Is Levo working

[Embraer345]

I stared on 25mg 23 days ago the first 2 weeks I've had 50 percent more energy

These past few days I feel like I'm loosing my energy just like before

I'm speaking to my gp tomorrow do you think requesting an increase will help

Thank you in advance

[shaws Administrator]

I'm sorry you're not feeling so good but, yes, you do need an increase. The average dose is between 150 to 250 and some need it higher but increments must be gradual.

It has taken years for our thyroid gland to gradually stop producing sufficient, so it takes a while for us to build it up with levothyroxine. I know how it feels when first diagnosed and given thyroid hormone replacements and feel worse than before.

[Embraer345 in reply to shaws]

Thank you, hope my gp listens to me and does increase it for me tomorrow without blood tests

[shaws Administrator in reply to Embraer345]

You can tell him you understand 50mcg is usually a starting dose as you've had advice from the NHS Choices Thyrioduk.org.uk

[greygoose]

That is a perfectly normal reaction. When you first start taking levo - or just after an increase in dose - you notice an improvement in symptoms. Then, the symptoms come back again. It just means that you need an increase in dose, that's all.

Your doctor started you on rather a low dose. The normal starter dose is 50 mcg. So, I think it would be perfectly in order to ask for an increase now. Then, wait 6 weeks before getting tested. But, don't worry if the same pattern repeats itself. It's normal!

[Embraer345 in reply to greygoose]

And there's me thinking I was better lol

Had a shock these past three days as I feel exhausted, I was enjoying feeling kind of normal

[greygoose in reply to Embraer345]

It would be highly unlikely that 25 mcg would make you permanently better. But, with hormones, we always have to start low and increase slowly, so as not to stress the body. I'm sure the normal feeling will return when you find your optimal dose.

[humanbean]

When someone adds thyroid hormone to the body via a pill the body usually reacts to this by reducing output from the thyroid. It takes a little while for the person's own thyroid hormone to drop.

So you start off with the pill helping, then the patient starts to feel worse again.

So, this could explain why we have to increase dose a little bit at a time.

Add 25mcg (or more at the start), then wait to see what the body does with it.

Add another 25mcg then wait to see what the body does with that.

Keep going until the correct balance has been found between what the patient's own thyroid is doing (which may well be nothing) and what the treatment is supplying and the patient feels well.