This happens to people a lot. They feel better the first 2 weeks or so, then they start to slip again, yes this means a dose increase usually. Docs start you off low then work up,it's a process most of the time.

For me personally, when I started synthroid, it took more than 4 weeks for my body to get used to it. At first I fel greta, then I felt crappy for a few weeks, then I stabilized.

I had to be really careful to take it every single morning and not eat too soon. As long as I do that I am usually OK.

It sounds like yours is still stabilizing and/or it is not where it needs to be yet. As females we also get other fluctuations that can affect thyroid.

I personally like to wait about 5 weeks between dosage changes before I get checked again but if you are not seeing an endo it could be that your doc is being extra cautious in starting you out slowly. I think it's worth it to take it slow if you can bear it.

I hope you feel better soon, in any case!

Unfortunately, your experience is typical. It's all part of the body getting used to new amounts of hormone. Things will start to even out as you near your optimal levels. This can take awhile but, it's worth it.

I'm glad your doctor is having you get labs after being on levo for 6 wks. That's exactly the amount of time needed for your levels to stabilize after starting meds/dose adjustments.

Please be sure to communicate to your doctor that you did start to feel a little better but, symptoms have returned.

Sometimes, doctors are happy to get their patient's levels in the normal range and call their job done.

We each have our own "normal" within the ranges of normal. For most of us, this means FreeT4 and FreeT3 levels in the upper half/third of the range.

If you'd like to post your labs here (with ranges), we'll show you how to interpret them. Understanding our labs is one of the best tools we have to help us achieve wellness.

I started on levo a week ago. After 2 days I felt wonderful. My body temperature was normal, I didn't feel cold for no reason, I had no aches, and I wasn't tired. It has now been 1 week since I started the hormone, and I'm back to feeling cold, running a body temp of 98.0, and just not feeling great. Is this normal so that I should not contact my doctor yet? He didn't say anything about this. Or should I wait until I have my blood test in the middle of June? Will I go back and forth between feeling fine and not so fine until my body stabilizes? Thanks for any advice.

AKarenina

Unfortunately, your experience is very common. Treating hypothyroidism is basically a two steps forward, one step back type of deal. However, when you "cross over to the other side" (find your optimal dose/levels), you will be free from thyroid symptoms.

You see, by the time we start meds, our bodies are already deficient in thyroid hormone. Well, thyroid hormone is needed by every cell in the body for proper function.

When we start meds or get a dose adjustment, the body can respond with an improvement in symptoms. However, if the dose isn't high enough to meet the body's needs on a regular basis, symptoms will return.

Since each of us responds to hormone differently, we can't start on what might be our optimal dose. We all have to have our doses slowly titrated up.

The best we can do is get labs every 6 wks. which is the amount of time the body needs to stabilize after starting meds/dose adjustments.

Then, we need to push the doctor for dose increases until our levels are similar to the types of levels healthy people have: FreeT4/T3 in the upper half/upper third of the range.

One of the best tools to help us achieve wellness is a journal. I recorded any symptoms I was having and also rated the quality of my sleep, digestion, energy, strength, stamina, and mental function. I also noted anything that was going on in my life that might have affected how I was feeling (a cold, stress, etc.) Of course, I noted my labs as they corresponded to the symptoms.

Keeping the journal helped me identify my optimal levels and, after sharing it with my doctor, she accepted my determination.

As I moved forward, my doctor has adjusted my dose somewhat to help me maintain my optimal levels - this has kept me free from thyroid symptoms...it's awesome :)

It will be in your best interest to make sure your doctor is running the right labs (FreeT4 and FreeT3) and to maintain hard copies of lab results - you are legally entitled to them. And, you'll want to know how to interpret them (it's easy and we'll show you how).

While you don't necessarily want to deluge your doctor with *all* the symptoms we deal with, it's good to let him/her know about the hypo symptoms that are common to most of us (fatigue, constipation, etc.). This will help justify a request for a dose increase.

You'll want your doctor to keep increasing your dose until your levels are similar to the types of levels that healthy people have: FreeT4 and FreeT3 in the upper half/upper third of the range.

Do not let the doctor tell you that your levels are "normal" (aka in-range) if you're not feeling normal. You can point out to your doctor that you have room for your levels to increase and still be within the normal range.

Please be comforted in knowing that you can feel well while having thyroid disease but, you will need to be proactive with your care.

Thank you, thank you, CD3764. I think my mental state will be better now that I know not to expect an immediate and total change in my hypoT symptoms. I also appreciate how quickly you responded to my questions.
--Annie K

Annie

Just so you know, there's a good chance your cholesterol level will improve once your hypothyroidism is corrected.

HypoT can cause all sorts of things "behind the scenes" such as cardiac issues, elevated cholesterol/glucose, etc.

While much of what is on the following site contracts my research, the list of hypothyroidism symptoms is quite accurate (and is in layperson's terms)

http://www.hypothyroidismrevolution.com/hypothyroidism-symptoms/

I've been doing so well, my energy is good, temperature has been 98.6 for awhile, my achiness is gone, I feel like doing things. Then today (I've been 3+ weeks on 50 mcg levothyroxine) I felt really cold and when I took my temperature it was 96.8. I am able get warm by piling on layers of clothes, but it seems so abnormal.

AKarenina

I'm happy to hear that you had an improvement in symptoms and sorry to hear that some have returned - this is a sign that a dose increase is in order.

Please let us know how things go when you see the doctor.

Stress and severe dieting can keep your thyroid hormones low, mostly Ft3. This is what I have read.

Maybe someone here has already mentioned this.

I have a severely chronically ill 41-year-old daughter, another daughter who just lost her job, a husband who is very cavalier about taking his heart medications, and I'm worried about my own health. So, even though I'm retired, I guess I could be stressed. I know my anxiety levels are going up again.