# Overmedicated?



## Lisap40 (Oct 31, 2016)

Hi All,

I'm curious to know if anyone has been overmedicated on levothyroxine, and if so, what symptoms you've experienced? I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism over a year ago and in that time, my dr and I have been trying to get to my ideal dose. My last TSH result came back at .52, which my doctor said was just below normal, but she didn't see a problem with me staying on that dose. She did tell me to watch for symptoms of over medication, such as anxiety, heart palpitations, weight loss, etc. This was 2 weeks ago. Since that time, I've had several nights of sweating, and when I checked my pulse the last time I was up sweating, my heart rate was up to 95 while lying in bed. My normal resting heart rate is around 65. Aside from that, I've been having a few of my hypo symptoms again (weight gain and constipation), as well as a shorter menstrual cycle. I'm pretty sure that my TSH hasn't gone up much (if anything) since my last draw 2 weeks ago. Could I be overmedicated? Is it possible to have too much levo and symptoms of hypo? I'm feeling so frustrated and I just want to feel better. 
Thanks for reading, Lisa


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

It's possible.

What dose of Levo are you on? How long have you been on that dose? Have they tested anything other than TSH (which is prettty useless) and, if so, what do those results look like? Did you initially have antibodies tested and, if so, what do those results look like?


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

Welcome to the board!

Does your doctor test anything other than TSH?

Free T-4 and Free T-3 will show the free and unbound hormone in your system at time of draw.

Be sure and note when your last dose was in relation to the blood draw.


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## Sabrina (Aug 30, 2016)

Hi! Sorry you are going through this! I am definitely no expert but I can share with you what happened to me with a bit too much - I am much better now after adjustments but I remember those few weeks as hyper.

My initial dose from the hospital ended up being too much. They had me on 125mcg Levothyroxine, at week four my labs showed me almost hyper, in week five I am sure I was hyper (although mildly, compared to what many go through).

My first sign was increased blood pressure. From 110/60 (normal) to 130/75 not even a week later. I have never had readings like that ever. My doctor asked me to monitor my BP and also my heart rate which was a bit easier. The next day my BP was higher and the day after even more so. My heart rate sitting down relaxed was 104! My dose was changed immediately.

Over the next two to three weeks I experienced a variety of hyper symptoms. This includes itching of hands and feet. My scalp,was very itchy and my hair shedded quite a bit more than normal. The couple of days they symptoms were the worst I felt like there was pressure in my fingers pressing against the underside of my nails. Ugh. Itching was bad and I got temporary hives when I sweated or got hot, like during exercise, and sometimes itched all over. I had a hard time sitting still, concentrating and focusing. Sleep was hard. It was like having too much caffeine. In fact I got really sensitive to caffeine during that time and if I had even a cup too much it was awful. I started having waking dreams, like I was not asleep yet but I had a quick moment of a dream that, because I was actually awake, made it seem like it was real (more like a memory of something). That was very weird and unsettling.

My dose was lowered to 100mcg and it was 2-3 weeks before the symptoms subsided. I may have more info my My Total Thyroidectomy Story in the surgery section, I've been trying to use that thread to document how everything is going.

I hope you find your answer soon and a solution as well so you can start feeling better.


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## Sabrina (Aug 30, 2016)

Oh my TSH was below range (.2 with range of .55-4.78) and I had labs one week later when they had to switch my dose and it had actually decreased.


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## Lisap40 (Oct 31, 2016)

Thank you for the replies! I am currently on 125 mcg of levothyroxine, which I have been on for 8 weeks now. My TSH of .52 was at 6 weeks (2 weeks ago) after changing the dose. Prior to this, I was on 112, which lasted for 3 months before my symptoms returned and my TSH was at 4, so I'm guessing I wouldn't be put back on the 112 dose. Last year, I had the full panel run and everything fell well within the normal range.

Sabrina, thank you for sharing your story. Thankfully, I've not had anything that bad yet. It's funny though, blood pressure is one of my tell tale signs that my TSH is going up. It was actually my blood pressure shooting up that led my dr to find my hypothyroidism to begin with. I would get scary spikes in the range of 170/130 that would last for days. My normal is about 110/70.

I'm thinking that if the sweats and rapid heartbeat continue, I'm going to see if my doctor will let me swap one or two pills each week with the 112. Perhaps it is just my body adjusting to the low TSH? I felt best when my TSH was about 1.5. Ugh, I hate this disease.


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

But, importantly, you can not dose by TSH. It doesn't work.

Get your full lab report. Never accept "numbers fall within ranges."


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## Sabrina (Aug 30, 2016)

joplin1975 said:


> But, importantly, you can not dose by TSH. It doesn't work.
> Get your full lab report. Never accept "numbers fall within ranges."


I agree with this very much. Now that I am really researching and understanding my labs, my previous ones with TSH only don't mean anything to me. I always ask for Free T4, Free T3 and TSH. Seeing all of these, with ranges, especially in relation to each other, is super informative.

You probably already know (sorry I love to share this stuff because I didn't know any of it six months ago), TSH is basically the hormone produced by the pituitary gland that is reactive to need (or not) for more thyroid hormone. TSH = thyroid stimulating hormone. When my T4 and T3 were high, my pituitary stopped asking for more, thus my TSH level got low. But even when I was hypo my TSH wasn't really high. So having just one of the numbers isn't enough, really.

Prior to surgery I did get my Free T4 and TSH. The FT4 was considered "in range" by my dr but I know now it was the LAST number on the scale before official hypo, and I exhibited strong symptoms of hypo and had been for years. Despite surgery and balancing my meds, I feel better than I did before surgery. And my TSH really was in the normal range at that time. Everyone is different, for me I try to look at the three lab numbers and consider how I feel.

One day at a time. I am really hoping you can get the addition numbers to tell the rest of the story so you can make adjustments and start feeling better.


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