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synthroid dose
I just started synthroid Dec 4 2012... my TSH was 11.96... I felt awful... my dr put me on 0.05mg I dont feel any different... waiting 8 weeks doesnt seem like something I can do... am I just too impatient..?
Yes it is normal to weight 6-8 weeks for T4 as GIMEL stated.
With thyoid issues & dosages you have to have patience & more patience...
With thyoid issues & dosages you have to have patience & more patience...
When you are starting on T4 type thyroid meds, it takes about 6 weeks for blood levels of T4 to reflect that dose. So doctors like to have patients wait about 6-8 weeks, or even longer, before testing again. If you continue to feel bad, I would push for 4-5 weeks. at which time your blood T4 level should be over 90 % of its final effect.
When you do go back, don't forget to request the above mentioned tests. If the doctor resists, just insist and don't take no for an answer. It is very important to know all of those, not just TSH.
When you do go back, don't forget to request the above mentioned tests. If the doctor resists, just insist and don't take no for an answer. It is very important to know all of those, not just TSH.
Yes, you are being too impatient. The 50 mcg is a starting dose. Dependent on the levels of your biologically active thyroid hormones, Free T3 and Free T4, it may take a while to ramp up your meds to achieve symptom relief. In addition, if your doctor only tests for TSH and medicates accordingly, you may never get there.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results, and especially not TSH results. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation. The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment. In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
So, if you have been tested for Free T3 and Free T4, please post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report. If not, then you need to get your doctor to do those tests. On the possibility that your high TSH is the result of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (the most common cause of diagnosed hyhpothyroidism), then you you should test for the thyroid antibodies associated with Hashi's. Those tests are TPO ab and TG ab.
Since hypo patients are frequently also too low in the range for other important areas, you should also test for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin. When you have test results available, please post results and reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypo patient clinically by testing and adjusting Free T3 and Free T4 as necessary to relieve symptoms, without being constrained by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results, and especially not TSH results. You can get some good insight into clinical treatment from this letter written by a good thyroid doctor for patients that he sometimes consults with after initial tests and evaluation. The letter is then sent to the participating doctor of the patient to help guide treatment. In the letter, please note the statement, "the ultimate criterion for dose adjustment must always be the clinical response of the patient."
http://hormonerestoration.com/files/ThyroidPMD.pdf
So, if you have been tested for Free T3 and Free T4, please post results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report. If not, then you need to get your doctor to do those tests. On the possibility that your high TSH is the result of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (the most common cause of diagnosed hyhpothyroidism), then you you should test for the thyroid antibodies associated with Hashi's. Those tests are TPO ab and TG ab.
Since hypo patients are frequently also too low in the range for other important areas, you should also test for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin. When you have test results available, please post results and reference ranges shown on the lab report and members will be glad to help interpret and advise further.
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