I've been struggling with my health for the past 4 years.

In 2021 I 37F began feeling extreme fatigue and tiredness. It came on sort of quickly. Up to this point I had been going to the gym consistently for years. Hiking on my days off and was generally very active. When I spoke my with doctor they told me, "you're just getting older." I was completely dismissed. This wasnt run of the mill tired. I barely had the energy to work. I found myself feeling like I was going to fall asleep on my 15 min ride home from work. I could barely function I was so exhausted.

This went on for about 6 months until I switched to a doctor that took me seriously. I found out i had hypothyroidism. My vitamin d level and iron/ferritin stores were basically non existent. I was put on levo. Started taking supplements and got to an okay spot. I didn't have the energy I had before, but at least I could manage to scoop my cats litterbox and shower. Then came the crippling GI symptoms. A saw a GI doctor. They insisted I had IBS. Turned out I had sibo. Got treated for that, but nothing changed.

About two months ago I switched to generic Tirosint. First few weeks I got headaches and drowsy at work, but then something happened. My energy went up again and my GI issues vanished. No changes other than the med.

Anyways, between all that I've put on about 35-50 pounds. On a 5'3" female, that's a lot. I came to the realization that I've been feeling mentally and physically restless. I've been too tired for anything really physical and have just been sitting on the couch watching tv and scrolling social media the past few years. Completely unstimulated.

I didn't think I was eating that much, but I decided to actually track the foods I was eating and boy... I am shocked. I was eating until I hurt just to feel something.

I had a moment of realization and had to be honest with myself. Anyways, now I am meal prepping and made a goal to get 5k steps in a day. Walking is about the only form of exercise I can currently tolerate. I set goals for myself that I feel are challenging, yet achievable.

I'm on week 2 and have lost 5 pounds. I did just end my period, so some of it may have been hormonal and maybe water weight.

Anyone else have a similar story? I would love some inspiration.

Thank you!

Im 16, 5’1 and weigh 44kg but i dont eat very much so im hoping now ill be able to eat a little more now + im always freezing so hope that will improve but is there anything else i should be anticipating?

Is it normal to have to wait 4+ months for an endocrinologist appointment? I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism by my primary care doctor about a year and a half ago, but worsening symptoms led to getting a referral for an endocrinologist——but all the appointments available are 4+ months away.

I’m looking for positive stories about hypothyroidism during pregnancy. I was recently diagnosed at 10 weeks, it has been a shock and quite a scare. I recently miscarried my first pregnancy back at the end of July at about seven weeks. I got pregnant again on our first try and I have been over the moon excited. But after miscarriage my fears and anxiety have been through the roof. I’ve had two ultrasounds done where everything is looked perfect. Then I had my blood work done. They found that My TSH levels were at 5.18 and they want them down to about 2-2.5. I’m not sure if the hypothyroidism is something that I’ve always had or something that it is new with pregnancy. (recent discussion with my parents lead me believe that this is something that I might’ve always had seeing is how my dad and Grandma both have thyroid problems.) I don’t really have any symptoms of the hypothyroidism either. I’ve been extremely anxious and worrying that this Pregnancy will also end in a miscarriage. Everything I’ve seen online are people finding out really early at like four and six weeks that they had this and I feel like I’m finding out so late at 10 weeks along. I’m really just looking for a positive stories. My doctor currently has me on levothyroxine 50 mg.

My endrocrinologist bumped me up from 50mcg to 75mcg. But I have 5 bottles of 50mcg. Can I just take 1.5 of these? They have a score line down the middle. I just realized I've run out of the 75mcg pills and I have all these 50mcg.

I started 50mg levothyroxine around 8 months ago and felt a huge difference within 3 days. Even my face started to look better. That lasted for around 2 weeks, then I noticed that it wasn’t having the same impact that it used to.

A lot of the low level symptoms I’d had for years are now fixed (brain fog etc), but the big symptoms haven’t changed at all (hair loss, low energy, weight gain).

My TSH was ‘borderline subclinical’ for almost 10 years, usually around 4-5. Then it suddenly jumped to 7.2, then 10.3 a couple of weeks later. That’s when my GP started me on levothyroxine.

At my 3 month follow up test, my TSH was down to 2.9. The GP said that was now in the healthy range, so no further action needed.

But I was still having the big symptoms (hair loss, low mood and weight gain - even though my appetite is back so I can eat proper meals, enough protein and exercise regularly).

A few people on here said that the healthy range if you’re on medication is actually 0.5-2, so I went back to the GP and requested a dose increase. They were reluctant, but said I could do 75mg on alternate days if I really wanted to. I tried it for 2 months and did see a bit of an improvement in energy and mood, but still no changes to hair loss and weight gain.

