Levothyroxine Numb Hands, Dizzy, Itching, Stomach Issues

I had a total throdectomy 2 years ago due to thyroid cancer. I have been on 150 - 200mg Levothyroxine daily. Side effects are - now and again my heart will beat once really hard, when i wake up my hands feel numb and fingers tingle, get dizzy/drunk feelings, dry itchy skin, dry sore eyes, stomach pains and constipation. Sometimes i feel like i am turning into a hypercondreact. Does anyone else feel like this? I am due another blood test next month.

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yes I have many of the same reactions as you. I have been on this med.. for about 15 years

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Fast heartbeat is one the more serious side effects while taking levothyroxin. Although all your other side effects are reported normal.

If you feel concerned I would speak with your doctor that prescribed you levothyroxine, and let he/she know all of your side effects.

To learn more side effects about this drug click on the link below...
https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Levothyroxine/­

Do you have any more questions or information to add? Please post back if you do.

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My husband has the same symptoms as you describe. they began within hours of starting the drug. Hope all is well with you now - but how did it resolve for you? We'd love to hear your reply asap - we are supposed to leave for our 20th anniversary trip in a few days and he can't go feeling as bad as he does.

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Hi how much medication is he on? I am on 150mcg a day. To be honest i think it just takes time for your body to adjust to the medication. I do feel better at the moment although i have been on the meds for 18 months.
Take care and happy aniversary.

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Dear All - Thanks for your replies. It is very appreciated. Here's the whole story - My husband is a physically fit, normally healthy emergency services provider for the past 20 years. He has had occasional high BP readings, but not high enough to medicate. Over the past few years his thyroid levels have fallen in the sub-clinical range for hypothyroidism. His doc is a internist/endocrinologist. My husbadn was started on 8 mcg Synthroid in May and immediately felt more energy, etc. He had his levels tested mid June. The doc lowered the dosage to 75 mcg because he was losing weight, but feeling pretty good - just a little muscle/joint pain. My husband took the Synthroid 75 mcg from mid June until the samples the doc gave him ran out beginning of July, then he filled the Rx. The pharmacy gave him 75 mcg of levothyroxine - the generic. Within hours of beginning the generic, all his bad side effects began. Coincidence? He saw his doc about 48 hours later. Doc prescribed blood pressure med and began urine testing for feochromo??? (adrenal gland tumor/cancer)..... Doc wants to test levels again in 10 days. Doc never advised us that the symptoms my husband is experiencing are listed as side effects on the levothyroxine package insert........ My husband decided not to take any med today to see how he feels. It has been 12 hours and while he doesn't feel 100%, he is experiencing any of the bad effects he had this past week. Any thoughts?

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From my experiance levothyroxine plays havoc with your system. I like your husband was fit and healthy so the dizzy spells, sore eyes, dry skin and palpitations are all caused by the levo. I thought it was a case of just put up with the side effects as you have no other choices.

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Hello,
I have been on levothyroxine for about 5 months now. I had swelling and had to go down on dose. I now have muscle pain in hips and butt area. I am wondering if anyone else has this symptom. Thanks.

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Jeannie,
Sorry, I don't have any answers. My husband quit the levothyroxine a week ago and has been feeling great. ??? He just couldn't stand the symptoms and since his unmedicated thyroid levels were so close to 'normal' he figured it wouldn't hurt. We don't recommend stopping meds, but we wonder if it is a coincidence that he began feeling better when he quit the levo. We truly hope you feel better.

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I am 46, and I have been diag.with a thyroid problem (Hashmoto disease with is a underactive thyroid. Dr. put me on Levothyroxin. I am having very very dry and sore eyes. Anyone else with this problem. Please write.
Dr. Say this is not a side effect.
But I do not agree.

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Have Dr. check calcium levels...low calcium gives the tingles in the fingers. Because parathyroid glands are responsible for calcium levels, perhaps you have a problem with those glands.

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Hi. I also had dry eyes while on levothyroxine. However it only lasted about a month. I just used optrex. Dont worry as with the many side effects of this drug it should pass. I guess it takes a while for your body to adjust.
The only problem i still have is the palpitations also lately the right hand side of my neck feels full and the glands under my jaw line feel large.

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I've been on levothyroxine for over a year with good results, but in the past few months I've had dry, sore eyes and also tingling and numbness in just the fingertips of one hand. Am relieved to hear these may be normal side effects of the drug - I can live with them.

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I've been on levothyroxine for over a year, but only now experiencing dry, sore eyes and some tingling/numbness in the fingertips of one hand. Am relieved to hear these may be normal side effects.

