How small increase will make a difference?

[lisan1]

How much would I need to increase my levothyroxine to feel a difference? 10mcg, can you feel that?

[shaws Administrator]

Usually an increase is 25mcg and it takes about 5 or 6 weeks to feel the full effect of the increase.

[lisan1 in reply to shaws]

So I wouldn't really feel any difference just increasing the dose with 10mcg?

[soppysokes in reply to lisan1]

Usually it's a personal thing we are all a bit different but I once increased 75 to 87.5 and did feel an improvement which then showed in bloods.as shaws says it takes a few weeks normally to feel any difference in dose.

[Kalicocat]

I feel 12.5 mcg increases and the increase also shows up in my blood work.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Kalicocat]

Agreed.

I am on 122 micrograms - 100 a day was not enough, 125 a day was too much, and I did not feel quite right alternating 100 and 125.

Might not notice on the first day, but after a week, just 12.5 a day adds up to 87.5 micrograms.

We do see the odd person adjust their dose by 25 micrograms once a week. That is approximately 4 micrograms a day when averaged out - and probably the lowest difference anyone is likely to notice.

[Jen15]

Hi,

I have found that 25 mcg extra just one day a week (!) makes all the difference between my feeling well or ill. I think some of us are extremely sensitive to even slight changes in our thyroxine dose.

I also find that my TSH has to be nearly down to 0 for me to feel well.

It may take a few weeks until you feel any difference after changing dose.

[JMHW]

I agree that very small amounts can be key in finding the dose that's right for you. I fine tune my basic dose of 50 mcg a day by adding 12.5 mcg once a week – and it really does make all the difference. I have to split a 25 mcg tablet to do it – found that adding the whole 25 once a week was too much and I became hyper, but the daily 50 on its own was not quite enough.

So, yes, the smallest change can have big effects!

Good luck trying out what works for you.