# How long for Levo to work?



## bbdailey (Sep 29, 2011)

Hey everyone, I started levothyroxine 50mcg for the second time oct. 5th. The first time taking it I started to feel better around 4 weeks after starting. It has been 4 weeks now and Im still feeling crummy. I did however start on 75mcg a week after starting the 50 and took the 75 for a week and a half before feeling hyper so I went back to the 50. It has been almost 2 weeks back on the 50 and I thought I would be feeling much better but Im still feeling not so great. Do you guys think taking the 75 messed things up that much? And how long would you think it would take for the levo to kick in?


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## northernlite (Oct 28, 2010)

I remember your first post. My guess is 50 is not enough for you and 75 is too much. Regardless, when it is not enough, you feel lousy.

Unfortunately, titrating your medications upward is a slow process and takes a lot of patience because we all want to feel well. If you short cut it, you end up like you did initially, over shooting.

You probably don't want to hear this or face this but give 50 another 4 weeks. Go back to the doctor then and get another blood draw and if your symptoms and blood work support it, get an increase to 62.5 mcg (1/2 a 125 mcg). You might find your magical euthyroid level at that dose.

It is funny how sensitive most of us are to levothyroxine, it is hard to find the perfect number and very easy to undershoot or overshoot it. Some people have to take different doses every other day or an extra little bit one or two days a week because they can't find the single dose that is right for them. Be patient, you will find yours.

I am one year into my diagnosis now and am close but not at my perfect dose yet!


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## titian1 (May 12, 2011)

Its a funny thing isn't it. I have noticed that after a couple of weeks I feel "different" but not necessarily better just "different" and then at exactly 8 weeks there has been a dramatic difference. It has never got to the point of me being better yet (6 months in after TT) and I have gone up and down, up and down, from 0.1 to 15 currently but I would say that if nothing else thyroxine teaches you patience! My doses have been changed 3 times now and currently I've been put back to the dose that caused me to be Hyper. So hold onto your hats!! 
It's certainly testing mine. lol


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

bbdailey said:


> Hey everyone, I started levothyroxine 50mcg for the second time oct. 5th. The first time taking it I started to feel better around 4 weeks after starting. It has been 4 weeks now and Im still feeling crummy. I did however start on 75mcg a week after starting the 50 and took the 75 for a week and a half before feeling hyper so I went back to the 50. It has been almost 2 weeks back on the 50 and I thought I would be feeling much better but Im still feeling not so great. Do you guys think taking the 75 messed things up that much? And how long would you think it would take for the levo to kick in?


If you were prescribed 75mcg and feel taking it every day is too much then you should consider alternating doses- maybe take 50mcg 4 days a week and 75mcg 3 days a week or do every other day. Wait 6 full weeks once you decide and then have your FT-4 and FT-3 tested. It can take several months for your body to adjust so be patient and keep track of dosing and test results.

Hang in there -you will figure out your dose eventually.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

titian1 said:


> Its a funny thing isn't it. I have noticed that after a couple of weeks I feel "different" but not necessarily better just "different" and then at exactly 8 weeks there has been a dramatic difference. It has never got to the point of me being better yet (6 months in after TT) and I have gone up and down, up and down, from 0.1 to 15 currently but I would say that if nothing else thyroxine teaches you patience! My doses have been changed 3 times now and currently I've been put back to the dose that caused me to be Hyper. So hold onto your hats!!
> It's certainly testing mine. lol


Changing replacement doses 3 x in 6 month is extreme and it's going to take your body awhile to straighten itself out. If youhave been put back on a dose that makes you hyper don't do it- call your doc and tell him you refuse and want to try alternating a lower dosage a few times a week.

Do you have doses and labs that you could post so we can see what's going on with you?

You too may be a candidate for alternate dosing -with the longer 1/2 life of thyroxine you can easily do this.

I don't want to frighten you but it took me several years before I found my perfect dose post TT. Keeping track of your FT-4 and FT-3 tests and doses is key and never ever let a doctor adjust you doses based on TSH.

Unfortunately most doctors are clueless when it comes to replacement dosing which is why YOU must tell them what YOU want when in their offices


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## titian1 (May 12, 2011)

Lovlkn said:


> Changing replacement doses 3 x in 6 month is extreme and it's going to take your body awhile to straighten itself out. If youhave been put back on a dose that makes you hyper don't do it- call your doc and tell him you refuse and want to try alternating a lower dosage a few times a week.
> 
> Do you have doses and labs that you could post so we can see what's going on with you?
> 
> ...


Hi, I probably should have said that I have a complication at the moment which may be affecting things for me (looking like pernicious anaemia) but I have had alternating doses.
Originally I was on 175 daily and had a TSH of 0.11 which left me feeling crazy. 
I then went on 150 per day and went past 3.6 which they didn't like. I then went onto 150 x 3 times per week and 175 x 4 times per week and my TSH became 15! An increase in meds made my TSH higher.
I now have ferritin level of 14 and have had a number of other blood tests to rule out pituitary problems etc.
Just waiting until next week for results as something is skewing my tests


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

bbdailey said:


> Hey everyone, I started levothyroxine 50mcg for the second time oct. 5th. The first time taking it I started to feel better around 4 weeks after starting. It has been 4 weeks now and Im still feeling crummy. I did however start on 75mcg a week after starting the 50 and took the 75 for a week and a half before feeling hyper so I went back to the 50. It has been almost 2 weeks back on the 50 and I thought I would be feeling much better but Im still feeling not so great. Do you guys think taking the 75 messed things up that much? And how long would you think it would take for the levo to kick in?


Hi; it does take 8 weeks to reach it's peak. That is why it is good to get labs @ the 8 week mark so doc and titrate either up or down as needed.


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## bbdailey (Sep 29, 2011)

The last time I had labs was about 3 weeks after stopping the levothyroxine. I dont have the ranges since they never sent me the paperwork: TSH-2.2 FT3-3.1 FT4-.97
My TSH has been anywhere from 1.9-5.0 in the last year. Random question but over the past week I have felt VERY tired...anybody else go through this while searching for the right dose?


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