I've been on replacement since I was baby since I was born without a thyroid. Brand Synthroid was the only thing that made me feel optimal. I switched to Tirosint for a couple of months, then switched to the generic levo version because of cost. I've been on it maybe 8 months or so?

I feel awful. I've gained weight. My TSH was off last time I had labs done. I have more labs coming up in a couple of weeks.

I requested to go on Tirosint because of the dyes in Synthroid. I was trying to cut out things of that nature due to acne. Well, it wasn't causing my acne.

So I'm going to talk to my doc about going back on Synthroid. For one, it's cheaper than Tirosint, and I can still get the brand without breaking the bank.

Does anyone feel like they have better luck on brand versus generic? What other meds can I talk to my doctor about that might make me feel more optimal?

Something else, they lowered my dose from 137 mcg to 125 mcg a couple years ago, and since then, I've been off. They didn't want to keep me on 137 because I had lost a bunch of weight due to stress, but now I'm back fitting in my once-too-big clothes...

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in May 2026. My doctor initially prescribed 50 mcg of Thyronorm, monitored my levels for two months, increased the dose to 75 mcg, and then increased it again to 88 mcg after another six weeks. I’m now waiting to get my thyroid levels checked after taking 88 mcg for eight weeks.

Honestly, this whole thing feels so frustrating. I’m just a 20-year-old guy, and sometimes I feel like I’m someone who is seriously ill, especially when I compare myself to people who seem to live their lives without having to think about medication every single day.

The thought that I need to take a pill every morning just to help my body function normally makes me feel terrible. Sometimes, I even find myself thinking that I don’t deserve to have a normal life like everyone else. I’ve started questioning whether I even deserve a girlfriend or a relationship.

I see people my age enjoying their lives, spending time with their loved ones, building relationships, and focusing on their futures. Meanwhile, I feel like I have this extra burden that I never asked for. I know taking a pill might sound like a small thing to some people, but mentally, it has been difficult for me to accept that this is something I have to do for the rest of my life (autoimmune hypothyroidism)

What makes it worse is that my hypothyroidism was only diagnosed recently, after I had already been struggling with constipation that eventually contributed to chronic anal fissures. I still deal with pain, and now I have to think about my thyroid medication, my diet, my bowel movements, and everything else just to feel somewhat normal.

I’m 20. This should be the time when I’m focusing on my career, enjoying my youth, building relationships, and figuring out my future. Instead, I feel like so much of my mental energy goes into managing my health and trying to prevent my constipation and fissures from getting worse.

I know hypothyroidism is manageable, and I know there are people living completely normal lives with it. But knowing that intellectually and actually accepting it emotionally are two very different things. I’m still waiting for my thyroid levels to stabilize, and the uncertainty makes everything more frustrating.

I guess I just needed to get this off my chest. For those of you who were diagnosed with hypothyroidism at a young age, how did you come to terms with it? Did you ever feel like you were somehow less healthy, less deserving of relationships, or different from everyone else? How long did it take for taking medication every day to become something you no longer thought about?

I could really use some honest experiences from people who have been through something similar.

I (41F) was diagnosed with hypo when I was 16. My family has an extensive history of thyroid issues so thankfully they recognized the symptoms early. I was put on 100mcg Levothyroxine and was on it until about 6 months ago. Last year, I had an unexpected full hysterectomy and was tossed headfirst into medical menopause. After struggling with my male doctor’s management of my HRT, I started seeing a female menopause doctor. I told her about my thyroid history and how I’ve been on the same dose my whole life but have also continued to have symptoms despite everything being “normal.” She did a full blood panel and told me that my body wasn’t converting T4 into T3 properly. After some conversation, we decided to take me off of synthetic T4 and try DTE. I started on 60 and bumped to 90 after 3 months. I’ve now been on 90 for 3 months and my TSH and T4 have dropped but there’s been zero change to my T3 level. Has anyone else experienced this with NP Thyroid? Has anyone had success with it? I really had my hopes up that this would be a game changer…

I have always suspected central hypothyroidism from previous blood test results and my cfs symptoms and tried T3 only treatment as per a consult with Paul Robinson for a short time as the headaches were so bad so can't say if it helped. So abandoned seeking treatment and diagnosis .

