How long does Synthroid take to work?

[ipad135]

I just took my second dose of Synthroid this morning (25 mcg). I still feel the same. When should I see improvement?

Thanks!

[melrose1988]

TSH is 45.30 range is .35-4.94
T3 free was 1.7 range is 2.4-4.2
T4 free was .64 range is .70-1.48

[gimel]

That is a pretty hefty starting dose.  Usually it is more like 25 -50 mcg of T4.  Please post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on the lab report.  

Did you have thyroid issues before the baby?

Also, be aware that it takes about 4 weeks for T4 meds to build up to 90% of their final effect on serum levels.   Hopefully you may get some relief sooner, but symptom relief tends to lag changes in serum levels.

[melrose1988]

wow wish my levels were like some of these I had a baby 5 months ago, my TSH is 45.39!! My Dr. put me on 100 mcg of synthroid last Thursday, I still feel horrible hope it works soon!

[matter123]

yes I agree with you for the most part..Although, relieving symptoms can be somewhat ambiguous.

for example, I've been slightly hypo..  ft3 3.1 and still feel pretty great, still in the upper half yet my cholesterol and triglycerides will start to elevate, which can be a silent killer..  when i hit 3.2 - 3.3 they come down. So it's important to define "symptoms" when you look at the broad, seemingly unrelated implications from a dysregulated thyroid

And yes, that number could be different for some people, but upper half of the range could still not be spot on.

I have lyme though.. so maybe I have less room for error.

I just found it quite interesting that I had labwork for a bad flu prior to getting lyme and going hypo.. and my thyroid was spot on with dr rinds thyroid chart. I was healthy as the proverbial horse.

[FaithforHealing]

Just wanted to thank you for the head's up on drrrind.com. Very interesting to ponder. No wonder "everybody is all over the place" as you mentioned given the many different scenarios of his Thyroid Scale Matrix. This is definitely not a one fits all!

[gimel]

I totally agree about ignoring TSH.  I do have a different slant on the "sweet spot".  Other info concluded that healthy adults with no known thyroid pathology usually have Free T4 in the 1.3 - 1.6 level.  Also, Free T3 usually needs to be in the upper half of the range, as necessary to relieve symptoms.  Since each hypo patient can have a different set point for thyroid levels at which they feel their best, I don't think you can establish a single value for  Free T4 and Free T3 that works for everyone.  And of course the objective for all of us hypothyroid patients is to become clinically euthyroid, rather than just biochemically euthyroid.  :)