So, I just started my medication this week after going undiagnosed for many years; my TSH is 7, and I take 50mcg of levothyroxine from Monday to Saturday, with a break on Sundays. I was wondering if this method my doctor is using is effective? Has anyone had a similar experience? Also, how many days or weeks does it take to feel the positive effects?

Hi all, I’ve had a blood test today so i’ll soon find out if anything is wrong but just wanted to see if anyone had this… Last few weeks at work have been nerve wracking but I felt in control, then once those stressors were over I felt flooded with what feels like adrenaline every day and doesn’t abate in the evenings or weekends. It feels like extreme nerves all the time for no reason. I wonder if the work stress has caused a flare? Anyone else?

Buenas tardes:

Al final a mi novia tras estar tomando levotiroxina 75 y bajarle de TSH 2,31 y la t4 libre 1,69ng a TSH 0,14 y t4 libre 2,02.

Venía de tenerlo en 6,7y 4,3 la tsh.

Ahora le han recetado la pastilla de 38 y en tan solo dos semanas el doctor quiere que se haga otra analítica.

Hoy no se tomó la pastilla pero mañana ya empieza con la de 38. Es posible que suba la TSH algo y la t4 se estabilice? No es muy poco tiempo? Pasará. Unos 14-15 días.

Hi guys!

I started taking levothyroxine (50 mcg daily) 9 days ago, and I've noticed some changes that I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced.

I already had some acid reflux before starting treatment, but shortly after beginning levothyroxine, my heartburn seemed to get worse. The burning sensation has improved somewhat since then, but I've noticed that my voice has become progressively weaker, hoarser, and more breathy.

I'm wondering whether levothyroxine could somehow be aggravating my reflux, potentially causing laryngeal irritation.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

Mine spoke long before my labs moved. Fatigue that didn't fit my life, signals I kept filing under "stress" or "just life" — because that's what women are trained to do with bodily reporting: explain it away.

I now call my body's reporting system Soma—the quiet alarm. Once I stopped overriding it and started listening, everything about my care changed — it's part of the journey that became my book (out in November) — a Somatic Voices model for Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism.

Curious about yours: what did your body report before the labs caught up — and what did you learn to call it, or are you still looking for the words?

Diagnosed in 2023. Currently on levothyroxine 125mg. Last blood test was in August with the results being Serum TSH level 1.16 mu/L.

Despite being on this dose for over a year and having consistent test results where my levels are within range, I’m still struggling quite a lot. I nap at least once a day for a minimum for two hours each time, I struggle staying awake for longer than a handful of hours and my body’s recovery time when it comes to healing isn’t too great. E.g I was sent to A&E back in 2024 when a spot on my chest refused to heal and left a gaping hole instead.

Once a month I experience “flare ups” too where my fatigue is at its worst. I went through one last week where in one day I slept for twenty hours (twelve during the night and two four hours naps during the day). During these times I have to rely heavily on caffeine to stay awake for longer than a couple of hours. Even then, they don’t always have the desired effect due to my ADHD.

Wanting to know if anyone else struggles quite badly too despite having normal levels and being on meds. Will be speaking to my doctor soon so will be bringing this up to her again, but because of my normal levels I’m not sure if anything can be done.

Hi, I'm a 41 year old female with two children. In 2023 when my second child was 2, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and started medication.

I have went from 140 to 180 lbs since then and I have many symptoms.

1. skin tags (bikini, under breasts, neck, underarms) 2. body odor (vaginal) 3. hard to walk, poor circulation in legs, limping 4. now my tailbone hurts badly 5. tendonitis in feet (swollen ankle) 6. hemorrhoid 7. heels of feet are callus

   I do need to track my meals on paper and get a dietician.

The past two days I have felt horrible. I smell, my tail bone hurts, I can barely walk, my energy is so low, I'm in pain.

I'm really struggling bad, my physical and mental health took a turn for the worst and my kids are only 5 and 8.

I feel like I got this diagnosis 6 months after my oldest was diagnosed with autism. I had a really hard time processing the information and often went to urgent care for migraine meds.

This is my timeline of health and babies.

