u/ml3k00

Hi. I am 32F, normal BMI, almost 2 months on levo. I started from 50 mcg but after 6 weeks my endo gave me 75 mcg, as my TSH after 6 weeks went from 5 to 3.5 (with basically the same FT3 and FT4 – weird?) and she wants me to have TSH 2-2.5.

I suspect I am subclinically hypo for more than a year. 4 months ago I bought my first smartwatch and from then I can monitor my heart rate. I don't have any comparison to my heart rate before being hypo, as I didn't have any smartwatch then.

So, before starting levo, my TSH was about 5 and my heart rate was about 80-85 bpm while lying down, about 100-115 bpm when standing up and about 130 bpm when I was walking. It's quite unusual, because I heard that being hypo makes your heart rate slow, not fast. I was feeling extremely tired then, but it was the type of tiredeness like I was walking in jelly or another thick substance that was making my movements slow. My legs and arms felt heavy.

Or maybe it was my normal heart rate and now it's something wrong. After 3-4 weeks of levo I noticed my heart rate is slower. Now I can have about 60-65 bpm when lying down or sitting still (one night it was 58 and I almost died from panic attack because I thought my heart will stop beating). When I stand up my heart rate spikes to 90-95 bpm, but it quickly becomes about 75-80 and when I walk, my heart rate is about 100-105 bpm. I have to walk fast for a longer period of time to have it about 130-135 bpm. But with lower heart rate I am also tired. It's not like my legs and arms are heavy (they are a little bit, but not that much), but I generally feel more sleepy overall.

When it comes to other symptoms, before starting levo I had dry hair and extremely puffy eyes. I was also tired and sleepy. Idk about hair, but I think now my face looks less puffy (even if it's not the baseline), but I still experience tiredeness.

My endo is useless. She told me my heart rate is not connected with levo. Also, when I started the dose of 50 mcg, after 4 days of taking it, I started experiencing voice hoarseness that lasted up to 2 weeks and then stopped. I thought it was my body adjusting to meds, but my endo told me it's not possible. What is more, I feel that in first 2 weeks after starting 50 mcg levo and now, 5 days after starting a new dose, 75 mcg levo, I feel more tired.

Is it possible? Did any of you experience those symptoms/changes? I have normal vitamin levels...

Hi. I am 32F, normal BMI, almost 2 months on levo. I started from 50 mcg but after 6 weeks my endo gave me 75 mcg, as my TSH after 6 weeks went from 5 to 3.5 (with basically the same FT3 and FT4 – weird?) and she wants me to have TSH 2-2.5.

I suspect I am subclinically hypo for more than a year. 4 months ago I bought my first smartwatch and from then I can monitor my heart rate. I don't have any comparison to my heart rate before being hypo, as I didn't have any smartwatch then.

So, before starting levo, my TSH was about 5 and my heart rate was about 80-85 bpm while lying down, about 100-115 bpm when standing up and about 130 bpm when I was walking. It's quite unusual, because I heard that being hypo makes your heart rate slow, not fast. I was feeling extremely tired then, but it was the type of tiredeness like I was walking in jelly or another thick substance that was making my movements slow. My legs and arms felt heavy.

Or maybe it was my normal heart rate and now it's something wrong. After 3-4 weeks of levo I noticed my heart rate is slower. Now I can have about 60-65 bpm when lying down or sitting still (one night it was 58 and I almost died from panic attack because I thought my heart will stop beating). When I stand up my heart rate spikes to 90-95 bpm, but it quickly becomes about 75-80 and when I walk, my heart rate is about 100-105 bpm. I have to walk fast for a longer period of time to have it about 130-135 bpm. But with lower heart rate I am also tired. It's not like my legs and arms are heavy (they are a little bit, but not that much), but I generally feel more sleepy overall.

When it comes to other symptoms, before starting levo I had dry hair and extremely puffy eyes. I was also tired and sleepy. Idk about hair, but I think now my face looks less puffy (even if it's not the baseline), but I still experience tiredeness.

My endo is useless. She told me my heart rate is not connected with levo. Also, when I started the dose of 50 mcg, after 4 days of taking it, I started experiencing voice hoarseness that lasted up to 2 weeks and then stopped. I thought it was my body adjusting to meds, but my endo told me it's not possible. What is more, I feel that in first 2 weeks after starting 50 mcg levo and now, 5 days after starting a new dose, 75 mcg levo, I feel more tired.

