Thyroid medication (Synthroid) is one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States.
But do all of those people who take Synthroid (or any other type of thyroid medication) have to do it forever?
Not necessarily, and that’s something I want to explore in this article.
Article highlights:
- People start taking thyroid medication because of blood tests, but these blood tests are not 100% accurate.
- Some people who start taking thyroid medication may be able to eventually wean themselves off.
- Doctors aren’t likely to make this suggestion, though, unless you bring it up.
- Some individuals may require thyroid medication for the rest of their lives (but not everyone).
- If you decide to try and get off thyroid medication you must do it slowly and controlled.
Why People Start Taking Thyroid Medication
This topic should really be “why doctors prescribe thyroid medication”, but the point still remains the same.
The only real reason to start taking thyroid medication is that your body isn’t able to produce enough thyroid medication on its own.
If this happens, then you will be at a deficit that must be replaced and supplemented with some amount of oral thyroid medication.
This isn’t necessarily a problem, but the problem does start to arise when we talk about how doctors determine if your thyroid is functioning well or not.
The main way that doctors do this is through a test called the TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone.
If the TSH is high then you are considered to be hypothyroid and your doctor may start you on thyroid medication.
If the TSH is normal, then you are considered to be ‘euthyroid‘ and you don’t need thyroid medication.
So, where’s the problem?
The problem is that TSH is a pituitary marker and not necessarily an accurate measurement of thyroid status in your body.
There are times when it is considered normal for your TSH to be high or outside of the normal reference range (1).
In addition, the TSH test only gives you information about what is happening RIGHT NOW.
It doesn’t give you any information about your future thyroid function (2).
Most of the time it is an accurate measure of thyroid function, but there are times when individuals are placed on thyroid medication inappropriately (3) or times when they may only need thyroid medication short-term.
Can you Stop Taking it?
Knowing this information, why isn’t it common to hear stories about people getting off of their medication?
The reason has to do with how thyroid medication impacts your brain and your thyroid gland.
As you take thyroid medication it causes a change in your pituitary and hypothalamus which alters how much thyroid hormone your body can produce naturally.
This makes it difficult (almost impossible) to see how much thyroid your body could produce on its own if you weren’t taking thyroid medication.
In addition, most doctors are conditioned to believe that once you start taking thyroid medication you will simply be on it for life.
This means that stopping thyroid medication in certain patients isn’t even on their radar.
So if you fall into one of the categories that I’ve listed below, it’s not likely that your doctor may start a conversation about reducing or eliminating your dose.
This leaves it up to you to start that conversion! But only if it’s appropriate.
3 Groups of Thyroid Patients
There are roughly 3 major groups of people to consider before you stop taking your thyroid medication.
Where you fit into these 3 groups will determine how likely you are to be able to stop.
Let’s dive into these 3 groups so you can help determine where YOU fit in.
#1. Those who Need Thyroid Medication
It’s worth talking about these people first because if you fall into this group then you don’t really have an option.
The truth is that some people will be required to take thyroid medication for the rest of their lives (4).
Not every single person will fit into this category, but it is certainly true that many of you probably do.
Why is thyroid medication sometimes required?
Because your body REQUIRES thyroid hormone to survive.
In fact, zero thyroid hormone in your body is not compatible with life and it ultimately leads to coma and death (5).
People who must take thyroid medication for life include the following:
- Those who don’t have a thyroid (either because it’s been removed or because they were born without it)
- Those who have had their thyroid 100% destroyed with radioactive iodine ablation therapy (sometimes RAI does not destroy the entire thyroid gland so you may not have to take it in all cases)
- Those people who have end-stage Hashimoto’s thyroiditis which has resulted in complete thyroid atrophy (ultimately, untreated Hashimoto’s will end up here over the course of decades)
- Those who don’t have a pituitary either because it’s been destroyed or damaged from trauma (these people can’t produce TSH)
If you fit into any of these categories then it is very unlikely that you will not be able to wean yourself off of your thyroid medication.
