Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Feel worse after synthroid increase

I was diagnosed with hashimoto's/hypothyroid a couple of months ago. MD prescribed 50mcg of synthroid. After several weeks on 50mcg I was just beginning to feel a LITTLE better. My TSH was still not in normal range(5.3 I think), so last week MD increased dosage to 75mcg. Now I'm actually feeling WORSE!!!  I'm more tired in the evening, feeling depressed (depression is s brand NEW symptom for me), still constipated, still have tingling feet, and now I have carpal tunnel in hands/wrists!!! Has anyone else felt worse after their synthroid dose was increased?? How long till this improves? Shouldn't the higher dose make me feel better, now worse?
4 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I hope that you still are hanging around the forum and see my reply. It is a reply that I meant to send to you when I saw your questions at the end of June. Somehow, I allowed it to fall through the cracks, for which I am sorry.

After being diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I began taking 12.5 mcg. of Synthroid a day. I do not have Hashimoto's (meaning: I do not have thyroid antibodies). My thyroid problem may have been caused by radiation treatment for acne (back in the dark days when it was still thought to be okay to use that treatment) or it may be caused by the fact that I am in my late 50s, and some of the "factory original equipment" of the body can begin to fail with age.

Whatever the case, I actually felt a little better on 12.5 mcg. of Synthroid, even though it was such a small dose that my endocrinologist had predicted no effect. At the end of seven week, I felt certain that my body was ready for a dosage increase, because my improved well-being began to slip. That turned out to be the pattern I had with every dosage level. My well-being would improve, but then it would slip again after several weeks' time.

Even though the pattern repeated over and over, there was some interesting variation. After I began taking 25 mcg. a day, I felt better again. Then a month later, blood tests confirmed what my loss of well-being was telling me. It was time for another dosage increase, but unfortunately, an increase to 37.5 mcg. had no noticeable effect. I did feel better after an increase to 50 mcg., but at the same time, several classic symptoms of hypothyroidism, which I had not had before, blossomed in full. When I look backward in time, I felt my very worst in many ways while at the 50 mcg. dosage level. An increase to 62.5 mcg. gave me the highest level of well-being to that point, and also the most stable level of well-being. When my well-being slipped again (the familiar pattern), an increase to 75 mcg. gave me a still higher--and a still more stable--level of well-being.

So in answer to your questions: Yes, a higher dose in your circumstances should have made you feel better, not worse, but the body sure does not work that way for some of us. As for how long it takes before a quirky and uncomfortable situation improves: It varies from person to person. The one guideline that seems to apply to many of us is that what we need most of all as we struggle with our thyroid problems is patience, patience, patience, which is NOT easy to find, I know.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to your peripheral nerves — the nerves that carry information from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body, such as your arms and legs. Peripheral neuropathy is often caused by diabetes and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. But it may also be caused by other conditions, such as severe, long-term hypothyroidism. The association between hypothyroidism and peripheral neuropathy isn't fully understood.

Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include pain, numbness and tingling in the area affected by the nerve damage. It may also cause muscle weakness or loss of muscle control.

Treatment of peripheral neuropathy due to hypothyroidism is directed at the underlying hypothyroidism.

Hope this is abetter understanding for you.

GL


  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you GravesLady for so much info and for taking the time to share it !!!  Hypo/Hashi is unknown territory for me. I was always healthy and NEVER depressed prior to the hashi/hypo "taking over" my body!!! --I just started cutting my snythroid tablets so I can slowly climb to 75 -- I'm trying to up the dosage from 50 to 62.5 (approx) and then to 75mcg. I really think the jump from 50mcg to 75 triggered something that caused an increase in my hypo symptoms. But, obviously, with hashi it seems like this may be a life long journey with a lot of bumps and twists! Good luck and good health to you too!! Thanks!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

Hypo/Hashi is finally effecting you. You are still early stages of this and healing.  It takes months, in some cases years, once on the right dose and correct level for you, to heal.  Then maybe not 100% .  Although,
meds. nor levels are magic cure alls for what is wrong with us and we can't blame thyroid for everything.

The normal course of the thyroid for hypos(Hashi) is for the thyroid to eventually burn itself out, in which could take years and years and years to do so.  During this period you will go through some sort of symptoms as each part of the thyroid is dying off,  and, your meds will need adjustments according, hopefully to make you feel better again, until the next part is dying off with symptoms. And so forth and so on.

So, each symptoms might have to be treated separately and from thyroid.
For instance:
For depression -  antidepressants.
For constipation -  Metamucil (spell) or the equivalent.
For Tiredness - Vitamin Bs Might have doctor check your Ferritin levels (iron storage in the blood)
For carpal tunnel in hands/wrists - the use of splints or braces,
anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections or surgery.
For tingling feet - Never read this connected with thyroid. Many conditions may cause tingling. However, it is a  sign of pre-diabetes for one.  

Expect weight, fatigue and depression to last - its an immune/autoimmune issue.  There is no cure or treatment for immune/autoimmune only the hypo side.

Good Luck - we all need it!

GL
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community

Top Thyroid Answerers
649848 tn?1534633700
FL
Avatar universal
MI
1756321 tn?1547095325
Queensland, Australia
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.