Is it possible? Did any of you experience those symptoms/changes? I have normal vitamin levels...

Hi. I was 6 weeks on 50 mcg levo. It was my starting dose. My TSH was 4.5 then but it was for 1 year from 4 to 4.9. My Ft3 and Ft4 were normal but on the lower side.

After 6 weeks of levo my TSH was 3.5 but my Ft3 and Ft4 were exactly the same as they were. I didn't notice much change in facial puffiness (maybe my eyes are a little less puffy but still not the baseline), my heart rate became slower which scared me (it was 80-85 bpm when lying down and up to 140 when walking and after 6 weeks on levo it's 60-65 and 120, but I am still tired so I am afraid I'm dying). I can feel it's easier to breathe.

But that's all. My energy levels are still not ideal as well as my face still looks puffy and I still have dry hands and hair.

My endo upped my dose to 75 mcg saying if 50 mcg would be too much, I would have hyperthyroidism and it touched my TSH, but not the level she wants it (she wants me to have TSH about 2).

It doesn't seem logical to me, as my TSH wasn't high, I saw people having 20 or 50, and they were put on 25 mcg or 50 mcg levo which lowered their TSH to 5, and me on the same dose went only from 4.5-4.9 to 3.5. When she gave me 50 mcg I was even afraid I will get hyper, as my TSH was so low and I was defined "subclinical".

I am afraid something's wrong with me. That my levo is not working. My other labs were normal, my vitamin and minerals levels were normal too. I am taking zinc, selenium, omega 3 and vitamin d3 btw. My ferritin was 70 (I am 58 kg of weight).

I lost hope I will be healthy and good looking again.

I asked her about conversion issues and she told me it's likely not my case, as both my Ft3 and Ft4 were normal-low, with no disproportion between them.

Help. :((

I am 32F, 1.5 year ago I started feeling weird and experiencing eye/face puffiness, tiredeness, weak muscles. My TSH was then about 4.8, with normal, but on the lower side of the range, FT3 and FT4, so I was ignored by docs and my problems were attributed to other issues (gallbladder, celiac disease, but I was already gluten free and my diet was ok).

During last year my TSH, which I was doing during my routine blood work (I was monitoring health due to celiac and diagnosing my gallbladder) was jumping from 3.6 to 4.8, no pattern. For example, in April 2025 was 3.8, then in June 2025 was 4.8, then in September 2025 was 3.8 and so on. I got my gallbladder removed in January, my celiac is well controlled and I am on a diet, and my symptoms persisted, and was getting worse.

By June 2026 I had: tiredeness, lack of energy, extreme sleepiness, trouble breathing and high heart rate during even small sport activity, facial and eye puffiness that wouldn't go away with dropping eyelids, weak muscles, numbness and tingling in hands and wrists at night, dry and coarse hair, I noticed my eyebrows got thinner.

My TSH then was 4.5, ft3 was 2.68 (2.04-4.40), ft4 was 15 (12-22). I saw endocrinologist, she did the ultrasound and found I have thyroiditis resembling Hashimoto's (heterogenous, small thyroid with fibrosis). Blood tests didn't show ANY Hashimoto's antibodies as well as no Graves-Basedow's. I had DHEA-s and cortisol tested, and it was withing range too. She put me on 50mcg levo and told me to do another bloodwork in 6 weeks.

So I did, and I got my results. My TSH is 3.5 now, so NO MAJOR DIFFERENCE and it may be as well be biological change, and my ft3 and ft4 are basically the same. They were also the same 1 year ago, solid 15 for ft4 and about 2.7 for ft3, and I wasn't on levo then.

I also didn't notice any major difference in how I feel. I am still tired and have physical activity intolerance, my eyes didn't return to normal etc. My hair seems to be a little better, but I am not sure. I still don't sleep well at night.

The results and the fact that therapy didn't work, gave me another round of panic attacks and anxiety which stopped in the last months, probably because I gained HOPE that something will HELP and I will feel NORMAL.

When it comes to other things, I have: normal bloodwork, normal electrolytes, normal D3, normal iron and ferritin, normal zinc, magnesium, selenium, normal foliate and B12, normal albumin, normal liver panel, normal blood sugar and insulin, normal urine and kidneys, normal ultrasound of lymph nodes, normal chest x-ray, no allergies, no antibodies for lupus and all those autoimmune conditions confirmed by antinuclear antibodies, normal cortisol and DHEA-s and I feel hopeless... My celiac is controlled and endoscopy didn't show damage to small intestine. I am taking my levo 3 hours before eating, with small amount of water only and I don't mix it with any vitamins etc.

