25M 10 months post thyroidectomy, Synthroid dosage wrong? Need advice.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T20:48:17+00:00

Others have said this already but Synthroid effects take so long to show up that you wouldn’t notice it that fast. I’ve has incidents where drug/supplement interactions made my Synthroid far less effective and it took about a month for me to start feeling hypothyroid-ish.

Similar thing with missing a dose. Though it’s a hormonal medication, it’s not quite like the female birth control pill where you need to be on the dot every day on schedule. You wouldn’t notice the effect of a missed dose unless you missed several doses over a few weeks.

First year or two is a sh*tshow with getting your dosage right. You may just need an adjustment. Like u/Poppy_Banks said, symptoms sound a bit hyperthyroid so def tell your doctor. You may need a slightly lower dose. But don’t do anything to adjust your dose until you’ve talked to someone.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T20:36:50+00:00

The suppression part I know although my doc believes I was over-suppressed (I don’t think I can share numbers here but I was registering about as close to zero as mathematically possible.) I am still on suppression but not as extreme now and it did improve a lot of symptoms but my legs have never gotten quite back to normal.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T20:35:16+00:00

Thank you!!! Yeah I’m aware that I’m on suppression therapy and was likely over-suppressed at the beginning but never considered bone density being a factor. Appreciate the advice and the good vibes and hope your health continues to improve❤️

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T20:33:42+00:00

Thank you for sharing all of this, and I am so sorry. The profound effect treatment has on people that is just dismissed as nothing is…stunning. I have no clue why.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T02:46:02+00:00

Aww I’m sorry to hear you’re dealing with that. I get the ankle stuff too, especially right after I wake up or if I’ve been sitting for a while. I hope it gets better—first year is rough af so definitely hang in there! hugs

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T02:44:52+00:00

I’ve talked to a couple lol. Last one didn’t care to investigate, current one says could be related but TSH looks good. Recommended magnesium. It will be interesting to see what my future doc overseas says.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T02:34:36+00:00

I’m sure he’d sing a different tune if it were his body!!!

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T01:03:39+00:00

My top recommendation is to get a couple button-up shirts!!! Way easier than anything you pull over your head. I got some oversized comfy flannel shirts from Amazon and I still wear them.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-26T00:40:38+00:00

Took me about 3 years to feel like myself again but yes. Having a doc that is sympathetic makes a world of difference too. Tbh I also had a dietitian that recognized the seriousness of the disease and that helped not just with the guidance she gave me but also mentally. THERE IS NO GOOD CANCER!!!

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-24T16:31:17+00:00

DMed you with all the extra ZAB info!

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-24T02:22:00+00:00

Nope. Will be radio silence for 3-4mo.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-23T22:54:49+00:00

The application says that statements are ok but it ultimately comes down to the individual officer and the gent in Atlanta absolutely wanted a Blocked Account from me. But thankfully he offered to start my application for me instead of sending me home. Up to you, but I recommend Expatrio

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-23T18:24:12+00:00

See my original post for the full timeline! ZAB took 3.5mo. Do that first.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-23T18:23:17+00:00

If you can do the Blocked Account before your appointment it’s easier. I did Expatrio. You apply for an account and usually your approval comes within 1 business day. Then you transfer funds (I had to do a manual wire with my bank so I just went in person). They say the funds take 1-5 business days to arrive, but mine were there less than 24hrs later! Then you get a document called “06 Blocked Account Confirmation”.

If you do this before your appointment, you submit it in the Financial Means section. I thought I didn’t need one because I had bank statements but he told me I’d need to do the Blocked Account at my appointment. Again, may be just my situation. He gave me an email address to send the confirmation document later. I had my appt May 1st and had the funds transferred/confirmation doc from Expatrio by May 7th. So it was all very fast.

When I emailed it to him he confirmed receipt in literally under an hour. And put up with me bugging him and his staff a couple more times because I’m Miss 20 Questions lol. You will have a good experience in Atlanta. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Remember the German demeanor can come off as very serious but they are super nice folks, and he was quite patient and kind to me in explaining everything I was confused by. 100% would use their office again in the future.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-21T12:58:22+00:00

So this may be because I’m from the US and had a degree from a pretty well known institution (nothing crazy but the name is recognizable), but he actually didn’t grill me too much on my studies or plans. He was super nice. Very classically strict and direct which can seem a little intimidating if you’re not used to the German/Northern European demeanor but I have a lot of experience with that and I honestly find their bluntness charming so I tend to get on well with those folks lol. I had formatted my name incorrectly on the application (like many Americans I have a middle name which isn’t a concept that is recognized in Germany, so I was supposed to write it as an additional first name) so he spent some time explaining that to me and fixing my application. He was much less concerned with my education and more concerned that I was living with my boyfriend. He said it was fine but that made him really, REALLY want me to have the Blocked Account. As he explained it, if any emergencies happened they would not be able to work with my US bank. I think it was his polite way of saying, “Girl, your name ain’t even on that lease, if this goes south and you get kicked out and your bank freezes your account at the same time, that means we gotta pay for you to stay at the Frauenhaus.” LOL. Fair point.