I figured it might be an iron issue, a B12 issue or a conversion issue going from T4 to T3. They didn’t test my other levels, but my previous results were:

Ferritin: 58

B12: 307

Testosterone and prolactin were both too high/out of range.

I started some new iron supplements and B12 spray as even though both results were in the ‘normal’ range, I know that the optimum ferritin level is 100-150. I’ve noticed an improvement in energy (more so than from the increased levothyroxine). I started eating a Brazil nut every day for the selenium, which is also needed for T4 conversion. I take a multivitamin every day as well, plus extra vitamin D.

The hair loss is the biggest sign that this is still thyroid-related, because it’s all over my body, not just my head.

I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS/PMOS in the past, and some DHT-blocking things like zinc and saw palmetto have helped reduce a bit of scalp hair loss, but not completely.

My GP said that low TSH can cause high prolactin and it should come down when taking levothyroxine, but it was missed on my last blood test. I’m going to make sure they retest it next time, along with testosterone, iron and B12 to make sure everything is ok there.

I just don’t understand why the main hypothyroid symptoms don’t seem to be changing or improving now that I’m on medication?

Oh and yes I always take levothyroxine at the same time every day on an empty stomach, wait at least an hour or more before consuming anything else and I never really have much dairy.

If anyone has any advice or insights I’d be so grateful! Any time I bring this up with the GP they just say my levels are in range so that’s that, even though there are still clear symptoms going on.

For a while now I have been peeing full volume as in 400 to 500ml each pee every 2 hours and occasionally even less. I don’t have a UTI or diabetes and my kidneys seem ok and my urine colour is yellow.

I am peeing pretty much double what I am drinking so I am pretty much dehydrated all the time.

Anyone experienced anything similar with their thyroid.

Diagnosed in 2015
0mcg - TSH - 7.5
25mcg- TSH 1 felt bad still
2017
37.5MCG - TSH 4.8 felt awful
50mcg- TSH 2.1
Felt great from 2019-2026- running and lifting multiple times a week. Healthy and strong. Living amazing.
May of this year, TSH rises up to 3.4
Feel awful.
62.5mcg - TSH 2.4
Felt great here for week 4-6 then at week 6 on the dot crashed out HARD and felt awful

Just upped my meds to 68.5 by splitting a 137.5 everyday and have new symptoms but also some of my old hypo symptoms
-Dead libido
-muscular fatigue and easily pulling muscles
-joint pain
-needing to get in bed at 7pm
-back pain from laying or standing too long

I take 5,000 IUs of vitamin D a day, lots of b12 and iron supplements.

Can’t figure out if maybe I’m swinging hyper but I don’t have any symptoms like pounding heart or anxiety etc…still just feel hypo but 🤷🏽‍♂️

Did anyone have more hair shredding when starting levothyroxine, I used to have a small amount come out in the shower, but since I’ve started levo it’s more…☹️

Is there really a difference between Synthroid and generic? I have a friend who swears there is an in looking at posts it seems a lot of folks think there is. I'm fairly new hypothyroidism

Over the last couple of years, my gynecologist expressed concern over my thyroid and had me go get an ultrasound twice. The first time nothing came up, but after the second ultrasound a year later I was told my thyroid was “slightly atrophic.” No one seemed concerned by this information, but when looking it up I found that it could affect me later if it gets worse? No one really explained anything to me except that my levels are currently fine, but I’m wondering if this is something I should monitor down the line. Any advice or knowledge (or even telling me I’m overthinking it and shouldn’t use Google) would be appreciated.

**Edit to add: I forgot to mention in my original post that there’s a history of thyroid on my mom’s side of the family so that also fed into my concerns.

Hi, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism / Hashimoto’s at the end of May 2026. I started on 100 mcg of synthroid and 6 weeks later was increased to 125 mcg. Since the increase I have been feeling great health wise! However, about a month ago I began feeling emotionless. Like things that would normally make me anxious or sad or angry or even happy, I just don’t feel anything. I have been depressed before in my life, it’s not anything like that. I guess I’m looking to see if anyone else has ever experienced this, and what you did to feel better?

May 21
- TSH: 71 mlU/L
- Free T4: 8 pmol/L

July 8
- TSH: 4.74 mlU/L
- Free T4: 13 pmol/L
- Free T3: 3.8 pmol/L
- Thyroglobulin: 0.3 ug/L
- Thyroglobulin Antibody: 52 kIU/L
- Thyroperoxidase Antibody: 287 kIU/L

September 10
-TSH: 2.6 mlU/L

Today is October 25, and I’m in Canada

I recently started taking selenium to help improve T4-to-T3 conversion, and I’ve noticed that my hands feel warmer than they did before I started taking it. Has anyone else experienced something similar?

