Will I Be Able to Stop Taking My Thyroid Medication?

Ah, the million-dollar question! If I had a penny for every time someone asked me if they could stop thyroid medication, I’d probably be sunbathing in the Maldives by now!

I understand the frustration that comes with taking levothyroxine. It’s often seen as the ultimate villain – this tiny, seemingly pointless pill that’s supposed to help but doesn’t seem to do much for your low energy, brain fog, or stubborn weight gain. You might be wondering, “What’s the point?”

Well, “can I stop taking thyroid medication?” is the wrong question. The focus should be on healing & symptom remission, not stopping medication.

Levothyroxine: What It Really Does

Before we dive into whether or not you can come off your meds, let’s clear up what levothyroxine is actually doing. Levothyroxine isn’t altering your body chemistry; it’s just replenishing the hormone your thyroid is struggling to produce—T4. Your body needs thyroid hormones to function properly, and it’s non-negotiable.

So even if you’re not feeling better right now (we’ll get into why), it’s still crucial to maintain these hormone levels to support key bodily functions. The thyroid runs a lot of the show, so stopping your meds without proper guidance can be dangerous. Always, always consult your healthcare professional before making any big decisions.

So, Can You Get Off Thyroid Medication?

The answer is, it depends.

According to most biology textbooks, the thyroid is a non-regenerative organ, meaning that once it’s damaged, it doesn’t fully heal. But that’s not the whole story. While some people will have to stay on medication for life, there’s still hope for others, especially if they start the healing process early on.

For example, if you’ve had Hashimoto’s for 20+ years and have been on medication for almost as long without addressing the underlying causes, it might be harder to come off your meds. But if you catch it early, there’s a much higher chance of success. That’s why I always encourage women not to wait until their symptoms are unbearable before starting their healing journey.

Real-Life Stories of Thyroid Regeneration

As your self-proclaimed Thyroid Hope Giver, I’m happy to tell you that I’ve personally witnessed thyroid regeneration. My own thyroid has fully recovered after a decade on levothyroxine—no signs of Hashimoto’s, no hypothyroidism, and I’ve been off medication for two years.

I’ve even seen a client regrow part of her thyroid after a complete thyroidectomy. So yes, thyroid regeneration is possible. And I regularly help my clients reduce their medication after years of being on it, which means their thyroid is starting to do its job again.

Focus on Healing, Not Just Medication

Here’s my big question for you: why are we even focusing on the idea of getting off your medication right now? The primary goal should be getting your symptoms into remission and helping you feel like your best self again. Once we get there, then we can talk about antibody remission, and eventually, we can start thinking about lowering or even stop thyroid medication.

But, and this might surprise you, sometimes, to come down on your medication, you might first have to go up.

Yes, you read that right! For some people, increasing their dosage temporarily gives their body the extra thyroid hormone it needs to fuel the healing process. Whether that’s reducing inflammation, lowering antibodies, or correcting root causes like gut health issues, adrenal imbalances, or nervous system dysregulation. Once we’ve addressed these deeper issues (which we do in my BLOOM programme), your thyroid might start to function better on its own, and we can consider reducing the meds.

What Should You Focus on First?

Right now, your focus should be on getting your symptoms into remission. I want you to feel like yourself again. I want you to look in the mirror and love what you see. I want you to have the energy to do the things you love in a body that feels like home.

Once we get there, we’ll talk about antibody remission and reducing your medication. But remember, healing the root causes takes time. Whether it’s gut health, detox pathways, inflammation, or emotional trauma, we need to address these imbalances before your thyroid can stop relying on external medication.

Join Me in BLOOM & Other Courses

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by this journey and don’t know where to start, let me help you. BLOOM, my 3-month signature programme, is designed to take you through every step of the healing process. It’s a complete roadmap to reducing your thyroid symptoms, healing root causes, and getting your life back.

The current autumn 2024 cohort is already underway and fully booked, but you can join the waitlist now for the spring 2025 cohort here! We’ll start in March, and it’s always worth joining the waitlist for special offers and early-bird promotions!

In the meantime, you should definitely check out my Hashimoto’s and Graves’ Masterclasses as well as my Thyroid Fundamentals self study course. You can also follow me on Insta for a wealth of free knowledge!