Levothyroxine Side Effects

I was recently diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. I have been taking levothyroxine for almost two weeks. For the last four or five days I have had a weird feeling. It is hard to explain. I don't really feel dizzy but I get a strange feeling in my head. I guess you would describe it as a head rush. Has anyone else had this feeling and will it go away as my body adjusts to the levothyroxine?

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yes i would get that every morning after i took my pills and drank coffee. I think its inmortant to eat a little over an hour after to avoid the dizziness. It does go away though.

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Levothyroxine Info and Side effects Click Here

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my pharmactist changed my thyroid pills because my insurance doesn't cover my other ones. I am cold all the time again and i am dizzy. I came home from work today because I can't handle it. I am going to the doctor today

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Response to Johnny Yes, I have felt as if my brain has a weird short in it.. Indeed a head rush. Like a whoa, what was that? several times a day. I have recently been upped from 50 to 75 daily. Does anyone know if this will disappear soon? Thanks

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my doc. just uped my medicine from 25 to 50. because its been really hard for me to lose weight. but know my teeth and my checks hurt just wondering if anyone else had this happen? althow it has gave me alot more energy.

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yes!!!! I know how you feel and its hard to explain (and frustrating). Ive been taking levothyroxin since june of 07 and that feeling has gone away some. however i have the symptons of hypothyroidism and my dr. insists i have a underactive thyroid which i dont believe this whole thing is frustrating!!!! and Im only 30!!!!

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Response to Johnny. Yes, I have the same feeling. I am thirsty all the time to. I feel dizzy and kinda drunk feeling.

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I have been on the meds for 2 weeks and feel like I have an electric current running thru my body/nervous and snappy. i am thinking about stopping the meds...how long before buzzing stops??

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I just went on this medication. My lips swelled as has my throat. I called the pharmacist and have a call into my doc right now. My lips, mouth hurt- and are ultra sensitive and am feeling tingles... not liking the feeling at all. Have taken 1000 mg vitamin C with minerals and drinking lots of water. Breathing okay but when I talk I sound funny because my tongue is swollen. Also feeling a bit fuzzy.

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I'm so glad I found this site. I too have had really weird feelings in my head as if i'm drunk, and also a buzzing or as if being electrically shocked. Has anyone else thought about taking natural supplements, or know weather they are safe?
I hope we all get better, I'd like to go back to being able to take care of my children and my house without having to sit down because i'm too tired or feeling funny in the head. Losing this weight would be good too!
Good Luck All!

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Hi, I too i'm 30 years old. I'm also male. From what I've read most of you are on a way smaller dose then I am, I was just diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 3 mos ago. When I started I was put on 100mcg now I'm at 150 I've seen my test results from 2 docs and both said and showed the same so I'm pretty sure their right. Now I've never felt any of the things that any of you are describing and I'm sorry that you are feeling these things. I just wanted to share something I heard which was that some dr. were giving out thyroid medication to women who complained about weight gain and then telling them they had hypothyroidism. I've also heard of people having strange and uncomfortable reactions when they have been misdiagnosed, I hope that none of this pertains to any of you but I thought I'd throw it out there. I hope you all feel better soon!!!!

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yes Sherri--felt the exact same way. Just finished Dr. David Brownstein book on Thyroid Very informative. I am not having additional blood tests, salvia test to determine my hormorne levels (they affect the thyroid function). Keep researching and reading.

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i also have underactive thyriod and have since 1999 i have noticed with alot of stress and a big change in diet mine goes wackie still today. i am taking 200mcg and it still fluctuates after all these years. and the sleepiny tingly never goes completly away it still lurks when you least expect it too.

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Sort of feeling not really dizzy, but lots of flutters or palpitations of heart. My thyroid goes crazy at times and i go from hypo to hyper, and this has been since i have been on levothyroxin. Have had to be admitted to hospital twice, because of atrial fibrillation caused by thyroid.

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It is so nice to see others that just get it. I've only been taking thryoid meds for about 2 weeks and trying to explain the weird feeling I get to people who aren't on it is frustrating. It's kind of like a head rush meets fuzziness... thankfully, no palpitations and i'm looking forward to the weight loss

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In reply to Stacyn, I have been taking this since July 20 of 08 and have been feeling dizzy as well, and down I guess, like things are racing,it is hard to explain but I am thinking about getting in touch with my Dr and either lower the dosage or quitting. I am trying to loose weight though and it has been so difficult even with exercise.

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I use to take a different medicine,but I couldn't afford it. So the switched my medicine to levothyroxin and now I'm starting to feel like crap again. I feel like I'm walking around drunk all the time and my head is fuzzy.Just some weird as things and I'm only 27 it's a messed up feeling to deal with so young. I just want to go back to feeling normal and I did for a little bit tell I had to change medicines.

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My hypothyroidism began while I was in utero. My parents were very young, and didn't notice something was wrong until they saw how very short I was. I was almost 7 years behind in bone growth before my condition was figured out. I used to describe the feeling I had as the squishy crunchies.

