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How long did it take for your TSH levels to lower after starting levothyroxine?

7 replies

LW678 · 15/03/2024 07:07

As above. I’m currently on 50mcg of levothyroxine with a TSH of 9.1 which is being retested in 2 weeks.

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Guttedme · 15/03/2024 12:34

I've recently learnt I was taking to big a dose of levothyroxine and been given a blood test form for 'strictly' 8 weeks time to check so I guess suspected better by then.

As soon as my dose was dropped I immediately started to sleep better and do less dumb things where my thinking has become sharper. I thought it was menopause brain fog but no😊I'm gutted it might have lost me the weight unintentionally instead of my other efforts. I wish I'd learnt it sooner but my doctors surgery refused to test me more then once yearly and I honestly do believe they forget I have an under active thyroid as I've had it so many years.

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CrunchyCarrot · 15/03/2024 13:03

50 mcg is a very low 'starter' dose so it's most likely your dose will need to be raised after re-testing.

I'm not a very good example because although my TSH began dropping, I still had a fairly high FT4 and so I couldn't be given more than 50 mcg Levo without pushing it over range (and thus likely making reverse T3). I couldn't get TSH lower than around 3 as a result.

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LW678 · 15/03/2024 15:39

Thank you both, my T4 is 14 which is rather high also.

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CrunchyCarrot · 15/03/2024 15:49

LW678 · 15/03/2024 15:39

Thank you both, my T4 is 14 which is rather high also.

What is the range they gave you for FT4?

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LW678 · 15/03/2024 15:56

@CrunchyCarrot they didn’t give me a range but Google has informed the normal range is 5-12, I presume this is correct?

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CrunchyCarrot · 16/03/2024 00:55

LW678 · 15/03/2024 15:56

@CrunchyCarrot they didn’t give me a range but Google has informed the normal range is 5-12, I presume this is correct?

It depends on the lab, tests vary. I don't mean they have a different opinion of the normal range, I mean biochemically the tests have different ranges. The one I'm most familiar with has a normal range for FT4 of 12-22. If you are in the US, for example, this is totally different. That's why people will always ask you for the range. Without knowing the reference range, your result is meaningless.

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LW678 · 27/03/2024 13:17

Updating the thread for anyone who may come across it in the same boat. After 6 weeks of 50mcg levothyroxine my TSH is now 2.35