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Synthroid wearing off by afternoon.

I've been taking synthroid since July 25th of this year for hypothyroidism it kicked in after about a week or two of taking it. I take it when I wake up (around 4-5 am) I get plenty of sleep and I feel great for about 6 - 8 hours after I take the medication but afterwards I feel horrible, all of my hypo symptoms return. I really just want to know if anyone else has experienced this, what was the answer to the problem, or is it going to take a few more weeks to fully kick in?
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Avatar universal
Peggy,
The endo I'm going to specializes in thryroid and metabolism, so I'm hoping he can give me answers. I asked my original doctor what my T3 number was....she said the TSH is a better indication of thyroid disease and never checked my T3, even after I asked her to check it!!! I don't trust her knowledge so am hoping this endo can be more thorough!! Thanks for the cytomel suggestion, something has got to change!! I'm open to anything that will make me feel better!
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213044 tn?1236527460
I've seen a couple of Endos, and they are people just like your GP is a person. "Endo" doesn't mean "expert". "Endo" means "come back in three months". Except there aren't any appointments available in three months.

If your hormones shift such that your TSH drops six points in a month, you are going to feel bad. That is just the way it is. If you have been hypo for a year and started taking replacement hormones in June, you will not feel well for several months.

You have to get your hormones balanced, and then your body will start to heal. That process can take a few months. When your blood levels are perfect and you still feel symptoms, you have to wait a few months before deciding perfect is not going to work.

Thyroid disease takes a long time to sort out and resolve. I wish it was such that you could take a pill and feel better in a few days, but that is not how it works.

Good luck with the Endo appointment, though.
Maybe you'll get a good one.
I wish I could. :-/

I agree that your doctor was wrong to tell you to cut your dose in half. There are two doses available between 100mcg and 50mcg. 88mcg would have been a better suggestion. A different doctor may give you better advice than "cut the dose in half" when you are not that far off from your goal.

Your old(current) doctor really shouldn't have given you a generic either. Maybe I'm wrong, but it sounds like you are taking generic Levothyroxine.

Generics have their place, but not when treating thyroid disease.

Best of luck to you.
Helpful - 0
458072 tn?1291415186
Blondie,

I hope your endo works out. They are more into diabetes than thyroid. I have seen 2 and both were really not knowledgeable of the thyroid...
You listed your TSH but where is your free t3? You might need some cytomel added, if you are not wanting to go to armour....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the exact same problem! I was diagnosed in early June with hypo. Started taking .100 mg of Lexo, but totally felt the same. I forced myself to exercise (walking), but am still 20 over where I should be, I've had 3 periods from this time last year, I'm foggy, lethargic, my skin is dry, and I am constantly clearing my throat. I'm 42 and my mom has hashi's. Anyway, was rechecked in a month and I went from 6.4 to .06, but felt no better. Doc said I was taking too much and told me to cut it in half, no difference. When I got huffy with the doc about how it's not working...she offered me an appetite surpressant! Needless to say, I'm going to an endo tomorrow. If you aren't seeing an endo, I would suggest you get one.
Helpful - 0
458072 tn?1291415186
I agree with AR, your body has not had the length of time needed to recover from the hypothryoidism. Take the fact that you are feeling better as a good sign and give it a few more weeks. If you were not responding at all, then I would say look into it.

I KNOW I KNOW>>>>>waiting is hard when you want to feel good again....been there, still there....waiting to depart on the next bus out of hypo he//
Helpful - 0
213044 tn?1236527460
You've been taking the drug less than a month.
Give it six weeks and then retest. By then it will be up to full strength and you should not notice any highs ot lows through the day.
Helpful - 0
393685 tn?1425812522
I think you are converting the T4 into T3 quickly. Then you drop on T3 levels

Try taking the Synthroid about 6 or 7 am and see if this improves.
Helpful - 0
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