Did anyone of you had this problem? What does it mean?

I am 3 weeks on 50 mcg of levo due to autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism (because of symptoms and thyroid ultrasound my endo suspects early or seronegative Hashimoto's). After 3 weeks of taking meds I still have my symptoms, but I noticed my heart rate decreased. Or I am crazy.

It's weird, because with hypothyroidism you are supposed to have SLOW heart rate and I had 90 bpm during resting and activity intolerance with random spikes in heart rate to 130-150 bpm during mild activity like walking, lifting something or sometimes even waking up. At week 2 of levothyroxine treatment, I noticed my resting heart rate is now closer to 70 bpm and when I walk it's more 90-110, than 130-150. I am going to have my first labs on levo done in next 3 weeks.

Does it sound normal to any of you? I heard hypothyroidism is slow heart rate and levo may cause you being hyper, so your heart rate is faster. And before treatment my heart rate was abnormally high, especially during small activities, and now it looks more... normal?

Hi, did anyone get rid of puffy face/eyes and feeling of being extremely weak and exhausted just taking levo?

My hypothyroidism seems to be subclinical and autoimmune, but I have a lot of symptoms. The worst is puffiness of face and feeling sleepy, tired no matter what. My muscles feel weak and heavy all the time.

I have normal vitamin levels. I got levo 50mcg 2 weeks ago and no difference in energy levels and puffiness. I am afraid my levo won't touch the illness.

Anyone's stories?

I have autoimmune inflammation of thyroid with not that high TSH (3.8-4.8) and normal FT3 and FT4, so I have subclinical hypothyroidism.

And a lot of symptoms like puffiness, dry hair, hoarse voice now, thinner eyebrows etc. But the worst is this debilitating fatigue and being tired after waking up from 8 hours of sleep. It lasts for months.

Normal bloodwork, normal ferritin (more than 60 and I am 58kg of weight), normal iron, normal B12, normal hemoglobin, only D3 low, but I suppose it's my whole life, because I am from Northern Europe, so no sun for me.

I am gluten free for more than a year.

About 10 days ago I started levothyroxine. I can't see any improvement. Is it possible that this tiredeness would EVER go away?

Or is it something more sinister happening? I had autoimmune panel (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis etc.) and I didn't have antibodies for those.

Hi. I started levothyroxine 10 days ago and since day 5 I have hoarse voice. Did anyone experience this on levo?

I didn't have it before treatment and I don't have cold. My thyroid on ultrasound was smaller than normal, so no goiter.

Hi. I was diagnosed with PROBABLE hypothyroidism (subclinical) with unknown ethiology, probably autoimmune, but I don't have Hashimito's or Graves' antibodies present.

My thyroid is inflamed right now in the ultrasound, non heterogenous with mild fibrosis and is not very big (but not atrophic yet). I am also celiac and autoimmune (also thyroiditis) runs in my family, but no one has Hashimoto's antibodies present. My mom is on 100 micrograms of levothyroxine for years, my grandma was also taking it due to hypothyroidism.

I am gluten free, no lactose intolerance, had numerous bloodworks and tests for a lot of diseases, also autoimmune like lupus or arthritis. I had normal levels of ferritin (more than 65), iron, vitamins (except D3, but I started taking it 2 weeks ago), my CRP is normal. My celiac disease is well controlled which is visible in bloodwork and in fact that I don't have any vitamin deficiencies (when I was undiagnosed and non gluten free, I constantly had anemia). They even tested my heart and kidneys, as well as albumin and proteins in blood and urine, because I have puffy face.

For 1 year I experience symptoms like puffy face (especially eyes), tiredeness and low energy and now I have also dry hair and dry heels. My muscles feel weak and tired. I have constantly elevated TSH or in the upper range, but it's not very elevated and it may not explain my symptoms?

My TSH levels from last year are:

3.6 (April 2025), 4.8 (June 2025), 3.7 (August 2025), 3.85 (April 2026), 4.5 (June 2026).