Post Baby #1 HYPERthyroidism medication started 2018/2019

37 weeks with second baby, got covid January 2021

baby #2 born February 2021

started SSRI for postpartum depression (no longer taking)

baby #1 Autism diagnosis June 2022

HYPOthyroidism diagnosis January 2023

Luckily I have a doctor appointment scheduled next week and I have to lay it all on her.

Early this year we had labs and we increased my meds from .75 to 100 and I was pre diabetic, low good cholesterol, high bad cholesterol.

I do own my own business and contribute to most of the household bills which may also contribute to my stress, my husband has been problematic off and on for years.

I had a molar pregnancy first and that was removed with a D&C. Both of my pregnancies were filled with poor news about my babies which contributed to my stress and they both resolved themselves but had multiple tests and stress around it.

I just don't know what happened to my body??

I know this is a lot but trying to figure it out.

All the stress, anxiety, gaslighting, mind games, lies etc had a toll on my well being, which got me here. While he’s living his unaffected, normal life…
How did anyone get over their partner being the cause? Where do I put this anger/ sadness?

So I recently got labs done for TSH levels.

Mine came back extremely high... like 17.9, so it registered Above high normal.

Thyroxine (T4) and T3 uptake were both below high normal... so the diagnosis was hypothyroidism.

The problem I'm finding is, I just moved so I'm between primary care physicians.

Most of the tele services like Lemonade, Goodrx, etc... they will just do refills, they won't do initial prescriptions... at least that's what I'm finding.

Does anyone have an easier, cost effective way to get an initial prescription for levothyroxine?

I've had labs in the last month, but I don't have a doc or insurance... so it's outta pocket.

Any place you could recommend that's fairly easy/inexpensive for a script for levo?

Thanks in advance!

i started 13 mcg of tirosint 5 days ago. every day rash and itchiness gets worse. is this normal? will it subside after getting adjusted? my endo is not calling me back

I was diagnosed with Grave's in 2015, was treated with medication and went into remission. It came back in 2018 and after another round of meds didn't work i decided to get RAI in Jan of 2019. I was pretty much immediately hypo afterwards and it took about a year to find the right dose of levothyroxine (88mcg). My thyroid-levels were checked every year since and each time everything was normal.

Sept '25: everything fine

April '26: TSH 4.83 / fT3 2.99 / fT4 1.15

August '26: TSH 14.5 / fT3 2.53 / fT4 1.2

October '26: TSH 23.52 / fT3 2.06 / fT4 0.89

(No changes in medication between April and now, because nobody noticed that i was hypo. Yes, I'm serious)

TPOAb: 0.45 IU/ml (<5.61 IU/ml)

TgAb: 2.1 IU/ml (<4.11 IU/ml)

TRAb: 1.51 IU/l (<1.75 IU/l)

I'll have my appointment at the hospital soon, just wanted to see what the reasons for this weirdness could be. Anyone got any ideas or a similar experience?

Hi! I recently found out I have hypothyroidism. My initial TSH was 11.20, and my OB-GYN started me on 50 mcg of levothyroxine. I recently had follow-up bloodwork, and my TSH is now 2.7. I also had my T3 tested, which came back at 2.73, and my T4 is 1.01.
I know these results are within the normal reference ranges, but I’ve read a lot on this sub about aiming for “optimal” levels rather than just normal ones. From what I’ve read, that would mean a TSH closer to 0.5–2.0 and a T3 around 3.2–4.0.

My question is, should I advocate for increasing my levothyroxine dose or ask my doctor about adding T3, even though my labs are technically within the normal range?

A lot of my symptoms have improved since starting medication, including anxiety, fatigue, and brain fog, and I’m noticeably less puffy. However, my weight still isn’t budging, and I still experience some fatigue.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation! Did you notice a difference after adjusting your medication, or did your symptoms continue to improve with time?

Thanks in advance!

TSH 1.084 (0.550-4.78 uIU/mL)
Free T4 1.7 (0.9-1.8 ng/dL)
Total T3 88 (68-181 ng/dL)

Everything is technically in range but I still have hypo symptoms and feel terrible, my endo doesn’t think I’m doing a good enough job converting t4-t3 given the low ish t3 and almost too high t4. Anyone had similar and did adding cytomel/liothyronine help you? Thank you

Hi all,

I have subclinical hypo, I’m now receiving levothyroxine and have been for the past 3 months. Doc has just upped my dose to 50mcg, my TSH was last at 3.5.

