Hypothyroidism: can symptoms vary day to day?

[dontrunwithscissors]

I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid a few months ago. I've just been put up to 75mg from tomorrow. I was wondering whether it's possible for symptoms to vary so that they can be worse one day than the next? My reason for asking is that today I am absolutely freezing, I feel exhausted (even though I had a decent sleep last night), I can not concentrate. I just went to the gym and I had no energy at all. I feel much worse today than I normally do. What complicates this is that I'm also recovering from post-natal depression, so it might be that. However, my 'blips' with the depression tend to feel different. I have a much lower mood than I do right now, and I generally don't feel this exhausted. There's also no difference in my sensitivity to cold. Any ideas?

Bump!

could it be Hashimoto's?

As far as I'm aware various things you eat can also affect your thyroid: soy products and kale and other cruciferous vegetables, etc. depress it while seaweed, for instance, raises it.

When you say 75 mg do you mean of Synthroid?

I hope people with more experience of thyroid disease come on soon!

Thanks! Sorry, yes, it is Hashimoto's. I'm taking 75mg of thyroxine. The symptoms seem far worse today than they have in ages.

If you were only diagnosed a few months ago, and are about to change thyroxine dosage, it may be that your thyroid levels aren't quite right yet. I think it takes a while to find the right dosage; I still have regular blood tests and my dosage has been adjusted several times when my levels weren't right. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos 3 years ago.

I think there must also be some fluctuation in what your body actually needs, from day to day. When your body is producing thryoxine naturally, it is able to adjust what it produces according to what is needed. Other hormone levels in our bodies fluctate monthly etc, , so thyroxine must be similiar. Once you are taking a fixed dose of synthetic thryoxine you lose the body's ability to regulate it.

So maybe you are just needing a bit more at the moment? You may find that things settle down once you've been on 75mg for a week or two. I now take 75mg one day and 100 the next, and that seems to suit me at the moment. But I expect that will change at some point, and if I start feeling dodgy I will ask for a blood test.

Fatsatsuma - that makes a lot of sene that my body might need differing amounts. How did you figure out that you need 75mg one day and 100mg the next?

It was my GPs idea not mine! My ideal dosage at the moment is probably about 88mg, but since the pills only come in 25s, 50s and 100s, the best way to achieve a dosage of approx 88 is to alternate between 75 and 100. It's not that I need 75 one day and 100 the next. Having said that, I do make sure I have my blood tests regularly because I don't expect that dosage to be correct forever.

Hope you find that increasing your dosage helps.

I definitely think the symptoms vary from day to day.

I have days when I have to wear two pairs of thick socks and two cardigans, have to sleep for a couple of hours in the afternoon, find it difficult to drag myself up the stairs and feel breathless. Other days I am fine, bouncy, energetic, cycle up the mountain and feel like a normal human being! I have discovered if I do too much, am stressed or just rushing about for a few days or weeks I slump and the first sign is I pass out on the sofa in the afternoon. All very impractical for a mum of 3!

I take 125mcg of thyroxine (T4) and 25mcg of Cynomel (T3). It has taken a while to get this dosage almost right. I got my French GP to up my thyroxine dose from 100mcg when I just couldn't shift any weight despite running and exercising and my hair was falling out. I am lucky that he listens to me and my symptoms rather than just my blood results. I had a zillion tests with an endocrinologist at the beginning when thyroxine alone was just not helping and I could hardly drag myself around (not good with 3 young dcs). She thankfully listened to me when I asked to try the Cynomel.

My family in the Uk have had an uphill struggle to get Cynomel, their endocrinologist refused for about 2 years to let my sister try it citing 'highs' (christ if only!) and irregular heart beats. He refuses to give it to my mother who continues to go around in a muddled fog and exhaustion. I find that the fog has lifted and I am able to get out of bed and function. But as the op has asked yes still my symptoms vary. This is a difficult, life affecting disease that is poorly managed by those who have never suffered from it in my humble opinion.

I'm on 75mg of levothyroxine and it's taken a good few months of blood tests to get this far.

My dentist stopped me using fluoride toothpaste as fluoride stops you absorbing the thyroxine , ESP sensitive teeth toothpaste which has very high levels of fluoride. I swapped to a fluoride free toothpaste and the difference was amazing, so much more energy and quick thinking. Try it!

Thank you for those responses.
Mountaingirl: how does thyroxine/cynomel differ?

zanzibar - thanks for the tip re. flouride. I use a sensitive teeth toothpaste. I think I'd suffer if I stopped using it, though.

I find it can vary,one day I could climb Everest and the next it takes me to get out of bed,been on thyroxine for20yrs,dosage ok so just how it goes.You will find once at correct dose it will get better for you.

Your body's requirements change from day to day - your pill strength doesnt. Some days are fine, some days are shit. In my experience, anyway.

(i'm on waaaaaayyyy more than that and still have days/weeks like this.)

Cynomel is Liothyroxine / Tertroxin. T3. The active thyroid hormone. The stuff you take, levothyroxine, T4, is a pro-drug, sort of like codeine. Has to be converted in the liver / other peripheral sites in your body, to T3, before it can be utilised.

The pills I take contain both

LiothyroNine, sorry. typo.