Thyroid medication reduction

[Poppitt]

Question:   Do thyroid medicines need to be taken every day and why?  How can I test my body's reaction to taking my Snythroid every other day?  I have a pre hypothroid condition and am on 75 miligrams. Never had any symptoms before taking the meds.  But now I have numerous side effects.  I have never needed to be on medication before.  I  hardly ever need even aspirin.   Thanks!

[Poppitt]

Hi,

Thank you for the needed information.  Not ever having had any symptoms before,
I am hoping to get off the med.  Problem is my doctor has cut back his hours and it is hard with my work schedule to take that much time off since I work miles away.

Thanks again.

[redheadaussie]

How long have you been on the medication? If you take it every other day you actually decrease the dose in the week. The medication takes a week to become effective in the body and up to 6 weeks as an accumulated effect which is when most people start to notice any change in their symptoms.
   For example...75 mcgs per day x 7 days = 525mcgs a week...now if you only take it every other day...say Mon Wed Frid...that's only 3 days per week ...75mcgs x 3 days = 225mcgs per week....Your body will not function properly on that.
   You may find that if you are not taking the correct dosage, then you will have syptoms of hypothyroidism.
  If you have only recently started it, then it will take time to kick in. If you don't take it properly you will get symptoms. You will also find your disease wil get worse.
  So don't play with it, take it as directed. Thyroid disease sadly is not one we can hope will go away.

[stella5349]

have you spoken to your doctor about the Synthroid usage and ask if you could try and go off the med?

[stella5349]

Some patients take different dosages on occassional days, but protacol is everyday for most.

Synthroid or any thyroid meds is a hormone release and it should be taken every day to become stable in the body.