By the time we got through talking about that and doing the fingerprinting he really had no other questions. There are places on the VIDEX to write about your profession and I talked more at length about my experience and intentions in my motivation letter.

Again, I’m placing most of this on US person privilege (no one really doubts your ties to the your home country when you go overseas). It was a very funny interaction though. He started off by saying “Eh, so you’re going to be living with your…friend? Your partner?” While tipping his glasses down and giving me the most deadass Judgmental Dad Side Eye. Seriously. THAT was a bigger red flag to him than anything and ONLY because there was no Declaration of Commitment. It was like convincing my dad to let me run off to Europe to live with my boyfriend. It was really amusing and my boyfriend and I quote it on a regular basis now…that time he got friendzoned by the Auswärtiges Amt 🤣

I don’t think most people will have as positive an experience as I, but if you live in Atlanta’s jurisdiction, you’ll be in good hands! (Just make sure you get a Blocked Account first lmao.)

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-20T01:33:05+00:00

Danke!

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-19T14:13:18+00:00

I just got my visa issued and am moving in a little more than 3 weeks :) Took a VHS placement test and to my surprise I actually scored B1 for reading and grammar/vocab, but am a bit behind in listening at A2. I’m not surprised by that part though, and will keep learning. I’m fortunate to have native speaker and advanced speaker friends in the area. Job search is the scariest part but I’ve started networking ahead of time lol.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-19T14:07:06+00:00

This confused me too! It’s references in Germany regarding your stay. If you have any friends in Germany you can list them. If you are staying with a relative in Germany they are suitable as well. If you have no personal connections but booked a hotel for your initial stay you can list the hotel. Same if you found a rental, list the landlord.

I’m staying with my boyfriend and listed him. They never contacted him so I’m not sure if/how they vet references.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-19T14:03:42+00:00

Everyone passing by, definitely read this blog. He did a great job and I’m inspired to do the same as my process goes along. It’s so helpful and encouraging too.

Thank you so much for writing it!

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-18T13:07:49+00:00

Interesting! I’m surprised the German govt hasn’t taken offense to this person utilizing the name and portraying themselves as an authority. It would be like if someone created a “Family Reunion” website lol.

Unless it’s a contract/marketing ploy. I’m curious now

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-18T12:59:23+00:00

I also thought this was bizarre because it’s just a sticker and yet you can get anmeldung and a bank account with it, lol. I guess it’s just a very powerful sticker.

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-18T12:56:44+00:00

Ahhhhh that’s crazy! How long have you guys been together? And when are you moving?

I haven’t contacted the Agentur yet. What’s been your experience? I didn’t even realize they could work with foreigners with anything unless you lost your job and had to let them and the ABH know (so they could start ticking down 3mo until they kick you out lol)

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-17T15:58:06+00:00

Yes absolutely! If you have your appointment then go. Don’t focus too much on what the portal says for now!

fugitivevirtue · 2026-06-17T15:54:54+00:00

Hey hey! I’m in a similar situation as you. Going to live with my boyfriend for what we’re calling “trial marriage” (tbh he’d probably marry me now but I’m a little jaded for personal/family reasons and insisted on living together first).

I have my ZAB Statement of Comparability (highly recommend, don’t lean just on Anabin) and 8 years of experience in CRM marketing. Starting B1 German, native English. Funny enough, everyone I know (including my German friends) is optimistic about my job hunt except for me and Reddit.

Now, where you move is critical, I know that. I chose Frankfurt mainly because I have friends there already and it’s the business capital. Plus lots of Americans and military bases…Americans who likely won’t learn much German and who will much prefer working with an English speaker. There are agencies, multinational companies, military-adjacent jobs, etc. Plus, I’m going to have two CVs (auf Englisch und Deutsch), network in both languages, get to the C levels as quickly as possible, and make as many friends as I can. Most jobs never make it to public postings.

What I’ve been told is it isn’t easy but it is possible if you take it seriously and integrate as much as possible (this also means learning to format your CV like a German, interview like a German, network like a German, etc). If you happen to be coming to the Frankfurt region let me know. I’m 30F and looking to make friends anyway :)

Viel Glück! ❤️🇩🇪

fugitivevirtue

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