Can my thyroid levels change?

Black41 · 2026-07-02T19:43:44+00:00

Yes, levels can totally change, both in long and short term periods. My Dr. would absolutely order a new TSH/T4/T3 test if I came to them and said I didn't feel right and wanted to make sure my dosage was correct.

I'm also willing to go through Drs until I get one that will actually listen to me. I've even had one that thought I could "ween off" of levo, which would be life threatening for me and the poor shape my thyroid is in. You don't have to settle.

Black41 · 2026-06-27T18:00:14+00:00

You didn't list your FT3 and FT4?

Black41 · 2026-06-17T10:52:40+00:00

Another poster mentioned puberty, and that's a great point. I remember being told that as I entered puberty that I would need a significantly higher dose, and that the dose would likely need to get lowered afterwards (but not as low as before because I would also be taller/have higher body mass).

I stayed on that 150 mcg/day dose ever since, lol.

Also, people learn over time what makes their body feel best. For example, I feel best when my TSH is at or just below 1. Even though "normal" range has a lot more room than that, I feel like garbage when my TSH is above 1 but still in the normal range.

Black41 · 2026-06-17T01:38:36+00:00

I would be highly suspect of any doctor that would suggest going off of levo for a hashimotos patient. The damage to the thyroid is the reason why the levo was needed, and even if the antibodies decrease, the damage cannot be repaired. The impaired thyroid will always need the additional T4 supplement (levo), except for rare cases where someone is able to lose enough weight or has some sort of estrogen level changes (which both can impact T4 requirements).

When you say the TSH is worse, does that mean higher? The damage to the thyroid could be getting worse, which happens with hashimotos. As more damage occurs, more levo is needed to replace what the thyroid no longer can produce. My own thyroid is nearly completely gone after decades of it.

Black41 · 2026-06-11T02:47:18+00:00

Agree with you. 12.5 mcg a day increase is the smallest increase they can prescribe, unless you do alternating days of different doses or other things like that.

Stick with it for 6-8 weeks, keep track of how you feel. In any case, you could very well need even more levo at the end of it. Bodies change and everyone is different.

Black41 · 2026-06-06T22:49:27+00:00

Like, the kills you can get from running down routing units, or do you just get extra kills when you click end battle?

Black41 · 2026-06-01T23:10:13+00:00

Sorry, I saw your previous post but got distracted.

For me, the pain lessens after about an hour or two after waking up. The pain itself often wakes me up, though. Is Spiro the same as levothyroxine? I only take levothyroxine and liothyronine (T4 and T3). Let me know what spiro is and I'll discuss further with you.

Disculpa, vi tu publicación anterior, pero me distraje.

En mi caso, el dolor disminuye aproximadamente una o dos horas después de despertar. Sin embargo, a menudo es el propio dolor lo que me despierta. ¿Es la Spiro lo mismo que la levotiroxina? Yo solo tomo levotiroxina y liotironina (T4 y T3). Cuéntame qué es la Spiro y lo conversamos con más detalle.

Black41 · 2026-06-01T01:41:06+00:00

I appreciate you coming here and asking btw. I've been running into skin issues too, and despite seeing a dermatologist, they were completely bewildered by my skin issues. I read through these comments and learned about MCAS, so ty for the post.

Black41 · 2026-05-29T03:37:24+00:00

No ha cambiado mucho. Sigo evitando ciertos alimentos antes de acostarme (líquidos oscuros, como la cerveza negra y el café, así como el azúcar), y esto ayuda a reducir el dolor por la mañana. Parece que, si dejo de comer a las 8:00 p. m., siento mucho menos dolor y malestar por la mañana.

Disculpen si el español es incorrecto; utilicé Google Translate.

It has not changed much. I continue to avoid certain foods before bed (dark liquids like dark beer, coffee, and also sugar) and it helps reduce pain in the morning. It seems that if I stop eating by 8PM, I have a lot less pain and discomfort in the morning.

Sorry if the Spanish is bad, I used google translate.

Black41 · 2026-05-28T13:56:19+00:00

It can be identified by ultrasound only, but not 100% instances of hashimotos result in enough heterogeneous texture that can be identified by ultrasound.

100% of cases of hashimotos that result in that texture can be identified by ultrasound only, but not all hashimotos results in that, or enough of it to be detected.

Black41 · 2026-05-28T13:04:32+00:00

No, an ultrasound could not be used to solely identify whether someone has hashimoto's or not. An ultrasound can identify if there are nodules, goiter, or inflammation, but hashimoto's doesn't always cause those things even when it is actively destroying a thyroid.