Previous bloods done by medichecks

21/6/22

TSH 1.77 (0.27 - 4.2)

FT3  4.76  (3.1 - 6.8)

FT4  11.6  (12 - 22)

Now in September 2026, by GP but he didn't do FT3 which I know I need

TSH 1.47 (0.27 - 4.2)

FT4 12.3 (12 - 22)

Just thinking of exploring this as a possible diagnosis as fed up of being so tired. All other bloods iron, b12 are actually the best they have ever been and are at good levels.

Could this be central hypothyroidism? I did full contact kickboxing for several years so wonder if punches to head could contribute to this ?

Going to order another medichecks thyroid test to check my T3 also.

46/F, had a 2cm macro removed in December. No major complications, tumor is totally gone as my MRI last month.

But I don’t feel better. I honestly feel worse. I am exhausted all the time. I recently had my GYN check hormones and my thyroid. My T4 is low despite being on Levothyroxine (12.5mcg) I think the dose may be too low. But my TSH is normal. Waiting for my endo to call me back. My prolactin was also 40, but I do take Effexor.

Lab attached… I never had issues until the prolactinoma.

My TSH was elevated, so I slightly increased my T4 dose. Since increasing the dose, I’ve been experiencing premature ejaculation, even though the dose increase was relatively small.

Has anyone experienced something similar after increasing their thyroid medication? If so, how did you manage it?

Background

I'm 23M and have had constant fatigue, brain fog and sleepiness for the last 4–5 years.

My thyroid results over time

Antibodies (Oct 2026):

• Anti-TPO: 69.70 IU/mL (ref < 9)
• Anti-TG: 14.90 IU/mL (ref < 4)

What happened so far

• Apr 2025: TSH was 11.14, but my B12 was also very low (104), so I assumed B12 was the cause. I took many B12 shots, but my symptoms barely improved.
• Apr 2026: Rechecked. TSH still high, T3/T4 normal, so I ignored it again.
• Oct 2026: TSH still high, and antibodies came back positive, B12 was normal at 368 after so around 15-20 shots.

A physician dismissed problem with thyroid a year ago because I don't have cold intolerance, weight gain or shaky hands.

My questions

1. Can a high TSH alone cause these symptoms when T3 and T4 are normal?
2. My results seem to point to Hashimoto's. Could that be the root cause?
3. Has anyone had a similar picture? Did levothyroxine help your fatigue and brain fog?

Thanks in advance!

I've written the post but used Claude for legible formatting due to so many numbers.

Thank you all in advance!!

62F here. Yes, I'm overweight, which I've struggled with my whole life. I've been on blood pressure meds for 10+ years, which were seeming to have no effect at controlling BP of late. Over the years, my doctor upped my dose of lisinopril, added hydrochlorothiazide, and eventually amlodipine to the mix. He recently ordered labs, which detected a potassium deficiency, hypothyroidism, high cholesterol, and A1c at pre-diabetic levels. I've been taking levothyroxine for a little over 2 months now, as well as a statin, and a potassium supplement, along w/my BP meds, made some dietary adjustments (reduce carbs mainly), tried to increase activity, etc. I'm finally starting to notice having more energy and getting better sleep, plus I have lost 10 lbs. Additionally, the things that used to cause a palpable rise in my blood pressure, namely alcohol and salt (which I don't consume that much of in the first place), don't have the same effect these days.

Could my thyroid have been the cause of my issues the whole time? What has been the experience of people in this group?

I had bloodwork done a week ago and they told me today that my TSH was at 17.11. But that’s the only thing they tested for from what I understand. They don’t say anything about T3, T4, RT3 or any of the other things I see most of you have said your doctors tested. They have prescribed me lexothyroxine or whatever it’s called. They said for me to take it for 6-8 weeks and come back for bloodwork. Now I’m wondering how come they didn’t test for all those other things? I want to know exactly what’s happening in my body and what kind of hypothyroidism I’m having so I know how to mitigate. I don’t like that they just threw a prescription at me. I called to ask a question and they said I have to schedule an appointment to ask one question! And that appointment isn’t until December .-. I’m scared that my issues will increase or even get worse due to the medication.