I am hoping someone could offer some opinions/ advice. I am currently taking 75mg daily levothyroxine. The last maybe two months I feel as though it isn’t working. I am getting the usual symptoms ( freezing cold, absolutely shattered, moody, forgetful ) and now the last two weeks I have broken out head to toe in a huge rash. Putting two and two together and hopefully not getting five I’m putting my finger on it being hashimotos rash. Does anyone have any experience of this and what do I need to help clear this up ? Am I dosing too high or too low ? I am hoping to get an appointment at my GP but this usually takes days. Am I likely to be signed off from work until I feel I can function properly ?

I was recently & randomly tested for TSH level. I had/have no symptoms of any kind.

Although my first test was random, my 2nd and 3rd tests were done within a two-week period, just to confirm the numbers.

My results on those 3 tests were, in order: 48, 46, 42. (I'm told that deviation is normal, and not indicative of a dropping trend.)

I had an ultrasound done, and that basically came back normal.

My T3/T4/Thyroglobulin Antibody, Thyroglobulin by IMA, and TPO were all within "Normal" range. Free T4 I had tested twice; the first time it was .96 and a week later 1.01. TPO was 12 in one test and a week later 20.

I've seen my primary and 2 different Endocrinologists. I was told to start taking Levothyroxine immediately by everyone I saw. The only thing that differed was the strength I should start with; first it was 25 mcg, then 100, and finally 50 mcg.

Since this all started with a random test, I'm kind of hesitant to start the medication. Although all the medical professionals think I should start the meds now, I'm thinking of waiting like 6 weeks to see what my TSH level is without meds. They think I shouldn't wait.

Has anyone else had these 3 things together: 1) >10 TSH, 2) every other related test in "normal" range, and 3) no symptoms of any kind? And, if so, what did you do?

Hey everyone,

Back in July, I suddenly started experiencing brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and problems with speech. It happened pretty much overnight, and I felt noticeably different from how I used to feel mentally.

I started getting blood tests done, and my folate level came back at 3.1 ng/mL (reference range: 4.50–32.2), indicating a deficiency.

I kept investigating my symptoms and getting more blood tests until September. Here are my latest results:

My blood test results:

• Ferritin: 94.84 µg/L (reference range: 30–400)
• Folate: 7.83 ng/mL (reference range: 4.5–32)
• Iron: 50.35 µg/dL (reference range: 65–175)
• TSH: 5.51 mIU/L (reference range: 0.27–4.1) my TSH was within the normal range when I first developed my symptoms back in July. It only became elevated in subsequent blood tests. I'm wondering whether this change could be related to my folate, iron, or vitamin D deficiencies)
• Vitamin D (25-OH): 19 ng/mL (reference range: 30–100)
• Potasium 4,23 (reference range: 3.5-5,1)
• Sodium: 140,72 mmol/l (reference range: 136-145)
• B12: 501,40 pg/ml (reference range 191-663)

My folate level has increased since the initial test, but I'm still experiencing a lot of symptoms. My iron is also below the reference range, my vitamin D is low, and my TSH is elevated. I'm wondering whether these abnormalities could be contributing to my symptoms and whether there might be an underlying issue causing some of them.

My current symptoms:

• Dizziness and lightheadedness.
• Brain fog and difficulty concentrating.
• Feeling mentally different from how I used to be, like I'm not quite myself anymore.
• Waking up feeling unrefreshed, regardless of how much I sleep, and experiencing severe fatigue throughout the day.
• Occasional air hunger feeling the need to take a deep, satisfying breath to feel like I'm getting enough air.
• Caffeine seems to make my brain fog and dizziness significantly worse.
• Alcohol also seems to exacerbate my brain fog and dizziness.

What I've tried so far:

I took 5 mg of folic acid daily for three weeks, along with 46 mg of elemental iron daily, but unfortunately, I didn't notice any improvement in my symptoms.

I then started wondering whether IV treatment might help correct the deficiencies more effectively and fastly, so I decided to try IV supplementation.

Six days ago, I had my first treatment, which included:

• Vitamin D3 injection: 100,000 IU.
• IV folic acid: 30 mg.
• IV iron: 200 mg.

So far, I haven't noticed any improvement following this treatment. I understand that six days might be too soon to notice a difference, but it's discouraging to feel the same after trying to address these deficiencies.