But not everyone is in a position where they HAVE to take it, there are still some groups of people who can potentially either get off of their medication or reduce their dose.
#2. Those who were placed on Thyroid Medication Inappropriately
Believe it or not, there are some people who have been placed on thyroid medication incorrectly.
Most people like to think that they have the best doctor around, but trust me when I say that not everyone can have the best doctor!
Doctors tend to make mistakes from time to time, and it’s certainly possible that you were incorrectly placed on your thyroid medication at some point in your life.
I’ve personally seen a great many patients who were placed on thyroid medication 20-30 years ago for one reason or another and they have just stayed on their medication since that time.
And each subsequent doctor that they go to looks at their medication and just assumes that they need to be on it.
There is a percentage of thyroid patients who take thyroid medication who fit into this category.
But how does this happen?
There are several known conditions that can cause a temporary increase in the TSH such that it may mimic the lab results seen in hypothyroidism.
But just because you have a high TSH on a one-time test doesn’t guarantee that you have hypothyroidism.
There is also the possibility that the test that you used was inaccurate as well.
It’s estimated that up to 5% of all lab tests are not accurate which leaves a fairly high degree of error and difficulty with interpretation (6).
If you were someone who was placed on thyroid medication because you had one isolated high TSH at some point in your life and you weren’t experiencing any of the symptoms of hypothyroidism then you may have been subjected to one of these issues.
If so, there is a decent chance that you probably don’t need to be on thyroid medication long-term.
People who fit into this category also find that they felt no difference on or off of their thyroid medication.
#3. Those who only need Thyroid Medication Temporarily
Lastly, there are a group of patients who need thyroid medication but only temporarily.
Several conditions, including thyroiditis, some cases of Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism from obesity, hypothyroidism from iodine deficiency and other nutrient deficiencies, and so on, may be reversible causes of hypothyroidism.
Take for instance Hashimoto’s thyroiditis:
It is true that people with this condition may go on to develop fully-fledged hypothyroidism, but a small percentage of patients with this disease experience spontaneous and complete remission (7) (even without therapies!).
So, it may be that you were placed on thyroid medication because it was necessary at some point, but it doesn’t mean that you have to stay on it indefinitely.
Other conditions which may require the temporary use of thyroid medication include:
- Some cases of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Hypothyroidism from dieting or obesity
- Hypothyroidism from some causes of thyroid inflammation and thyroiditis
- Postpartum thyroiditis (8)
- Hypothyroidism from nutrient deficiencies such as iodine deficiency
- Hypothyroidism caused by extreme but temporary stress
These are just a few of the causes of temporary hypothyroidism and there are probably many others.
If you aren’t sure why you were placed on thyroid medication in the first place then you should go to your doctor and try to figure out when and why you were.
From there you can determine if your issues are potentially reversible or require the use of thyroid medication long-term.
Even if you don’t find yourself in a position where you can get off of your thyroid medication completely, you might find that you can reduce your dose somewhat.
Take for instance the case of obesity:
I’ve seen many patients who require much less thyroid hormone once they start losing weight.
And if you are able to lose 25-50 pounds on your own then there is a very high chance that whatever thyroid medication you required at your heavier weight will not be required in the future.
The key here, however, is to address the potential cause of your thyroid issues.
What to do if you Want to Try and Stop Taking your Medication
First things first, you don’t want to do this on your own!
Believe it or not, it can actually be dangerous to stop taking your thyroid medication abruptly and I’ve written about why this is the case in previous articles.
I’ve been accused of being a shill for pharmaceutical companies for this recommendation but I still stand by it.
The truth is that it can be dangerous for some individuals to suddenly stop taking their thyroid medication, especially if they just don’t understand why they were started on it to begin with.
I’ve seen some people who don’t have a thyroid (because it was removed) who want to stop taking their medication.
This simply cannot happen.
Because thyroid hormone is required to sustain life, you MUST take thyroid medication if you don’t have a thyroid.