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I have hashomoto disease and have taken levothyroxine since the end of November 09. I started with 25 then halfed that for a couple of weeks because it gave me the shakes and palpitations. I restarted the 25 for about 2 months still with no energy. my Dr. changed my dosage to 50 and the first day I felt better but the next two days I had fast heart beat and no energy at all. The third day I didn't take it at all. It was Sat. and no one is in the office until Tue. I still feel shakey and my heart beats a littlle fast and I am exausted. I don't want to go to the OR. Is it okay if I just stay off the meds until Tue. when the office is open or shall I do something different? Please advise!

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is this cause by brithcontrol pill

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is this cause by brithcontrol pill

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is this cause by brithcontrol pill

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hi everyone,i'm new to this internet thing,but here goes.had total thyroidectomy in jan 2009,been on levothyroxine since the op.started on 150mcg,then 100,then 75,back to 100 and now 75 again.i too feel awful,never felt as ill.. used to weigh 8 stone , now weigh 10. does anyone know what happens if i just stop taking it.many thanks.

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Hi Tracy, As you can see i started this post going over a year ago now. All the effects i described have now gone. I still use dermol lotion as shower gel and have no dry skin. The heart problems are pretty much back to normal. I am still on 150mcg 5 days a week and 200mcg 2 days a week, I honestly believe it just took time for my body to adjust to the changes. I also live a healthy lifestyle with a good diet and exercise. Any problems i did get i always spoke to my doctor about and he kept an eye on me. But as it stands i am feeling great. Hopefully your body will adjust soon.

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I just started taking Levothyroxine about a month ago, When i first started taking it I couldn't concentrate on anything, I called my Doc and she told me to cut it in half and try that.. I felt better but now im starting to feel really jittery. I have had a headache for the last week and when its time for bed im soo tired I would think the second my head hit the pillow I would pass out but right when I start to fall asleep I shoot out of bed and my left hand is numb and my heart is trying to beat out of my chest. while having trouble breathing im only 24 and sooo tired of this!

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Thank god I'm not the only one. I've had the same op, plus ro, iodine. I've been on levothyroxine 8 months and my body has aged like 100 years, thought I had MS. I was on 150mcg, then 125, now 150. I had a headache all day today and an aching throat, sore joints, hip ache, focus issues, no spark, and sleep a lot. No end to this s***?!

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Re: Crystal (# 2)

“All your other side effects are normal?” Seriously.

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Re: Bev (# 9)

This sounds like your level is too high, I had this problem before my total thyroidectomy . I was hyperthyroid and had dry eyes and eye pain constantly .

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Dry eyes is a side effect of hypothyroidism. Dry everything really.

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I have had a rapid heart beat a few times. My fingers can be numb when I wake up. My back itches every day. I take levothytoxin 88mg.

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Oh strangely enough , tickly cough gone and tight throat !!!

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Had radioidine in 2012 , started with tickly cough and tight throat end January ... Had go doctors 3 days ago had awful tight headache back of neck , palpations and shortness of breath ... My bloods normal ... Doctor told me stop taking tablets few days ... Was in 100 mg levothyrine ... Thought was having heart attack , gonna have to take something as thyroid doesn't work !!! ... Still breathless and palpatations but intermitent ... Feel over medicated , ...help !!

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Guys, you can analyze the hell out of Levothyroxine, you can discuss and compare your symptoms until the cows come home. The answer is to get off this junk drug and switch to an NDT. This way you get all of the hormones you need, T4, T3, T2, T1, T0 and calcitin all in reasonable ratios. Doctors are not capable of medicating you to optimal health on Levo (although it can be done). The biggest drawback encountered on day 1 is that they will medicate you to TSH because they do not know any better, that will guarantee that you will be under medicated and suffer all of the symptoms you read here. For your part, you must read and study this subject because you need to be in control of your health. In the case of thyroid endocrinology doctors are not very well educated. They might be known as good Endocrinologists but that's because they are probably very good with diabetes, thyroid issues are far more complicated and they do not know how to juggle all of the variables. Educate yourself, your health and maybe life will depend upon it.

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Have been on the stuff for nine days the worst nine days of my life just called the pharmacy and he advised me to get off will call doc in morning

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150 - 200 mcg is a colossal dose! You have probably become hyperthyridic (i.e. over active "thyroid" condition). Try dropping back to 150 mcg and see if you can get rid of the palpitations, that is the most dangerous condition. Actually 150mcg is still pretty high, but not knowing your weight I shouldn't guess at a solution.

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