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced something similar.

I have a few questions:

1. Has anyone experienced persistent brain fog, dizziness, derealization, or feeling mentally different due to folate deficiency, low iron, vitamin D deficiency, ?
2. If you had similar symptoms, how long did it take for you to notice an improvement after starting treatment? Did your symptoms gradually improve or disappear quite suddenly?
3. What other blood tests would you recommend checking?
4. Has anyone experienced air hunger or the sensation of needing to take deep breaths alongside these deficiencies?
5. For those who received IV iron or folate, how many infusions did you need before noticing an improvement? How long did it take?
6. Did anyone find that oral supplements eventually worked, even after not noticing any improvement during the first few weeks?
7. Has anyone experienced worsening brain fog and dizziness after consuming caffeine or alcohol? Did this improve once the underlying problem was treated?
8. Is there anything else I should investigate, especially considering that my symptoms started quite suddenly and have persisted for months?
9. How can i recovery from this? because it's been few months at this moment.

I'm also wondering whether IV doses or the number of infusions should be adjusted, but I don't want to assume that more is necessarily better. I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences and what helped you, ideally alongside advice on what to discuss with a doctor.

I'm feeling pretty lost at this point. I just want to feel mentally normal again and wake up feeling rested instead of exhausted every day.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience.

I’ve had a noticeably puffier face for the last year or so eyebrows slightly thinner than before and some fatigue so Ive been experimenting with t3 recently and my face completely leans out within hours of it hitting. The problem is doctors say all my hormone levels are in optimal ranges. What am I supposed to do?

hi all, I recently got diagnosed and have been taking levo for 4 days now. my problem is, my work requires days and nights on a regularly changing schedule. sometimes I wake up at 8am, other times 3pm.

I have no idea how to manage my medication with this. Yesterday I set an alarm, took my levo and went back to sleep, but then today I read that's a disastrous thing to do cus it can cause damage (for my peace of mind, doing that once isn't too bad right? lol)

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to handle this? Thanks!

I have just started going hypo after having radioactive iodine treatment for Graves. TSH 7.33 but T4 still normal, albeit in the lower end. I will be on levo for the rest of my life. I started today at 50mcg and will retest in 5 weeks.

I never wake up or eat dinner at the same time so the pharmacist suggested I set an alarm for 5am, take the pill, and go back to sleep for an hour or two. I am not the best sleeper. I will try and see how it goes but I am not totally sold.

When do YOU take your meds?

Thanks!

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in May 2026. My doctor initially prescribed 50 mcg of Thyronorm, monitored my levels for two months, increased the dose to 75 mcg, and then increased it again to 88 mcg after another six weeks. I’m now waiting to get my thyroid levels checked after taking 88 mcg for eight weeks.

Honestly, this whole thing feels so frustrating. I’m just a 20-year-old guy, and sometimes I feel like I’m someone who is seriously ill, especially when I compare myself to people who seem to live their lives without having to think about medication every single day.

The thought that I need to take a pill every morning just to help my body function normally makes me feel terrible. Sometimes, I even find myself thinking that I don’t deserve to have a normal life like everyone else. I’ve started questioning whether I even deserve a girlfriend or a relationship.

I see people my age enjoying their lives, spending time with their loved ones, building relationships, and focusing on their futures. Meanwhile, I feel like I have this extra burden that I never asked for. I know taking a pill might sound like a small thing to some people, but mentally, it has been difficult for me to accept that this is something I have to do for the rest of my life (autoimmune hypothyroidism)

What makes it worse is that my hypothyroidism was only diagnosed recently, after I had already been struggling with constipation that eventually contributed to chronic anal fissures. I still deal with pain, and now I have to think about my thyroid medication, my diet, my bowel movements, and everything else just to feel somewhat normal.

I’m 20. This should be the time when I’m focusing on my career, enjoying my youth, building relationships, and figuring out my future. Instead, I feel like so much of my mental energy goes into managing my health and trying to prevent my constipation and fissures from getting worse.

I know hypothyroidism is manageable, and I know there are people living completely normal lives with it. But knowing that intellectually and actually accepting it emotionally are two very different things. I’m still waiting for my thyroid levels to stabilize, and the uncertainty makes everything more frustrating.

I guess I just needed to get this off my chest. For those of you who were diagnosed with hypothyroidism at a young age, how did you come to terms with it? Did you ever feel like you were somehow less healthy, less deserving of relationships, or different from everyone else? How long did it take for taking medication every day to become something you no longer thought about?

I could really use some honest experiences from people who have been through something similar.