If you have a thyroid condition how long before you felt better?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

After beginning taking the medication? I'm wondering how long before you started to feel a difference. I'm new to it and hopeful.

Depends whether your thyroid is overactive or underactive, by how much, what medication you'e been prescribed and whether or not you have any other medial problems.

Mine is underactive. It has taken a long time to get the medication right, because mine is auto-immune and I think attacks my body at varying levels over time, so the meds are rarely right. I am fine for now though, no symptoms. It can take a few weeks even if you start on the right dose.

Mine is overactive - felt better very quickly (started on propranolol and 20mg carbinazole) but it took months of check ups and bloods until it had completely settled down and they'd taken me down to 5mg carbimazole which is the right dose for me. It took years longer to faff about with trials off carbimazole and relapses where I went back on it (think I lasted just a few months each time, and did about three trials) before we decided I should stay on 5mg carbimazole.

Been on that dosage now for 15 years, never have any issues.

Once your dosage is sorted you'll be ok!

About 3 years: under active

Under active. Have never felt right

I've had an under active thyroid for 25 years and basically manage it myself now. You need to make sure you get your blood test numbers (not just told they're normal) from your doctor as most people find they function better when their TSH is around the 1-2 mark rather than higher which is acceptable for doctors. Any higher than a TSH of 2 and I can feel awful. Don't let them just tell you your levels are 'normal'.

I find weight bearing exercise is really good as is eating a low-ish carb diet. Medication will take a few weeks to kick in.

@earlydoors42 I think mine is autoimmune too, as I have an autoimmune illness already. I'm sorry to hear it's been so hard to get the meds right, that sounds tough, glad you're not having symptoms now though. Do you go back to your doctor to re-adjust your meds if you become symptomatic?

It took me 2-3 months as my dose needed to be adjusted a lot initially.

@TadPie glad you felt better fast! It's good that you have maintained feeling well now for a 15 year spell.

@katielilly Three years sounds like a long time, are you ok now?

@Cherry321 How long are you into the whole thing? How do you find your doctor, are they supportive?

If your under your like it for life overactive is supposed to be temporary (22 years and counting

@Freetodowhatiwant yes the doctor I see makes treatment decisions from symptoms, ultrasounds and blood tests, he was pretty clear that the TSH test is no good as a standalone thing.

@GrumpyHoonMain a few months doesn't sound too bad.

Feeling cheered that some people feel at least a little better within several months! Crossing my fingers I'm one of those lucky ones.

I had to have a total thyroidectomy. I was on the same dose for 16 years, then it was cut because I was 'over-medicated'. Since then, the dose has gone up and down and I feel exhausted and slightly not right all the time. I am currently avoiding my GP, as they always tell me I am over-medicated and I simply cannot function on what they consider is 'normal' levels. Educate yourself, because GPs are shit at thyroid problems and endocrinologists (in my admittedly limited experience) are no better. Fight for what you need.

@slipperywhensparticus surely there are degrees though - I mean I think a lot of people do get some joy from the medication? otherwise nobody would take it

@LittleCandle that is awful, why are so many doctors so bad at thyroid things?

Admit that I find the whole thyroid thing quite overwhelming, much as I'm trying to keep reading it all seems very complex. I have type 1 diabetes which challenges me on a daily basis in my striving to keep two steps ahead, and drives me mad with frustration at times, but I've had it since childhood and it's so familiar compared to the thyroid.

I felt a bit better pretty quickly, but I have never felt how I felt pre thyroid disease, I have less resilience and I get tired more easily.
It is a constant juggling act, trying to keep levels optimal. I get slumps at particular times of the day. But when levels are good you can certainly feel far more human than pre diagnosis.

I’m about a month in and no difference:(

@AbsentMindedWoman I don't know why its so bad, but I do know that you have to be about 4 times more ill in this country before you are treated than anywhere else. Some GPs are switched on to it, so if you find one, hang on to them if at all possible! I am now being told by the endo that I was treated incorrectly when I had the thyroidectomy, although my surgeons followed the guidelines and I also had a conversation with the Mayo clinic in the US, which is the world leader in thyroid problems and they confirmed my treatment. 23 years down the line, I am now being told that it was wrong and they want to wean me down to a stupidly small amount of thyroxine, despite the fact I am constantly symptomatic. Thyroid issues run in my family and I am currently on the lowest dose of anyone I know. I am avoiding getting bloods done this year, as I know it will be another round of them trying to cut my dose and if I'm really unlucky getting sent back to the endo, who will patronise me and then show that he hasn't read (or possibly even heard of) the latest papers on the subject.

Oh - and I have reached that delightful age where everything is now blamed on the menopause, so I am just waiting for some medical twit to tell me that I no longer need the drugs at all. Not that I'm cynical...

Hypothyroid, about 26 years and still waiting! Very up and down, many related symptoms : (

I was diagnosed with graves in 1990. I was put on 60mg carbimazole and propranolol. I never felt ill but with hindsight had all the symptoms. I went to the dr because my legs swelled hugely and the levels were so high they though it was affecting my heart but it wasn't. Lookong back I had struggled with weight for years and always being wired but tired. But I am naturally a bit hyper.

Because I was getting married and wanted to start a family I didn't want years of carbimazole or radioactive iodine and had a sub total thyroidectomy. Op was fine. Initially put on 50mcg thyroxine but needed 100mcg.

Took 100mcg for 26 years with no probs and post menopause it was increased to 112.5mcg.

I have never felt ill as a result of my thyroid except post ds's birth and that was because the midwives failed to ensure tsh was monitored despite being requested to and my tsh went under. Soon went back to normal though and was entirely due to failure to listen and incompetence.

Mine is under active. As far as I am aware I have never had any symptoms (perhaps just never explained to me). I regularly go long periods without my high dose thyroid meds (mh reasons) and don't notice anything. Not sure if I should look out for something so following with interest

I'm Intrigued by all this, I have a high TSH (>10) and low free T4 but as far as I'm aware I don't have any symptoms. I feel fine, no tiredness or lethargy or any of the usual symptoms. Mine was found incidentally while having routine bloods for something completely different. I have it checked every 3 months and have been told to go back to GP sooner if I develop any symptoms. At what point did those of you who have under active thyroid develop symptoms, what were your TSH and free T4 levels when you were diagnosed?
Sorry to impose on your thread OP.

I don't take Levothyroxine. My GP doesn't think it's necessary in the absence of symptoms, is that right?

How do you know that it's autoimmune? Is there a blood test for that too?

Yes there is a blood test for antibodies.
Ella - I don’t think there is much point in taking thyroxine if you feel fine. Possibly that is the natural level for you. Worth having the test for antibodies though, as if you have auto immune disease then it will gradually get worse.
I feel ghastly if my TSH goes over 2, but not everyone does. Mine was 28 I think, when I went on thyroxine , but I had been ill for months. Dd’s was over a 100, too high to get a specific number, and she had also been tired for a few months but we had stupidly assumed it was the pressure of high school as she seemed otherwise ok. Looking back she was emotionally all over the place too, but I had thought that was puberty , as she was only 12.

Hi OP, I was pleased to see this as I have just been diagnosed this week and I was also wondering when I will start to feel better. My doctor wants to do blood tests after three months but I really hope I will see some improvements in a few weeks. I'm fed up with feeling so washed out!
And I wondered if symptoms like thinning hair and puffy skin are also likely to improve, if anyone can help with that? I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions too OP.