It's official I've Hashimotos - so how soon can I see changes?

[Dingoatemybaby]

Diagnostic blood testing started on 13 Feb, I've been on Levothyroxine since 14 Feb, I've had one dose change and am being tested again on 27 March. I've had a full suite of B12, VitD, corsidol, CK enzyme, iron panel, antibodies done... won't bore you with the details of those but I really wanted to hear from women in my age group (44) who are not pre-menopause, and hear how long did things like the puffy face take to go, the puffy body in fact - I've gained a few pounds but I can see it's not fat, my legs right down to my ankles are marginally puffier and I'm like that all over. I've no hair loss, have the over-dry skin....

so presuming my Endocrinologist gets my Thyroid results looking more in a good range in a month, how soon can I see physical changes?

My recent results have showed CK enzyme has returned to normal, it was sky high. I'm no longer Anaemic. I'm VitD deficient and on a 7 week dose. I'm still hypo. I'm on 50mg, expected to go up again in two week but only on this dose 10 days (my gp started me on too low a dose, 25mg, and the Endo upped it once I got to her).

TSH 6.68 (.27 - 4.2)

Free T4 14.56 (12 - 22)

T3 being done again on 27th.

Things are going in the right direction I know and I'd love to hear how changes felt to other people and how long it took. It would be really nice to hear some positive vibes xx

[Peanut31]

Hi

I’m 41, I have Hashimoto and I’m self medicating on NDT as couldn’t get on with levo. It’s a slow journey, and you may hit some bumps in the road.

I would suggest going strictly gluten free, this will help reduce your antibodies down, and may help weight wise.

Until your sort your thyroid dosing out, weight loss etc maybe a struggle.

Firstly your TSH results are too high, and you need more levo, you need to get your TSH to 1 or below.

Normal procedure is increasing Levo by 25mcg every 6-8 weeks, testing TSH, T4 & T3.

Don’t take your Levo before the blood test and make sure your bloods are tested as early as possible in the morning.

This is advice we give on here and we asked this is NOT discuss with the endo, nurse, GP etc. Your TSH is always high in the morning and, as the professionals are obsessed with blood results only, if your readings are too high, like yours, you don’t have to put up a fight for an increase.

Your T3 hasn’t been tested, alarm bells are ringing. I didn’t realise how important T3 was until I started my thyroid journey.

It controls everything, moods, weight etc. If it’s too low you will feel awful.

When testing thyroid you always need to test TSH, T4 & T3.

As said for us to feel normal we need TSH as 1 or below and T4 & T3 in the higher figures of the ranges.

Don’t let the endo keep you on the same dosage, you will never feel well.

Best wishes

Peanut31

[Dingoatemybaby in reply to Peanut31]

Thanks Peanut. Sorry I should have been clearer, my T3 has been tested, just not on the most recent round. It is being done again on the 27th. It too was very low. I know my levels are still off - I'm in the thick of it right now. My TSH has come down though from 12 so it's moving... I've changed to a private endo... she is testing every 2 to 3 weeks.

I suppose I just feel a bit scared and a bit impatient, and I'm anxious about 'what if's. What if I'm one of the people who doesn't do well on levothyroxine? What if I don't get along with my endo? Etc. But so far she has been really good and never given me cause to question and she's been very thorough.

I suppose I am looking for reassurance that yes, all this can be fixed.

How did you know you weren't getting on with levo? Was it your T3?

Thanks again for the advice, I'll start thinking about the gluten issue. Did you have stomach issues that prompted you to cut it out? Or did you do it off the bat of medical knowledge?

[radd]

SorchaBe,

You have only been medicating a month and Levothyroxine takes up to 6 weeks to initially saturate the body which will only tolerate small increases at any one time.

After your doctor retests your dose will again be adjusted according to results. Leave 24 hours between last dose & blood draw and have the blood drawn early in the morning whilst fasting (water only) as this is when TSH is highest.

It is important to take your pill on an empty stomach with a glass of water, 1 hour before food, 2 hours before supplements and 4 hours before calcium, iron or vit D supplements.

Depending on how long your hypothyroidism has remained undiagnosed, your symptoms may continue for a while, but you should start to see an improvement once you are wholly medicated. The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status and for most people that means TSH about or below 1.0. Symptoms can lag behind good biochemistry by many weeks.

People with thyroid issues are often deficient in the very nutrients required for good thyroid hormone synthesis. Post any results complete with ranges ( numbers in brackets) for members to comment as a doctors "normal" is often not optimal.

If you have gut issues, write another post for advice on the connection between a gluten free diet and thyroid antibodies, and low stomach acid.

Glad you are heading in the right direction. 🙂 A good book to read is "Your Thyroid & How To Keep It Healthy" by Dr Barry Durrant Peatfield and “The Root Cause” by Isabella Wenz.

[Dingoatemybaby in reply to radd]

yea I know, patience is a virtue I'm lacking!! I really appreciate your reply and that's kind of what I want to hear - that things will move albeit slowly. The weird fact of it is, I feel shittier now than I did before I started taking anything. I ache, like i really ache just going up the stairs. I feel 100. I'm only 44! I have a foggy wooly headache 24/7. I won't take pain killers for it but every now and again I pop a nurofen plus and that works. I just wish the process could go a little faster. I was initially relieved there was some explanation to my symptoms, but now I'm deflated by it all.

I can't wait til my levels are optimised (I will keep at my endo for this and not to simply get in the range, but she's on board with that anyway) so I can start to feel better.

The strange this is once i get up and start moving, and thinking and using my head, I am ok. It's if a stop, the sluggishness both mentally and physically comes back. Once I get going, I'm ok.

[Dingoatemybaby in reply to radd]

... I'll get those books! Thanks