Top Signs Your Thyroid Meds Are Working
When we discuss optimizing your thyroid medication, we inevitably need to discuss how we know our medication is working. What do you need to look out for?
The first thing to know is that the amount you’re taking is reasonable for your body size. There are a lot of numbers to crunch here, but I have put together a very handy calculator that can help you figure this out in record time. You can take a look at it here.
If your dose is much higher than one would predict based on your body size, something may not be right! It could be that your body is not absorbing it correctly, that you don’t need it, or that there are a whole host of other factors at play.
The next sign that your dose is properly working is that your blood levels are stable. They are normal and within a reasonable range.
Finally, your dose is working when the symptoms you had prior have gone away or gotten markedly better.
How Do You Know Your Thyroid Meds Aren’t Working?
Conversely, let’s talk about some warning signs that might tell us that our thyroid medication is not working to our benefit.
If your dose doesn’t make sense or is way higher than expected per your body size, that should ring some alarm bells.
Additionally, if your blood levels are not stable and often fluctuate, a quick point here is that if your thyroid levels are unstable, there could be many issues at play.
A big thing to think about is how you are timing your thyroid blood tests. Are you testing at the right time? I’ve written a complete guide on the subject, but here’s a quick run-through:
- It has to happen in the morning (between 7:00-9:00)
- You have to test before taking your thyroid medication
- Testing should be done after fasting and without supplements
- It also must be timed properly with your menstrual cycle
Back to the topic at hand, your thyroid medications may not be working if you are still struggling with thyroid symptoms. This could include:
- Weight
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Mood changes
All of these are critical. While they might come from other reasons beyond your thyroid, you should still know that. This is especially true if you’re told that your thyroid is the issue, but thyroid medications aren’t helping.