How do you feel? It looks like you could use an increase in your meds. The physician's assistant seems to understand how to treat you, so maybe you'll get another increase. How long are you taking each dose before the increases?

I have been going to the new doc (physician's assistant) every 6 - 7 weeks and have received an increase in dosage each time.

I'm anticipating the "how do you feel" question at tomorrow's appointment too. Honestly, I don't know how I feel. I feel tired, depressed, foggy brained, and achy, but (and I'm sorry to sound like a whiner...but maybe it's the "depressed" part talking) I'm also burned out on my job, tired from guiding a teenager through his first year of high school, and achy from yard work this weekend. How do you tell whether you're thyroid tired or just worn our from circumstances of the moment? The foggy brain may be an indicator that it's thyroid. I'm back to writing down EVERYTHING that I need to remember.

Sorry....I'm just so depressed and frustrated. I appreciate that you are all out there and care. I can't bring myself to complain to my husband anymore. He is sympathetic, but he feels helpless since there is nothing he can do to help other than be sympathetic.

I think you can tell it is thyroid-related if you have that horrible "tired & wired" burned out sense of being completely overwhelmed - even the tiniest things are too much.

"Normals" don't always put away their laundry, pay their bills on time, clean up the dishes after a meal... but when you have a hypo-thyroid condition or chronic fatigue, just the THOUGHT of doing any of those simple things are enough to make you weep with frustration.

I have found meditation and gentle yoga to be very helpful.

Feel better!

I'm so sorry you're feeling this bad. Tell the pa everything you just told us. Being on meds for 6-7 weeks is long enough to get the meds into your system and then have blood work done. From what you've said, it seems like you would get an increase again. Try keeping a symptoms journal. I would say to keep getting increases until you are symptom free. We all need different dosages so it's not a one size fits all.

You've gotten some really good advice so far, and yes, you do need to be more patient. It takes on average about 18 months to balance a thyroid to fit YOU. There is NO one size fits all.

*Most* people feel well with a Free T4 of above 60% of range and a Free T3 over 50%, but that's a loose indicator.

If you're still tired, you need more meds. And with those labs, I'm telling you...you need more meds if they haven't changed.

Endo's suck. That's all I have to say about them.

Thank you for the support Dawnrose, Mariposa, and MButterfly. Thank you MButterfly too for the reality check. I had no idea that it could take around 18 months to balance. I will re-set my patience clock.

I went to the physician's assistant today. She added 25 mg of Levothyroxine to my 1.5 grains of Naturethroid. She agreed that it was odd that my Free T4 wasn't budging, so I'm getting extra T4.

That's great news. It seems like the physicians assistant knows how to treat hypothyroidism! I always "felt" the additional T4 meds(headache) so dig in your heels and you'll feel better before you know it.