A 42-year-old woman presents with complaints of fatigue, col…
A 42-year-old woman presents with complaints of fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, weight gain, and dry skin over the past few months. She mentions that her periods have become heavier. On examination, her heart rate is 58 bpm, her skin is dry, and she has a mildly enlarged, non-tender thyroid. Her lab values are:Test Result Reference RangeTSH 7.9 µIU/mL 0.4–4.0 µIU/mLFree T4 0.5 ng/dL 0.8–1.8 ng/dLAnti-TPO Ab Positive Negative/Low Based on the clinical findings and labs, what is the most appropriate initial treatment for this patient?