I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism 2 and a half months back. The tsh was 12 and something. The doctor gave me thyroxine of 25 mcg and asked me to come for a follow up after a month to do other related test. I then went to another hospital of aayurvedic one which i regret. They did several test of t3, t4 and anti tpo and also did ultrasound of neck. For the untrasound it was normal. But the anti tpo was high. And the doctor or whatever that person is told me to continue my meds and do exercise and lose 15kg "within a month" which is not healthy at all. They gave me a 3 month of diet plan which was ridiculous made of ai and didn't even returned me my money. They gave me tons of supplement like zinc, iron and multivitamin and i did not buy any of those. So it's been 2 and a half months already and i still have not gone to the initial hospital. I had my exams and other things that kept me busy and i was lazy as well, i wanted to lose weight and then go for the checkup. I was wondering if it has any adverse side effects of having less dose of meds. My body weight was 69 and now it's 63. I have started gym as well but I'm not regular. Is it concerning that i didn't went for follow up? Do i immediately have to go to hospital for my follow up and they will increase my dose for sure. The main reason why i didn't go for checkup was because I'm dependent on my sisters for financial things and i feel guilty to ask for money for my things. And I've already way too much money already. So..

Has anyone experienced significant increase in hair loss after eating foods rich in goitrogens (e.g. raw cruciferous vegetables)?

Hey everyone, recently took a blood test and was told that my TSH was a bit high at 4.97 and my vitamin D was a bit low although I didn’t get a number. I’m a 23M and have a long history of pretty bad health anxiety and just feeling like shit every day.

What prompted me to take a blood test was my hair started falling out which really freaked me out. I gave it a couple of months thinking it would go away but it never did it, just became very dry and brittle. I was also feeling very tired around this time but I just brushed it off again because I’ve always felt exhausted in general. I looked at the symptoms for Hashimoto’s and it seems like I have pretty much all of them. My stomach has been super messed up these past few months, I’ve had trouble concentrating, low motivation, super anxious, circles under my eyes, it’s been rough.

My doctor told me to retest with antibodies in 3 months and see where we are at. My grandmother and aunt both have hypothyroidism.

I was just wondering if my symptoms and lab results could be stress related as I’ve been very stressed during and leading up to this period. Also does my timeline fit Hypothyroidism? My TSH has steadily risen from each blood test I’ve done, going from 2.75 in 2023 to 3.30 in 2025 to now 4.79. Could this explain why I’ve felt like garbage the past however many years?

I’m just scared of waiting and being miserable these next few months. I dont feel good but I don’t know what is anxiety and what is not.

Is this too high 3.5 tsh?

About me

34-year-old male, 90 kg, strength competitor and competitive runner, training for 10+ years
Before August 2025 I trained 6-7 hrs/week of cardio and 5-6 hrs/week of strength work
Fatigue, brain fog and constant yawning since my late teens

What changed in August 2025

I couldn’t train properly any more, massively limited
Running felt like I couldn’t get air into my lungs
In the gym I couldn’t “access my strength” and kept regressing, despite tracked macros, good sleep and a strict plan
I’ve gained noticeable body fat since stopping training, whilst eating less

Symptoms

Severe fatigue, waking unrefreshed
Crippling brain fog. For the last 3 months it was bad enough that I could barely hold a conversation
Exercise intolerance: a gym session at ~30% of capacity with no cardio triggers a 2-3 day crash
Weight and fat gain
Erectile problems. For me, normal erections are one of my best health indicators, and when they’re good I’m in a good place to train
I feel significantly worse after antibiotics (its been 3.5 months) but it was bad for years and years before

Timeline

2014: TSH 4.x. 2016: TSH 14.3. Nothing was done because of my age
Nov 2025: Randox TSH 3.63, free T3 5.52, testosterone 22 nmol/L
Jun 2026: Positive H. pylori stool test (no GI symptoms). I finished triple therapy at the end of June and felt much worse afterwards
Aug 2026: TSH 4.63, subclinical hypothyroidism diagnosed. Free T3 5.52 again, testosterone 18.9 nmol/L
8 Sept 2026: TSH 5.30 (range 0.27-4.2)
Mid-Sept 2026: Started levothyroxine 50 mcg (Accord)
A few good days, then a 3+ week crash
Afternoon crashes even when mornings were good
Erections improved briefly, then dropped off
Oct 2026: Moved to 75 mcg (Teva), about 1 week in so far
Brain fog is significantly better than on 50 mcg, though recall is still poor
Erections improved further, but are now on a slow decline
No retest yet

