Wondering whether I should still be taking levothyroxine

[YourCoralPoster]

Hi!

I recently had a miscarriage (I am fine and coping okay!) but found out I had thyroid issues (TSH 6) a couple of weeks beforehand. The GP started me on levothyroxine (25mcg) at the time as it's important for your TSH to be below 2.5 for pregnancy, but seemed to suggest that I may only have issues during pregnancy and be fine when I'm not pregnant.

To be honest, I had no symptoms of hypothyroidism at all beforehand. They actually tested my thyroid as I had a sudden onset of severe anxiety and struggling to sleep, which are more hyperthyroid symptoms so doesn't make much sense to me!

Anyway, I've continued to take the levothyroxine since the miscarriage but am left wondering whether I need to be?

I've read all this scary stuff about women swinging hyper after miscarriage/birth, and there's a possibility my levels have naturally dropped back down and me taking the levo could then make me hyper too. I'm mainly concerned because my anxiety is still awful and I don't want to be making myself hyper and making the anxiety even worse than what it already is.

I couldn't get a blood test booked for another couple of weeks so was just wondering if anyone had any opinions/advice/insight on this.

Thanks!

(Edit: I also have antibodies which suggest hashimotos if I'm correct)

severe anxiety and struggling to sleep
I had no activity at all in my thyroid (long story) and that’s how I was with my hypothyroidism.
I’m sorry for your loss
keep taking the thyroxine until you’ve had your blood test, when ordering the test it specifically asks if you’ve had a change in dose in the last 8 weeks, so take it until told to make changes.

I didn't get on with Levo at all. It made me feel as if I was cracking up. I take ashwaghanda now, which is an Indian herb that stimulates the thyroid. I was "normal" at my last blood test. I would suggest you have a look on YouTube - there is a lot of info out there. One US doctor says that around 34 per cent of people on Levo shouldn't be on it, but of course once they are it's difficult to test their 'natural' production. There is also e.g. Yoga for Thyroid that may help boost its output. Do your research, because apparently many GPs get minimal training on this. You have to be your own expert and work out what's best for you.

It’s very slow acting so to get consistent blood work you need to take it until your next draw.

a tsh of 6 is very high. A tsh of 2.5 is actually pretty high. It’s in range, but some endocrinologists think it should be the top of the scale, not the middle.

because of cancer history my target is about a 0.8-0.99. I don’t feel hyper unless i get almost to zero.

basically, I wouldn’t panic about taking it and accidentally over-medicating.