It does get better. Has your doctor increased your dose of medication at all? I know you read threads about people feeling better within a week of going on meds, but it took me 90 days. If the meds you received weren't sufficient, it could take longer. Everyone is different.

once they get your meds correct you will feel better but it may only be for a short time too... that is my problem. my results are in the "normal " range but yet i feel like crap. my dr said she can't move them too much or i will be getting too much meds! go figure. so i have every symptom i can have and nothing is being done. I asked a second dr and they said the same... so he asked me if i wanted him to talk to my dr and then have her get a hold of me, i said YA! oh course! There has to be a reason why i feel so crappy. She upped my meds for the 1st time in YEARS back in oct and i felt like a million bucks for 4 months, that was it! MY weighloss has slowed right down again, making it so hard and discouraging.... but i keep at it and hope that it still makes me a healthier person in general and then when i do find a good dose of meds it will fall off no problem...

If your endo is only testing TSH, please ask him to check some other things -- TSH is not a good indicator of how your thyroid is performing - all it shows is that you don't have enough INACTIVE T4 hormone. But if you aren't converting that T4 to the ACTIVE T3 hormone, then you will feel very bad. Your body needs T3. There's also a hormone called Reverse T3 -- it's a "blank" copy of T3. It plugs up the T3 receptors in your cells and slows down your metabolism so that it will burn as few calories as possible.

In addition, your Ferritin levels could be low - typical of hypo. Also, Vitamin D could be low - which will make you very fatigued and unable to lose weight. Finally, and as important as your thyroid levels is your adrenal levels - cortisol especially. When you are hypothyroid, your adrenals work overtime trying to keep your energy levels up -- but eventually, they get fatigued and start acting whacky - producing too much or not enough cortisol and producing it at the wrong time of day - resulting in insomnia, anxiety, weight gain and other symptoms.

Please go to www.stopthethyroidmadness.com -- read about TSH and why it is not a good indicator of how you are. Ask your doctor to treat your SYMPTOMS. There's a link to recommended labwork that you can ask for. You really are the boss of your body, so don't ask the doctor -- tell the doctor what you want.

I am heartened by the fact that the endo said they were aiming for .3 on your TSH -- that's a good sign. But he really needs to look at your Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3, Ferritin/Iron, Vitamin D, etc.

Good luck - let us know how you are doing.
Terri

You got it -- be super pushy!! And if you have to search for another doctor, I would recommend using the Find A Doctor tips on STTM. TSH 2.9 might be within the so-called normal range, but my Naturopath allows my TSH to go to .1. It won't hurt you to take Vitamin D -- make sure it's D3. Most women, especially Hypo women, have Vitamin D. absorption problems. We don't get outside enough and when we do, our makeup and sunscreen prevents us from getting it. you could start on 1,000 MG a day... I take 10,000 MG a day!! I'm pretty sure my vitamin D is normal now, but if I stop supplementing, it will go low again.

Did they check your antibodies for Hashimoto? I have Hashi, and my levels tend to swing wildly - especially after I've had a cold or other infection - when my immune system is stoked... my TSH goes high, my T4 and T3 go low.

Here's some stuff I found on reading labs:
FREE T3 LAB TEST: T3 is the active thyroid hormone. Free in front of the T3 means you are measuring what is available and unbound. Those on an optimal amount of desiccated thyroid, with no lingering hypothyroid symptoms and in the presence of healthy adrenals, tend to have a free T3 at the top of the range

FREE T4 LAB TEST: T4 is the thyroid storage hormone. Free in front of the T4 means you are measuring what is available and unbound. Generally, those on an optimal amount of desiccated thyroid will have a free T4 mid-range or higher when their free T3 is at the top and in the presence of healthy adrenals.

I am not a doctor, but you can look at your labs and see what low/mid/high ranges are.. and see if you match up to this.

Wow, I'm getting pretty good at this - I was guessing Hashimoto. Was your Vitamin D low also? Pretty typical for us to be unable to absorb vitamin D from sunlight or food.

We don't absorb vitamin D well? What? I didn't know this. So would a Vitamin D supplement be a good thing?

Got my Lab work back.. Everything is in the middle of Normal! It has never been this low... I am happy. So, I tell my dr. that I am still tired and not wanting to eat. He told me that my B-12 could be low and to start taking B-12. He also said that because I have been getting throat infection that my body has not even recovered. I also brought up my goiter, I have not had one since I got diagnosed. Now, I have to get an ultrasound on my thyroid! I also have to see and Ear, Nose and Throat specialist to have my tonsilis removed.. my life has just become my nightmare.

Be very, very careful of Vitamin D. Have your doctor test your blood levels first. I'm deficient and am on prescription D after continuing trial and error. Too much or too little can really mess you up. I get SEVERE muscle cramping and tightness if mine is off and dosing yourself can throw everything off track.