Under Active Thyroid query please

[Evelyn123]

Hi There my thyroid medication has been upped from 100 to 175 for a month now. I'm still not feeling 100%. Is it normal for the medication to take so long to kick in as such? I'm very tired, have a sore head (all the time) and hair loss.....anyone have a similar issue?

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Evelyn123.

It's unusual to increase Levothyroxine from 100mcg to 175mcg in one go. Increases/decreases are usually in 25mcg increments with a follow up blood test 6/8 weeks later to check thyroid levels for over/under medication and to adjust dose accordingly. You could reduce your Levothyroxine to 150mcg for a couple of weeks to see whether your sore head and fatigue improve.

It takes 7/10 days to feel benefit from starting Levothyroxine or from increasing dose but it may take a few months for your body to be able to use the replacement hormone properly and for your symptoms to resolve. Hair loss can be due to undertreated thyroid, low iron and ferritin but is sometimes caused by Levothyroxine. Biotin and evening primrose oil may help but it may take up to a year to improve.

Ask your GP to test ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate as hypothyroid patients are often deficient/low and these deficiencies can cause musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and low mood similar to hypothyroid symptoms. Post your results with the lab ref ranges (the figures in brackets after your results) in a new question and members will advise whether supplementation is required.

[Evelyn123 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks a mil for your advice

[Sandybeach1964]

I was on 175 T4 for years, feeling crap with all your symptoms plus more. Last week my Endo started me on 10 T3 and 125 T4, it's early days but I think I do feel a little better. Maybe you could ask abou T3 as a lot of Hypo sufferers bodies don't convert the T4 into T3 which is necessary for good health.

[Evelyn123 in reply to Sandybeach1964]

Thank you

[Shazzy2]

I did have I was on 200 of thyroxine and still like I was on nothing I was told thyroxine didn't work for me and I was changed to t3 liothyronine and I'm great now the doctors don't like changing as it's so much more expensive but I get it on the nhs maybe worth tryin for u I'm not tired at all and hav lots of energy