Does Levothyroxine Cause Acne (Page 5) (Top voted first)

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I have been taking 25mcg for about 6 weeks and feel much better, no weight loss, but no gain. I have developed acne on my chin and around the right side of my mouth...is this a side effect? Anyone else had this happen?

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28

yes. I have been taking 50mcg of levothyroxine and I developed cystic acne on my chin and forehead. Quite common, but doctors still maintain denial on the topic.

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30

I agree 100%. I developed cystic acne on my face and acanthosis nigricans on my stomach, breast, and neck since, I started taking medication. How much research is conducted on a medication? Any input from health insurance to emphasize the prescription of the same?

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34

I thought I was wrong too...but seeing all this post about it. I myself have been taken levothyroxine for 3 mths.I first started on 100mcg now I'm on 75mcg but still have been breaking out on my forehead, cheecks, breast, back, its really grooss! I've asked my doctor too and all they say is that its not the meds but I know it is haven't had this before. Any suggestions on what to take or do???

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35

I hope somebody comes out with the answer!!

I have started also taking medicines... 3 weeks ago and its all over my face .. near ears and back.. I am taking levoxin 25mcg. Its really frustrating.. to have them.. does anybody have a home remedy to cure them?

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36

Update - after speaking with my doctor, who agreed it was related to the Levothyroxine, I stopped taking the meds and my rash cleared up in a few days. From what my doctor said, it's not the prescription, but the filler that is added to make the pill large enough to ingest. I am now on Armor Thyroid and am not having any problems at all

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37

Dr. switched me from generic to Levoxyl, hoping for better results.

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38

Me too, my doctor just raised my dose from 50 to 75, I have been on it for 4 days and am having a bad breakout on my chin and the area around it. I have had clear skin my whole life until now and am in my mid 40's.... This is really unusual for me and it started with the higher dosage.

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39

I have been taking this medication since January 2012 (6 months). My acne started up again right around that time. It took me until today to do an internet search and see if there was a connection reported. I have acne on my chin as well, scarring too that I haven't had since my 20's.

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42

I have never ever gotten any acne and although I'm only 19 I'd say that I am a rare case as such. However, after starting on levothyroxine three months ago my skin has severely worsened and the zits are rather painful as well which my friends say is not normal. But, this only began about a month ago when I stopped waking up an hour earlier to take the pill, and sometimes took two the next day to compensate for forgetting the day before that. If you don't follow the instructions and take it at the right time one dosage at a time, I think those irregularities cause this.

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44

I've been taking levothyroxine for years and have minor acne problems but have always had some sort of issue since I was a teen (I'm in my late 20's). Maybe it's because I've been on this med for years? Anyways, 6 weeks ago a pharmacy mistakenly increased my dose 1.5X and I've been breaking out like crazy for the past 4-6 weeks and my face has never been so oily. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one and hopefully it'll go away once my dose is corrected. FWIW, my original does is 100 micrograms.

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45

Yes I have acne in the same places on my face and I am on 150mcg of the samething, and I have been on it for years and it just started happening to me the last month and I have tried everything, If i find out anything or you do let me know and I will let you know.

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47

From what my doctor told me, it is not the levothyroxine that causes the acne, but the filler in the medicine that makes the pill large enough to ingest. The medicine itself is so minute that the drug companies must add things to make the pill itself. I never had acne in my life, and as a 53-year old woman, I immediately developed it after taking this medication. It got so bad, it looked like a rash on my forehead and around my mouth, chin, and nose. I went off it and am taking Armour instead, and the acne disappeared completely (though I do have a few scars on my forehead). My advice - get off it now, and switch to Armour!

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48

I have been taking Levothyroxine for almost 6 months and have been experiencing breakouts. I asked my doctor if it was associated with the medication she told me no. I've experienced groups of pimples what looks like a rash on my forehead and cheeks, but worst of all painful pimples under the skin above my mouth and on my chin. I don't want to have to take another medication to prevent the side effects of this medication....this is ridiculous! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO POST NOW I KNOW I'M NOT CRAZY AND THAT IT IS THE MEDICATION. I may have to tell my M.D. to review the response of everyone else's before she tells her patients its not a side effect. Also ask her to change my meds.

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49

I have also started the 125mcg of levothyroxine about 5 weeks ago and that was after taking the 137 mcg in june of this year, since my dose was lowered i have gotten a horrible case of acne that my doctor is saying has nothing to do with this medicine. It is the only medicine that i am currently taking so this must be the culprit. I am in my mid thirties and even as a teenager didn't get acne this bad.

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53

I have been on 50mg Levothyroxine for about 9mo. I started noticing little bumps developing on my face (cheeks and forehead) about a month into taking the medication. At the same time, the facial cleanser I was using was discontinued and changed. I thought it was the cleanser that mine had been replaced with. It sounds like it's the medication. I'm tempted to half my dosage as an experiment to see if there is any change. Will be seeing my doctor in 2 weeks anyway.

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56

I am so glad I found this information! I have been taking thyroid medication - levothyroxine since I was in grade school! I'm currently on 125 mcg. I have suffered from acne since high school, but the last few years have been horrible!! I am soon to be 29 years old and am sooo embarrassed of my skin! I have spent hundreds of dollars on washes, treatments, and acne devices that claim to be the answer with not a lot of luck. I was taking birth control pills for years but stopped taking them about 8 months ago or so because I thought they were causing some problems. I really hope that by switching the brand of my medication it will help with my acne.

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57

Have been on levothyroxin for a few years. 50mcg. Last year and a half I have had a rash on my butt and itching both there and different parts of the body. I have tried to go through the list of possibilities and decided to check "testimonials" of levo...was surprised to read about the acne problems. Has anyone else experienced "butt rash" and itching?

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59

It has to be! I was on the the generic brand and it didn't work for me. They bumped me up to the name brand and since then I've had severe acne, mainly on my chin, and behind my ear and get this, on my stomach! They even had to put me on doxycycline because the acne in my hair (Behind my ear) got infected and inflamed the glands behind my ear.

I was on the highest dose (200 mcg of levothyroxine and NEVER had a problem) I got moved to 200 mcg of Synthroid and I'm breaking out all over!)

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63

I am not sure switching to a name brand is going to help. Most of the posters here are saying they are taking Levothyroxine, which IS the name brand. I know I have been taking Levothyroxine for about 6 weeks. In the last week, I have developed really bad cystic acne (painful, under the skin bumps that don't come to a head. They won't "pop" and leave scars) on my chin and around my mouth.

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65

First of all, make sure you really need the medication! When I was 24, my doctor at the time told me I'd have to take it every day for the rest of my life. In retrospect, I think I may not have been getting the nutrients I needed and that caused the hypothyroidism (the doctor was unaware of this). Now, at 37, my doctor suggested trying to come off of Levothyroxine as I was on such a low dose. With diet and lifestyle changes, I think the hypothyroidism reversed itself! I have been off it for about 8 weeks now, and I feel great, have plenty of energy and none of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. My skin is 100% clear for the first time since I started taking the medicine. I never made the connection until now. I tried Proactive, Clindamycin-Benzoil Peroxide, and Doxycycline (along with lots of other OTC choices). They had awful side effects and never worked as well as I'd hoped. I changed my makeup and barely wear any, I changed to a very gentle facial cleanser, I changed my diet, etc. There were some minor improvements, but I was still breaking out - until I stopped Levothyroxine. After reading all of these comments, I am convinced that it was the culprit! I'm so relieved to be off of it now.

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