And the fact that some people don’t understand this is a failure of the medical system.
But, what if you are among those people who can potentially stop taking their medication? What do you do?
The best thing you can do is go to seek help from your current physician and ask if they are willing to help you get off of your medication.
Make sure that they know that you are aware of the risks (read about them here) and that you understand you may need to be placed back on it.
If they are on board with the idea then you can proceed in a very slow and cautious manner.
You should then attempt to slowly decrease your thyroid dose by 25mcg every week (if you are using Synthroid or levothyroxine) until you are completely off of your medication.
From there you will need to give your body at least 2 months to adjust to life without thyroid medication because it will take at least that long for your HPT (hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (9)) system to ‘reset’.
By slowly reducing your dose, you are allowing your thyroid to slowly start to kick in naturally which allows it to start to produce more thyroid hormone on its own.
If your thyroid is capable of producing thyroid hormone then you will probably notice a temporary worsening of your symptoms which should resolve over the next 2-3 months.
If you don’t ever start to feel better and your thyroid labs start to get worse, then you may be someone who needs to be on thyroid medication long-term.
What to Expect if you Stop Taking Your Medication
What should you expect if you stop taking your thyroid medication?
The first thing you should realize is that you are most likely going to feel worse for a short period of time even if your body doesn’t need thyroid medication.
The reason for this is simple:
Once you start taking thyroid medication (of any dose) it causes a negative feedback loop in your brain which REDUCES the amount of thyroid hormone that your thyroid gland produces naturally.
This is a natural and healthy mechanism that is put in place by your body to prevent too much thyroid hormone from being produced.
But the problem is your body doesn’t necessarily know the difference between thyroid medication that you take by mouth or thyroid hormone that your thyroid gland produces naturally.
So once it sees any thyroid hormone it alters the signals that it sends to your thyroid gland by lowering the TSH.
The more thyroid medication you take by mouth the lower your TSH will get.
So, as you stop taking your thyroid medication, it’s only natural that this TSH will start to increase.
But you have to be aware of one major important point.
Once your TSH has been artificially lowered with thyroid medications, it takes time for your brain and pituitary system to get back to full strength.
In fact, it can take several weeks to months for it to get back to the normal state you were in prior to taking thyroid medication.
Because of this, there will be a short period of time where your body isn’t producing enough thyroid hormone on its own (because it can’t) and where you are not taking enough thyroid medication by mouth to supplement this difference.
During this transition period, it’s normal, therefore, for you to feel bad! Because you don’t have sufficient thyroid hormone in your body.
This by itself isn’t a reason to think that you have to be on thyroid medication, however.
But, if your body doesn’t get back to normal and if you aren’t feeling well after 2-3 months, then you may be someone who has permanent thyroid damage and will be required to take thyroid medication indefinitely.
Conclusion
Is it possible to stop taking your thyroid medication? The answer is yes, but it’s not true for every single thyroid patient.
Is it possible that you may require long-term thyroid medication treatment? The answer is also yes, but it depends on why you started taking thyroid medication, to begin with.
Before you decide to try and wean yourself off of your thyroid medication make sure that you find a physician who is willing to work with you.
Also, make sure that you know exactly why you were taking your medication in the first place!
It’s certainly possible (and I’ve seen it many times) that patients were placed on thyroid medication decades ago for whatever reason and now they may not need to continue it.
Just be aware, though, that getting off of your medication is a process that may require several months to do it safely.
Now I want to hear from you:
Have you been able to stop taking your thyroid medication?
Do you know why you were taking it in the first place?
What thyroid condition do you have that necessitates medication?
If you’ve stopped your medication and you feel poorly, please also share your story below!
