How long before I start to feel better

[Moggie]

That will all depend on a number of things like a) how good your GP is, b) how rigid you are in sticking to the no food, drink (except water) or other medication/supplement rule for at least two hours before and after taking your medication and c) if all the important vitamins that are crucial for thyroid patients are all at their optimim levels (b12, VitD, ferritin, iron and folates). I'm afraid it takes a lot self education to know what is best for you and your illness and most of us on here are still learning.

Saying all that I have made huge steps forward since finding this site, knowing what to keep away from and when and putting that into practise with really good effect, and it has taken me months and not years to achieve this.

Your GP is another important factor and if you have a GP who has good knowledge of thyroid illness then that's half your battle won.

Hope the above has helped.

Moggie x

[Heloise]

If you have just begun the hormone supplementation, it takes about two weeks for the dose you are taking to achieve the blood level to build up and begin to make a difference. Some doctors decide how long after achieving that level if and when they will raise the dose. In the meantime your pituitary gland is changing the TSH probably and that will factor in as well. If that level is not high enough, it will take time for your new dose to stablize. All the while your tissues and receptors have to acclimate somehow to these changes. I haven't explained it very well but you can see that all the complex issues make it difficult to give you a definitive answer. Don't rush the process but don't allow your GP to keep you at a very low level for months on end if you are not seeing progress. It may be two steps forward and one step back....in fact you may count on that.