Better then feeling rubbish again on 50 mcg

[lisan1]

When I increased from 25mcg to 50mcg levo first I felt so much better for maybe a week but then I started feeling ill again. Is this normal? I didn't get any improvement at all on 25mcg so was kind of hoping for the 50mcg to work.

[greygoose]

Yes, that's all perfectly normal. 25 mcg us usually too low to make any difference. Feeling better on 50, and then the symptoms creeping back, just means that you need your next increase to 75 mcg. When are you due your next test?

[lisan1 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you so much for the answer. Why is that? That you feel better at first and then worse again.

I'm due for next test on 2-4 weeks.

[greygoose in reply to lisan1]

Because your body has been starved of hormone for a long time, and a lot of receptors have been shut down. A steady supply of hormone starts to arrive, and a few receptors are re-opened, but then the body realises that there's not quite enough hormone to go round. It all has to be done very slowly.

Make the test in two weeks, rather than four, I would.

[spongecat in reply to greygoose]

I have this vision, GG, of the receptors going "yippee at long last!".....and then going into a massive sulk when there wasn't enough cake to go around so to speak.

Hang in there lisan1 it can seem a bit of a slog as these things take time to percolate, so to speak. Hence all the titration/blood testing.

[greygoose in reply to spongecat]

Yes! I have very much the same vision. lol

[silverfox7]

Plus you also start to do more when you start to feel better and so are never anything in the tank as it were

[Sybilla14]

Hi lisan1, this sounds similar to my experience - if you click on my name you can see my recent posts including experience with Levo. Our blood tests were similar, I remember your t4 was about the same although absolute values were different as your lab ranges were different to mine.

I started on 25mcg, which was due for 2 weeks but I slumped after just a few days to worse than I was before so I increased it then to 50mcg. I got better quickly with a noticeable uplift about 2 weeks into 50. Then about 2 weeks later I slumped again a few days before my 6 week test was due and I upped the dose to 75 straight after the test as I could tell I needed more. The gp prescribed 75mcg after test results (tsh 4). I've been on it now about 3 weeks and I started feeling pretty good a week or so ago. I've another 3 weeks to go to the next blood test and am hoping there will be no major slump again as it would be around Christmas.

I think as Levo replaces own production it comes to a point when the thyroid slows down but the Levo dose is no longer enough, whilst it was over and above your usual thyroid output at first. So you're back to not having enough to go round yet again.

There is no other way to ride it out and hopefully you'll start to feel better soon. I'm also very strict now with my supplements, especially b12, d3&k2, iron and selenium, my ferritin has been at 40 (12-150) for at least 2 years despite supplementing so I now take double dose and away from food.

[Jollypolly]

Sounds like me..