Between 1960 and 1972 I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and took a medication for it (can’t remember what). In 1972 I had RAI and was told I then needed to take a medication because I would then have hypothyroidism. Since 1972 I have been prescribed just about every thyroid med there is. Not one has stabilized my thyroid, if, in fact it need to be stabilized. In 1972 I weighed 129 pounds. Today I’m taking liothronine 5 mcg am inching my way up to 180 pounds AND have lost a lot of hair. My last TSH was very high, I was told (I wasn’t given a copy of the results). I am approaching 81 years old and wonder if I can cease the thyroid med. Just as an aside, my mother at age 90 was prescribed her first thyroid med. It could never be regulated–up and down constantly. She passed away at age 94. Whether or not because of the thyroid med late in life or not I’ll never know. Would appreciate your comments and/or advice.
Hi Maryanne,
I’m not really sure I understand the question but if you are wondering if you can get off of thyroid medication the answer is probably a no. RAI is permanent which means that you have some degree of permanent damage to your thyroid gland.
I was put on 50mcg of levothyroxine by my Dr in November the problem is is that there was nothing wrong with my thyroid. He said it was because of weight gain and hair loss. Needless to say I had additional blood work in Feb and he raised my dose to 100 McG by the middle of march I was experiencing some really horrible side effects. Tremors, extreme Anxiety etc. So I called his office and he had me alternate days between 50-100 McG. By may 24th I couldn’t take any more of the side effects so I went to see my Dr and he had me stop taking it cold turkey. Which I did not knowing what was going to happen over the next 7 weeks. How much longer can I expect to feel like this. I have on days and then there’s just days where it seems like I can’t control my own body? Will these feelings ever go away?
Hi Christine,
The thyroid medication should be out of your system about 4 weeks after you stop but it may take several months for your thyroid function to get back to normal.
In 2010 because of high TSH I was started on Synthroid, For 5 months dosage was upped and downed per lab tests. I had NO SYMPTOMS at all! I quit the drugs cold turkey, as the side effects were intolerable, after which I felt fine. (Couldn’t afford to keep bouncing dr. to dr. The one I saw said he had never seen a case like mine.)
2021 deja vu – age 68, now with Medicare I went to a PCP who did new patient lab work. Very high TSH. Insisted on putting me on 150mcg Synthroid, which makes me feel worse than I’ve ever felt in my life. Prior to the drug, I felt fabulous! NO SYMPTOMS at all. After 1 month I cannot tolerate these side effects any more. Will be making an appointment with endocrinologist to find out why such outrageous lab results when I felt great. (PCP also said she had never seen such a high TSH with no symptoms.)
Would love to find a naturopathic physician, but insurance will not cover and I’m financially poor.
No known heath issues. Possibly a pituitary issue causing the high TSH?
What do you think of this feel great off drugs, feel horrible on drugs? I suspect, as I did in 2010, that I should not be taking levothyroxine.
Hi Brenda,
It’s hard to say what’s causing the issue without a lot more information. It would be reasonable to check your pituitary function, though, based on what you’ve stated.
Hi Dr Childs,
I am so happy I have come across your site after searching and searching for help. I have taken 25 mcg levothyroxine since 2017 all with the same mfr until this April the pharmacy changed mfr for my prescription. I had never been told to not change mfrs on generic levothyroxine because the dosing can be off. I started to slowly develop tremors in one hand and GI problems and by June I woke up one day with horrible shakiness, heart palpitations, anxiety, tiredness, dizziness. My primary ran test including thyroid which he said was normal so wrote that off. I then was sent to GI to have a scope and multiple testing which all came back good. My GI doc recommended I see endocrinology. Endocrinology kept asking are you sure your dose wasnโt changed? I said no but they did change mfrs. They explained then to me you donโt want to change generic brand because the dosing can be off and felt I was being over medicated. I am very sensitive so they felt that little could have triggered this and changed my prescription to brand name synthroid. They also thought I may not even need it and would work to try that. I cut my generic in half to take 12.5mg hoping the less amount would make me feel better until the pharmacy could order the brand name. Took 1/2 dose for a week and felt a little better. Went ahead and cut the synthroid in half when I got it and felt ok then started to feel off again. Dr said to just stop it for 3 months and they would test at 8 weeks. I have been off for 3 weeks. By the 2nd week my symptoms were horrible. My anxiety went extreme and they had to give me hydroxzine to be able to cope each day. I stopped it this week and can tell I am getting better but still so weak with mild symptoms. I am hoping I am on my way to getting better soon. My primary still refuses to agree this is my thryoid because my tsh test is normal range. I am hoping to not have to use it again when they retest me. Can you give me your opinion? Does this sound like something I would be going through being overmedicated? And how much more time do you think this could last till I feel normal again? Sorry for such a long story and thank you for your help. It is so appreciated.