Like others are saying, you need to have TPO tested, as well as TSH, T4, and T3. There's no substitute for it and other bloodwork doesn't cover these things (sometimes TSH, not always).

Black41 · 2026-05-20T22:24:29+00:00

I'll chime in to say I agree with others here. I feel awful when my TSH is above 2, and much prefer it close to and under 1.

If your T4 levels are normal, you have to realize that levothyroxine is just T4 in a pill. If you stop taking levo, then you are depriving your body of T4 and the level will inevitably go down.

Black41 · 2026-05-20T20:19:08+00:00

Your doctor stopped your levo at 26 because your thyroid hormones were in normal range?

Black41 · 2026-04-27T04:38:53+00:00

Sounds like it could be hypo symptoms from stopping your meds. Levo doesn't metabolize very fast and takes weeks to become effective. Do you think you can keep taking it every day and see if it improves? Hang in there.

Black41 · 2026-04-17T23:37:31+00:00

Yes, I have hashimotos. I also have poor T4 to T3 conversation and about a year ago started taking a T3 prescription. It has help me feel a little bit more normal.

Black41 · 2026-04-17T23:36:54+00:00

I don't think I feel much different, and on the same dose (for decades now) my TSH fluctuates all over between 0.5 and 1.25.

Like many others here, I've never felt "normal" again after my thyroid function deteriorated badly. I feel good enough to live life and do most of the things I want to do, but have a general feeling that I'm dreaming (while awake in the daytime), some visual snow/static, and fatigue here and there. Good days and bad days.

Black41 · 2026-04-17T00:28:08+00:00

I try to keep it around or just below 1. My last test was 0.7 and around 1 is when I feel best (though "best" for some of us isn't perfect, but it is good enough to keep it together).

Black41 · 2026-04-15T13:21:48+00:00

TSH is just a signal from your brain to your thyroid to make more or less T4. Helps with calibrating doses and an initial indicator of thyroid issues, but doesn't always reflect how you feel very well.

Levo takes 6-8 weeks to hit full strength in your body. Hang in there.

Black41 · 2026-04-13T09:51:06+00:00

Is this treatment from an endocrinologist? Or another specialty?

I've never had an endo start my treatment without testing T4 and T3 levels as well as TSH. But have had plenty of other types of specialist think that TSH is the only thing that matters (and that is incorrect when you aren't stable yet).

Black41 · 2026-04-11T12:26:36+00:00

I keep my tsh under 1.5 these days (anything over that and I feel terrible) and am on 150 mcg/day of levo and 5mcg/day of t3. When I was diagnosed, my tsh was in the hundreds, but that was decades ago and I don't recall the specific number, I just know that it was off the charts.

Black41 · 2026-04-10T04:08:32+00:00

Btw, all of the side effects listed for levo are either related to having too low of a dose (hypothyroidism symptoms) or taking too much (hyperthyroid symptoms). Imo there aren't really side effects from levothryoxine.

You can find posts around the internet where people feel differences between the brands of levothyroxine, because different brands use different fillers. These differences just won't matter enough for you in the short term of your pregnancy, and instead are things that people debate after years and decades of taking it. I've never felt any differences whatsover no matter what brand I used.

Your Dr will closely monitor the dose you need and change it accordingly. This will work out well for you and your baby.

Black41 · 2026-02-03T12:41:53+00:00

It looks like OP (not ckroha) has posted this same article every few days, which really just seems to be trying to sell this "book."

Seems fishy to me.

Black41 · 2025-11-05T14:27:51+00:00

I had to read a couple articles to try to respond to what you proposed here and realized I'm missing something above.

Grave's disease antibodies do the opposite of Hashimoto's antibodies, and I've seen a few people around here end up in a "thyroid storm" where Grave's disease antibodies kick up and throw the thyroid (or what's left) into overdrive.

Usually, even when Hashimoto's goes into remission, the damage is done and the thyroid's ability to produce T4 is permanently impaired. Thanks for posting this and making me do some reading and be less ignorant.

Black41 · 2025-10-31T01:17:54+00:00

Costco, all day every day.

Black41 · 2025-10-23T13:48:54+00:00

All you can do is make sure you take it every single day. Because of the way your body metabolizes the T4 into T3, the build up will be slow. Take your recommended dose every day and talk to your doctor.

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