Your mother received IV iron in November. If she is currently taking oral iron or
calcium supplements too close to her
thyroid medicine, they will bind to the hormone in her gut and completely block its absorption.
Levothyroxine requires strict stomach acidity to absorb. Taking it with tea, milk, coffee, or food instead of plain water will cause the treatment to fail.
A
TSH of 12 means her body is starving for thyroid hormone. The current 50 mcg dose is simply no longer enough for her body's metabolic needs, which is exactly why she is experiencing body swelling (myxedema) and generalized pain.
Next Steps
Proceed with the dose adjustment calmly. Seek immediate emergency care if she develops severe slowdowns, extreme lethargy, a dangerously low heart rate, or difficulty breathing (signs of severe untreated hypothyroidism).
Health Tips
To safely calculate her updated weight-based
thyroid dosage and review her complete medication chart for interactions, please book a full consultation session via my Practo profile."