Hi Yolanda,
Yes, those symptoms could be related to being overmedicated. If that is the case, then the symptoms should subside within about 4-6 weeks after you stop taking it.
After reading this article, I’m upset. My doctor told me I could stop taking my medication immediately. I was taking 0.25 milligrams. I asked if I had to wean myself off , and the answer was “no”!!!
Hi Gayle,
You can definitely stop taking it cold turkey, you just won’t feel well in the process. But you were on a fairly low dose so that may have impacted their decision.
Hi Dr Childs,
I have had a mild goiter for years (TSH = 5.0), but wasn’t really affected by it. Recently my goiter slightly increased with TSH = 8.0, T4 = 0.64, T3= 2.9 , TPO = 1000, TG = 1300.
Am not very happy being on medications and shocked by my results, since I do enjoy good energy levels and symptom-free so far (dr. agrees). My current PCP is not a thyroid specialist and follows the typical rationale that you mention in your blog posts.
At this point: I seem to have 3 options:
1) start with 25mcg levothyroxine for the first time(or talk to an endocrinologist) and consider the possibility of being dependent lifelong on thyroid meds
2) find natural alternative remedies to make my thyroid start working on its own. (takes a bit longer to reset, but better for me long-term). E.g. I normally eat a lot of gluten, goitrogenic foods (cabbage, nightshades), iodized salt is not helping much, so taking 2 pills of my multi-vitamin supplements to get RDA selenium, iodine and zinc. I also need to start taking probiotics to heal my gut and switch jobs to reduce my work stress.
3) A part of me is open to consider the natural diet-based approach to start lowering antibodies and to start weaning myself off levothyroxine (Synthroid). However, am concerned because my doc is adamant I will need this life long.
Am unable to decide if it’s crucial for me to get started on it ASAP or take some time to heal on my own. Am not sure if taking an extremely small dose of levothyroxine (with lifestyle changes) makes it likely that my thyroid hormones will keep trying to work or if it’s just going to keep making my thyroid hormones all the more sluggish?
Please advise.
Hi Dr Westin Childs.
I was tested for thyroid issues 2017 8 months after my son was diagnosed type 1 diabetic. As you can imagine those months leading upto my blood test was very very stressful time indeed. I had no symptoms apart from fatigue and burning and tingling in both hands 24/7. Bloods results came back showing i was borderline hypothyroid and doctor offered meds, symptoms never went away, I didn’t knowni also had hashimotos thyroiditis with my antibodies sitting in mid 500. I have been over medicated a few times but I’m now on 100mg of Levothyroxine and started as of today on small dose of t3 medication as looks like I’m not converting properly. I get bloods done privately as my GP only tests tsh and t4 ( here in UK) my antibodies are now sitting at 200. I supplement with iodine and selenium aswell as other vitamins. And since doing so the antibodies have been coming down.. I’m so glad I came across this article as I’ve been thinking about thisnissue of being on meds when I may not have to be… GP is hopeless so I will find a functional doctor and keep you posted to whether I get off these meds or not…..
@ Heather, it’s great to know that you are seeing a difference in antibodies with iodine, selenium supplementation. Have recently started ensuring I take regular multivitamin with RDA iodine, selenium, zinc, vit D and vit C in combination. Am curious to know how long it took you to see that marked reduction from 500 to 200 in antibodies.
Am also planning on taking black seed oil and aloe vera as additional supplements, to see if this helps naturally boost thyroid function as well. Will definitely post in here, if I see good results.
