The Little Orange Pill

During our initial appointment with Dr. K, she prescribed a synthetic thyroid hormone, Synthroid (generic: Levothyroxine) to supplement my thyroid production and stabilize and reduce my TSH level.  Because I’ve always been on the high end of normal but well above the level they look for when treating pre-conception patients, the initial dose was 25 micrograms (basically, as low as the dose can go).  I was to take the medicine daily and have my TSH level re-tested in 6 weeks.

6 weeks went by and I felt…GREAT!  I noticed a difference in energy almost immediately.  Before the medication, I was regularly sluggish in the evening.  I’d have good energy one or two evenings a week but by the time Wednesday or Thursday came, my body was so exhausted that I felt like I needed to go to bed at 8p to catch up on sleep.  With the thyroid replacement, my energy is much higher throughout the day and into the evening.  I’ve been able to drive without feeling sleepy and ride in the car for long distances.  I’m able to exercise after work without being exhausted by the time I get home and work around the house without paying for it the following day (it’s the simple things, right?).  I had no idea feeling tired wasn’t normal because it had been my normal for so long.  Who would have thought a small dose in a little orange pill would make such an impact? 

6 weeks later (the end of September), my blood was drawn and a week later the results were in.  Drum roll please…my TSH was…2.7!  Yes…nearly 2 points lower than it had been previously.  It was still slightly higher than Dr. K’s target for pre-conception but it was much better.  She decided to increase my dose to 50 mcg and test again in another 6 weeks.  I’m currently a couple of weeks into the second 6-week dosage trial and don’t feel much different than I did the first time around.  I’m looking forward to seeing how the increased dose continues to decrease my TSH and am happy to report that another piece of our puzzle seems to be fitting into place.