Thyroid Overmedication

[Roda]

I have been having problems with tachycardia, insomnia, increased appetite, and have lost a couple of pounds. The other day I went for a routine gyn appt. and had a bad tachy episode at the office. The doctor sent me up for a stat thyroid pannel to r/o too much thyroid medication and an ekg (I've had proplems not related to thyroid). Much to my suprise my TSH was 0.05. Well thats never happened before. The only time I have had to decrease my thyroid meds was post partum. I have never been overactive otherwise, always had to go up in dose. He and I pretty much concluded now that I have been gluten free for almost five months that now I am absorbing my meds better. He had me cut my levothyroxine (125 mcg) in half until I can get to the endocrinologist on April 3rd. I am also on cytomel 5 mcg one tablet twice a day. He did not feel comfortable with doing anything with that. As crazy as it sounds I'm really happy. I feel that it is an indication that my villi are healing. I know the endocrinologist will probably adjust my meds down and that sounds good to me.

[Juliebove]

I am off of thyroid meds now. I don't have celiac. Just food allergies. I used to eat a lot of soy products. When I stopped eating those, I no longer needed meds.

[Gemini]

I have been having problems with tachycardia, insomnia, increased appetite, and have lost a couple of pounds. The other day I went for a routine gyn appt. and had a bad tachy episode at the office. The doctor sent me up for a stat thyroid pannel to r/o too much thyroid medication and an ekg (I've had proplems not related to thyroid). Much to my suprise my TSH was 0.05. Well thats never happened before. The only time I have had to decrease my thyroid meds was post partum. I have never been overactive otherwise, always had to go up in dose. He and I pretty much concluded now that I have been gluten free for almost five months that now I am absorbing my meds better. He had me cut my levothyroxine (125 mcg) in half until I can get to the endocrinologist on April 3rd. I am also on cytomel 5 mcg one tablet twice a day. He did not feel comfortable with doing anything with that. As crazy as it sounds I'm really happy. I feel that it is an indication that my villi are healing. I know the endocrinologist will probably adjust my meds down and that sounds good to me.

Roda......what you are describing is happening to me right now. I have been gluten-free for 4 years in April and was on 150 mcg. of Levoxyl, plus 2 mcg of a compounded T3. All that ever happened was an increase in dosages.

About 6 months ago, I started to have symptoms of hyper-thyroid and my doctor cut out the T3. Everything calmed down and I went on my merry way. About a week ago, I started with these symptoms again and this time it was really bad. For the first time ever, I am wracked with anxiety, cannot sleep a wink at night and feel like someone slipped some speed into my water bottle. I don't do anxiety and am not that personality type. Well, needless to say, I called them back and, as I am going on a trip next week, I was freaking out that I would be all messed up while away. So the doctor has ordered me to stop my Levoxyl completely for one week and next Tuesday, when I leave on my trip, I am to cut my 150 mcg. tablets in half and take that amount for the duration. I am having blood drawn when I return.

I never thought an almost 50 year would show improvement like that! I know I am going to be slightly messed up until I figure out the right dosage again but to think my thyroid is healing has made me very happy! I wish you luck and my personal goal is going to see how low I can get that dose down!

[Roda]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that has dealt with this. I don't think I will ever to be able to get off thyroid meds completely, but at least I will be able to decrease my dosage. This just reinforsed to me that the diet it working. I was getting in a rut with food lately and craving things I shouldn't. But, alas I did not give into my yearnings. I am curious to see how this all plays out.

[Gemini]

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that has dealt with this. I don't think I will ever to be able to get off thyroid meds completely, but at least I will be able to decrease my dosage. This just reinforsed to me that the diet it working. I was getting in a rut with food lately and craving things I shouldn't. But, alas I did not give into my yearnings. I am curious to see how this all plays out.

It can be very easy to get in a rut with food, especially if you work for a living and don't have much time to play Betty Crocker!

I am lucky that I crave no gluten containing anything and my recovery, plus these events with my thyroid have re-inforced, like yourself, the rewards of being compliant. When a person becomes life-threateningly ill, it's amazing how that can change your attitude.

I also have my doubts about being able to dump the Levoxyl but if I can halve the dosage, I'll be over the moon!

[Roda]

Well I made it to the endocrinologist today. She is decreasing my levothyroxine to 112 mcg and I am going to stay on my current dose of 5 mcg of cytomel twice a day. So I guess in about 4-6 weeks I'll see how I feel. She always orders blood tests on me every time I go. She did not need to repeat the thyroid tests since I just had that last week. I went to the lab and really wondered why all the tubes. Well she ordered her routine a complete blood count and complete metabolic pannel. Vitamin D tests were ordered again and to my suprise, she ordered a calcium test and parathyroid test. She did not mention to me that she thought there was a problem there. I have read a little about the parathyroid and think maybe it is because I am supplementing with the 50,000 iu of vitamin D once a week. I have been taking it since Jan. Anyone have any thoughts to share? I'm wondering if she suspects secondary hyperparathyroidism. I hope not, I don't need anything else to worry about. I am really now wishing that I had a bone mineral density test before I started the vitamin D in case it is the latter.