Hello.
You can absolutely get off thyroid meds after having the thyroid removed. Karen Hurd is an example of this. You can check out her story at her website: karenhurd.com. I believe she discusses it in one of the podcasts but, unfortunately, I can remember which one.
You could also reach out to her directly via email for her journey about her thyroid. The “Green Dragon” story on her website is how she saved her daughter and the rest of her family after suffering from poisoning. It was quite a journey.
Hi CP,
Once the thyroid has been removed, thyroid medication must be taken for life. This is because thyroid hormone is required to sustain life. If you don’t get it you will end up in a coma and will ultimately die. There are some frige situations in which people have what’s called extrathyroidal tissue, thyroid gland tissue found outself of the thyroid gland (i.e. lingual thyroid). This thyroid tissue still produces thyroid hormone, so if their normal thyroid gland is removed, it may still be active.
Outside of this very rare situation, compelte removal of the thyroid gland requires thyroid hormone for life. You can get that however you want, but it’s required.
There are some natural sources of thyroid hormone available, such as thyroid glandulars or thyroid gland powder, but most people get that thyroid hormone via medication.
Another layer of complication and confusion here is that it’s almost impossible to remove 100% of the thyroid gland. So even if someone has a “complete” thyroid removal, they still have probably 5-10% of thyroid gland tissue remaning and this tissue is active. If you combine a somewhat active thyroid gland with some OTC sources of thyroid hormone (from glandulars), you have a situation where someone might believe they don’t need thyroid medication. The reality is they are still getting thyroid hormone, they just don’t know how.
Hi Dr Childs,
Iโve been on thyroid for 5 years for a very slight problem originally with hypothyroidism, but now wish Iโd never gone on it. My doctor felt I needed it. But I think I could have easily found other ways to simply boost my thyroid to work a little better.
For whatever reason, the med worked well only at first, but then I had to keep going up higher and higher on it because it would wear off, and now Iโm finally at a place where Iโm really no better off with my hypo symptoms than I was before going on the medication. Itโs a waste of my money and I want to just come off and go back to square one. But I know it will only make me feel much much worse, like Iโve felt when Iโve tried to just come down on my dose. Major hypo symptoms. And I have chronic infections that get worse. My TSH is extremely low, like .007. It makes no sense to keep taking more. Iโm already up to 150 mgs daily of Armour.
How do I get off this? Honestly, I was better off before I ever went on it! Wondering if there is some other drug or herb that can boost thyroid production while weaning off Armour. I feel trapped.
Hi Victoria,
Please see this article for more information on how to get off of thyroid medication:
https://www.restartmed.com/stop-taking-thyroid-medication/
https://youtu.be/fWQy12y-iNg
Hello
I have been on Natural Thyroid 1/2mg for about 5-6 years now. I was going through trauma and divorce. My THS level is and still is .90. T4is and has been 0.80 and T3 is 3.4. My Dr stated that I needed to get on meds. Like a car engine my ranges were low. My symptoms were dry scalp and hair some nails brittle.
I want to wean myself off of the meds to see snd Iโll go get blood work done after weaning off. Should one cut pill in half every other day for 4-6 weeks and then keep data or do 1/2 then 3/4 quarters. I was also just going to do a hormone boost supplement and make sure Iโm eating all the right foods to help. My stress is less and I just donโt see any changes In my blood work every year since taking them. How will o know if they are doing anything if I donโt come off of them ? I also noticed my cholesterol went up while on thrn and not down. ?
Thank you for any answers.
Hello, I am taking 75mcg of dessicated thyroid. I changed my diet completely and am eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables s well as other things to help the thyroid function properly. You said that the dose should be decreased 25mg for Levothyroxine, so is it the same for dessicated thyroid? I’m getting plenty of iodine as well so I’m hoping I can reduce and eventually completely get off the medication. Thanks.
