HOw long does it take for Hypothyroid meds to take effect and lower TSH levels?
I am curious to know if anyone else has been throught he up and downs of thyroid meds? I started at 11. something and got down to 3.something recently I started feeling bad so I got my labs done came back it had gone up to 5.21! How could it go up and down like that? He incresed my Armour to 2 grains. I still feel like crap! I feel like I did when I started except for the freezing in bed under the covers! But I am so TIRED again weight gain is awful, depression, muscle twitchs, pain! I have been adjusting meds since last August! And it is still not right! Has anyone else gone throught his. I started with Synthroid but it made me too shakey and I could not sleep then I went to Armour, I do not have any side effects from Armour and because it has both T3 and T4 I heard it was better. I am at a loss, how could I be getting worse and my meds are higher then they were when I felt good? Also I was taking Standard process vitamins for adrenal function and my husband says I felt better then?
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- I have hypothyroid also and my levels are fine, but I still feel like crapola. My doc thinks that I may have something else in addition to my hypothyroid, such as Multiple Sclerosis. I'm undergoing tests right now to find out what's wrong with me. I wish you luck.
- You didn't mention anything about diet changes. If you haven't read the book, The Thyroid Diet, you should read it. Also, have you read anything about Wilson Temperature Syndrome? Look it up on the web.
- Hey sister,
Thyroid hormones are slow-acting, so once you find the right level it can take a while for your body to catch up to your meds. Level can depend on a lot of things--like, if you gain weight you need more. Also, whether or not you have a thyroid (I don't anymore--cancer surgery). If you do, and you're supplementing an underactive one, your own thyroid may be producing different amounts at different times. People with Hashimoto's syndrome can have huge variations up and down from their own thyroid.
Two dietary things to check out, if you still have a thyroid--are you getting enough iodine (which the thyroid needs to produce T4) and, are you eating too much soy? They've been finding that a diet high in soy can depress thyroid output. Remember to check any packaged foods--lots of them use soy now for extra protein and filler.
Two EXCELLENT info sources-- Mary Shomon's thyroid info pages and newsletter on About.com, which you can have emailed to you or just read on line; and WebMD's discussion board on thyroid. The people there are really knowledgable.
Also, as the other poster mentioned, you may have more than one thing going on. People with one autoimmune disease often have more than one--fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, lupus, etc. You may want to ask your doctor if you should be watching other symptoms.
very best luck to you!
- I am a nurse that works for a surgeon that spec. in thyroid and parathyroid surgery. the meds take about 6 good weeks to start getting your levels back to normal. then about 3-4 months to really make a difference. you should notice a change after 3-4 wks.
- Oh how well I can relate. I wasn't diagnosed near as young as you were but it seems that the process of getting the medications just right as been as daunting a task as your having. There are so many things that your not saying that may effect what your going through. How old you are, any pregnancies, any other medical issues, medications prescribed by general practitioner or endocrinologist, etc. That having been said I have a resource for you that might help. It's sure helped me. It's a book called The Thyroid Solution by Ridha Arem, M.D. It's complex but will aid you in identifying things that you need to let your doctor know, etc. Hope you can get it and it helps.