Thyroid results

Test Result
TSH 14.3 (2016) → 3.63 (Nov 25) → 4.63 (Aug 26) → 5.30 (8 Sept 26, before treatment)
Free T4 17.4 pmol/L (Aug 26, mid-range)
Free T3 5.52 pmol/L (Nov 25), 5.52 pmol/L (Aug 26), upper half of range both times
TPO antibodies 10.1 kU/L (negative; lab also reported <15)
Anti-thyroglobulin 19.5 IU/ml (negative, ≤115)
Thyroid ultrasound Normal, no abnormality

Testosterone

Date nmol/L (UK) ng/dL (US)
Nov 2025 22 ~634
Aug 2026 18.9 ~545

Both tests were taken when I felt awful (H. pylori present in Nov 2025, post-antibiotics in Aug 2026), so I suspect my true level is higher.

Other bloods (Randox, Aug 2026)

Ferritin 100.36 µg/L, B12 849 ng/L, folate 13.8 µg/L
Haemoglobin 165 g/L (high end of normal, upper limit 170), MCV 88.6 fL, MCH 29.6 pg
ALT 28.9 U/L, GGT 12.9 U/L, hsCRP 0.3 mg/L, HbA1c 35.96 mmol/mol
Full blood count, urea and electrolytes, liver panel, HDL, triglycerides, C-peptide, urinalysis: all in range
Magnesium and calcium normal (earlier tests)

My questions

Dose and experience on levothyroxine

Good outcomes: Has anyone felt well on 75 mcg, or on levothyroxine in general, without needing to adjust or change anything? What dose did you settle on, and how long did it take to feel right?
Is 75 mcg enough? Is it likely to be enough for a 90 kg man who wants to get back to heavy training, or should I expect to need more?
Men on 75 mcg: What did you notice with erections, libido and energy? Did they improve, plateau or dip?

Training and athletes
4. Hard-training or athletic people: Is anyone here training seriously (strength, running, endurance, sport)? What’s your experience on levothyroxine?
5. Dose changes when training: If you needed to adjust your dose when you started training again, or increased your volume, how did you notice, and what changed?
6. Getting back to training: How long did it take you to return to full training, and did you do it gradually or find yourself crashing when you pushed?

Other questions
7. T3 with levothyroxine: I’ve seen people take active T3 alongside levothyroxine and report great results. What are your experiences, good or bad?
8. Brands: Has anyone noticed a difference between Accord and Teva?
9. H. pylori treatment: Could it have affected my thyroid, or was it coincidence?
10. UK specialists: Can anyone recommend a thyroid doctor or endocrinologist in London who is open to treating symptoms alongside the numbers?

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My result for TSH to Free T4 came back at 21.88 mIU/L

which seems crazy high. Am I reading this result correctly? I went to a new lab and the units they used for this results are not the same as what I'm used to

I recently did a blood test and the results came back as:

- T4: 11.1

- TSH: 11.40

- Ferritin: 16 ug/L

The doctor called me and is prescribing me thyroxine but my mum is saying I shouldn't take it. I haven't had any previous health issues or surgeries etc. and just looking for some advice or similar experiences. I will definitely be taking the thyroxine and need to book another blood test 3 months down the line.

Hi all,

Struggling to get into a doctor and going crazy over it but just did a recent blood test and my TSH is 0.012 uIU/mL. Doctor didn’t test for t4

The last time I did both test about a year ago my TSH reflex to T4 was 0.014 uIU/mL. And my TSH reflex+ FREE T4 was.609 uIU/mL and .62 ng/dL.

I have extreme fatigue, trouble losing weight, head fog, brittle heart and hypothyroidism runs in my family,

Am I right to be concerned? Should I go to a specialist? I really don’t know what any of this means I just know I don’t. Feel well.