Hi Hamid,
I generally avoid making recommendations on how to increase the dose of any thyroid medication because each person is so different. Having said that, when it comes to NDT, making dose adjustments in the range of 1/4 of a grain tends to work well for most people.
So I should decrease 25mg per week?
Hi, I have been on Synthroid/ or its generic brand for 27 years for hypothyroidism. I have gone off and have asked my doctor to lower by dose to see what happens. Right now i am on 125Mcg. I am also taking right now for the past 6 months a supplement of beef liver with kelp which has iodine. I want to ask my doctor to do blood work and see where I am and then wait for a time to see what happens. I am asking your advice as to how to approach this. The reason I am on this Synthroid is 27 years ago I was diagnosed with Hep C and was put on Interferon injections. I started noticing strange things happening such as my eye were puffy and swollen. After finally convincing my Hep C doctor to check for any interactions and to check my blood because in fine print on the Interferon it said patients 1/1000 could develop thyroid issues. After testing my TSH I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. I should have just waited until I was done with the interferon for my body to adjust but I did as I was told by doctor to take medication for thyroid. can I go off of it ? Should I continue to use the Kelp and beef liver supplement? Thank you
Hi Margaret,
Unfortunately, that’s not something I can say for sure because I don’t know your full history. I would recommend checking out this resource which outlines the probability of getting off of thyroid medication: https://www.restartmed.com/how-to-get-off-of-thyroid-medication/
I love your clear and informative article. I was looking for advice on the best way to wean off. My doctor supports it but I was not sure about just stopping. Since Iโm at 25 mcg only (Tirosint), should I take it every other day for a week then stop or what is the best guide? I was put on Tirosint 5 months ago by a different doctor based on one lab test with slightly high TSH and slightly high antibodies. I didnโt have any classic hypo symptoms. I will explore your natural methods if needed after weaning off. Thanks!
Hi Linda,
Because 25mcg is a pretty small dose you may just be able to cut your dose in half and go from there. You could probably even get away with just stopping cold turkey but you’d want to be careful trying something like that. Your proposed every other day dosing would also be reasonable.
Hi Dr. Childs,
I *promise* I’m not asking for medical advice… But let’s say – hypothetically – someone was on 50mcg of Levothyroxine for a slightly low T4 (.7) and a normal/low end TSH.
And let’s say, hypothetically, that aforementioned patient took this dose for 2 years, seemed to stabilize- then lost quite a bit of weight intentionally- and now has a TSH of .2, a normal/low T4.
Would you brush said patient off and say “see you in 6 months” or would you take them off or lower the 50mcg of Levothyroxine?
Also this hypothetical patient is experiencing hyperthyroid symptoms.
I would more than appreciate your input! And thank you immensely for this website.
Hi Dr Childs,
I was recently put on levothyroxine 25microgram due to underactive thyroid. Before I knew this, I had two miscarriages, and the doctor told me most probably thyroid issues caused them. My first pregnancy was perfect, with no problems at all. I developed hypothyroidism after I had my first child. The endocrinologist told me I would be on levothyroxine all my life?! I wonder if I can get off them after a certain period, and if so, how will it affect future pregnancies?
Hi Dijana,
The standard advice that once you start thyroid medication you must take it forever is wrong. Up to 30% of thyroid patients can get off based on newer studies/research. You can learn more here: https://www.restartmed.com/how-to-get-off-of-thyroid-medication/
Whether or not you fall into that 30% is another story entirely but that article will help you figure it out.
Re “Have you been able to stop taking your thyroid medication?” Yes, I was on Cytomel (T3) monotherapy since 2010 but since April 2019, was able to/had to gradually titrate my dosage down in small increments over the past 3 years so have been off thyroid med now since April 26, 2022 thanks to a couple of decades of anti-inflammatory measures taken in diet, lifestyle habits & personal environment, some forms of BHRT since 2017 (no estrogen though due to high cancer history on both sides of my family) but most especially, since 2019 – Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN), a novel anti-inflammatory & immunomodulator (means LDN works to restore balance to immune function).