My bloodwork now (June 2026) is:

TSH 4.5 (0.27-4.20)

FT3 2.68 (2.04-4.40)

FT4 1.27 (0.92-1.68)

I went to endo 1 week ago and I got 50 micrograms of levothyroxine, but I don't feel any difference. Maybe I am even more tired/sleepy taking it. I don't know if my dose is incorrect, because I heard that first effects are visible within 1 week of treatment, or my dose is too high or there's something else going on and I am puffy and tired/weak because of some other ilness...

Can you describe your experience?

Hi, how long for the meds to start working, to see effects in energy levels, edema, hair etc.?

Hi. I am 32 yo, woman. My TSH is elevated for 1 year and I have symptoms of hypothyroidism such as puffy face, depression, dry hair and general weakness/tiredeness. Ultrasound showed heterogenous thyroid with signs of inflammation. No findings, so I didn't have biopsy.

No Hashimoto/Graves antibodies, but endo said it MAY BE Hashimoto's at early stage or sometimes patients have classical Hashimoto's with no antibodies and inflammatory findings in the ultrasound.

But my TSH is not very high, sometimes it's within the norm (e.g. 3.8). I can say, it oscilates between 3.8 and 4.8, so it can be slightly above the norm (my lab's norm is 4.2). My ft3 and ft4 are within norm, but they are usually on the lower side of the norm.

I had a lot of tests for vitamins etc. and everything was ok, except from the vitamin D3 in the lower side of the norm, so I got meds for it.

My endo gave me a test dose of 50 micrograms levothyroxine daily for 6 weeks, then I have to do the labs. He also suggested to do a more specific cortisol and aldosterone test (my cortisol was slightly elevated with normal DHEA S), just to be sure I didn't have issues with those. But it has to be done additionally during those 6 weeks on levo, I have to start my meds tomorrow.

What do you think? Is my dosage too high for my TSH and no Hashimoto's antibodies and normal ft3 and ft4? I had other autoimmune tests done (lupus, rheumathoid artritis etc. via ANA/ANC antibodies), my kidneys checked due to puffiness and all tests were negative.

I got my labs today and I feel completely defeated.

​

I have no anty-tpo and anty-tg antibodies, no elevated traab (so no Graves-Basedow), my ft3 and ft4 are within normal range and my TSH is non stop elevated/upper range, for at least 1 year. Now it's 4.5.

​

For this year I am tired, depressed, weak, I wake up with puffy face, now for at least 6 months I have non stop puffy eyes.

​

My other labs are rather normal, except elevated monocytes. My ferritin and iron levels are really ok (I had anemia, so I know that ferritin 20, but within norm, is low). I have low D3, but I probably had it for years.

​

In the ultrasound my thyroid looks inflamed. But no endo would give me meds until my TSH is 10, if I don't have antibodies...

I am in the process of diagnosis, I have mild hypothyroidism visible in labs and inflammation of thyroid visible in ultrasound.

Full thyroid panel is still awaiting me, but it's possible I won't have any antibodies, as I didn't have last year with abnormal TSH and other symptoms, and my mom doesn't have them as well, despite being on meds for +10 years and having autoimmune hypothyroidism.

The thing is, I am tired, slow, depressed and I have puffy face/eyes. It lasts for months and I finally started figuring it out, it may be linked to my thyroid function.

I read that if your condition is autoimmune (mine probably is), meds doesn't help and all you have to do is diet, thyroid protocols etc. But I am already gluten free (celiac) and super aware of nutritional deficiencies for years, so I am taking vitamins, omega 3, sodium butyrate, probiotics.

But I can't immagine living with this tiredeness and puffy face, I see it as a manifestation of hypothyroidism. Is it possible to have this type of issues with TSH only about 4-4.5? Can it go away after taking meds?

Hi, I am in the process of diagnosis and they suspect Hashimoto's and maybe even other autoimmune condition. From 1 year I am diagnosed celiac and gluten free. Anyone else has more than 1 autoimmune issue? Or is celiac? How do you live with it?

Is it possible to manage autoimmune symptoms as puffy face and tiredeness? I don't know yet if I will be taking hormones but I read they help thyroid function and doesn't bring down the inflammation.

1 year ago my TSH was 4.7, my Ft3 and Ft4 were about 25% but within range and no doctor noticed that. For 1 year I have facial/eye puffiness, tiredeness, heart palpitations. Finally I saw endo who gave me a bunch of tests, I am waiting for the results. I am super afraid it may be something really bad as I had bad % proportions of WBC (higher lymphocytes and monocytes, lower neutrophils even if absolute values were within range).