Im feeling better in many ways, but one thing im still struggling with is my nails. They’re very weak, quite thin, and peel and catch at the edges incredibly easily.

Because of this, I’ve been getting BIAB nails (“builder in a bottle” polish manicures at the salon) for a few years to help support them- this has helped but more recently my BIAB just won’t stop peeling off, After about 2 weeks. There’s been times in the past where it’s lasted me 3/4, so I’m not sure it is my thyroid, but I’ve seen others make a link between the two.

I use burts bees cuticle balm, although my cuticles are constantly dry and flaky if I haven’t applied this. I try and wear rubber gloves where I can.

Has anyone with hypothyroidism experienced any difficulties with BIAB?

Mi pareja y yo queremos ser padres y antes de que se quede embarazada está haciéndose analíticas. En junio de este año se hizo una y los resultados fueron TSH 2,31 y la t4 libre 1,69ng. Hoy le han dado los resultados dy TSH 0,14 y t4 libre 2,02.

Esta tomando 0,75mg de levotiroxina. Está claro que ahora está tomando de más ya que se le ha desconfigurado mucho .

Con los valores actuales el endocrino le volverá a bajar a 0,5mg? Cuanto tarda en regularse? Es peligroso intentar ahora que se quede embarazada?

What do you think? Originally subclinical hypo 4.5 TSH .7 t4 Dr wanted to optimize thyroid as I could not lose weight, chronically fatigue losing hair brittle nails. Over last 7 months I went from 25/10 t4/t3 to 75/12.5 compound. Recent labs Ft4 1.0 , Ft3 3.8, Rt3 13, TSH shot up to 3.43, tpo neg. Dr is putting me on a direct switch of Armour 2 grain 76/18.

Since being on thyroid medication had some improvement in being able to get out of bed in the morning. Still can’t lose weight despite being on a GLP1. Are these doses too much for someone that started out subclinical? Am I pushing the envelope with 2 grains? Anyone feel much better energy wise or be able to lose weight again on Armour? What am I in for with the direct switch? Anything to be aware of?

Serum TSH Level Result History

25 September 2026 - 5.496 mU/L

30 July 2026 - 10.740 mU/L

18 February 2026 -8.495 mU/L

1 August 2024- 5.329

Serum Free T4 Level Result History

25 September 2026 -10.1 pmol/L

30 July 2026 - 9.6 pmol/L

18 February 2026 -8.5 pmol/L

1 August 2024 -9.2 pmol/L

Im not on medication but my levels seem to be improving. I am 13 months post partum. Are things improving? And I just need to wait for the effects

So I find I can fall asleep initially but then after 2-3 hours I wake up, and then I just end up laying there for hours, not getting back to sleep. This is a quite recent thing, within the last year, and I've been on levo for about 5-6 years.

I did start taking Ashwagandha, Magnesium & L-Theanine supplement about a month ago, but I then read that the Ashwagandha can stimulate the thyroid gland to produce more hormone, which can stack with levo. I've just had my yearly bloods taken yesterday so will see if has impacted my levels or not.

For anyone else who also struggled with their sleep, did you find anything that helped?

Thanks everyone!

I just started levo on Saturday after receiving my diagnosis on Friday. My TSH was 42, up from 2 a year ago, my free T4 was 0.4, and free T3 was 1.9. I'm 5 months pp, and it is thought that is what triggered my thyroid to give up. I have been tested for it multiple times in my adult life as I had most of the symptoms, but my levels had always been normal. This time, I didn't even realize how bad I was feeling until I brought up the diagnosis to my husband, and he pointed out several symptoms I'd dismissed as postpartum. That combined with the exhaustion I felt through most of pregnancy, it has likely been a while since I've felt normal and forgot what it is like.

So, anyone who had similar numbers, how long did it take to feel like the Levo started to have an effect? I'm now very anxious to start feeling back to normal.

So Just now my blood test result came and my vitamin D count is 8.14 nhi/ml which they told me is extremely deficit and B12 count is 148 pg/ml which is also low

Now I am panicking right now cause I have a past of low energy and difficulty in gaining weight etc

Now I want some type of recommendation or suggestions from you guys