Thank you for your posts regarding fluctuating thyroid levels. I was diagnosed with Graves’ in 1998 at that age of 29 and had my thyroid gland surgically removed in 2002. (In between I was on antithyroid drugs, which didn’t “stick.”) I have been taking levothyroxine ever since. Since then, my thyroid levels have fluctuated, despite the fact that I take my pill 30 minutes before eating breakfast, at the same time every day, and I even make sure I buy from the same manufacturer to avoid additional dosage variations.
It has been difficult to find an endocrinologist (I went to 5 in Minnesota until I found a good one, and now I’m headed for my 3rd in California) who would agree to test my levels more frequently to stay on top of it and adjust the medication if needed. (And who would treat a TSH between 2.0 and 4.5.) How come there seem to be so many hypothyroid patients that can stay on a single dose of levothyroxine and just “let it ride” with annual checkups, for years and years? At my last visit to the endocrinologist, my TSH levels went from being on the hyper- side of normal to very hypo, in only 6 months. My endocrinologist accused me of not taking my medicine. He increased my dose, checked me again in a month – and my TSH was even MORE hypo. What gives? Is that because TSH lags?
Anyway, I am trying to stabilize my levels; my ob/gyn told me that Vitamin D affects the absorption of thyroid hormone (I didn’t research that, so I don’t know if it is true), so since my D levels are low I started taking supplements of that. I’m also avoiding soy. And per the posts I read, I will do my best to avoid stress!
