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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Can swelling And Pain In The Joints Be Treated?

My doctor gave me a thyroid test and it came back at 5.541 and he put me on synthroid .025mg....it has made me very emotional, mean, leg cramps, my arthritis is worse and my joints and swelling and I am puffy in the morning.....since a normal rate is 5.1 do I really need to be on medication
Fri, 7 Apr 2017
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Pathologist and Microbiologist,  's  Response
In my idea you do not need Thyroid replacement therapy. For most patients older than 50 years or for patients under 50 years of age with underlying cardiac disease, an initial starting dose of 25-50 mcg/day of levothyroxine sodium is recommended, with gradual increments in dose at 6-8 week intervals, as needed. However as soon as possible the dose is to be increased to full one of upto 1.7 mcg/kg/day. As you are already having the side effects and your TSH is only slightly elevated the first step should've been to repeat the Thyroid function tests in another lab at an interval of ,say 10 -15 days.
I am sure if you repeat your TSH that is after stopping Levothyroxine [Synthoid] and waiting for 10-15 days till you give your blood sample, it will be alright.

I hope that helped.
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How Can swelling And Pain In The Joints Be Treated?

In my idea you do not need Thyroid replacement therapy. For most patients older than 50 years or for patients under 50 years of age with underlying cardiac disease, an initial starting dose of 25-50 mcg/day of levothyroxine sodium is recommended, with gradual increments in dose at 6-8 week intervals, as needed. However as soon as possible the dose is to be increased to full one of upto 1.7 mcg/kg/day. As you are already having the side effects and your TSH is only slightly elevated the first step should ve been to repeat the Thyroid function tests in another lab at an interval of ,say 10 -15 days. I am sure if you repeat your TSH that is after stopping Levothyroxine [Synthoid] and waiting for 10-15 days till you give your blood sample, it will be alright. I hope that helped.