Increasing Levo symptoms

[jrbarnes]

Hello, I've been having a hard time adding T3 to my Levo so I wanted to work on bringing up my T4 levels first. The 88mcg I was on put my TSH closer to 2 than 1 but I've never thought to increase to 100mcg. Over the past three or four days I've been adding 12.5mcg to my usual 88mcg and no T3 at this time. I've been waking with extreme hunger pangs and my stomach is making what sounds like digestive noises. Obviously, I feel terrible because I don't have any T3 conversion yet. I have all the feelings of a higher Levo dose and low T3. In the ten years I've been on Levo I've never attempted a Levo increase, despite declining T4 levels, due to change in brand or failing thyroid. Is this something that will improve over the following weeks? I'd rather see if increasing will improve T3 levels and it would be the most convenient. So far, I don't have the arm pain and leg weakness as I had with the lower T4/T3 combo but I'm having symptoms specific to low T3. I also have a feeling in my chest that's hard to describe. I'm sleeping longer but it's stressy sleep. Any opinions or personal experience would be appreciated.

[tattybogle]

You're going to hate my advice ..... Patience

Last year i went down by 12.5mcg levo then down by another 12.5 then back up by 12.5 .

Each time it took about 5 weeks to feel like i'd reached some stability with whatever odd feelings came along, and not have something be there for a few day's and change to something else a few days later.

Give yourself time to settle down, and allow your TSH to adjust to new dose,

Honestly i rarely decide if something 's an improvement now until 8/10 weeks at least have gone by.

The body is constantly trying to rebalance the effect's of hormones.... after you have made a change you have to allow it to compensate and then settle back down again.

[jrbarnes in reply to tattybogle]

That's a good plan. I'll give this 6-8 weeks to see how conversion goes. On the positive side I'm feeling stronger in my arms and legs. I've been doing gentle cycling on my indoor exercise bike and taking deep breaths. If I'm over medicated in 6 weeks I can always reduce a few days and alternate. Thanks!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I would agree absolutely with tattybogle .......you need to wait.....only at 6-8 weeks to I start to notice improvements and these can continue for many more weeks and months

You can expect good days....but also days when you feel you’re going backwards.....important to look week to week or month to month.....not day today

And pace yourself....if feeling better one day .....don’t go too mad and do too much

Helps to keep a thyroid dairy

Often by looking back can you sometimes see ......oh yes ...it is getting better

[jrbarnes in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I'm feeling extra strength in my arms and legs which is good. With this increase it will be absolute confirmation if I have poor conversion or not and need to go the T3 or NDT route. I've always questioned if I simply needed a small increase.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to jrbarnes]

Wearing a Fitbit or equivalent is helpful

An exercise bike or rowing machine etc very useful as you can gauge if getting fitter/stronger

[jrbarnes in reply to SlowDragon]

Yesterday I pulled out my indoor exercise bike which includes a pulse monitor so I can gain some leg strength back as I've been mostly in bed for the past year. I can only manage 5 to 10 minutes at a time but hopefully that will change. 🙂

[Kathy6]

Hi sounds awful and I really hope you get your strength back. I am also having a strange sensation in my chest(see my post) can I ask was it to do with meds and was it to do with needing to increase your levels of Levi?

[jrbarnes in reply to Kathy6]

Thank you. It's day four and my pulse rate has calmed down and my chest/sternum area is no longer hurting. I withdrew T3 and increased the Levo so I was very low in T3 which affects my pulse and was causing the pain, tightness and burning.

[Simplyred57]

Hi can I ask what type of feeling you have in your chest as I’ve got a heavy sore feeling in my chest ?