Just started

[Shar457]

I started taking levothoxin 75 mcg 12 days ago. My Dr didn't tell me anything except I would feel better in a month or so. I don't even know my TSH results. The past few days my heart beats fast, around 100/min sometime a little higher sometimes a little lower. Is this normal?    Thanks Shar

[benrm]

I have Hashi's and started on 25MCG of Levothyroxine, but then jumped pretty quickly to 50MCG.  I've been on 50MCG for about 3 months, but actually just today was prescribed at 88 MCG.  

Always get copies of your labs.  If you have to bail on your doctor, you then have all the history to get your new doctor up to date w/o wasting money on retesting.

[hempem]

I just started the same time you did and was only on 50 mcg but it was too much for me so I backed off to 25 mcg.  Starting with 75 seems like a lot!  I think it's probably normal but do you want to deal with it or let your body adjust more gradually?  I might call my doc and ask if I could cut back on the dosage a bit.  He could call in 50 mcgs for you.

[goolarra]

It's not unusual to get some hyper-like symptoms when first starting meds.  Your body has been compensating for a long time for lack of thyroid hormones, and everything has to rebalance.  It has to get used to having those hormones available again.

However, 75 mcg is a relatively high starting dose.  Depending on age, how long you've been hypo and other medical conditions, a lower starting dose can be indicated.  

If the symptoms persist, get worse, or are particularly annoying, call your doctor and ask if you can lower your dose and increase slowly as tolerated.

It's a good time to start making a habit of requesting a copy of all your lab work.  It's very important to keep your own history.  If you jot down on your lab report your symptoms and meds just before the draw, you will eventually be able to identify patterns, which are very helpful in treatment.  Be sure that your doctor is testing FREE T3 and FREE T4 and not just TSH.