having repeat labs to monitor the change Synthroid is making before prescribing me a higher dosage. Am I correct in questioning?
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2121656 tn?1395674749
I understand from reading that I will probably need to be bumped up to higher dosages. Just was puzzled with the PCP wanting to bump me without new labs and me feeling well as of now.

I am having my TSH, Free T4 & Free T3 levels checked & will post once I receive the results back. I just went this morning for labs, eek lol! I've learned that unfortunately Dr.'s choose to treat level's rather than symptoms. I think I as able to persuade my PCP into treating my levels & testing the Free T4 & Free T3 along with the TSH, each time I have labs done. At first, as most Dr.'s say that Free T3 doesn't really matter. Well, I had a very long discussion with him, in giving him examples that it's more or less common sense, when I was losing hair, having muscle spasms, digestive issue's. That once I started on the synthroid, the symptoms either disappeared or lighten up some. That there's a reason for that and it could only be of one thing. It's my thyroid that was causing the Hypo symptoms. It can't be in someone's head when you can see someone is losing hair to the point, they've a bald spot. Anyhow, that's when he agreed to also have my Free T3 tested at all labs for my thyroid. I also left him with a whole bunch of material, lol! to read. He's very good and i do believe that he has/will read it all. Oh, and I also explained that even though my lab results at times are within range with the labs #'s. That it doesn't mean anything, because every individual is different and maybe my FT4 even though it's within labs range but only a 1, needs to be a 3 in order for me to feel well. That's just an example. He did say that makes sense. So, keeping my fingers crossed that he wasn't just agreeing to get me out of his office, lol!
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Avatar universal
I think you are right on.  However 25 mcg is a common starter dose and VERY few people end up there. So don't be surprised if you still will be recommended to bump up to 50 mcg.  However you are exactly right that you want to wait and be tested about every 6 weeks as that is how long it takes for the T4 medication (synthorid) to stabilize in your blood.

I hope that you are being tested for BOTH, Free T4 and Free T3 in addition to TSH.  if not absolutely DEMAND to be tested for these. As TSH is not even a thyroid hormone.  It is a pituitary hormone which triggers your thyroid gland. But only the Free T4 and Free T3 are the actuall hormones in your blood that your body uses.

T4 is a storage hormone and must be converted into T3 to ultimately be used by your body's cells. Your symptoms are a result of not having enough (or too much if hyper) hormone at the cellular level.  And your cells ONLY use the Free T3 hormone.  Therefore anyone can use just two brain cells and determine why it is therefore so important to test for the Free T3 hormone. Yet many Dr's and the medical industry as a whole apparently has not come to this same common sense conclusion!
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2121656 tn?1395674749
Hello there! I thought the same at first, that maybe there was a mix up in patients. Not so much after speaking with her. Because, she was checking into my last set of labs and confirmed that my PCP was referring to the labs from late Aug. I think that what happened is, that my PCP didn't realize that I didn't start a hormone replacement before then. Therefore, he probably thought whatever dosage I was taking prior to the Aug. labs weren't enough. IMO, Dr.'s really need to more careful before making decisions with people's lives. I've always said, we're not like a computer that can be replaced. I'm not that knowledgeable about thyroid disease, but am learning slowly. So, I'm so glad that I knew enough that I should be having new labs before taking a higher dose of Synthroid or I would've just said ok and started it, even though I'm feeling well as of now. Fingers crossed. Thanks for your response.
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Avatar universal
Absolutely.  It sounds like someone at the doctor's office is very confused.  I hope there isn't someone else who isn't being called (and isn't getting their increase) because they got you two confused.  
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