Symptoms mean numbers are off, inevitably. Do you know if you have Hashimotos? Have you had a positive TPO (thyroid antibody) test? If so, the med is particularly important as you have an autoimmune disease. Thyroid meds are not something to be played with. There are more tests than just the standard TSH to think about as well. Your doc is probably watching your T4 and T3 to see how you are converting. If you don't like how you feel on the meds I encourage you to tell your doc so you can try a different approach. Also watch what you eat isn't interfering with your meds. Too much soy, and certain veggies can do that. It's lousy to be dx as young as you are but think of it this way you have a chance to avoid the nasty side effects of the disease, you are fortunate to have a doc willing to treat you.

TAKE THE MEDS. !!! Thyroidism sneaks up on you. You don't realize you are sick until you are very, very sick.

Your story sounds a lot like mine about 25 or so years ago... I first was diagnosed in my late teens & then would be on and off depending when I could get to the dr. and/or if I was feeling fine, I skipped the appt. then when my symptoms would return or I felt sluggish, would go back, my TSH was quite low, then back on them for a year or so, start feeling good, drop, etc. return, stop, repeat...

Save yourself the time & aggravation. If you have low thyroid, do what you can to reverse the symptoms permanently given your thyroid might be salvageable. Meaning, before you cause irreparable damage by going on and off...

First, you 'might' be able to; reverse/diminish/eliminate your symptoms by changing your lifestyle habits. Namely, diet. There's information posted about diet & lifestyle changes that given you're young enough can potentially salvage your thyroid before it is too far gone.

Back to diet, give up; sugar, gluten, dairy. PERMANENTLY. Don't go to sugar substitutes as they're even worse. Don't eat processed foods, they're also no-no's. Learn about going grain, sugar & dairy free. Who doesn't like the average plate of pasta or the loaded cheesy pizza? Well, there are plenty of alternatives & changing that now, will prevent you more issues in twenty or so years.

When we're young, we tend to think we're invincible. We eat/do as we wish. Had I a do-over, I might have taken things into my own hands but was easiest for the dr. to prescribe me a dose of thyroid medication and off I went. Bad moves. On my part & the doctors even though is not their responsibility.

Is like going to a mechanic for an engine that has dirt in it. They might tighten some bolts & change the oil but you'll eventually burn out the engine. Same with your thyroid. The medication does help but really, is lifestyle changes that are equally important.

We are led to believe at an early age that certain foods sold by major food co.'s are ok. Like, the cute cartoon cereal commercials that get kids to consume cereals made from processed corn grains loaded with preservatives & sugars. I might sound like a new age organic hipster but in reality, our bodies are not meant to consume processed grains and preservatives meant to keep dry goods on shelves for extended periods of time. Another thing to be concerned about is BPA. BPA is the plastic that's attached to canned goods. It leaches into the food over time in a can and is what's known as an endocrine disruptor. When you consume BPA, and processed foods, your thyroid cannot convert the proper hormones to process those consumed 'foods' and you cause even more damage to your thyroid in addition to the entire nervous system which the thyroid is the brain of the nervous system.

Take a look at the attached link being I'm not a doctor and you don't have to take my word for it. Be smart. You CAN reverse your symptoms & repair your system by; eating regular, whole foods, avoiding grains & processed foods, sugars, starches & of course alcoholic beverages, etc.

GLUTEN is a huge component as well. On top of that, what's probably equally bad are gluten free based products including other foods to mimic the real foods. Like soy based products. Some fermented foods are ok. Avoid peppers which was hard for me to do also. That includes the entire nightshade family. This is not a joke and to be taken lightly, especially when you're young. Older folks always try and say that to the young folks & when we're young, we do think we know it all.. We don't, believe me.

Last, if your doctor prescribed you medication, it is wise to take them. In addition to changing certain lifestyle habits you might have. Wish you luck in changing things around with your health.

https://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-hypothalamus

The problem is that the medication is just a Band-Aid. I have talked to many people who have been on thyroid hormone for many years and still feel crummy and have a hard time losing weight. And, many times their med dose keeps going up. I've found that it's possible to get to the core of the problem and really help my thyroid to function better. After having a baby, my thyroid was really stressed. I was low energy and my mood was low and I found it was because of just barely low thyroid.... not low enough to go on meds, but enough for me to realize I needed to do something. I started taking some specialty thyroid helper supplements (not hormones or glandular) and felt so much better!

It's so important to pay attention to how you feel too! If you don't feel good on the meds, it might not be what your body needs.

Loopy, If your symptoms have returned then consider getting ALL of your hormones checked. This could mean that your Progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen could be low; this happened to me.
I"m off all thyroid hormone, it's been 3 years that I've been off all thyroid hormone. The OTHER hormones were low and once they changed to regular levels, I no longer need T4 or T3.

Thank You will definitely look into the diet as I've never eaten regularly and always picked at my food.

Diet is the best place to start. When we're younger we think that our metabolism naturally runs fine & can eat what we want, when we want.

I used to be that person 25 or so years ago.. I ate and drank whatever I want whenever I wanted to. Sodas, obvious other beverages, pizza like no tomorrow, canned 'foods' (avoid BPA as is an endocrine disruptor), the list is quite long..

Then even as recent as a few years ago given I was working out like crazy my metabolism was high too. However, if you have a condition known as Hashimoto's (hypo) which as I understand it or Graves' (hyper) as I've learned thyroid condition, your metabolism will change. Just because your friends might like to go to the nearest fast food restaurant and get what they want on the menu doesn't mean you can,

The standard American diet (also known as S.A.D.) talks about the food pyramid which is FALSE. Avoid processed foods. Avoid/diminish sugars (especially white sugar). Avoid table salt and opt for sea salt (essentially iodized foods all together. If is in a box, bag or can, I minimize my consumption and/or avoid it as much as I can.

Nature intended us not to rely on a fast food joint on every corner or fifteen crappy pizza places vying for your $5 to sell you junk which is not even suitable as actual food.

Sugar (white especially) avoid. Hope these off the cuff tips are helpful. Take care of your health AND thyroid at your younger age and you'll have less problems as you age and both have a family as well as the other physiological changes that happen specifically in women in their latter years.

Things also to look out for with low thyroid is; hair loss/thinning, gaunt look w/bulging eyes (high thyroid) and/or puffiness with big bags under your eyes (sign of low thyroid).

Best to you on your return to glory with your diet and metabolism on top of diminished symptoms.

If you want to stay off Thyroid medications, there's people on YouTube explaining how to do it using supplements and diet.