What does "better" feel like?

With my hypothyroidism I suffered worst with depression, energy problems I had aching joints and regular mouth ulcers too, but they weren't my major problems so, -

1. My depression was being treated with antidepressants for a long time but I stopped them and it took about 6 months to go on the levo with no other medical help.

2. I've only had 3 mouth ulcers in the last 12 months that's a 75% reduction in what I'd usually expect.

3. My joints still ache from time to time, but again it massively reduced.

4. My energy levels are sky high ( this was my biggest problem) but it's taken 12 months to get here. I can do gardening and shopping without struggling again.

I should point out I've been on levo for just over a year and it's taken all that time to feel this good, and I still have bad days. My symptoms reduced very slowly and I wasn't really aware they had changed until one day I found myself thinking wow that was easier than before.

I hope that helps.

Well, if you are one of the more fortunate ones you will feel back to normal, with good energy. From reading posts here, you will find that others don't see much benefit, so it a case of "try it and see".

The meds can take several weeks to work, so don't expect instant results.

I definitely agree with eoin77.. it took me about a year on levothyroxine to feel better too.  It does take some time and patience for the levo to actually undo and improve, all the damage that was done to our bodies.  My symptoms were, cold all the time, constipation, very, very low energy levels, slept 12 hours every night with naps during the day.  The hypothyroidism also gave me depression and as my TSH levels rised, my anxiety went through the roof.  I couldn't even leave my house.  My nails were brittle, my hair was very dry and breaking very easily.  It was also falling out, to the point where I was afraid to dye my hair anymore, because when I did, it literally feel out in big clumps..  I cried and was scared.  My outer eyebrows were bare and my skin was creepy and dry.  I was getting hyperpigmentation very easily and premature wrinkles.  Weight gain was not a big problem for me, as I was actually rapidly lossing weight and looked like a skeleton.  I felt like "blah" every single day of my life.  I was not even able to feel happy if something good happened to me.  I was miserable.  Anyway, now.. I am on 100mcg levo and my endo keeps my TSH at around 1.00.  That's where he said his patients feel their best!  I actually did not feel great, until my TSH was at 0.95.  Now..  I actually enjoy my life and I can smile and feel happiness at the littlest of things!  My depression is completely gone and my anxiety has lessened very much.  My weight is remaining stable, and my hair has never looked better.  It stopped falling out in clumps and does not break that easy anymore.  My skin is baby soft and also looks better then it ever has.  My eyeborws grew in and my lashes are fuller and longer too.  I am not freezing cold all the time and can actually dress like everyone else.  I am still constipated, but am a other meds that cause that.  My digestion did improve though and I am not nauseous all the time.  My nails actually look amazing too!  They are long and healthy.  Oh.. and my energy levels are great too.  I have no feeling of the need to take a nap anymore and instead of sleeping 12 hours a night, I now sleep 8.  I would say that the biggest change for me was the energy levels and the way I felt mentally.  It was just awful to not beable to feel any happiness or joy.  I just sad and miserable all the time.  I was also irritable all the time too.  So, for me.. I felt normal when I actually felt happy and started to smile.  I felt that joy when the sun hit my face, I felt joy to see children playing and laughing, I wanted to go out in my garden and do work, I wanted to spend time with my loved ones, instead of avoiding them.  I wake up feeling happy and grateful, before levo, I didn't even want to get out of bed.  I was to the point that sometimes I wished that I would just die, so I didn't have suffer anymore.  Now.. I want to live.  Anyway..  I think that when you get to where your body should be.. you will know.  If you have been on levo for more then a year and your TSH level is around 1.00 and your still not feeling "normal", then you may have to look into other treatment options.  Best wishes...

Thank you to Aim for asking this question and to those who answered it.

I've been on Tirosint 13 mcgs since May for subclinical hypothyroidism (high TSH of 10 and positive antibodies but all other labs ok). My TSH has come down to 3.1 but I'm still not symptom free. I am about 50% better than I was before I started the meds however so I am hopeful.

My question is, does anyone feel hungover periodically throughout the day? I can have a good day here and there but usually I feel almost disgusting, with neck/head aches, some mild nausea and a general wooziness. I'm concerned because these don't seem to be typical Hashimoto's symptoms. Wondering when I should start looking st other issues being the culprit.

Sorry AIM for hijacking your thread....

Thank you,

Rose

I have no idea what better feels like. I have been on Levothyroxine for almost 5 years and my symptoms have recently gotten so much worse. I decided it was time to go to a different doctor. As soon as I walked in he took me off Levothyroxine and put me on Armour Throid as well as having me take a few vitamins. I havent noticed a difference yet but it has only been two days. I am hoping a praying that this works for me. I am tired of being tired and cold and achy and grumpy, etc.... I think if the treatment you are currently on is not working for you then it is definitely time for you to try something else. If your doctor is not willing to explore other options then find a new doctor. You definitely need to be your own advocate.

The thyroid stuff is extremely difficult because of the brain fog. The brainfog  and other symptoms can actually worsen with thyroid medications, so if you nitice you're having difficulties, my best thought in hindsight is to stop the meds so you can think straight enough to evaluate. Unfortunately, if your thyroid disease is advanced, you could have severe brain fog either wa, and it's hard to tell the difference. 

My main thyroid symptoms: brain fog, exhaustion, pain, funky female (double preriods)  cycles, weight gain. Water metabolism problems

Worst side effects from medications: anxiety, bone loss, broken bones, severe and worsened autoimmune disease, liver lesions, exhaustion, severe ongoing migraines, weight gain, water metabolism problems.

I was initially better on the NDTs, until I moved and couldn't find a doc that would work with them, and the dosing was never stable.

The synthetic levo didn't work for me at any dose and worsened my thyroid and overall health until I was beddridden. 

Listen to your body. Have some symptoms you can trust as a barometer for your condition. This sounds nutty, but I notice that when my thyroid disease flairs, my home gets very cluttered and unkept. When my thyroid disease is under control, its as if my home is magically neat and tidy! When I can't think straight, I can take a moment and look around to see that I've ive to been well enough to tidy things that would normally be very easy to clean.