Dose increase - feel worse initially?

[Moog77]

I recently increased from 75mcg to 100mcg 9 days ago based on blood tests showing more than enough room for extra thyroxine.

TSH 2.64 (0.27 - 4.2)

Ft4 16 (12 - 22)

Ft3 4.11 (3.1 - 6.8)

I feel slightly 'off'. A mix of mild anxiety and depression and tired. Foggy headed. It doesn't feel ....organic is the only way I can describe it but almost chemical?? I don't know if I'm articulating that very well. The irony being during the week I ran better than I have for months at a club training session.

I felt similar when increasing from 50mcg to 75mcg but this is quite pronounced. All other vit levels are ok but folate was sitting low at 5 and vit d at 79 so supplementing there. My son has been very unwell this week and I've been a bit concerned about him as he was in lots of pain so mildly stressed which I suppose doesn't help.

I guess I'm asking you good folks here if you can feel a bit worse after increasing your dose? I'm hoping it's just the body reacting to additional levo and it will even out and adjust. I'm pretty certain looking at my bloods I'll end up on more than 100mcg as my levels didn't move significantly after my last increase from 50mcg to 75mcg.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Are you on same brand of levothyroxine?

Not unusual to feel worse before you start to see improvement

[Moog77 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes on accord

[Bookworm63]

Hi Moog77, I've only got limited experience with dose increase but I have found I do feel strange and more unwell with increase. I found splitting the dose for a few days helps me to re adjust more gently. So I'd take my usual dose in the morning and the 25mcg increase in the evening. I found this worked for me and after about a week I was able to take the full dose all in one go in the morning. Hope that helps and best wishes to you and your son.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bookworm63]

Very good suggestion

[Moog77 in reply to Bookworm63]

Thank you I may try this. It can't be coincidence that I've started to feel not quite right in line with starting increased dose.

[heynaomiii]

I’ve been in the same situation. Was upped from 125mg to 150mg a few weeks ago, then upped to 175mg earlier this week and I feel rotten, all the symptoms you described. Definitely not unusual!

[Moog77 in reply to heynaomiii]

Thats reassuring. Thank you - im sorry you feel yuck though. I'm not going to lie I'm slightly panicked by it. I'm just putting my faith in the wisdom shared here I.e. my bloods show I'm undermedicated and it will take a while to get right.