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I just began this medicine about a month or so ago and I have not had any of these side effects but I have in the last three weeks lost ALLOT of hair and it is to the point I can no longer continue this medication. I was just wondering if it has happened to any of you and if the hair comes back? I have lost 13 lbs this month and the effect it that sence is great, but at what cost? NO HAIR??? no way....

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I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid in Feb of 2007. Once we got my intial generic levothyroxin making my test results normal, I felt great and my doc was pleased. After a few months all of the symptoms came back. (head rush, brain fog, cold all the time, exhausted, panic attacks) I went back to the doc and he said that my levels were normal. I talked to a family friend who told me to switch to a name brand version so I've been on Synthyroid without any problems for months now. about 6 months ago my symptoms came back out of the blue and my dosage was increased to 75mcg. Yesterday I started feeling my symptoms again and now i'm looking to switch medicines all together.

I know many of you are as frustrated as I am but I look at it like shampoo, your hair does better if you switch it up now and then. good luck to everyone

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Hello, Yup, me to, a little lite headed & dizzy, but it would soon leave. But, I’ve been on Levothyroxin for 36 yrs. Yup, you read right., this last year, my entire face was chapped, I could feel it, but you couldn’t see it. My GP sent me to a dermatologist and he just gave me cortizone cream,,Didn’t work- I had recalled a previous Dr. recommend, I skip a doze, and so I’ve been actually skipping every other day to a half-
Then next day, a whole pill.., YOU GUESSED IT, my chapped face went away…, A full year, I had a chapped face- it’s gone !! For those of you feeling dizzy or something else unusual, try half-ing a dose, and next day a full dose.., Hope this helps your Butterfly ~ Cheers!

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Re: Tkelly21 (# 448)

I keep having heart palpitations and head rush. My doctor upped my dosage from 25mcg to 50mcg because my thyroid levels were still low. But this higher dose makes me feel sick and the heart palpitations don’t stop. I went to a different doctor before I started feeling these strange symptoms and she asked me if I was feeling heart palpitations since my first doctor has increased my dosage but I told her no since I wasn’t feeling these symptoms a few months ago. A few months later and now the palpitations won’t stop. I’m getting a second opinion and ask about alternative because I’m reading these comments on here and it looks like this medication does more harm than good to most patients

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Re: Sunny (# 500)

If she needs that syroid medicine and she stops taking it she may feel okay at the beginning but she will pay for it in the end. Check with your doctor because your thyroid is extremely important. Don't listen to others check with your doctor first.
Just sayin.

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Hi,
I had thyroid cancer and I have been on L thyroxine since 1992 and I pretty much do the same thing at times. Because your thyroid does almost everything. So it should get better but at least call and let your doctor know and maybe they can adjust the dosage you're on. Good luck.

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Re: susie (# 8)

I stopped completely 2 weeks ago. Feeling so much better. Not touching this. Why should you take a med for 1 problem and create half a dozen more? Crazy.

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Re: stacyn (# 15)

Hi. I have been on the meds for 3 weeks and I'm sooo tired. I also get the strange feeling in my head that my heart flutters sometimes. I am always thirsty and hungry but I am not overweight. Is this just side effects?

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Re: Christina (# 496)

I need to ask some questions. I have no thyroid now since I allowed a doctor to convince me that it MIGHT be cancerous... and the doctor said it would be easy to just take this tiny pill for the rest of your life. Well, it is not so simple as that. I now have osteoporosis caused by the hormone... and now I find that my hormone levels are too low, got to increase the dosage... and the brochure says that calcium can block the hormone....and I don't take pills but eat spinach and drink almond milk to make up for the low calcium... but I'm really low on energy and depressed at this point. If I take my pill at 2 a.m. that will give me a 5 hr window before I eat... and maybe that will work to not have the calcium interfere with the hormone? Any ideas?

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Re: Margret (# 489)

I’ve had vertigo from an inner ear infection. It’s your balance when it affects the inner ear. I had it years age when I was young and before I was ever diagnosed with any thyroid problems. It’s awful when you’re in bed and turn your head to one side and you feel like you’re sinking into the bed!

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Thyroid medication is tricky and serious. There is a saying, "thyroid low, please go slow because if thyroid high, patient may die." You should not have weird feelings on Levothyroxine. Call your doctor. You may be bumped up too much. Never take thyroid with food. It 100% negates the effects. My thyroid is really crappy. Runs in the family. I've got 22 years of thyroid treatment and education under my belt.

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Hello everyone.
I had thyroid cancer back in 1992. When I lived in my home state my doctor had me regulated and I felt great. Moved to another state and they have me on 200 MGs and when I start getting heart palpitations I take myself off of it for about 2 days and then I go back on it and I feel great. So you just have to almost experiment with yourself because some of these doctors are just stupid. Where I live before my doctor told me to never take anything higher than 150 mgs and the doctors were I Live Now are just so ridiculous. Good luck.

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