Worse before it gets better on Thyroxine?

[Arana]

I started taking Thyroxine a month ago. My TSH levels were just outside normal (5.3) but lots of symptoms of hypothyroidism.

I'm on 100mcg a day, taken first thing, then half an hour before I have a cup of tea (no milk) then usually another hour before I have anything to eat.

In the last week I've been an absolute mess - every time I turn around there's a snowstorm of skin sloughing off my face, hands and scalp. This weekend it was 23 degrees, and I was still wearing ugg boots, thick hoodie and insulated jacket in the house just to keep warm. I've put on another 2kg even though I've hardly eaten anything.

Please tell me it will get better.

If you've got the autoimmune version then it may be that you're on the way down and you'll need more thyroxine. It can take a while to catch up with it. Also, there's the thing where, having had a diagnosis you just notice everything more...

When are you getting your tsh checked next? See if you can go back soon, as you should be registering an improvement by 6 weeks if the dose is right.

And prepare to have to go for a whole different shampoo and conditioner when you do get it sorted - its only when my hair got suddenly soft again that I realised my thyroid must have been packing in for years...

Thanks for the reassurance - I have a blood test next week. I was tested for antibodies but it came back fine.