Guest Author - Jim Lowrance

The first thing I always suggest to treated hypothyroid patients who experience low energy and fatigue that is an important consideration when being replaced with thyroid hormone, is making sure the hormone therapy is being as optimized as possible. Some doctors only treat to get the TSH level anywhere within the normal range but some patients need a TSH that is really suppressed, in order to feel better. The low normal at most labs for TSH is from about 0.3 to 0.5 and some patients need theirs to be at these lowest normal levels to see significant symptom relief and a doctor willing to work with them in trials of doses that get them there.

If you haven't received copies of labs you've had done to monitor your thyroid hormone therapy, I would ask for your most recent ones, to see where your doctor has put your TSH level (the “HIPPA” law in the U.S. grants patient’s copies). If he has kept your TSH level at above 2.0 especially, you need to discuss a trial of a dose that will suppress the level down to below a 1.0 or even lower-normal. Some doctors are overly concerned that getting TSH that low will cause hyperthyroid symptoms however this won't happen with close monitoring and with also testing the Free T-3 and Free T-4 levels for better monitoring of a dose that suppresses your TSH.

Other than this, I like to suggest a good multi-vitamin to thyroid patients but especially ones with B-12 and the other B vitamins because these help with energy. The sublingual type (liquid, i.e. "Perfect B" Brand) is good because it absorbs quickly and can be taken twice daily to help energy stay up through the day.

Some patients also report better symptom relief and improved energy levels by cutting wheat and dairy from their diet as well (takes discipline). This is due to the fact that glutton intolerance (sensitivity to wheat products) is more common in autoimmune thyroid patients and dairy products can flare the symptoms of lactose intolerance in thyroid patients as well.

These are suggestions that can aid thyroid hormone therapy in relieving hypothyroid symptoms, including low energy and fatigue, the best possible.