Hashimoto's and Hormone Replacement Therapy Effectiveness

[Ali1101]

Hi everyone! I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's and started Levothyroxine 50 mcg two weeks ago. I feel a slight improvement but I still have bad days where I feel extremely fatigued. I cannot wait to have my next visit to my doctor so the dose can be increased. My question is, will the treatment with levothyroxine will be effective and will control my symptoms so I can live normal without days with extreme fatigue?

[shaws Administrator]

Many patients do fine on levothyroxine and it does make them well. The doctor shouldn't keep your bloods ' in range'. We need a low or sometimes a suppressed TSH and most feel fine if TSH is around 1. It can take several months till you reach an optimum dose (that's a dose which makes you feel well).

Occasionally some don't benefit as they should so might find the addition of T3 helpful, if GP prescribes it. Some don't.

Always keep to the same make of levothyroxine (there are several) so that if you find you're not progressing, a change to another one might do the trick. Sometimes its the fillers/binders which can affect us - not the hormone itself.

When you have a blood test, have the earliest possible and fast. Leave approx 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the blood test. Take levo afterwards. You will have a blood test around every six weeks till you feel better.

Take levo first thing with a full glass of water and wait around 1 hour before eating. Some foods interfere with the uptake.

Always get a print-out of your blood test results with the ranges and post if you have a query.

If you've not had your Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate checked ask GP to do these as we can be deficient.

[Ali1101]

Thanks shaws, now 2.5 weeks but no clear improvement signs. I still encounter days with extreme fatigue ... I'm afraid that the medication will not help with all of the symptoms!