Severe bedridden fatigue after starting levothyroxine — Hashimoto’s, but thyroid levels now normal
I’m looking for experiences from people with Hashimoto’s/hypothyroidism who became significantly worse after starting levothyroxine.
My timeline:
10 January 2026: TSH 1.98; ferritin 51; B12 358; vitamin D 71.
19 June 2026: TSH had risen to 7.45, with FT4 13.2. I was experiencing significant fatigue and other symptoms.
9 July 2026: thyroid antibodies came back strongly positive — TPO >400 and TgAb 155, consistent with autoimmune thyroid disease.
July 2026: I started levothyroxine.
Since starting levothyroxine, instead of gradually feeling better, my fatigue has become much worse. I’m now so exhausted that I can be bedridden and sleeping excessively.
9 July: TSH 2.59, FT4 17.6, FT3 4.6.
28 July: TSH 1.63, FT4 16.0, FT3 4.5 — the laboratory reported normal thyroid function.
28 July: reverse T3 400 pmol/L (within the laboratory range).
Despite my thyroid numbers normalising, I feel significantly worse rather than better.
I’m also experiencing extreme skin dryness/dehydration, dull/matte skin and worsening skin symptoms, despite using moisturisers such as QV Intensive Ceramides, hydration, and supplementation of omega 3, 5, 7, krill oil , primrose etc.
I’ve had quite a lot of other testing. My ANA was 1:640, which led to a rheumatology referral, but anti-dsDNA was negative, ENA was negative, C3/C4 were normal, ESR 7 and CRP <3.
I’m trying to understand whether this could be related to levothyroxine, the dose, Hashimoto’s itself, or something else entirely.
Has anyone experienced severe fatigue getting worse after starting levothyroxine even though TSH/FT4/FT3 subsequently became normal?
I am interested in people who became so exhausted they were spending most of their time in bed. Did things eventually improve, or did changing the dose/medication make a difference?