[TL;DR] How? :(( I am diagnosed celiac and in the process of diagnosis of other, probably autoimmune, diseases. It drains me physically and mentally. I've always been strong and healthy, I am 32 years old, so I want to be active. How do you deal with your physical symptoms (energy levels, pains, feeling unwell) and mental issues during all those tests, labs, doctors visit, medications? Is it possible to live a happy life, meet friends, have a job (even remote one), enjoy yourself? For now I find it hard to do. For those who want to read, my story below.

MY STORY: I am 32, so I am young. I've been strong, healthy and active my whole life, never had any issues. BUT autoimmune runs in my family, on my mom's side. BUT my mom and my grandma, both started having more pronounced issues in perimenopause, so after being 45-50 years old (menopause in my family starts about 60). Issues thar run in my family are: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, insulin resistance, autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Maybe there have been signs. Like dry skin on my scalp when I was 14 years old that has never gone away. But my mom has psoriasis/atopic skin, so it was normal for me (I've seen her my entire childhood with dots, spots, applying ointments). Then, when I was 20 years old, I developed a strange facial redness, especially during winter. Nobody was interested whether it was lupus/rosacea or not, I got steroids it has gone away, then it appeared another cold season and stayed for years, with no other symptoms. I've always been a little bit anemic, but nobody cared, I managed with diet and doctors said it's probably "my norm" that my erytrocytes are smaller than usual (after some hematologic and fecal tests).

Then, I had really bad/stressful 3 years. Pandemic, global wars (I'm European, so it feels dangerous) and toxic relationship where I was mentally abused. I was stressed, depressed and generally mentally unwell. And then, after psychotherapy, when I started feel better 1 year ago, I got a really bad flu. It lasted only 5 days, but was sooo intense... And then it started. My year from hell.

At first, I was feeling bad for 2 months, sleepy, tired, mouth and tongue ulcers, dry skin, bad hair and nails, pale/yellow skin. I went to do labs and I had anemia. I had all blood panel done, vitamins, electrolytes etc., got oral iron, didn't feel much better, got tests, was diagnosed celiac and went gluten free. Anemia was gone, but not tiredeness and general feeling of being unwell. Then, weird pains in my right side started, so another issue. I was having elevated monocytes, facial swelling, tiredeness, yellowish eyes. I won't describe the whole process, but after 9 months of chronic inflammation and countless tests (even MRI), medical visits where doctors and kept telling me to start meds for anxiety, as I am clearly imagining things (!!!), I got my gallbladder removed. It was a year from hell, with me feeling bad and having symptoms, and being completely alone, gaslit by doctors, even family (because doctors kept telling me it's fine and they had university, so I must have had hysteria).

After surgery, which showed chronic inflammation, I thought it may get better when it comes to monocytes and other WBC's and facial swelling, but it did not. So, 5 months after my hospital stay, another round of tests. My thyroid hormones were a little abnormal 1 year ago, but nobody was interested. I was thinking that all my issues are gallbladder related and it will go away after removal, so I was focusing mainly on my abdomen. But my thyroid ultrasound showed inflammation, so now they're thinking autoimmune thyroiditis of some sort. And also, something else. Lupus, rheumatoid artritis? I don't know yet. This week I had/am having all the tests and labs, then 2 weeks of waiting and I will have the results, so maybe I will know SOMETHING. Some path, the way I should go for further diagnosis. But, apart from feeling physically unwell, it drains me mentally. People my age are healthy, I was the same for years. And now, I have some chronic illness and I don't know how to deal with it. Also, I am afraid it may be something worse, as I've developed health anxiety after this year. I have a lot of what ifs in my head.

I am not looking for diagnosis. I am having autoimmune blood panel in one week (waiting for the results is long) and I am already diagnosed celiac for more than 1 year.

I am also waking up with swollen/puffy face and eyes, eyes stay puffy the whole day. Do you also have it? With which autoimmune disease? I am wondering about thyroid or lupus.

Hi, did you have any changes in white blood cells while having Hashimoto? I am in the process of diagnosis, with elevated TSH and ultrasound that showed inflammation. I am waiting for my thyroid lab results but bloodwork showed disproportions in white blood cells.

As in the title. And what was your TSH before you started taking meds? Was treatment effective and is your illness manageable?

Thank you!