Re “Do you know why you were taking it in the first place?
Yes. First became life-altering ill in 1999 with 24-7/365 pain & fatigue which in 2004, rheumatologist dxd as FMS/CFS & in 2010, endocrinologist dxd Hashi’s with hypothyroidism. I have conversion problems so was intolerant of any T4 (tried Synthroid & then Erfa Thyroid but both meds sent my then fibro pain right through the roof!) so had been on Cytomel (T3) monotherapy for the past 12 years which worked great for ‘my’ body.
Dr recently confirmed from thyroid lab & symptom picture that I am now in remission of Hashimoto’s & no longer require thyroid med. Have been reading up on and so am seriously considering taking a guggul supplement so as to ensure that my T3 stays at a good level being it’s the active thyroid hormone needed/used by the cells as this herb aids in the conversion of T4 to T3.
Hi Mare,
I’m a big fan of guggul extract which is why I’ve included it in my thyroid conversion supplement: https://www.restartmed.com/product/t3-conversion-booster/
You can also read more about guggul and its benefits here: https://www.restartmed.com/guggul/
This information was so helpful! I have been taking 125 mcg. Since 1994, within 6 months of the birth of my last child. I had a few fluctuations in 1999 and was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure by my endocrinologist. After 10 years of HRT (Premarin and Progestin) Iโm only on 125 mcg. Synthroid. The last couple of years my TSH has been coming in at <.02 and .30. My FT4 at 1.57 and 1.49. I asked my MD (havenโt seen the Endo since 1999 after starting HRT) why isnโt she lowering my Synthroid? She said because my FT4 was normal. I have remained on the 125 mcg. For the last two years. I have been miserable!
1. Lycus planus in my mouth
2. Blood pressure rising
3. Canโt sleep
4. Anxious
5. Irritated
6. Shaky hands and legs
7. Huge digestive issues 6-8 tums a day
Many other things not even worth mentioning.
Since she wouldnโt lower it and I canโt find a decent Endocrinologist in my area, I started cutting my dosage in half two months ago. I feel fantastic!!! All of the symptoms listed above are gone. I had to do something and decided to listen to my body. I figured if I started to feel run down and tired I would move it back to 2/3โs or even 3/4โs if need be. Iโm searching for a new doctor and hope to have one by my next physical in August 2023 or earlier if I donโt feel right. Iโll be honest so that when my new labs come then we will be on the same page. I just feel great!
Hi Diana,
You may have been someone that was incorrectly placed on levothyroxine in the beginning. It’s really hard to know for sure but I’m glad you are doing better.
I was diagnosed by my OG/GYN as hypothyroid in between my two pregnancies 12 years ago and have been on Levo or Synthroid ever since. About 5 years ago my TSH number was getting close to 5 when I was on .5, so I was referred to an endo who raised my dosage to 1.0. It brought my TSH back to 1.4 and was stable for 2 years and felt good and I have been at that same dose since. Now in the last 4 years my TSH is going down each year, and was .5 at the last appointment. My BP has also been inconsistently increasing in that same time frame. My doctor is only testing my TSH and says it is still fine, but the trend down to the lowest TSH number I have had in 10 years tied with the increased BP readings (sometimes normal, sometimes not) seems important to note before I’m just put on BP medication as well. Could there be a connection? Is it possible that I am over medicated now and my dosage needs to decrease?
Hi Sarah,
The TSH level is tied to the dose of levothyroxine that you are taking. The more levothyroxine you take, the lower your TSH will go. So, yes, it is possible you are taking too much: https://www.restartmed.com/levothyroxine-overdose/
I had half my thyroid removed at a young age due to a growth a cyst no meds were ever prescribed until I moved countries then all of a sudden it was a problem I was put on synthroid however I do not take it havenโt for years still get my prescription but donโt take it I read it causes lung cancer not sure if that is correct but that frightened me I had spoke to my doctor and she said thatโs why we monitor you. I feel OK I sometimes get burn out but who doesnโt