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Should I really increase the dose of levothyroxine?

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Thyroid Disorders
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NiceCupOfTea
Elite Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 11009
Posted 3/23/2014 8:58 PM (GMT -6)
I'm sorry, I'm too tired to go into detail. Diagnosed with Hashimoto's last year, on levothyroxine for the second time, and hating it even more than I did the first time. I feel absolutely awful on it; constantly tired, anxious and depressed. I suffer from these issues anyway, but it's as though starting Levo instantly made it 10x worse.

TSH was 11.2 at the beginning of Feb, I dunno my T3 and T4. Have been on 50mcg Levo for a month now. I did ask on another thyroid forum, and their suggestion was I was on too low a dose and needed to raise it.

Has anyone else been through this nonsense, actually raised the dose and then felt better? If so, how long it does take to feel better?

It seems to me like thyroid disease is an absolute nightmare to treat and I'm highly depressed I have got this diagnosis. Spent 13 years battling increasingly severe Crohn's, only to finally give in and have ileostomy surgery last year. But I can't enjoy feeling better from Crohn's because I don't feel better: I feel dreadful. Nobody ever seems to get their thyroid under control for life; just seems to be a constant battle to get the right dose, meds, etc. Above all, it seems to be a constant battle with your doctor to get the right dose, meds, etc. I can't face that, I really can't.

It's pretty much like I have to learn to live with suboptimal health for the rest of my life. And I don't want to. I'm only 39, I don't want to live the next 50 years being sick and unhealthy.
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jujub
Elite Member
Joined : Mar 2003
Posts : 10422
Posted 3/23/2014 10:13 PM (GMT -6)
I takes about 6 weeks for a change in dosage to fully kick in, so it's entirely possible for your symptoms to be getting worse for a time after a change. And 50 mcg is a low dose, you might need an increase. Your symptoms sound like you're still hypothyroid.

Another consideration is that some people do better on a porcine thyroid product such as Armour.
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NiceCupOfTea
Elite Member
Joined : Jan 2010
Posts : 11009
Posted 3/26/2014 7:10 AM (GMT -6)
So basically it all seems to be pretty much as I thought.

A nightmare to treat.
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jujub
Elite Member
Joined : Mar 2003
Posts : 10422
Posted 3/26/2014 7:25 AM (GMT -6)
Actually, most of the time it's pretty easy to treat. Medication, blood tests to check response, adjust, more blood tests, adjust as needed. Then the blood tests become part of the semi-annual blood tests. I rarely think about my thyroid amidst the plethora of other health interests my body has bestowed.
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kim123
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 1201
Posted 3/29/2014 5:42 PM (GMT -6)
Judy- I wish. My doctor won't prescribe Armour since I also have Hashi's. Says it won't work since my immune system would see it as another imposter to attack in my body. Does this make sense? I know I don't feel very good and am on Levothyroxine 75 mg, for almost a year now. Have tried Synthroid. Felt worse on that.
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